Author: Jon Harris

Did your parents know your future upon your birth? Did they know your destiny? How about in your teenage years? Was your specific life calling presented to you in a clear way?

How about nearer term? Life can bring many expectations but Earthly plans are always subject to change, disruption and ultimately disappointment.

This week a wonderful young man had a hope and dream related to his destiny crushed; a very painful loss. The young man was prepared for victory and not prepared for a loss whatsoever. Beforehand there was great anticipation, preparation, and excitement. There was little doubt about the outcome; everything was going to be great! He was prayerful, pleading to God for a specific result. Of course God listened as he always listens, however the answer this time was “no”.

Worse than the dream being crushed, there are suspicions around the circumstances. False accusations and suspected manipulation which point to deception. We know that in this life there will be trouble, but when it hits home, it hurts badly.

We crave the truth, justice and a return to joy. And that’s life here on Earth. We seek after these things but as each of these Bible Journal posts convey, there is only one way to the truth and the life, and that’s a future with Jesus. We write to you in order to prepare you (and ourselves) for what is to come, for this future.

Today’s reading is the prophecy of Zechariah (Luke 1:67-80). Zechariah spoke of the future, the destiny of his son John (now known as John the Baptist). John would be the one to “prepare the way” for the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.

 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord. (Luke 1:76)

The Advent season is about preparation; getting our hearts ready for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We celebrate because he brings us salvation through forgiveness of our many sins.

   You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins. (Luke 1:77)

No matter your circumstances today, perhaps in the darkness, take hope in the morning light as with each day we move closer to the celebration of His birth, we also move closer to our step into eternity.

Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

These days we spend a lot of time dreaming of the things we’d do, the plans we’d love to make “if only…” Most of these thoughts return to the same conclusion: Not right now. Can’t go there. Can’t do that. Can’t see them.

Sometimes it feels like we are just wasting away in the waiting.

If you’re struggling right now to find purpose and meaning, you’re definitely not alone. Confession: The times I’m most frustrated usually come from my own misalignment, with my wants prioritized first, with invalid expectations, thinking something is deserved or guaranteed. It is the realization that I want to do things I cannot do, but then: Do I want these things out of an incorrect view of my purpose or God’s purpose for me?

We were not created for our own purpose, we were created for God’s purpose, for him. He had a plan and you are part of it.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)

Rick Warren eloquently states:

“God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him. His purpose for your life (to know Him, share Him with those that don’t know Him, become more like Him, and spend eternity with Him) predates your conception. He planned your purpose before you existed, without your input! …. The purpose of your life fits into a much larger purpose that God has designed for eternity.”

This same God who made you and me for a purpose, made everyone else for a purpose, for eternity’s sake. Thousands of years ago he made a promise to King David as to his purpose: King David was to be in the lineage of an eternal throne, for his offspring to be on the throne for all generations.

I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations. (Psalms 89:4)

God promised this many years before the birth of Christ, but the amount of time between the promise and the realization of the promise is not the point. The point is God is faithful to keep his promises and in the fulfillment of this promise, we have another promise fulfilled regarding our purpose: Eternity with God. Eternity is a real word with real meaning.

And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:23)

Yes indeed, Son of David. The Christ. Son of the Living God. King. Redeemer. Restorer. Savior of the World. Living without him in this life is one thing, but there are no greater stakes than that of the next life. Free will, our choice.

To move forward, I pray that you take a step backward and read Jennifer’s post from yesterday titled “Hope“.

This week I had a confidential and important problem, and needed a friend to talk to. I didn’t need someone to SOLVE the problem, I needed to talk to someone with whom I TRUSTED completely. Bringing the problem to fruition didn’t need the smartest or most talented, or even my “favorite” person, it was purely a matter of trust.

Consider today:

1. Who do you trust the most and why? Consider telling this person, it will build more trust and will lift their spirit!
2. Is there a relationship where you could improve the level of trust? Consider some of the trust-builders: Being more trustworthy yourself, becoming more vulnerable, building the relationship with openness and taking a leap of faith to entrust the other person more.

In John 16 Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure. It was time for him to go but he wasn’t going to leave them empty handed. He left them (and us) with the Holy Spirit, also known as the Friend (MSG), Helper (ESV), the Advocate (NLT), the Spirit of truth, among other names.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

Who can we trust more than our God who sent his son Jesus, and then after the Holy Spirit was sent? In our troubles we don’t need someone to just make us feel good. As humans we crave meaningful relationships based on trust and truth. Unfortunately these relationships in this life are often few and far between, susceptible to failure due to our sinful nature in a broken world.

What is our sin? How do we respond?

The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. (John 16:9)

What good is a doctor who says you are healthy when you’re dying? The Holy Spirit tells us we are dying (of our sin). The Spirit convicts and points to God the father and Jesus as savior. It is up to us to choose to believe (and follow) or to deny (and disobey) Him.

The world is full of scary stuff; pain, sorrow, confusion, lies and trouble. Do not rely on the world’s cures. The next vaccine may thankfully solve one problem but the next problem is right around the corner. The only vaccine for our real problem (sin) is repentance and forgiveness, and trusting in the name of Jesus Christ. He’s the vaccine. He’s the cure. He’s the only one worthy of all trust, the victor, undefeated, and champion of all time.

 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)

Where are your trials and tribulations today, and where is your trust? Don’t let these words from Jesus pass you by. They were written for you and me, for all situations. Give them over to the one who died with you in mind. He loves you and he seeks a relationship right now in this very moment.

A young man perhaps in his early 20s was standing outside a store in the city center. He was clearly not a native of this city nor country and wasn’t outside the store to do some shopping. While wearing a protective mask, he engaged the townspeople with his eyes. His gaze was warm and intriguing; it said so much: “Please help me, I won’t hurt you, I have nothing, I am willing to humble myself just for some small change, this is not the life I dreamed of, please, please, please…”

With his gaze, he held a baseball hat by the brim, upside down to make a nest for the money from passersby.

The young man is named Peter and he is from Nigeria (where the official language is English). He has lived in this country for three years, arriving here with the hope for a better life. Due to massive unemployment, he cannot find a job, so he takes to the streets each day, hoping for money and/or food.

Peter was wearing a necklace with a cross on it so I asked him, hoping to engage in some conversation about Jesus, “Why do you wear the cross?”. He said, “because I am a Christian, I believe that God is the same today as he has always been and always will be”. I was blown away by his faith.

He shared more about his belief and circumstances, and as he did, I truly felt that while I had it in mind to witness to him, he was witnessing to me. Our God is amazing! Can I get an amen?

As our conversation wound down, I was reminded of what a brother in Christ recently said about the supernatural power of reading scripture aloud as we witness. I quickly opened the Bible app where the “verse of the day” was front and center. It read (and I read aloud):

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭ESV)

With this, I can say to you readers: Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God. Only the living God, through his Holy Spirit could orchestrate such a divine appointment where one man proclaims, “God as being the same today as always”, and another man instantly sees and reads the matching words in the name of Jesus aloud in the streets.

Today’s chapter is John 4. As Jennifer pointed out yesterday in her post “Who is Jesus?“, “John uses the stories to make the case that Jesus is the Son of God and the only source of eternal life.” John 4 is no exception as it shares miracles and people coming faith in Jesus, as well as Jesus himself saying that he is the Messiah.

³⁹ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” (John 4:39)

⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word. ⁴² They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:41-42)

⁵³ The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. (John 4:53)

They believed because of his word and his miracles. What reasons do you have to believe today? What is holding you back from sharing what you believe and why you believe? What can we learn from the faith of “Peter from Nigeria” and how should we respond?

Father God, you are the same yesterday, and today and forever! We repent once again for doubting you, for judging others, for our selfishness, for using resources for our pleasure rather than your glory. Thank you for your word, your truth, for being patient with us, for interceding, for the mercy and grace and forgiveness in the name of your son Jesus, the only source of life. Amen.

In 2016 our son Peyton had a two-night outdoor education trip scheduled with his entire fifth grade class at a camp in Illinois. In preparation for the retreat, the school asked dads to volunteer to stay in the cabins with the boys overnight. My first instinct was, I’m all in; I love being a dad, and I want to be there for my son.

Leading up to the event, negative comments were shared about this volunteer mission and people told me not to go. It would probably be cold, rainy, and muddy. The kids would likely be all wound up or over-tired, misbehave, and would stay up too late. The accommodations would be miserable, dirty, and uncomfortable. I’d actually heard this from more than one person.

Fortunately, I trusted my instincts and decided that no matter how bad the report was, the right thing to do was to volunteer – and it was amazing! Peyton looked me in the eyes and thanked me for being there. This made it all worthwhile and nearly brought me to tears. I got to observe my son and his peers having so much fun; there was a beautiful campfire, a night hike through the woods, s’mores, and giggling kids having a wonderful time. Priceless moments that can never be replicated in this lifetime with that little boy. What if I missed out because of a bad report? Now I am actually in tears.

Numbers 13 tells the story where Moses sent several men to spy out the land of Canaan. The spies went as instructed, but depending on their point of view, their reports and responses differed.

First the favorable view and response that reflected faith in God. Caleb saw the goodness that God had been promising all along and was eager to continue toward that goodness in obedience.

²⁷ And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ³⁰ But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:27, 30)

Then the bad report. God had been promising he would take them to this land, and that he would be with them; they just needed to trust him. They shared an observation of adversity and ignored all that God had done thus far and chose to shrink in fear as a lack of trust in God’s plan.

Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” (Numbers 13:31)

The same group of people witnessed the same events, but yet their individual responses varied greatly.

When the congregation heard the bad report, they decided that it would have been better to go back to Egypt to become slaves, or better to have died in Egypt rather than be there in the desert. On the opposite side, those who put their trust in God responded in in a faithful manner.

If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” (Numbers 14:8-9)

Numbers 14 reflects how serious God is with regard to how he wants us to trust him in all things. Those who chose not to trust him were severely punished, and those who did trust him were greatly rewarded.

But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. (Numbers 14:24)

After considering Numbers 13-14, this pattern shows for us as humans as we are tested in our faith:

1. We’re on a certain path, unsure as to what is ahead.
2. There are hardships and unknowns, and even some bad reports.
3. There is evidence of God’s faithfulness and goodness; a call to trust him.

We have free will and can choose to either listen to the bad reports, live in fear and give up, or we can trust and obey and live our lives! No matter what circumstances arise: Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have eternal hope.

Lessons learned and questions to consider:

1. We need to be careful with how we share our observations. If we see something potentially negative, how much should we share this information?
2. Consider the source of the bad report. Did this person witness/experience the negative thing firsthand?
3. Even with a substantiated bad report, what are the opportunities that may be hidden within?

Today’s reading: Numbers 14; Psalm 50; Isaiah 3–4; Hebrews 11

What comes to mind with the phrase “waters that flow gently”? I think of peace, a pure stream in the wilderness, tranquility, something natural not made by man, something to observe and take in, reflection, a source for the sustainment of life. Contrasting this, a raging river is harsh, it erodes, it destroys.

⁶ “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, ⁷ therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, (Isaiah 8:6-7)

Referring to Isaiah 8:6: “The waters of Siloam denote the reign of Yahweh, as manifesting itself in the administration of the family of David – a mild, gentle, and munificent reign, beautifully represented by the unfailing and gently flowing waters on which the happiness of Jerusalem so much depended.” (Albert Barnes Notes on the Whole Bible)

For us this can be represented in our choices. We trust and obey or we refuse our God. We remain in the bondage of sin or freedom in Christ. We live in the darkness of anger and bitterness, or in the light through forgiveness. Living in fear or living joyfully, boldly going where God is calling us. Leaving hurtful past behind, moving forward with the eternal hope we have in Christ Jesus.

Let us take rest in the gentle waters. Let us choose Him as Master. Let us hand him our burdens. Let us take his yoke, his gentle guidance. Let us see him as the humble one who calls us like the gentle flowing waters.

I could use some of this rest and gentle flowing water today and over the weekend, how about you?

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

When you’re thirsty, which beverage sounds the most quenching? Is it situational?

For me: First thing in the morning, cold tap water, then sparkling water. After working in the yard, beer (and when I was very young my grandma always had Orange Fanta ready after I cut her lawn). Throughout the day, flavored sparkling water. When I was a youngster playing golf, I loved lemonade or Vernors (ginger ale) with ice and a lemon. Fitness, a sport bottle that quickly launches a steady stream of cool water down my throat. Ahh….

Typing this brings back some great memories, quenching thirst with friends and family.

What do you thirst in life? Peace, balance, fun, joy, laughter, friendship, love, success, healing, wealth, rest, sleep?

One prayer on my heart, “my thirst” has been to find another brother in Christ in/near the city where we live. Perhaps there was some doubt that this would happen anytime soon because when it did happen I admit to being shocked. What other prayers do we pray with seemingly full faith but as time passes we begin to doubt? Keep on praying and trusting!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding; (Proverbs 3:5)

My new friend Francesco is already a great blessing as we discuss and give praise to God; this is true living water. When I think about all of the earthly things that I seek, none are greater than being in alignment with my creator and seeing him work and move in my life and in those around me. All of that wonderful sparkling water in the world will never compare to the thirst quenching of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He promises it; may our words, thoughts and actions reflect our belief in his promises.

¹³ Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

Based on a quick internet search, it is estimated that adult humans make approximately 35,000 decisions per day. If 74% of the 7.8 billion humans on Earth are adults, it means that globally there are over 200 trillion decisions made per day. I wonder how many of those relate to pizza toppings.

Why do we make the choices that we make? What factors lead us to the numerous decisions we make on a daily basis? How do we know we are making the right choices for ourselves, in our jobs, for our families, friends, and others whom we care about? Just a quick glance at our checking accounts and credit card statements reveal much truth as to our choices and where our hearts are.

Today’s perfect attribute of God is “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding“. With this, a recurring thought I have about God and his ways is that every attribute of him is perfect and complete. I sometimes love, God is love. I’m a sinner, he is perfect. I seek wisdom and understanding, he is the source of these things. Ultimately: I give some, Jesus gave ALL.

  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)

In our 35,000 decisions today, let us draw nearer to our God through his free gift of the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is ask for wisdom and understanding and he gives it.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

Your testimonies are righteous forever;
   give me understanding that I may live. (Psalm 119:144)

Father God, forgive me for not asking you for wisdom and understanding and for trying to do so much on my own. Please grant me wisdom and understanding in the problems I’m facing, with the resources available to me, in relationships, as I lead and as I follow, as we seek to share your truth so that others may be saved. Thank you Jesus for loving and forgiving us. Amen.

Cover photo by Maya Ly, source: Flickr

One of the attributes of successful organizations is granting autonomy to its people. In the playing field of personal life and in the workplace, I’ve learned far more from being allowed to fail than from reading books or from specific instruction. Leaders have granted me opportunities with curbs in place to help minimize the negative impacts of failure.

Coming clean

Some of my greatest failures in the last year and what I learned from them:

• Allowed a disruptive and negative team member to remain on the team too long. Even though he was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, he spread frustration and distrust wherever he went. Since his departure we are in a far better place and I’m now much more proactive when it comes to managing negativity and making quick decisions to consider the good of the whole.
• Countless times speaking too quickly when believing I have the right answer to a problem, only to realize not all of the facts were clear. Listening more, speaking less.
• Bringing on a team member without first meeting in person. We had great video calls, he had a fantastic resume, and he passed the test while interviewing online with my peers. However, from his first day onsite it was clear that I’d made an error. While I strongly advocate for remote work, there is no replacement for critical assessments in person, even if just for a very short period of time.

With each of these mistakes there were warning signs; subtle and obvious. Worse, far too many failures can directly be correlated to a lack of prayer and patience, trying to do it my own way.

What does Jesus have to say?

“For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter‬ ‭2:25‬ ‭ESV)

Our Heavenly Father grants us free will, the ability to make our own choices, to make mistakes, and most important – to either choose him or reject him. As our Shepherd, he is the gentle voice giving us warnings or curbs to stay along a path of righteousness. Shepherds look after their whole flock and they also care about each sheep individually.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  (John 10:27 NLT)

The next words from Jesus are the best part. He makes it crystal clear how much he cares for us, following him results in mercy and the gift of eternal life.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,  (John 10:28 NLT)

Sheep also very well know the voice of their shepherd based on a lifetime of following. The further we are from God, the less clear his voice may seem to be when we prioritize our selfish desires over those of our Creator, our Shepherd, the Overseer of our souls.

Father God, forgive us for straying, for ignoring your voice, for ignoring your commands, for putting ourselves first. Thank you for giving us your living word through the Bible. May we seek your truth in a world full of lies, may we choose you to be our Shepherd and Overseer today. Thank you for loving us, for dying for us, for proving you are God of all through your death, burial and resurrection. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Prior to the Coronavirus lockdown I was always in a hurry. Career, social activities, exercise, dining out, planning the next adventure, etc. Then it all came to a screeching halt. Is this true for you as well?

To make matters worse (but ultimately better), I injured my knee, so my cardiovascular exercise became very limited. Then for the first time in my life, I began to exercise-walk. As a person with admitted pride in seeing just how far I can push myself, or just how sweaty my clothing could get, I didn’t respect “walking” as real exercise (sorry mom). I also assumed fitness walking would be boring.

I was wrong.

Amy and I started walking together, hitting the hills and going for ~1 hour to start. Then we began to walk further and further, faster and faster. At first I assumed I could literally walk all day but walking long distances is tiring!

Not only did the walking provide a new perspective, it brought me closer to my wife. We had a lot of fun “just being” outside with little to no distractions from electronics. As spring began to bloom, it was as though I was witnessing flowers and nature for the very first time. There were colorful floral and green explosions in many places that I’d passed hundreds of times before, but had failed to notice.

I soon fell in love with walking, with slowing down, with observing, and using the time to pray, to be thankful, and to listen to audio-books. Sometimes I’d even stop to smell the flowers, and the crazy thing was that there was something in my brain that said “stopping means failure, don’t slow down”. Where does this come from?

Slowing down became more difficult yet more rewarding than going faster.

Today’s name for Jesus: “Rose of Sharon” (Song of Songs 2:1)

I shared the walking story because this reminds me of the beautiful rose that is Jesus Christ. Going too fast and taking too much on was a joy killer and worse it distracted me from fulfillment in Jesus, from seeing him clearly.

• What lies do you tell yourself about your own worth?
• What good things do you need to “say no” to in order to “say yes” to the great things?
• Is there anything in your life where you believe “more” is better? Spend some time considering, “what if” less is best.

The thorns meant to mock him became part of his beauty. Blood red was his sacrifice. Sweet is the aroma of his forgiveness. Set apart, perfect, and vibrant: Jesus, Rose of Sharon.