I’m sitting here thinking, “How may I wisely and prudently share all the good the LORD, my God and Father, my Savior, my Rock and my Redeemer—my greatest and preeminent love and life, has done for me?”

It’s not possible to share it all because there’s just not enough time or room in this world to be able to encapsulate the goodness of God in just one little life, for the past 53 years (Ps 40:5). So what shall I share, and how shall I share it? What is most edifying and what is the least useful for you to consume? I want to feed, comfort, and strengthen you with the former rather than starve, discourage, and burden you with the latter.

Thanks be to God for His Holy Spirit who always testifies to Christ!

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph 4:29) and, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Ps 19:14) and, “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaim folly.” (Prov 12:23) and, “May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!” (Dt 32:2-3).

After 13 years of brutal beatings and severe persecution because I would not forsake Christ my Lord, by God's magnificent mercy and grace, He's endured me through these past 15 years of constant and often debilitating pain with 20 surgeries (due to damage in most of my organs from the beatings) I want to encourage you with this truth: Suffering is not the worst and dying is not the end.

This testimony of God's grace in the life of our brother Joel Tiegreen (who was called Home to our God and Father and our Lord Jesus Christ a few months after this video was made) has been, and continues to be a great source of comfort and encouragement to me. And I want to share God's kindness to me through this, with all of you. 

In certain churches and Christian circles, there’s a common question that’s asked, “What’s your life verse?” It’s supposed to mean something grand, but I’m afraid that in most cases, it is not.

It sounds spiritually mature to ask and answer this question. But after 49 years of my new birth, rarely have I heard this question or answer come from a place of substance—of eternal value and weight. Rather, both this question and its answer are more often in the vein of, “What’s your all-time favorite verse? You know, the one that reminds you of how special and wonderfully loved you are and comforts you when you need it most?”

In the past, I too have asked and answered this seemingly deep, but shallow question. Why? Because at that time in my life, I didn’t know any better. And by God’s grace and mercy, I’m inclined to extend His compassion to others who have and still ask and answer this question in like manner, rather than harshly condemn them for not knowing any better as I do now (cf. Rom 12:3). For participating in this activity is not sinful in itself. But it is unwise since it can lead to the sins of pride, self-righteousness, and false-piety.

None of us are born knowing and thoroughly understanding everything. Nor do any of us, at any time in our lives, wake up one morning and suddenly have full knowledge and understanding of all things—save Christ Jesus.

But as we draw nearer to our Lord Jesus, singularly focusing on His face, His Word, His will, and the majesty and beauty of His holiness and love, we can’t help but think more like Him, talk more like Him, have a heart more like Him (loving what He loves, hating what He hates, being humored by what He’s humored by).

Just as it is with all created things that are still alive (people, animals, plants, etc.) we are conformed to what, where, how, and with whom our time and energy is most spent.

If our time, energy, and resources are largely spent on temporal things, then our minds, hearts, and speech will bear the fruit of that (Mt 6:19, Gal 5:19-21); clearly revealing who or what is most precious to us, and what we most cherish and treasure (Mt 6:21, 7:21).

Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” could, by all accounts, be everyone’s life verse.

This singular verse magnificently encompasses what most pleases God our Father, and suits every situation and circumstance for anyone—for our entire lives.

Are you sick? Are you hungry? Are you poor and needy? Are you proud and suffering the fruit of that sin? Are you lonely, or are you too overwhelmed with company? Are you misunderstood? Are you mistreated? Are you persecuted for Christ’s sake? Are you happy and well? The list goes on.

Whether we experience pain or pleasantries, it is always good and right to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In pain, this diligent and daily practice keeps us from acting in, or being overcome by: anger, fear, and anxiety. In pleasantries, it keeps us from acting in, or being overcome by: megalomania, false humility, and self-indulgence.

It is in this holy and happy practice of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness that we are (in any and every circumstance) enveloped in the inexplicable blessedness and peace of wholly submitting to, and resting in, the good and perfect sovereignty of the LORD GOD Almighty (cf. Prov 3:5-8).

But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for

       Himself;

   the LORD hears when I call to Him.

Be angry, and do not sin;

   ponder in your own hearts on your beds,

       and be silent.                      Selah

Offer right sacrifices,

   and put your trust in the LORD.

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?

   Lift up the light of Your face upon us, O LORD!”

You have put more joy in my heart

   than they have when their grain and wine abound.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

   for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

~Psalm 4:3-8

For further encouragement and warm exhortation on Matthew 6:33, listen to my pastor’s sermon from February 6, 2022, The Christian’s Pursuit. You’ll definitely want a journal, pen, and tissues (because you’ll find yourself both grateful and repentant as you listen).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

~1 Peter 1:3-7, ESV (emphasis mine)

Often, an efficiency of words prove to make or break the meaning and/or weightiness of an entire thought. But we no longer live in the luxury of an instant coffee or microwave society. After all, it takes at least three whole minutes (or sometimes longer) to microwave popcorn! Which is why we quickly lose interest and move on if anything we read, watch, or listen to takes longer than one minute.

Unfortunately, this very immature and dangerous lifestyle of living in the urgency of self-satisfaction and entertainment has entered the Church. This deeply grieves me. Every. Single. Day.

When we skim over the holy Scriptures, no longer reading carefully, studying prudently, or meditating lovingly on it, we complain and fret like the lost world. We easily miss one important word, or two (e.g., if necessary) that deepen our understanding of the entire passage.

Because God’s economy is perfect, He wastes nothing (Jn 6:12-13). And because “the LORD, the LORD, [is] a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6) He does not afflict us from His heart, but afflicts us always and only, because it was/is/will be, necessary for our eternal good—that we may be made like Christ—complete and lacking nothing good (cf. Ps 119:67, 71; Rom 5:3-4; Jas 1:2-4).

Below, is comforting and exhorting wisdom from and excerpt of Lewis Bayly’s (c. 1575-1631), The Practice of Piety of why God our Father allows and brings us to afflictions—that we will not be found to have wasted our lives, but rather, that our lives may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Meditations for the Sick

“1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins which otherwise we would commit…

“2. God sends affliction to seal unto us our adoption, for “the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons [Heb 12:7-8, 11]…

“3. God sends affliction to wean our hearts from too much loving this world and worldly vanities; and to cause us the more earnestly to desire and long for eternal life…

“4. By affliction and sickness God exercises his children, and the graces which he bestows upon them. He refines and tries their faith, as the goldsmith does his gold in the furnace—to make it shine more glistening and brightly (1 Pet. 1:7;) he stirs us up to pray more diligently, and zealously, and proves what patience we have learned all this while in his school of affliction…

“5. God sends afflictions, to demonstrate to the world the trueness of his children’s love and service. Every hypocrite will serve God while he prospers and blesses him, as the devil falsely accused Job to have done: but who (but his loving child) will love and serve him in adversity…

“6. Sanctified affliction is a singular help to further our true conversion, and to drive us home by repentance to our heavenly Father…

“7. Affliction works in us pity and compassion toward our fellow-brethren that are in distress and misery; whereby we learn to have a fellow-feeling of their calamities, and to condole their estate, as if we suffered with them (Heb 13:3). And for this cause Christ himself would suffer, and be tempted in all things like unto us (sin only excepted) that he might be a merciful High Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Heb 4:15; Heb 2:18; Heb 5:8-9)…

“8. God uses our sicknesses and afflictions as means and examples both to manifest to others the faith and virtues which he has bestowed upon us, as also to strengthen those who have not received so great a measure of faith as we…

“9. By afflictions God makes us conformable to the image of Christ his Son (Rom 8:18; 1 Pet 4:14), who being the captain of our salvation, was made perfect through sufferings (Heb 2:10) And therefore he first bore the cross in shame, before he was crowned with glory (Heb 2:7)…

“10. Lastly, that the godly may be humbled in respect of their own state and misery; and God glorified by delivering them out of their troubles and afflictions, when they call upon him for his help and support…”

For further comfort and encouragement from the LORD himself, read these Scriptures and the entire chapter that each are found in: 1 Peter 1:3-7; Isaiah 30:18; Lamentations 3:31-33; Psalm 119:67, 71, Philippians 4:16-18.