“[L]earn to set a high price upon the quiet and sweetness of your spirit, set a high price upon it, account it to be a rich jewel of great worth, as we told you, that God accounted the meek spirit to be of great price; ‘tis one way to get it, to have a right esteem of the rest of spirit, and quietness that meekness will cause in the soule…therefore saith Christ, learn of me who am humble and meek, and you shall find rest to your souls…I have found this, that when I have been able to overcome my passion, I have had the sweetest time that ever I have had in all my life: when I could deny my selfe, and exercise meekness, O the quiet of any heart, it was worth a world, and shall I loose this for a trifle, now for a toy, O the poore trifles and toyes that men and women do cast away the quietness of their spirits for, as if they were nothing worth.”

~Jeremiah Burroughs, The Saints Happinesse; Sermon XIII

Ah…the sweetness of meekness is far more impressive and far more glorious and far more heavenly than most of us can know or understand. The sweetness of meekness is complete in Christ alone. Therefore, only in Christ can it be expressed—which there are no human words nor emotions that can even infinitesimally understand a minutia of the might of this holy character of God.

“In God we trust” is easy to say. “I repent and believe in Christ alone for salvation” is also easy to say. “Jesus is Lord” is exceedingly easy to say for anyone who wants to say it. But to actually believe these simple statements—to actually believe every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD—to actually believe God as He has chosen to reveal Himself, through His Son (the Word of God, cf. Jn 1:1, Heb 1:1-2), and then to make these statements, well, that is something else altogether—it is truth, it is life!

The sweetness of meekness, is to abide in Christ. It is to believe Christ and everything He has revealed about Himself through His Word, from Genesis through Revelations. It is to rest, wholly rest on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God even when it dismantles or destroys the desires of my flesh, my affections for others, and my preferred perceptions of the world.

This is the sweetness of meekness: To love, worship, obey, honor, live for, and believe wholly in the mercy, righteousness, and justice of God Almighty (Jer 9:23-24). Trusting that because God alone is good and righteous, all that He does and allows, is good and righteous (Ps 119:66, Mk 10:18, Rom 3:10-11). To rest in God—to rest in all He has said and done—to rest in His holy and awesome character and might, this is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7). This is the sweetness of the meekness of Christ, “and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously”. (1 Pt 2:23, NASB95).

Meekness, as with all other God-given character traits can only be exhibited by those who abide in Christ. Godly meekness cannot be attained or maintained by the mere will or work of man. It is a gift of God, by His grace, through faith in His Son; so that as with all things from God, no man may boast in himself. But all boasting is in Christ alone and His work of redeeming those who were once lost.

I had an interesting conversation with a brother in Christ today. One of the things we discussed was: Is it possible to memorize too much of God’s Word? And if it is, what determines this oddity?

It’s not the first time I’ve heard this before. It’s not the first time I’ve had this exact conversation with others in my Family in Christ. This topic of “too much of God” has come up more often than I’d like. And every time, it disconcerts me.

If you’re wondering what I mean by “too much of God” here it is: Asking someone to read, memorize, meditate on, and/or study too much Scripture. But how much is too much? Is it even possible for any of us to spend too much time with God? Too much time thinking about Him, considering Him, praying and waiting for Him to answer: yes, no, wait, etc.? Is asking someone to read the entire Bible in three months, six months, one year, or two years too much for any Christian? Did you know that even for a slow reader and comprehender like me, it only takes about 45 minutes to one hour to read ten chapters of the Bible? And sometimes it would only take 30 minutes because some of the chapters in the Bible are just one paragraph or one page?

How is it that we now live in a time where we are burdening one another with God and the things of God? How is it that asking another Family member to read, study, meditate on, or memorize God’s Word is a burden because of littles, or teenagers, or older children who need help with their children, or older parents who need our care, or neighbors or friends…it goes on and on doesn’t it? When did the temporal and common things in this life become so consuming that to even spending one hour in prayer (Mt 26:40-41) or reading or studying or memorizing God’s Word is now a burden? And worse, this has become an acceptable practice?!

“I have so much to do today, that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” ~Martin Luther

What has happened to us as God’s holy and dearly beloved children that in our new lives in Christ, transformed by His power and kept by His Holy Spirit, freed and empowered to do all that our Father has commanded us in Christ, we have become so feeble of mind and frail of body that we are burdened by God our Father and all that He commands?

Did He not tell us through the Apostle John that His commands are NOT BURDENSOME (1 Jn 5:3-4)? Then how is it that so many who profess Christ as Lord, do not listen and do what He says (Lk 6:46-49)? Why do we call burdensome what God calls a gracious and merciful blessing (Is 5:20-21)?

If we have in fact been freed from the captivity of sin and have had our minds renewed and hearts transformed by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom 6:5-11, 12:2; Jn 15:10-11) how is it that we so easily excuse ourselves and one another because of a “season” of life we are in, or any other common thing that happens to all people—believers and unbelievers alike? How are we any different from the world when we use the things of this world as an excuse for why we cannot presently strive after the LORD with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths? How are we different than the world when the time we read, study, meditate on, memorize the Word of our LORD is mostly (or only) when it is most convenient or costs us nothing (e.g., our sleep, our family time, our entertainment, our idleness, our play dates and other social activities, etc.)?

It continues to astound me that setting an appointment on our calendars to meet with our God and Father first thing every day, before giving our hearts, minds, time, and strength to anyone or anything else is a foreign practice and for many, a non-essential. Most professing Christians I’ve known and still know meet with the LORD when it seems most convenient for them, rather than making God Almighty, the God who gave us our first life physically and new life in Christ. I have no problem with meeting with the LORD in the middle of the day or even last thing at night, just as long as He’s also given our first—our best. This is not a discipline practiced by only the mature in Christ. It is actually the first discipline that is expected of every believer new and old believer. How do I know? Because God said so (Gen 4:3-4; Ex 16:21; Ps 92:2, 143:8; Mk 1:35).

God Almighty is the first and the best. Therefore, it only makes sense that we ought to give Him our first and best. The Lord Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is no pauper that He should settle for and delight in our leftovers or what we think we can spare.

Our brothers and sisters living in persecution in second, third, and fourth world countries know nothing of the what we call “Christianity” here in America and other first world countries where life is easy and persecution just means someone doesn’t agree with you, or doesn’t like you.

May we repent of our idolatry of self, and what is acceptable to other professing Christians, so that we may remember that the LORD ordained His precepts that we may ALL keep them diligently—in every season, in every circumstance, with every heartbeat (Ps 119:4).

There has been much conversation about the Asbury Revival in Kentucky.

And as it is often with social media-proliferated 'news', especially with spiritual matters (for all are looking for hope somewhere, but only a few looking for it in Christ)—there are three camps: the Easily Excited, the Rarely Ignited, and the Wisely Incited.

The Easily Excited are all heart with no head; ready to believe, praise, and support Kanye West, Benny Hinn, and other well-known people and groups who profess repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Emotion is prime and easy believism is promoted, though it may be unintentional.

The Rarely Ignited are all head with no heart; ready to disparage and discredit claims that any well-known person or groups can truly be converted. Detached opinions are prime while a gate narrower than Christ ordained is promoted, though it may be unintentional.

The Wisely Incited are head and heart; ready to test all matters with the Word of God (1 Jn 4:1, 2 Pt 2:1-3), being quick to heed the Holy Spirit's counsel, slow to speak (approve or disapprove), and slow to insist on his/her own opinion(s), with compassionate intentionality (Js 3:17-18).

By God's mercy and grace, such is my darling husband, Jim. Please read and heed and give thanks to God for granting such wisdom to a mere man.🙌💝🙌

"𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 (𝘦.𝘨., 𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵).

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥'𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥...𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦."

As with all things, honor Christ as Lord in your hearts. Before you believe or disbelieve, approve or disapprove of anything, obey the LORD: Pray, Wait, Pray, Watch, Pray, Exult Christ!