God's Word Archives - Heading to Heaven!

Disconnected ?!?!

April 11, 2026 dbirsch Comments 0 Comment

After the privilege (and pressure) of leading Holy Week and Easter Sunday services for two congregations, I was looking forward to a relatively quiet Monday following Easter. But then I looked out one of our back windows and noticed the floating portion of our dock was twisted sideways and barely hanging on! (See the picture above.)

Which precipitated an immediate change of plans. Especially since the forecast called for high winds later that day. Either I reconnected the end of our dock or I would undoubtedly be retrieving it from the far end of the lake!

The dock is rather old, and I had been monitoring the attachments for a while now. I knew I would need to add a new 2 X 8 board for extra support, as well as new eye bolts. It was a project for the near future. But on Easter Monday, the “near future” suddenly became “immediately.”

As the snow fell and the wind began to pick up, I tied the floating portion of the dock to the anchored walkway. The old and bent eye bolts were removed, a new front panel was installed, and new bolts were screwed into place. (Amazingly, I only dropped one of my tools into the lake. Fortunately, the water was shallow enough for it to be retrieved with a garden rake.) Finally, I reattached the quick links to the eye bolts, and the end of our dock was safely reconnected.

Paddling our kayak to rescue our beached dock somewhere on the lake shore would have certainly been … interesting. But that wasn’t even the worst outcome that could have occurred. If the wind was fierce enough and blowing to the east, it could have potentially blown our dock over the spillway of the dam at the end of the lake, and then down the river below. If that had happened, I may not have been able to retrieve it all! Even if the dock managed to survive the fall.

Becoming disconnected would have led to drastic and perhaps dire ramifications for our little but dearly loved dock.

Connections are important. And especially our connection to our Savior! Becoming disconnected from Him leads to drastic and perhaps dire ramifications to our well-being – both now and forever.

Jesus himself makes this clear.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6).

We wither when we lose connection to the living Lord – when we become distracted and distant from the source of spiritual life. Without Jesus, the searing heat of stresses and the drought of difficulties in our lives sap the life from us. Or, to mix our metaphors, when we become unmoored from the Savior, we float away and careen toward calamity.

It’s no accident that the concept of remaining anchored in … attached to! … the Lord permeates the Scriptures.

David sang about the unmovable force that is the Lord after he delivered David from Saul’s attempt to kill him. As we read his words, we can’t help but recognize how desperately David clung to his God during those difficult days.

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2).

Jesus referred to the same concept of God and God’s Word being an unshakable foundation to which the wise are attached:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25).

If we are to stand through the fierce storms of this world, (and none of us avoid those storms!), it is crucial that we remain connected to the ultimate foundation of our Savior.

Choose whichever illustration you prefer … the living Vine, the unmovable Rock, the impregnable Fortress, the ultimate Stronghold … the point is the same: we need to stay connected to Him. Why? Because the Lord is our spiritual Sustanence, our Strength, our Deliverer, our Refuge, our Shield and our Salvation!

Unplug any rechargeable do-dad … a phone, a speaker, a tool, etc. … and it will operate for a while. But while operating, the charge is slowly draining. Eventually the power is gone.

It’s the same with our souls!

We must be plugged in to the Lord and his Word to be spiritually recharged, and to stay charged.

“… The gospel … is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The Holy Spirit “powers” us through the “living, active, and penetrating” word of God. (Hebrews 4:12).

As a pastor, I know this to be true. I have seen this play out, both negatively and positively, among God’s people.

Those who neglect reading and hearing God’s Word slowly but surely lose their spiritual power and become more-and-more disconnected from their God. Their spiritual lights dim, and tragically, sometimes go out altogether.

On the other hand, those who actively read and hear God’s Word become stronger-and-stronger spiritually and more-and-more connected to their God. They almost glow with spiritual light and life; they thrive in their connection to Jesus, the Vine.

It’s a striking contrast.

Faith is dynamic; it is always changing. Either it is growing stronger through our connection with the Lord and his Word, or it is growing weaker through disconnection.

I know which of the two I want happening in me!

Thankfully, our dock is reconnected and anchored. But much more importantly, may every one of us remain connected and anchored in our loving Lord.

There is no better or safer place to be than close to our Savior … clinging to him as he clings to us, and as he fills us with life, joy and security!

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Hebrews 10:22-25
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Acts 2:42 (A description of the early Christian church)
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

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Jesus’ Lenten Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: The Scriptures Must Be Fulfilled

March 7, 2026 dbirsch

Any Christian with even a passing knowledge of Jesus’ suffering and death is well aware of the “big things” that our Savior endured as our holy Substitute. And make no mistake about it, the big things are indeed big!

However, there are many “little things” that occurred along the way – lesser known and lesser noted things – that carry great significance as well. For these weeks of the Lenten season, we’ll take note of some of those lesser things that carry large significance.

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In past weeks, the “seemingly little things of large significance” we have discussed have been incidents mentioned only once in the Gospels and described with only a few words. This week we will consider a truth mentioned so often in the Bible that readers are tempted to simply dismiss it, thereby viewing it as a seemingly insignificant thing.

But it most certainly is NOT a little thing. And it most certainly IS a matter of great significance!

Mark records Jesus’ words spoken to the mob who had arrived to arrest him in the Garden.

(Mark 14:48-49) “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. [Then come the significant words!] But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Jesus states it frankly and clearly: “The Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Interestingly, Matthew (the gospel writer to the Jews who knew the Old Testament Scriptures!) shares more of Jesus’ dialogue from that fateful evening. And Jesus actually stated this fundamental concept twice! He said it first to Peter – “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Mt. 26:54), and then he repeated it to his aggressors – “But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Mt. 26:56).

Jesus emphasized the truth that “the Scriptures must be fulfilled” to both his devoted disciples and to his detractors. This is not accidental or incidental. This is the Savior highlighting a highly significant precept.

For centuries … millennia even! … the Lord had been providing prophecies about the Christ, the Second Adam who would undo the damage the first Adam wrought. Every new prophecy added a new piece to the Messianic puzzle and painted a more complete picture of who He would be, what He would do, and what He would endure.

Theologians differ on the exact number of Old Testament Messianic prophecies, based on how they define individual examples. Nevertheless, there is agreement that there are between 200 – 400 clear prophecies of the Christ. Most scholars of the topic settle on a number over 300.

Wherever one lands in regard to the specific count, the sheer volume of prophecies is astounding. And Jesus fulfilled every one of them … “because the Scriptures must be fulfilled!”

It started with the Savior being born of a virgin (Is. 7:14) from the line of David (2 Sam. 7:12-16) in the town of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and his subsequent flight to Egypt (Hos 11:1). As an adult, it continued with his ministry in Galilee (Is. 9:1-2), as well as his healing of the blind, deaf, dumb and lame (Is. 35:4-6).

The foreshadowing of his suffering and death is scattered liberally throughout the Old Testament, both the physical specifics (as in Ps. 22) and the spiritual impact that suffering and death would bring (Is. 53). Astoundingly accurate details are provided, from his ride into Jerusalem on a young donkey (Zech. 9:9), to his betrayal by one close to him (Ps. 41:9) for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12-13), to being abandoned by those close to him (Zech. 13:7), to being sentenced with transgressors (Is. 53:12), to the casting of lots for his clothing (Ps. 22:18), to dying (Dan. 9:26), and to being pierced (Zech. 12:10).

It’s also fascinating to note that at least twice in Jesus’ ministry irate groups attempted to murder him … once in Nazareth (Lk. 4:28-30) and another time in the temple courts in Jerusalem (Jn. 8:58-59). Jesus was indeed destined to die for the people at the hands of people, but only at the right time and in the right manner. (Because the Scriptures must be fulfilled.) So he somehow simply (miraculously!) exited those situations.

The above prophetic examples provide a very summary list; the examples go on and on into the hundreds. And Jesus fulfilled every single prophecy made about him.

This is no small thing! The odds of doing so are essentially impossible – something only God could do. Which is exactly what Jesus, the Son of God, did.

In the 1950’s, a mathematics professor at Pasadena City College named Peter Stoner ran a class exercise with 12 different classes totaling over 600 students. The point of the process was to determine the probability of one person fulfilling just 8 specific examples of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah.

When the calculations were complete, the students discovered that the odds of one person fulfilling only eight of the Old Testament prophecies as 1 in a 100 quadrillion! To put that into numbers, it would be a 1 in a 100,000,000,000,000,000 chance!!! (17 zeroes!)

To help illustrate this probability in a more visual manner, Professor Stoner provided a telling picture. He explained that if 100 quadrillion silver dollars were laid down within the geographic boundaries of the state of Texas, they would cover every square inch of the state by a height of two feet.

Only 1 of those silver dollars in the 24-inch, statewide pile is marked with an X. If someone would be blindfolded and plopped wherever they wished in the massive state, the probability of that person reaching down and selecting the one and only marked coin would be the same as one person fulfilling those 8 specific prophecies. (“Science Speaks: An Evaluation of Certain Christian Evidences” by Peter Stoner, Moody Press).

But Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies! Meaning the probability far exceeds 100 quadrillion … taking it well into the realm of impossibility.

Which is exactly Jesus’ point: He is the God who can and who does accomplish the impossible. That is, perfectly fulfilling over three hundred prophecies.

He is also the God who has everything perfectly planned out. This is true in regard to history in general; it is especially true in regard to the plan of salvation. That plan was perfectly proposed by the Lord, and it was perfectly executed by Jesus.

Furthermore, he is the God who perfectly keeps his promises. If just one of the hundreds of Messianic prophecies went unfulfilled, Jesus could not be the Messiah. Jesus would be a farce and God would show himself a liar; one who is unfaithful and untrustworthy.

But that is NOT who our God and our Savior is! It is not happenstance that the Apostle John describes Jesus in this way as he opens his Gospel:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-2, 14)

Jesus, the Promised One who fulfilled all the promises, was the embodiment of God’s Word … of God’s truths … of God’s prophecies. Jesus was the Word made flesh. Which is why he stated those incredibly important words: “The Scriptures must be fulfilled.” And why he made sure they were!

It’s why Jesus came to earth. It’s what Jesus did. He fulfilled the Scriptures!

And thanks be to God that he did! As Isaiah prophesied about the Savior … about our Savior: “… He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).

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We’re Being “Auto-Corrected”

January 24, 2026 dbirsch

Usually it’s a fairly nice feature. You happen to misspell a word in a text and your phone takes it upon itself to right (write!) your wrong. This can save you from embarrassing yourself.

Then again, your phone can auto-correct your words and embarrass you even more!

Here’s one example I found online:

Texter one (the father): “Your mom and I are going to divorce next month.”

Texter two (a grown child): “What??? Why? Call me, please!”

Texter one (the father): “I wrote Disney and this phone changed it. We are going to Disney.”

That was a tame example. There were many more where auto-correct provided an outlandish, preposterous, inappropriate and/or even offensive reply. Highly embarrassing indeed!

I’m fairly confident that, unless you are extremely careful and take the time to painstakingly reread your texts before sending, you have sent messages with messages you didn’t mean to send!

And the mess-ups weren’t mess-up of your own doing; they were inserted into your texts by “auto-correct.” Which was actually an “auto-INcorrect.”

It’s nothing personal. It’s simply Artificial Intelligence demonstrating a remarkable LACK of intelligence. It thinks it knows best … but it doesn’t always.

Have you ever considered that we are surrounded by a culture that is constantly attempting to “auto-correct” our beliefs, morals and actions? Sometimes the pressure is subtle; often it is blatant. Always it is present.

Yes, it is perhaps especially impactful to our teenagers and college students. And especially those on secular campuses.

But make no mistake about it – it impacts all of us! We clash with “auto-correct” through our coworkers, our neighbors, our friends … even our family members sometimes.

Furthermore, it impacts virtually every aspect of our lives! If you doubt this, you are either blissfully naïve or ensconced in denial.

Society’s “auto-correct” list is literally endless. Sexual propriety and acceptable speech are just two obvious examples of moral issues that society’s “auto-correct” attempts to define. There are many more.

“Auto-correct” is extremely influential in promoting what our peers deem to be “significant values” and “proper priorities.” These are often radically different than what our Lord tells us.

Then there is the matter of absolute truth and where (and whether!) it can truly be found. The common consensus is that truth is subjective (up to each individual) – not objective (non-negotiable). Scripture presents a totally different perspective.

Think about it just a little and it’s clear; we are bombarded by “auto-correct” in our lives. Even more so than in our documents and texts! Sadly, the world’s “auto-correct” is actually usually “auto-INcorrect.”

The Apostle Paul’s words are as every bit as significant today as they were 2,000 years ago. They are words we would do well to take to heart.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2).

When the Holy Spirit is transforming us through God’s Word, and renewing our hearts and minds through God’s truth … well, that is the perfect “auto-correct!” It’s a correction that we can be confident is actually and absolutely correct!

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Matthew 5:13-16 (the words of Jesus)
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

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The Weather Forecast is … ?

November 8, 2025 dbirsch

It’s not all that unusual. Undoubtedly, you’ve experienced it yourself. But it’s still rather … weird.

The other day I was driving home on the freeway with my wipers swinging to clear the raindrops from the windshield … while just a few miles ahead beamed bright, blue skies.

“That’s Michigan for you,” the locals will say. Nevertheless, it’s disconcerting to be navigating a rain shower while having to reach for one’s sunglasses.

And isn’t that rather like life?

There are almost always dark clouds and rain drops hovering over us. Meanwhile, there are also always blue skies – blessings! – to be seen if one only takes the time to look.

With our sin-infected lives existing in this sin-permeated world … “bad weather” of some kind is a constant. Yet, as God’s children richly loved and abundantly blessed by Him … Son-shine is also always present.

The storm clouds may dominate our view at times, but they cannot stifle the brightness of God’s love, goodness and faithfulness. Both are constants; it’s just a matter of degree. Sometimes it seems as if the storms dominate; sometimes we rejoice in predominately beautiful blue skies.

Yes, it’s weird. And both unfortunate and fortunate too. But it’s the reality of life in a broken world.

Yet, our God is working – always working – though we may struggle to understand his ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may sometimes wonder why certain downpours are occurring. Nevertheless, the Lord has his own holy and perfect reasons. And he doesn’t owe us an explanation.

God makes it clear. “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:6-7).

Jesus himself said, “Your Father in heaven … causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:44).

This is true, both literally and metaphorically. Of course, we have no issue with the sunshine in our lives. But we could do with less storms. Which may cause us to wonder, “Why doesn’t the Lord cut us, his believers, a break?”

The Bible is packed with insight on this very thing. Believe it or not, our struggles may be God’s greatest blessings to us!

Besides the fact that sin negatively impacts everything in this world, here are just a few reasons why our loving Heavenly Father allows “bad weather” to affect his children’s lives:

Our Heavenly Father is disciplining us as children he loves

Hebrews 12:7&11 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? … No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

God is using our struggles to build our spiritual character …

Romans 5:3-5 – Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

… And refine our faith …

1 Peter 1:6-7 – 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.

… And make us spiritually stronger and more firmly anchored

1 Peter 5:10 – And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

The Heavenly Father knows that hardships move his children to turn to his Word and cling to his promises …

Psalm 119:67, 71 – Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. … It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

… And rely upon his holy Son, Jesus

John 16:33 – [Jesus said,] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

After God has comforted us in our troubles, we are able to comfort others

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

The Lord knows that earthly storms make us long for the peace of our heavenly home

Romans 8:18 – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

The Father allows storms to come to his children so he can deliver them …

Psalm 34:19 – The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

… If not in this life, then ultimately in the life to come

James 1:12 – Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Black storm clouds and blue skies simultaneously? That’s life in this world for Christians. But we do not despair, for our God gives us some wonderful, all encompassing promises that give us confidence.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “… in all things God works for the good of those who love him …” (Romans 8:28). And our Heavenly Father himself assures us, ‘“I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

So yes, there are always some “storms” in our lives. But the blue skies of God’s love are also always present, which makes the nasty “weather” much more bearable.

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Romans 8:35, 37–39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Blessings through the “Quiet”

July 19, 2025 dbirsch

The fishing experience wasn’t ideal that evening.

It wasn’t because I didn’t catch any fish. (I did.) And it wasn’t because the view was lousy. (It was as lovely as always.) Nor was it due to the heat or humidity. (The comfort level was actually wonderful.)

Rather, I struggled to fully enjoy the experience due to the roar hammering across the lake.

The lake we live on, (Shamrock Lake), is being dredged. We thought the dredging process was completed last year, but apparently they are wrapping it up this summer. Which means there are large dredging pipes floating on the surface, and the nearly unending bellowing of the large dredging boat. (The company works day and night when in full swing.)

The dredger sounds like a semi-truck laboring up a mountain pass at full throttle – but at three times the volume. Even at a distance, the roar rolls belligerently across the water. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to ignore.

Normally, evenings fishing off our dock are peaceful and relaxing; the sounds normal, nature-based and soothing. The shriek of an osprey or eagle. The quacks of ducks and the honking of geese as they fly in and splash to a rest on the water. The good-night birdcalls as they settle into their resting places after another day. A muskrat swimming quietly to his feeding spot. Bullfrogs bellowing their unique call. The splash of fish feeding aggressively on the surface.

But that evening, I could hear none of it. Just the blaring of a very large motor sucking up the silt that had settled on the bottom of our lake.

I do understand that the process will produce a better lake for us to enjoy. But if only it could be done quietly!

Sitting there that evening, missing the blessings of the quiet, it occurred to me that the world produces a prodigious amount of “roaring” that is also difficult to ignore. The opinions of influential and “highly knowledgeable” people, the overabundance of information on the world-wide web, and the nearly constant audio input from our phones, radios and televisions (which we ourselves typically opt to listen to!) can create a lot of “noise.”

Sometimes we need to quietly soak in the peaceful voice of our God.

Where is it that our Good Shepherd “refreshes [our] souls?” David was inspired to write that it is when we are “lying down in green pastures” and when we are “beside quiet waters.” (Ps. 23:2-3). In other words, in peaceful places where there are soothing sounds! Namely, where we hear our Good Shepherd’s voice, and his alone.

Another psalmist was inspired to write these words: “[The Lord] says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:10-11).

The prophet Jeremiah encourages the same approach: “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

The quiet voice of our Savior informs us that he is real, that he really loves us, that he forgives us and that he has saved us. It reminds us that he is with us, that he will provide for us and protect us, and that he has wonderful plans for us. And so much more!

Cacophony is all around us. Some we can’t avoid. (Like a dredging boat on the lake!) Some we choose to hear, or at least passively accept.

Seek the quiet. Pursue peaceful time to hear God’s speaking. Be still and listen to your Lord.

He speaks to us in public worship and Bible studies at our church. He also speaks to us in our private devotions as we read his Word, as we listen to and sing his truths-put-to-song in Christian music, and as we personally reflect upon his messages.

The roar of the world will be here as long as the world stands. Thankfully, the quiet voice of the Lord will also be here that long … and well beyond. (Mt. 24:35).

The key is finding quiet time to hear the quiet words.

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1 Kings 19
¹¹The Lord said [to Elijah], “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

¹²After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

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Thank God for Safety Features!

May 3, 2025 dbirsch

We don’t own new vehicles. It’s not something my wife and I can afford. However, we do travel a bit, and when we do, we typically arrange for rental cars. Those vehicles are generally on the newer side.

Recently we were in Texas for a ministry conference in San Antonio with most of the rest of my Seminary classmates. (It was absolutely wonderful!) After the conference, we spent a little time driving a rented Nissan Altima around west Texas and southern New Mexico, seeing sights and relaxing. We logged about 2,200 miles in that zippy, black car.

And it was filled with all kinds of new-fangled safety features!

If a car approached alongside us, a light lit up on whichever side the vehicle happened to be on.

If our blinker was clicked on indicating a change of lanes when a car was beside us in that direction, a nasty warning buzz occurred.

If we drifted onto a lane marker, a different buzz was heard, a unique flash popped onto the dashboard, AND a vibration was felt in the steering wheel.

Special notification happened when entering a slower speed zone. If moving too fast for the car’s liking coming into that lower zone, a different flash appeared on the dash.

When the cruise control was activated, the car adjusted to the speed of the car in front of us … never approaching closer than a set distance.

On a few occasions when the vehicles ahead of us came to rapid halts, our car did too (on it’s own … though I was braking too!), squawking mightily to alert us of the danger.

If traveling with the brights on in the dark Texas nights, our rental took it upon itself to automatically switch to dims when the lights of an approaching car were detected. (Or, annoyingly, when it detected a bright enough reflection off a road sign.)

I don’t know of a specific time that these safety features spared us from calamity. But they well might have! At the least, they gave me (the driver) some added security that safeguards were in place.

“How very like God’s Word,” I thought multiple times on our trip.

Of course, the Bible reveals to us the one true God and his attributes. It also shows us our Savior and all he did to make atonement for our wrongs. And it supplies us with the origin of creation (God made it!), the origin of our own lives (God gave them!), and our ultimate destination (heaven!).

These aspects alone make the Scriptures profoundly important. However, they also are filled with “safety features” for believers.

What are some of those “safety features” God’s Bible provides? The list is long! Here are just a few that come to mind:

Absolutes in regard to right and wrong. (Ex. 20)

Truth. Absolute truth. (Jn. 17:17)

Saving power. (Rom. 1:16)

Guidance to spiritual and eternal life – as well as in our physical life. (Jn. 14:6)

Wisdom, knowledge and understanding – both spiritual and practical. (Prov. 2:6)

Illumination. (Ps. 119:105)

Foundation in life’s uncertainties. (Mt. 7:24)

Protection, both offensive (Eph. 6:17) and defensive (Prov. 30:5).

Spiritual sustenance and joy. (Jer.15:16)

Endurance, encouragement and hope in an often discouraging world. (Rom. 15:4)

Revelation of things to come. (Rev. 1:1-3)

Some have described the BIBLE as … Basic Information Before Leaving Earth. It’s an apt description, given all the “safety features” God has built into it.

Which underscores the importance of actively being in God’s Word!

The more we are in the Word, the more the Word is in us. And the more spiritual safeguards become ours.

As the Apostle Paul reminds fellow pastor, Timothy: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The longer we were in our little rental car, the more safety features we noticed and appreciated. Praise be to God, the same is true of our time in the Scriptures!

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Psalm 119 – selected verses

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. ⁹⁸Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. ⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. ¹⁰⁰I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. ¹⁰²I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. ¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. … ¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. ¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

¹⁵⁹See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love. ¹⁶⁰All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

¹⁶⁹May my cry come before you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. ¹⁷⁰May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. ¹⁷¹May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. ¹⁷²May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. ¹⁷³May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for your salvation, Lord, and your law gives me delight. ¹⁷⁵Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.

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The First Valentine

February 15, 2025 dbirsch

As I begin writing this post, it’s Valentines Day. Consequently, I was curious to explore the origin of the holiday.

It actually goes back a lot further in history than most realize. The roots of Valentines Day reach way back into the 3^rd century when the then Roman priest (and now Catholic Saint) Valentine was martyred and buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14.

The exact reasons for Valentine’s death, and even the manner of his death, are lost in the mists of time. However, tradition states that he was imprisoned for ministering to and providing care for persecuted Christians. (The Dictionary of Christianity, J.C. Cooper).

Bede’s Martyrology contains this fascinating addition to the story: It states that Saint Valentine was personally interrogated by the Roman Emperor Claudius II. The emperor was impressed by Valentine and attempted to convert him to the pagan gods of Rome in order to save his life. The priest wanted nothing to do with them, and instead tried to convert the emperor to Christianity. This resulted in his death sentence.

Supposedly, before his execution, Valentine healed the jailer’s daughter, Julia. This resulted in Julia’s father, Asterius, Julia herself, and their entire household converting to Christianity and being baptized.

An interesting addition to the story – almost certainly an embellishment, (though apparently shared nonetheless by both “The History Channel” and “American Greetings!”) – suggests that Valentine, on the evening before his execution, wrote the first Valentine note to Julia and signed it as “Your Valentine.” (Wikipedia.com).

Despite the very early origins of the day, it wasn’t until the late 1700’s that the concept of paper valentines blossomed in England. They became so popular in the UK that by the early 1800’s the cards were assembled in factories. With the invention of the postage stamp in 1840, the numbers of valentines mailed in England exploded to 400,000 in just one year!

Here in the United States, the valentine card business was begun by Esther Howland in 1847 in Massachusetts. She imported the decorations she needed from England and proceeded to produce valentines in the States. Just a few years later, Valentines Day was essentially a national holiday.

“The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the US. Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, usually to children. When the valentine-exchange cards made in school activities are included the figure goes up to 1 billion, and teachers become the people receiving the most valentines.” (Wikipedia.com).

Of course, that doesn’t even count the electronic messages shared via modern technology (texts, e-cards, emails, etc.).

All of which is interesting and hopefully informative. However, I maintain that the first “Valentine” was actually given by our God.

Now exactly when that happened is open to debate. Not only do we not know the exact date, but which was the first and most meaningful is certainly subjective. Here are just a few love notes from God to consider:

It could be argued that the first was God’s promise to Adam and Eve to send a Savior who would make things right again after they brought sin into the world.

(Genesis 3:15) “And I will put enmity (bitter hatred) between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring (those who follow you) and hers (those who follow me); he (one of her descendants) will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Then there is this astounding statement of our God’s unending love for us:

(Jeremiah 31:3) “The Lord … [says], ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’”

Or maybe it’s this remarkable passage that God’s love for us moves him to sing joyfully over us?

(Zephaniah 3:17) “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Perhaps you feel God’s best “Valentine” passages don’t just share loving words, but show loving action? Like the love of our Heavenly Father in this famous passage:

(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Or these passages that express the love our Savior showed us with his intentional sacrificial death:

(John 15:13) [Jesus said,] “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

(Romans 5:8) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Or the love note that describes the saving work the Holy Spirit did inside our souls:

(Ephesians 2:4-5) “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Then there is one of my personal favorites. (It’s actually framed and hanging in my church office.)

(Romans 8:37-39) “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But one could argue that the greatest love message from our God is one that will be spoken to us personally at a future date when he calls us home to heaven, and repeated again to us on the Last Day:

(Matthew 25:34) “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’”

Of course, God’s love for us fosters our love for God … AND our love for our fellow human-beings:

(1 John 4:19) “We love because he first loved us.”

(John 13:34-35) [Jesus said,] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

So, I maintain that the first “Valentine” message actually came from God. But which is the greatest? Is it one of the above passages, or do you have another suggestion? If so, please share it in the comments section of this blog.

How blessed we are to be loved by God himself! It is the deepest and purest love possible, and it literally lasts forever!

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God Lingo

June 15, 2024 dbirsch

If you do a quick online search for the definition of “lingo,” you’ll find something like this: “A language or vocabulary that is specific to a certain subject, group of people, or region; including slang and jargon.” In short, “lingo” is specialized speech from some niche of society.

For example, one can sit in a mall in “big-city” America and hear a variety of lingos. There’s distinct inner-city lingos, cultural lingos, and high school lingos, just to name a few. And even those will vary based on the location from which the people speaking derived! As discussed in a recent Bible study at the churches I serve, there are also gender lingos for both men and women.

The same is true of various sports, activities and hobbies. For example, “ducks on the pond” means something quite specific to baseball players, and something totally different to most other people.

As a matter of record, I don’t speak inner-city lingo, though I am fascinated when I hear it. However, my brother came up with a modified Scrabble game called “Red-necked Scrabble.” A number of years ago when I played it, my wife was rather alarmed at how easily I slipped into the jargon … even winning my first game with some “hunkey-dorey dandified” words!

In that same vein, I wonder if we as Christians don’t sometimes slip into “God lingo.” We use catch-phrase words which are absolutely Bible-based, but which have lost some of their impact to us.

This can work both ways. We hear the words, but they don’t fully register in our minds and hearts. Or we say the words at the right time and right place, but they have somehow turned into simply “the right words to say.”

I think the God-lingo list is long for many believers. Here are a few words that come to my mind as perhaps lacking their proper punch to the average Christian:

“Triune” or “Trinity” – The words flow off our tongues so casually in worship – a creed, hymn or prayer. Furthermore, “Trinity” is often part of a church or school name. Asked to define the words, and God’s people can easily spout off, “Three persons in one God.” But pause for a moment and consider this truth: three distinct persons making up one distinct God! This is such a deep concept that we can’t even begin to wrap our minds around it! An incomprehensibly complex God, yet one who is absolutely devoted to us. (Which is the most incomprehensible aspect of God of all!) The words should inspire the deepest of awe in anyone who “understands” them and the Lord they describe.

“God loves” – Not the generic “God is love,” but rather, “God loves me!” How astounding! We are well aware of how unworthy of God’s love we are. Yet the unmistakable message of the Scriptures is that the Triune God … the Creator God … the holy God … the All-in-All and Everything God … does love us. It’s a love so profound that he left heaven so we could one day go there to be with him forever. A love so devoted that it abides with us even in our day-to-day lives here on earth. “God’s love” are words that should never be taken lightly by any child of God.

“Paid for” / “Forgiveness” – As in, “your sins are paid for,” or “you are forgiven.” The phrases are often spoken and often heard. But don’t let their common usage empty them of the significance of the truth! “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The atoning payment for our transgressions, and the forgiveness it won for us, cost God’s Son dearly! But thanks be to Jesus, he paid the price in full!

“Saved” / “Salvation” – These are perhaps two of the most commonly used words in “God lingo,” and understandably so. They express the central message of the Bible; we are saved and headed to eternal salvation. But please never let their frequent usage keep you (or me!) from ever being totally overwhelmed at the wonder of this truth. We were spiritually lost, blind, and chained … dead in our sins and doomed to damnation. And God saved us and made us heirs of salvation! (Titus 3:7). All of eternity will be too short to properly praise him for the blessing.

“Faith” – This is not a reliance upon good fortune or the ability of self, but a confidence centered on Jesus Christ, the Son of God … our Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, and Savior. It’s not self-manufactured, but a profound gift of the Holy Spirit produced through contact with God’s Gospel. “Faith” is no small thing. It never was and never will be. In fact, faith in Jesus our Savior is the balm to our conscience, the gateway to our earthly peace, and our ultimate ticket to heaven. “Faith” is never a word to be casually dismissed.

“Trust” – A frequently stated word about an incredibly important concept that many Christians struggle to self-apply. “Trust” is not a wishy-washy hope that things will somehow work out, but a rock-solid confidence that our loving God will keep his promises to us and provide for our every need … in his way and in his time. The Holy Spirit describes it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

“Providence” – This is a word frequently offered to encourage self or others. “Providence” is not good fortune or the positive side of karma. It’s the God of the Bible providing for us – typically in common ways, but sometimes in extraordinary ones. The longer God’s people live, the more they can point back to God’s remarkable and repeated providential activity in their lives. Which encourages trust. (See the previous entry.)

“Church” – For many, “church” describes a building that one attends now and then … at least on the holidays. But “church” describes so much more. The Scriptures refer to the church as the “Body of Christ” (1 Cor. 1212-27) and even the “Bride of Christ” (Rev. 19:7). It’s not just a structure or a gathering place, but a living, spiritual entity made up of God’s people and empowered by God himself. Somewhat dysfunctional because of sin, it nevertheless is the earthly family of God where his children can be encouraged, uplifted and spiritually blessed through his Word.

These are some of the “God lingo” words that came to my mind. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Do you have some others you think should be added to the list? If so, please list them in the comments section of this blog.

In the meantime, may we remember these Bible truths: “All Scripture is God-breathed …” (2 Timothy 3:16), and ^“these [words] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

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As the Rain Falls

May 11, 2024 dbirsch

As I type this week’s post, the sky is gray and sputtering light moisture. It’s a welcome sight, as we have been in a bit of a dry spell for a while now. This is unusual for this time of year in central Michigan. Normally, May is our wettest month of the year, with an average of 3 ½ inches of rain falling.

In fact, the warmer months in Michigan provide a bounty of rainfall. It’s not always raining by any means, but it rains frequently enough to keep the grass a brilliant green and the flowers and trees well-watered.

Those of you who are familiar with the state of Washington where we used to live know that the rainy season there is from mid-September until maybe mid-June. Dry days during those months are rare. However, during the summers hardly a drop of precipitation falls. Which means that unless one makes a point to water the lawn, the grass dies. As do the flowers in the beds.

So when the rains return, many western-Washington locals rejoice. The grass will turn green again!

Different places; different climates.

Regardless of where one might live or be, rain is a crucial element … though it’s often a blessing we tend to take for granted. But water is no insignificant thing! Without it, plants and animals die. Most locales are supported primarily by precipitation that falls from heaven, either as rain or snow, which waters the soil and accumulates in rivers, lakes and oceans.

The simplest illustration of this truth can be found by considering the amount of moisture that falls in various places, and how those lands look.

For example, Mawsynram, India and Tutunendo, Colombia are both near the equator and consequently receive some of the highest precipitation totals in the world – over 460 inches a year! (If you would like to see pictures of the foliage there, look the cities up. It is beyond lush!) Meanwhile, Egypt averages only three-hundredths (0.03) of an inch per year, and its landscape is much starker.

These are extreme examples. But the same holds true in our own country, albeit in less dramatic fashion. Yet the differences are dramatic enough. Hawaii is our top-rain receiver with approximately 64 inches annually; Nevada our lowest at only 9 ½ inches. Needless to say, the flora appearances in those two states are significantly different! (For a quick comparison of the amount of annual rain/snow in the states, check out the color-coded map from “CurrentResults.com” at the bottom of this article.)

The state of Washington where we used to live clearly demonstrates the impact of precipitation. With the Pacific Ocean on the west border, several mountain ranges bisecting the state, and serious elevation differences around the region, the amount of annual precip varies greatly, as does the vegetation in the various zones. On the coast below the Olympic Mountains resides a temperate rainforest which accumulates about 120 inches of rain per year. On the rolling plains east of the Cascade Mountains, the trees and plants are quite different because typically less than 10 inches falls.

It’s interesting to compare our former city and our current one. Tacoma gleans about 40 inches per year (mostly in the fall, winter and spring) and the plant life there appropriately reflects it. Everything is green there three-quarters of the year, but not over summer. Clare receives almost the same amount (in snow and rain), but mostly in the warmer months, making summer gloriously green.

It’s quite a simple concept actually. The more rain that waters the land, the more the land flourishes.

The Lord grabs this concept and turns it into a telling illustration through the prophet Isaiah. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

It’s the same simple concept! The more the soil of our souls are watered by God’s Word, the more our souls flourish spiritually.

Through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit creates faith in our Savior (Titus 3:5-6), nourishes that faith (Ephesians 3:16), and fosters fruits of faith (Galatians 5:22-23). The more our hearts are watered by the Word, the more we blossom spiritually. Our hearts, minds and bodies are impacted. Our attitudes are altered; our thoughts are adjusted; our actions are improved; our lives are blessed with spiritual abundance.

That’s why God shares his Word. That’s what God desires to accomplish. That’s the purpose for which God sends it out. To water souls so they produce a rich harvest of faith and fruit! So soak up as much spiritual moisture as you can!

What a blessing when rain falls and waters the land. But the greater blessing is when God’s truth nourishes hearts, and lovely faith flowers burst forth!

As Moses exclaimed jubilantly shortly before he died: “Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:1-4).

Praise God for the rain! For the physical, but especially for the spiritual!

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Desperately Searching

April 27, 2024 dbirsch

It’s really not all that extreme. I only check 30 or 40 times a day.

Because she knows I love to watch the birds, my kind wife bought me a brand new, deluxe-model bird feeder for our new yard. (That’s it in the cover photo.) I finally managed to get it hung in what seems to be an ideal spot – between our house and the lake, with a great view of it from most of the large windows on that side of the house.

At least it’s an ideal location for the occupants of our house. Not sure yet about the birds.

Winged visitors so far have been scarce. This is both surprising and concerning. Prior experience tells me that within a half-day, birds are typically gorging themselves on their new-found food supply.

And it’s not like there aren’t birds around this area! Their varied songs are almost constantly filling the air; their darting flights frequently catching one’s attention. In fact, with the more rural setting here, we live in a bird-rich environment.

Yet, my new feeder full of fresh birdseed hangs from its new shepherd’s pole – largely ignored.

Undoubtedly a large factor is that both our neighbors immediately to the west also have birdfeeders, and they seem to keep them stocked. Those are the two that I know feed the fowl; likely in this quiet part of the Midwest, many others near us do as well. The neighborhood birdies have been hitting those smorgasbords for some time now. Why leave a good and reliable food source?

In Tacoma, we were the only feeders on the block. We had no competition!

Nevertheless, by sheer volume of the local avian residents around us now, it would seem that there would still be a need for feed, and/or some would be eager for a new source of goodies. That doesn’t seem to be the case.

I know, because I take a look-see about 30 or 40 times a day.

With the seeming lack of interest by the local winged population, I even researched best places to put feeders. In the open to provide sunshine and good visibility for the birds? Check. Away from trees where squirrels can easily access and cats can easily prey? Check. Close enough to trees and shrubs so birds can take cover if needed? Check.

Or at least I think these points are all covered. But perhaps it is a bit too exposed? The experts tried to reassure me that sometimes it takes a while for the birds to find the feeder. But it’s never taken this long before!

Of course, we have had a little action.

Not surprisingly, the first to notice the new feeder was a squirrel. He sat on his back haunches and looked longingly for the longest time at the stockpile above. Then I watched him try to shimmy up the metal pole. He didn’t make it the first time and gave up. But he must have returned for a second try and managed, because I caught him in the feeder later. (At least, I assume it was the same perpetrator.) Now there is a squirrel “baffle” on the pole. (Yes, I know. I should have installed one from the start!)

The first visitor of the winged variety that I witnessed was a blue-headed grackle. Not what I was hoping for, but progress. The second visitor was a goldfinch. That was exciting! Both have returned. The grackle brought a friend. I’ve also had a few mourning doves pecking below the feeder.

But not a single sparrow, finch, chickadee, or any other usual denizens for the birdseed dole … the species who usually hit the feeders hard. At least none that I’ve spotted in my repeated and increasingly desperate checks.

Then yesterday, the Lord convicted me. The thought suddenly struck me – what if I searched the Scriptures as often and eagerly as I search for birds on my new feeder?

Yikes! Thanks, Lord. Sorry, Lord.

And it’s been a particularly trying week. While I’m in my Bible daily, yet I didn’t dig into my Bible any more than I usually do … even under duress. I scoped out the feeder 30 or 40 times a day, but I didn’t cast my eyes into God’s Word even a few extra times than normal. (Though I certainly prayed a lot more!)

I’m embarrassed by this. (Not about the praying, but about not searching the Scriptures more.) Feeding my soul is far more critical than any feeding birds … no matter the number or the type.

Yes, watching the birds provides me with a simple joy. Yet reading my Savior’s messages to me provides joy … and hope … and insights … and strength … and comfort … and confidence … and so much more!

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

Maybe seeing the birds peck up their meals isn’t your thing. (And it’s not my only “thing;” I have many more!) Nevertheless, I’m pretty confident you have other diversions that “demand” your attention and distract you from digging into God’s truths more regularly as well.

Spiritually and even logically, we probably recognize how easily we are sidetracked from the Word. And we also probably recognize what we are missing out on when we do. But still we neglect it! Far too easily and often!

I can’t tell you what to do. But I can tell you what I will do. I’ll undoubtedly still search for birds at the feeder multiple times a day. I’ll also search the Scriptures more every day! Because what I see there is food for my soul.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16). “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

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Isaiah 55:10-12
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace …

2 Timothy 3:14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.