Dr H Reflections

Developmental delays ∙

We would like to say much more about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you the basics of God’s word again. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. – Hebrews 5:11-12

1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.

16 For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you, I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life.

2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,

3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove your sinful nature controls you? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

Children progress through developmental stages at varying speeds. However, when a child falls notably behind their peers in emotional, mental, or physical development across one or more areas, and this gap is more than just slight, it is considered a developmental delay.

Such delays are expected in early childhood, affecting between 10% to 15% of children in their preschool years. A developmental delay is identified when a child does not achieve the developmental milestones expected for their age group. This condition can be categorized into three types based on how a child’s functional age compares to their chronological age.

Mild (functional age < 33% below chronological age)
Moderate (functional age 34%-66% of chronological age)
Severe (functional age < 66% of chronological age)

In cases of developmental arrest, children struggle to acquire new skills, and distressingly, some may even experience regression, losing skills they had previously mastered. This can result in profound, long-term disabilities.

Spiritual developmental delays are sadly prevalent amongst the children of the King. They are documented and elaborated in the book of Hebrews and 1 Corinthians.

REFLECT & PRAY

Sadly, numerous children of the King find themselves trapped in spiritual developmental delays, with many showing a reluctance to mature. Many get locked up and simply refuse to grow up.

Father it’s all too simple for us to settle into our comfort zones. Instill in us a deep desire and passion to know Your Word and to advance toward spiritual maturity.

INSIGHT

Paul’s grasp of human nature is intricate and layered, capturing the nuanced complexity of the human experience. Once comprehended, the subtleties inherent in the Greek language unveil critical differences that often go unnoticed in English translations.

In this passage, two Greek suffixes are affixed to the ends of four pivotal words. The first suffix, ikos, implies being characterized by suggesting the way someone or something behaves or appears to be. The second suffix, inos, means made of. It denotes what something actually is.

We can be babies [inos made of flesh] who eventually grow up. But sadly, we can act like babies [ikos characterized by] who refuse to grow up. Paul speaks of individuals who were babes in the faith. Despite the passage of enough time for them to have reached spiritual maturity, they haven’t. They continue to behave like babies.

The Greek word that is translated without the spirit, aren’t spiritual, natural man, soulish, unbeliever is psuchikos. Psuchikos has the sense of being characterized by merely soulish reasoning. It is often translated as natural, sensual, or soulish.

Paul uses the Greek word pneumatikos for spiritual. Pneumatikos means to be characterized by the spirit, to be a spiritually mature person.

The Greek word for flesh [belonged to this world], is sarkinos. Sarkinos means to be made of flesh; people of the flesh belong to this world, worldly and carnal. In this context, it has the sense of a baby or infant. Paul refers to new believers as spiritual babies. They are similar to human babies: weak, dependent, sinful, and transitory.

The Greek word for fleshly, of the flesh, influenced by the flesh,controlled by your sinful nature, worldly, carnal is sarkikos. Sarkikos means to be characterized by the flesh. “Although the Corinthians are Christians indwelt by the Spirit, their divisive behavior shows that they are acting like the unbelieving world around them” (ESV Study Bible).

Paul recognizes four categories of people: soulish people (unbelievers), baby Christians (new children of the King), carnal or fleshly Christians (children of the King who have had time to grow up but still act like babies), and the spiritually mature (children of the King who is growing to spiritual maturity in Christ).

There is another subtle danger: the possibility of advancing toward spiritual maturity only to regress or move backward. This is precisely the scenario that unfolded among the Jewish believers mentioned in Hebrews 5. They had become spiritually “dull of hearing.” They began their “backward journey” by drifting from the word (Hebrews 2:1-4) and then doubting it (Hebrews 3:7 –

13) (Wiersbe).

The Greek word translated as dull of hearing or spiritually dull is nothros. Nothros means slow to learn, understand, or react. It is only used twice in the New Testament (Hebrews 5:11, 6:12). It means slow-moving in mind, sluggish in understanding, dull of hearing, and stupidly forgetful. It can be used for the numbed limbs of an ill animal. It can be used of a person with the imperceptive nature of a stone (Barclay).

Hebrews 5:11-12

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

In the eyes of the Father, simply getting older does not equate to maturity. Spiritual growth demands an active and diligent pursuit of the Father (Stanley). Engaging deeply with His Word is essential for this pursuit. It involves not just reading, but accurately interpreting and clearly explaining it, as emphasized in 2 Timothy 2:15. Achieving this level of understanding necessitates practice – a continuous and repeated effort.

Sadly, many children suffer from a spiritual developmental delay. They have surrendered the dream that the Father has for them to pursue maturity. It is incumbent upon each of us to leave our childish trappings and practices behind and strive for spiritual growth. We will never completely arrive on this side of eternity. Knowledge of the Word and the ability to articulate it are insufficient. We have to live it.

The stunted spiritual growth of many is often due to a deficiency in the spiritual nourishment provided by the “milk” of the Word, which should be a staple in our daily “diet.” Just as physical infants transition from milk to solid food, we, too, must move on in our spiritual nourishment. Unfortunately, both newborn children of the King and those who have been part of God’s Forever Family for many years still subsist on merely spiritual infant formula.

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The time is always right to do the right thing ∙∙

The time is always right to do the right thing ∙∙

The two spies returned to Joshua and told him what they had learned, “The LORD has given us the whole land, for all the people in the land are terrified of us.” – Joshua 2:24

Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab, the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Do you always believe what you hear or read on the Internet?

During 2012 and 2013, State Farm aired a memorable TV advertisement known as “The Internet and French Model.” In this commercial, a character named Mike is seen filing an insurance claim through the State Farm mobile app. His neighbor, passing by, expresses surprise, saying she didn’t think State Farm offered such technological conveniences. When Mike inquires where she got her information, she says, “The Internet.” To Mike’s astonishment, “And you believed that?” she naively responds, “Yes, because they can’t post anything on the Internet that isn’t true.” “Where did you hear that?” Mike asks, and they both answer in unison, “The Internet!”

The commercial humorously concludes with the neighbor introducing her date, whom she met online, claiming he is a “French model.” The man awkwardly greets Mike with a hesitant “Ah, Bonjour,” leaving viewers amused at the woman’s naïveté for believing everything she reads online.

It might be wise to embrace former President Ronald Reagan’s prudent advice: “Trust but Verify.”

Significant global events were widely known before the Internet era and 24/7 news. As the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness, tales from Egypt were spreading far and wide. Narratives of how the God of Israel had humbled Egypt circulated, highlighting the decimation of much of the Egyptian army. The God of Israel had liberated the Jewish people from their enslavement by His mighty hand.

During this period, Egypt boasted the world’s most formidable military force, previously unbeaten in battle, thanks partly to its cutting-edge weapon – the chariot. Merchants and travelers shared and reshaped these astounding accounts for years. Consequently, prosperous and mighty cities like Jericho likely bolstered their defenses in anticipation of an invasion. Yet, the question lingered: Could anyone resist the might of the living God?

People were living in fear of the day that the armies of Israel would appear to take possession of “The Promised Land” that their God had sworn to give them. Even after 40 years, the people of Jericho remained apprehensive about what the Lord might eventually bring to pass.

Joshua 2:8-11

8 Before the spies slept that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.

9 I know the LORD has given you this land, she told them. We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.

10 For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. . .

11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

Rahab was no princess and far from being considered royalty. She was known more infamously in the scriptures as Rahab, the harlot. But she believed in Him when she heard the truth regarding the Lord God of Israel. Faced with a moral decision, Rahab chose to act on her newfound faith, courageously aiding the Israelite spies. Rahab dared to stand alone because she knew it was right. She understood the grave dangers involved in hiding them, misleading their pursuers, and facilitating their escape. She provided the first “Hiding Place,” becoming a precursor to figures like Corrie ten Boom’s family, who provided refuge during the Holocaust.

One’s past reputation does not hinder the transition from disbelief to faith or from moral depravity to taking a stand for righteousness.

The biblical narrative unfolds with Joshua sending two spies to scout Jericho. He directed them to go to Rahab’s house secretly. Despite their efforts at stealth, their presence at Rahab’s became known, prompting the king of Jericho to send out his stormtroopers to capture the Jewish spies. Rahab risked her life. In a bold move, Rahab concealed the spies and lied to the king’s men, thus ensuring their safe departure. In exchange for her bravery and protection, Rahab negotiated for her family’s safety upon Jericho’s fall. The spies consented to her terms (Joshua 2:12-23), a promise honored as the city fell (Joshua 6:17).

Hebrews 11:31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

The two spies returned to Joshua and told him what they had learned, “The LORD has given us the whole land, for all the people in the land are terrified of us” (Joshua 2:24).

REFLECT & PRAY

“It’s not always easy to do the right thing. But doing the right thing makes you strong, it builds character, it forces you to make decisions based upon your beliefs and not what other people think. In life and business, you have to stand for what you believe in and sometimes you have to stand alone. But what makes you a leader is having the courage of your convictions” (Queen Latifah).

Father my desire is to remain steadfast and compliant, even when it leads to risk and sacrifices. Strengthen my resolve to be courageous, daring, and faithful.

INSIGHT

But there’s more: the Father is always full of surprises.

After Rahab cleaned up her act and left her salacious life behind her, she became a part of the nation of Israel. She got married to a man named Salmon. They had a son named Boaz. Boaz was kind and generous and became a wealthy man. One day, he found a young Moabitess, a widow, working in his field. For Boaz, it was love at first sight. It turned out that her dead husband was a near kinsman. And Boaz had the right to become her Kinsman Redeemer. He had to pull a few strings but eventually married her.

Her name was Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son. Their son’s name was Obed. None of this would’ve been significant except for the fact that Obed also had a son, and his name was Jesse.

Now, the name Jesse may sound very familiar. For Jesse was the father of David. And the great, great, great, . . . great-grandson of David is the Lord Jesus Christ.

A small deed done in faith for the right reasons at the right time for the right people had consequences beyond anybody’s wildest imagination. At the time, only the Father knew in advance that Rahab would be the distant ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6,16).

Rahab defied Jericho’s traditions, cultural norms, religious practices, and laws. She acted independently, guided by her conscience and moral compass. She stood alone and did what was right. Had Rahab not made the courageous choice to follow her convictions, would she have had the opportunity to marry and subsequently enter into the genealogy of Jesus Christ?

“The time is always right to do the right thing” (Martin Luther King).

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I Will Fight No More Forever

I Will Fight No More Forever

But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God. – Acts 5:39

Hosea 12:3-5

3 Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother; when he became a man, he even fought with God.

4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him. There at Bethel, he met God face to face, and God spoke to him –

5 the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, the LORD is his name!

“I Will Fight No More Forever” is a 1975 made-for-television Western film starring James Whitmore as General Oliver O. Howard, Ned Romero as Chief Joseph, and Sam Elliott as Captain Wood. It tells the story of Chief Joseph’s resistance to the U.S. government’s forcible removal of his Nez Perce Indian tribe, from their tribal lands.

This story is set in 1877, when President Ulysses S. Grant permitted white settlers to enter Nez Perce territory. They resisted, and the U.S. Army was sent to push the tribe out. Chief Joseph retreats and attempts to escape to Canada.

His father, Tuekakas, converted to Christianity and was baptized in 1838, taking the Christian name Joseph. He became known as Joseph the Elder or Old Chief Joseph. In 1855, he negotiated a peace treaty that created a new reservation for the Nez Perce. Everything went well until gold was discovered in their territory.

Due to the tragic and unconscionable governmental policies at the time, the government of the United States reneged on its treaty. It forcibly took back approximately six million acres of land promised to the Nez Perce. Joseph the Elder was infuriated. He denounced the government of the United States, slashed the American flag, and destroyed his Bible. With the death of in 1871, Chief Joseph took over as tribal leader.

The tribe was forcibly relocated. Chief Joseph made a heroic attempt to lead his people (800 strong) to political asylum in Canada. The retreat was an 1170-mile trip, which came to be called the Nez Perce War. Over 2000 soldiers constantly hounded them. The tribe skillfully evaded and engaged with their pursuers. They were led by Gen. Oliver Otis Howard, known as the “Christian General” or “Old Prayer Book.” Howard based his policy decisions on his deep, evangelical piety.

The skill with which the Nez Perce fought under Chief Joseph in the face of adverse conditions and overwhelming military superiority earned them the respect and admiration of the military and the American public. Chief Joseph was named the “Red Napoleon.”

However, by the fall of 1877, his people were exhausted, cold, and starving. Only 87 fighting men were still alive. Just 40 miles from the Canadian border, they surrendered. He made a now-famous speech where he said, “I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Job 42:3-6

3 You asked, “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?” It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.

5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.

6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.

Father I have chosen, “I will fight no more forever.” Strengthen me to keep my pledge.

INSIGHT

Throughout history, there have been many brave warriors. But inevitably, there comes a time to stop fighting, hang up swords, clubs, and gloves, and lay aside combative inclinations. Chief Joseph was such a man. He was willing, ready, and able to fight for and defend his homeland and his people.

Old Chief Joseph, his father, said right before his death, “Inside this boundary, all our people were born. It circles the graves of our fathers, and we will never give up these graves to any man. . .. This country holds your father’s body. Never sell the bones of your father and your mother.”

Chief Joseph clasped his father’s hand and promised to do as he asked. He said, “A man who would not defend his father’s grave is worse than a wild beast.” Yet, in the end, Chief Joseph relented and surrendered. He would struggle and fight no more.

There comes a time for people to cease fighting with each other and for nations to do the same.

Isaiah 2:4 The LORD will mediate between nations and settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war.

But another kind of war is raging, far worse than people against people or nations against nations. People are at war with God. Many people reject the Father outrightly. Some eventually come to Him. History is replete with examples. “Amazing Grace” was written by John Newton. It is the story of his personal transformation from a slave trader to a Christian minister and abolitionist.

But there’s a secret war going on inside every child of the King. We fight and resist the living God. We wrestle to maintain independence, autonomy, self-determination, self-reliance, and control. We want to chart our own destiny without external influence.

Yet throughout the Scriptures, this effort is revealed for its futility and consequences. When we choose not to resist but surrender, a transformative power is released. For those who have experienced it, it is unparalleled. Where there was darkness, there was light. Where there was fear, there was confidence. Where there was sadness, there was joy. The Father’s overall plan encompasses and transcends human rebellion. Even our opposition and resistance serve His ultimate purpose.

While most of us wrestle with our thoughts, emotions, and choices, some have actually wrestled with the living God to their own harm. Such a man was Jacob. Jacob was exceedingly strong, robust, and resilient. Yet, ultimately, he was no match for the living God.

Genesis 32:24-30

24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.

25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket.

26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.”

28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

30 Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

The ineffectiveness and consequences of resisting God’s plans are highlighted in Acts 5:39. Efforts to counteract divine purposes ultimately prove futile.

Acts 5:39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.

The judicious person who yields. They sacrifice what cannot be retained to acquire what cannot be taken away. Jim Elliott shows us the way, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Is it not wise to emulate Chief Joseph’s path? To follow his example, verbalizing your choice might sound like this: “Oh, Father, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. I will fight my God no more forever.”

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Sweet solace in adversity ∙∙

Sweet solace in adversity ∙∙

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. – Psalm 94:19

Psalms 94:16-23

16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

17 Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of death.

18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.

19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

22 But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.

23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them.

Have you ever had a fellow worker defend you when you made a mistake or your performance was subpar? Perhaps, in doing so, they put their reputation at risk. They may have even defended your lapse to a customer or even management. They may have protected you from negative feedback. Perhaps they even took responsibility for your mistake.

Such acts of solidarity and protection can profoundly impact, affirm trust, and strengthen relationships.

Who supports you when you need it most? Who stands by you? Who has your back? For every child of the King, the answer is wonderful.

“God is an ever-present comfort, even when our emotions bounce off the wall, and our hearts zigzag in a thousand directions. God wants to calm our anxieties, but even before that happens, He comforts us in our distress” (Stanley).

Many of our enemies are inward, harmful negative attitudes and emotions. Anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about the future or the present become our adversaries. Semi-dormant toxic experiences and memories waiting to be triggered. They grip us. Fear and anxiety are like muggers lurking in the dark, waiting to strike and harm us.

They pounce without warning. Our feelings go into overdrive. We begin to churn inside, and our rational thoughts are smothered. Our anxious thoughts explode within us. Any contentment or sense of assurance and safety vanishes. Suddenly, we’re overwhelmed by a storm of anxious thoughts.

There is wonderful news. As children of the King, we have the opportunity to switch gears. Our Father is ever present, tenderhearted, and lovingly concerned about us. He watches over us with love.

We have total freedom to share our anxious thoughts and feelings with Him. In some marvelous way, we are able to have a catharsis. We calm down, regain equilibrium, and return to tranquil thankfulness.

REFLECT & PRAY

In the midst of our anxiety, the Father’s consolation produces joy to lighten our burden.

Father thank You for being a sanctuary where we can open our hearts and release our fears and anxieties. You know our thoughts before we say a word. You know where we are coming from. You respond by pouring out lovingkindness and sweet comfort.

INSIGHT

Psalm 94 models how to pour out our hearts and deepest troubles to the Father. The psalmist is in great anguish. His emotions are raw. His thoughts are running wild. He laments and pours out his heart and seeks the Father’s protection and consolation. Adversaries loom near, yet wonderfully, so does the comforting presence of the Father. He stands as a beacon of hope and reassurance. The psalmist poses a poignant question, echoing through the ages in the eloquent verses of Hebrew poetry.

Psalms 94:16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

Who has his back? The psalmist exclaims in beautiful Hebrew poetry for all to hear and remember for the millennia to come.

Psalms 94:17-19

17 Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.

18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.

19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

The Hebrew word translated as comfort or consolations is tanchum. Tanchummeans to reassure or console. The origin of the root reflects the idea of “breathing deeply,” hence the physical display of one’s feelings, usually sorrow, compassion, or comfort (TWOT).

Psalm 94 laments the present reality that the wicked are in control and oppress the children of the King. These evildoers have no fear of the Father. At the same time, it vividly celebrates the Father’s magnificent greatness and omniscience. The psalmist praises the Father as he recalls the Father’s steadfast, loyal love (hesed).

There’s something wonderful concealed just below the surface. On the one hand, the Father is revealed in all his greatness and power. He can come to the aid of all children of the King. But on the other hand, His comfort effervesces with sweet cheer. The Father’s comfort is like a calming touch, a soothing balm.

The original Hebrew of Psalms 94:19 reads, “When my worries are many within me, your comforts cause my soul to delight” (UBS).

The children of the King are not only sustained by the Father’s unwavering love in their trials but also experience their anxieties being transformed into a comforting sweetness and deep-seated joy. “From my sinful thoughts, my vain thoughts, my sorrowful thoughts, my griefs, my cares, my conflicts, I will hasten to the Lord; he has divine comforts, and these will not only console but actually delight me. How sweet are the comforts of the Spirit!” (Spurgeon).

Picture a wanderer, lost and parched in the expanse of a desert, yearning for just a drop of water to satiate his thirst. Along comes a stranger who offers him not water but an exquisite elixir that surpasses any nectar he has ever tasted. Not only is his physical thirst quenched, but his anxieties are also miraculously replaced with the joyous sweetness of this unexpected gift.

As the children of the King, we’re invited to undergo a profound paradigm shift. Instead of being burdened by our worries and fears, we are enveloped in a comforting serenity amidst our struggles. Our current challenges become avenues for spiritual maturation. This is part of the divine nurturing and discipline from the Father.

Psalms 94:12 Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions.

For each child of the King, the question becomes, “What am I supposed to learn from this, and how do I respond properly to Your gracious intervention?” Or, “What would you have your servant do?”

The Father’s omnipotent kingship guarantees His final victory over all who oppose Him, even if they are members of His own people (who ought to have acknowledged His rule!). It is always worth being on Father’s side (ESV).

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Can you hear me now? ∙∙

Can you hear me now? ∙∙

Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts . . . – Hebrews 3:7-8

Hebrews 1:1-3

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.

2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son, he created the universe.

3 The Son radiates God’s glory and expresses His very character, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.

Paul Marcarelli gained widespread recognition as the iconic “Test Man” in Verizon Wireless’s advertising campaign from 2002 to 2011. Dressed in a gray Verizon jacket and sporting his signature horn-rimmed glasses, Marcarelli became the face of Verizon’s commitment to nationwide cell phone coverage. He was tirelessly asking, “Can you hear me now?”

The ads often featured a voiceover asking, “How do you build America’s largest wireless network, by never being satisfied? So, no matter where you go, your call always goes through. Verizon Wireless, we never stop working for you!”

In a significant career move, Marcarelli switched allegiances in 2016, becoming a spokesperson for Sprint. In his appearances for Sprint, he made light of his history with Verizon, emphasizing Sprint’s enhanced network capabilities.

Introducing himself in Sprint commercials, Marcarelli would say, “Hey, I’m Paul. You might remember me asking, ‘Can you hear me now?’ with Verizon. Well, times have changed.” He highlighted the vast network quality improvements across the board, suggesting, “Guess what, it’s 2016, and every network is great. Sprint’s reliability is now within 1% of Verizon.”

Sprint leveraged Marcarelli’s switch to underline its pitch to consumers: You can get a network nearly the same reliability as Verizon’s, but Sprint claims the rates are half what you’ll pay Verizon.

The Father has spoken to the world through the Word of God. Being our Creator, He knows exactly what people need to know. The Father has disclosed truth regarding Himself and His ways in the Scriptures. The Word of God does not speak exhaustively on all issues but is always accurate, inerrant, and truthful.

Lord Jesus Christ did so many things in the presence of the disciples that everything could not have been included. So, the apostle John selected a small portion to include. We get some inkling of this in the Gospel of John, where he explains.

John 21:25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.

John 20:30-31

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.

31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing in him, you will have life by the power of his name.

The apostle John was an eyewitness to what the Lord Jesus Christ said and did. So much more happened that is not recorded in his gospel. Using hyperbole, John says that even all the books of the world could not contain the full story of the Lord Jesus Christ. He carefully curated what to include for the benefit of all future generations. In no uncertain terms, he offers enough true truth that anyone who reads and accepts it will have eternal life.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father has spoken and continues to speak. Are we listening? He asks, “Can you hear Me now?”

Father thank You for revealing the true truth! Thank you for providing enough information so anyone can believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God. When they do, they may receive eternal life in His name.

INSIGHT

The Father spoke in many ways over many centuries, using many people and culminating in the revelation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible was written over two millennia. Yet there is remarkable unity and continuity to the message. The narrative is consistent and extraordinarily coherent. The theme of the Scriptures can be distilled into one word: Redemption. The main characters are the Father and the Son.

Hebrews 1:1-2

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.

2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son

Throughout history, civilizations and religions around the world have pondered profound questions about existence. These questions include: Is there a God? What is God like? How did the universe and planet Earth come into existence? Where did the animals and human race come from? How and when did it all begin?

In these matters, it is believed that only the Creator possesses direct knowledge, having been the sole witness to the act of creation. The Scriptures touch upon these inquiries, presenting responses as absolute truths rather than mere conjectures or hypotheses. They do not speculate or postulate conclusions based upon transitory, often fluctuating, or even conflicting scientific theories of the day. Instead, they accurately and succinctly answer them. The answers found in the Scriptures are unsurpassed in their sublime excellence and commonsense explanations.

With apologies to “Young Frankenstein,” by Mel Brooks, the Genesis record tells the Father’s story, How I did it.

In contemporary society, it’s disheartening to witness the Scriptures being disregarded or outright dismissed as a source of insight into life’s most profound questions.

The quest for truth is a common pursuit among individuals. Unfortunately, this search frequently results in what could be termed “truth for now,” which soon gives way to the next fleeting “truth,” lacking any enduring substance.

Consider a hypothetical scenario: if you were an employee at a bank and discovered at the close of business that the cash on hand was significantly less than expected, you might suspect foul play. While most of us aren’t bank employees, a similar situation has unfolded concerning our understanding of the cosmos within our lifetimes.

Before deploying the Hubble Space Telescope, many leading scientists estimated the universe to be around 25 billion years old. That was the best guess of many of the most outstanding scientists. However, following observations made by Hubble, something remarkable happened. The estimated age of the universe was cut in half to about 12 billion years. This massive discrepancy seemingly raised few, if any, eyebrows. It didn’t seem to trouble anyone. No one was arrested. There were no formal inquiries or uproar causing a scandal. Instead, new theories were offered to explain why the latest estimate was correct.

The prevailing estimate for the universe’s age, based on the Planck 2018 data, stands at approximately 13.787±0.020 billion years. According to current theory, the universe’s expansion rate can be used to calculate the universe’s approximate age by extrapolating backward in time. The assumptions involved in this new theory are not for the faint of heart. It is assumed that the expansion rate of the universe remains constant for 15 to 25 billion years. Is this assumption accurate? Some would say there is no way of knowing.

If I were president of the Bank of the Cosmos, I would be very suspicious. I would want to know what happened to the missing 12 billion years.

“It’s easy to take for granted what is commonly available, but we should never lose sight of the most valuable possession God has given us – His inspired, inerrant Word” (Stanley).

Hebrews 3:15 “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”

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