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Read these first installments of the ongoing 30-part devotional series Feed on His Faithfulness, based on Psalms 37, right here on Strike the Jordan!
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Feed on His Faithfulness
SHOW ME THE DOME! - "Feed on His Faithfulness" Devotional #6
"Do not fret...trust in the Lord...He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday [sun]."
– Psalms 37:1-6 (NKJV, excerpts)
– Psalms 37:1-6 (NKJV, excerpts)
[Freshman Senator Jefferson Smith, the evening of his first day in office:]
"We're going right ahead with my bill for a National Boys' Camp. Where's my briefcase?"
[Smith's newly assigned aide, Clarissa Saunders:]
"You're going to present a bill?"
"Yes, Senator Paine and I decided... [He] said you'd help me."
"It's simple. And I'm helping," she replies sarcastically. "So we knock it off in three or four days."
"A day."
"A day!? Sure! Why not?... Do you mind if I take the time to go get a pencil?"
"Go right ahead.... And lots of paper too!"
[Smith continues, to himself:] "Have you ever had so much to say, you just couldn't say it?"
"Try sitting down," she suggests, returning with the pencil and paper. "Let's get down to particulars. How big is this thing? Where should it be? You have to have all that in it."
"Yes! And something else ... the spirit of it. The idea... how do you say it?"
[Smith looks out his window and notices the U.S. Capitol Dome shining brightly in the night.]
"That's what's got to be in my bill!"
"The Capitol Dome!? On paper?"
"Yes, it should come to life for every boy. All lighted up too. Boys forget what their country means. By just reading 'Land of the Free' in history books. Men forget even more. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day and say, 'I'm free... to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't. I can! And my children will!' Boys ought to grow up remembering that. That [senate] steering committee'll have to see it like that."
― From Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia Pictures Corp., 1939), excerpts.
* * *
In this Psalm 37 series, about de-stressing our lives and feeding on His faithfulness, we've been exploring the many aspects of our Christian walk that are continual sources of stress and burnout. Where Jesus desires instead that we learn to let go and let Him get the job done through us. Where He wants us to yield our neck to His yoke and find rest for our soul (Matthew 11:28-30).
Certainly one stressor for many of us is an ardent desire to be "on mission"—to spread the Gospel, words of encouragement, a message of Kingdom righteousness, through all means possible. Maybe you'd like to write Christian songs, books, a blog (such as this one), or maybe do a podcast. But instead it's become a huge source of stress because—let's face it!—there are literally tens of thousands of net-new Christian books published in the U.S. each year. Everybody and his uncle has a podcast and a couple of blogs, many of which have north of a million subscribers or followers. "Just how," you're thinking, "am I supposed to cut through all that noise and get noticed!?" Or, the latest buzzword ... "Platform! I need more platform!"
Today's verse from Psalm 37 has something to say about platform. About getting noticed. "He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday [sun]."
As with anything else that our Lord Christ commissions us to do, we must be His faithful servants. We must be up and doing. And yet, we mustn't forget that the outcome is ultimately His responsibility! In fact, that is precisely what Jesus made clear to his disciples in His last words before ascending to Heaven:
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, NKJV)
As one preacher framed this Scripture passage, "The unstoppable mission of God extends through the faithful witness of His people. Notice that 'witness' is a noun. To fulfill His mission, we must be witnesses of Him—of His person."
—Joel Shorey, "Acts of the Apostles Series" (Redeemer Fellowship, Delaware)
So, rather than stressing about how to be effectively "on mission"—how to get noticed with clicks, likes, subscribers, and followers—we ought first to think about being a faithful witness. Because being a witness shines the spotlight, not on ourselves, our words, our message, but rather on the One of Whom we are witnesses.
But, what about the outcome? What if no one ever reads my book, sings my songs, or subscribes to my YouTube channel!? Surely it's not Father God's will for me to be the proverbial tree that falls in the forest, and no one hears it fall! What can I do to get noticed!?
The key is found right in that same verse, Acts 1:8: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me." So, to be a witness at all requires power. And not just any power. Holy Spirit power! (And, remember, the Holy Spirit is none other than Christ with us—in us, doing the work through us—which is yet again the same Law of the Yoke from Matthew 11.)
Think about it...
People don't visit your church to check out your clever programs, the color of your curtains, or your magnificent worship band. Well, yeah, a few people are looking for those superficial things. But what's driving most seekers who walk through the doors? They're hoping to find Jesus and experience His living, loving touch! "Is Jesus here, or isn't He!? Because I've visited a lot of churches where He simply wasn't in the building. So, tell me—no, show me!!—I want to find Jesus. Is He, or is He not here?"
As Eliza Doolittle's character lamented in the musical rendition of My Fair Lady (Warner Bros., 1964): "Words! Words! Words! I'm so sick of words!... Is that all you blighters can do?... Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, show me!"
And it's no different with the written or recorded word. If we're looking to get out the Gospel, the glorious message of God's love and righteousness—whether in a book, a blog, a podcast, whatever—nobody gives two figs about our clever words. They want to find fresh bread from Heaven. Most seekers aren't even sure what it looks or feels like, but they know that they'll know when they've found it!
In conclusion, what wet-behind-the ears Senator Jeff Smith understood, which emanated from the deep wells of his patriotic being, was that nothing done in Washington—not even a simple senate bill to establish a boys' camp—was of any consequence unless it embodied and radiated the brilliant light of the American spirit: love of country, freedom, and justice for all. The Capitol Dome shining in the night!
So, how do I bag that elusive "platform"? How do I "cast my bread (words) upon the waters" in full assurance of faith—rather than gnawing stress—knowing that I will "find it after many days" (Ecclesiastes 11:1)? How can I be sure that people will listen, that "His Word will not return ... void" (Isaiah 55:11)?
The answer is, when it's His Word, not mine. People are looking, listening, for that fresh bread, warm and bursting with the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit. Words that bring light into darkness, hope in the midst of despair. Words that show them, not just tell them, that God is alive and abounding in love for them. They're looking, but it's like finding a needle in the haystack of "Words! Words! Words!"
"We're going right ahead with my bill for a National Boys' Camp. Where's my briefcase?"
[Smith's newly assigned aide, Clarissa Saunders:]
"You're going to present a bill?"
"Yes, Senator Paine and I decided... [He] said you'd help me."
"It's simple. And I'm helping," she replies sarcastically. "So we knock it off in three or four days."
"A day."
"A day!? Sure! Why not?... Do you mind if I take the time to go get a pencil?"
"Go right ahead.... And lots of paper too!"
[Smith continues, to himself:] "Have you ever had so much to say, you just couldn't say it?"
"Try sitting down," she suggests, returning with the pencil and paper. "Let's get down to particulars. How big is this thing? Where should it be? You have to have all that in it."
"Yes! And something else ... the spirit of it. The idea... how do you say it?"
[Smith looks out his window and notices the U.S. Capitol Dome shining brightly in the night.]
"That's what's got to be in my bill!"
"The Capitol Dome!? On paper?"
"Yes, it should come to life for every boy. All lighted up too. Boys forget what their country means. By just reading 'Land of the Free' in history books. Men forget even more. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day and say, 'I'm free... to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't. I can! And my children will!' Boys ought to grow up remembering that. That [senate] steering committee'll have to see it like that."
― From Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia Pictures Corp., 1939), excerpts.
* * *
In this Psalm 37 series, about de-stressing our lives and feeding on His faithfulness, we've been exploring the many aspects of our Christian walk that are continual sources of stress and burnout. Where Jesus desires instead that we learn to let go and let Him get the job done through us. Where He wants us to yield our neck to His yoke and find rest for our soul (Matthew 11:28-30).
Certainly one stressor for many of us is an ardent desire to be "on mission"—to spread the Gospel, words of encouragement, a message of Kingdom righteousness, through all means possible. Maybe you'd like to write Christian songs, books, a blog (such as this one), or maybe do a podcast. But instead it's become a huge source of stress because—let's face it!—there are literally tens of thousands of net-new Christian books published in the U.S. each year. Everybody and his uncle has a podcast and a couple of blogs, many of which have north of a million subscribers or followers. "Just how," you're thinking, "am I supposed to cut through all that noise and get noticed!?" Or, the latest buzzword ... "Platform! I need more platform!"
Today's verse from Psalm 37 has something to say about platform. About getting noticed. "He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday [sun]."
As with anything else that our Lord Christ commissions us to do, we must be His faithful servants. We must be up and doing. And yet, we mustn't forget that the outcome is ultimately His responsibility! In fact, that is precisely what Jesus made clear to his disciples in His last words before ascending to Heaven:
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, NKJV)
As one preacher framed this Scripture passage, "The unstoppable mission of God extends through the faithful witness of His people. Notice that 'witness' is a noun. To fulfill His mission, we must be witnesses of Him—of His person."
—Joel Shorey, "Acts of the Apostles Series" (Redeemer Fellowship, Delaware)
So, rather than stressing about how to be effectively "on mission"—how to get noticed with clicks, likes, subscribers, and followers—we ought first to think about being a faithful witness. Because being a witness shines the spotlight, not on ourselves, our words, our message, but rather on the One of Whom we are witnesses.
But, what about the outcome? What if no one ever reads my book, sings my songs, or subscribes to my YouTube channel!? Surely it's not Father God's will for me to be the proverbial tree that falls in the forest, and no one hears it fall! What can I do to get noticed!?
The key is found right in that same verse, Acts 1:8: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me." So, to be a witness at all requires power. And not just any power. Holy Spirit power! (And, remember, the Holy Spirit is none other than Christ with us—in us, doing the work through us—which is yet again the same Law of the Yoke from Matthew 11.)
Think about it...
People don't visit your church to check out your clever programs, the color of your curtains, or your magnificent worship band. Well, yeah, a few people are looking for those superficial things. But what's driving most seekers who walk through the doors? They're hoping to find Jesus and experience His living, loving touch! "Is Jesus here, or isn't He!? Because I've visited a lot of churches where He simply wasn't in the building. So, tell me—no, show me!!—I want to find Jesus. Is He, or is He not here?"
As Eliza Doolittle's character lamented in the musical rendition of My Fair Lady (Warner Bros., 1964): "Words! Words! Words! I'm so sick of words!... Is that all you blighters can do?... Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, show me!"
And it's no different with the written or recorded word. If we're looking to get out the Gospel, the glorious message of God's love and righteousness—whether in a book, a blog, a podcast, whatever—nobody gives two figs about our clever words. They want to find fresh bread from Heaven. Most seekers aren't even sure what it looks or feels like, but they know that they'll know when they've found it!
In conclusion, what wet-behind-the ears Senator Jeff Smith understood, which emanated from the deep wells of his patriotic being, was that nothing done in Washington—not even a simple senate bill to establish a boys' camp—was of any consequence unless it embodied and radiated the brilliant light of the American spirit: love of country, freedom, and justice for all. The Capitol Dome shining in the night!
So, how do I bag that elusive "platform"? How do I "cast my bread (words) upon the waters" in full assurance of faith—rather than gnawing stress—knowing that I will "find it after many days" (Ecclesiastes 11:1)? How can I be sure that people will listen, that "His Word will not return ... void" (Isaiah 55:11)?
The answer is, when it's His Word, not mine. People are looking, listening, for that fresh bread, warm and bursting with the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit. Words that bring light into darkness, hope in the midst of despair. Words that show them, not just tell them, that God is alive and abounding in love for them. They're looking, but it's like finding a needle in the haystack of "Words! Words! Words!"
Why not pray ...
"Dear Father,
Let me be part of that City on a Hill, of that Capitol Dome shining as a beacon of righteousness in the night, hallelujah! I desperately need Your power—I need You, Your Holy Spirit anointing and presence—so whatever I speak or write, it will be as an oracle of God. With Your words of righteousness whispering in the earpiece of my heart and flowing forth from my mouth and my keyboard to 'bring Good News to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and liberty those who are oppressed.' [Luke 4:18] Then I'll know that Your words of righteousness, spoken through me, will bring forth a harvest of righteousness. As I trust You for the outcome.
In Jesus' name. Amen."
---
Originally published as a “Bradstix” devotional on the National Minute of Prayer Facebook page 6/15/2025.
Copyright © Brad Fenichel 2025 All Rights Reserved
Sunday, June 8, 2025
THUS SAITH THE LORD, "CHEAT ON THAT TEST!" - "Feed on His Faithfulness" Devotional #27
"Do not fret...trust in the Lord...the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble."
– Psalms 37:1-39 (NKJV, excerpts)
– Psalms 37:1-39 (NKJV, excerpts)
"No! Marty! We've already agreed that having information about the future can be extremely dangerous. Even if your intentions are good, it can backfire drastically! Whatever you've got to tell me, I'll find out through the natural course of time."
― "Doc" Emmett Brown, from Back to the Future (Universal Studios, 1985)
[Later in the movie ...]
Marty McFly: "Bulletproof vest? How did you know? I never got a chance to tell you."
[Doc smiles and retrieves an old piece of paper from his pocket. Marty opens it and discovers it's the warning letter that, in 1955, he had handed to Doc, who had immediately torn it up and discarded it. But here it was, all taped together.]
Marty: What about all that talk about [backfiring and unraveling] future events? The space-time continuum?
Doc: Well, I figured, what the ...?
* * *
If you're reading this devotional segment directly on the blog, your first question will be why it's "Devotional #27," when this week's should have been #6.
Glad you asked! We're jumping the gun, uncorking a spoiler from near the end of the Psalm 37 message. And it's all in keeping with our lead-in verse, verse 39, which says, "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble."
The conclusion of today's devotional—the spoiler of the spoiler—is this: Our loving "Abba [Daddy], Father," King of the Universe and Lover of our soul, He Who wrote the end of our story before ever it began ... He already wrote it to be a happy ending ("the salvation of the righteous"), and He will bear us, in the "strength" of His loving arms, through every "time of trouble" along the way until that final ending.
Or, as Psalms 34:19 states it, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all."
"But," you may say, "surely that's poetic hyperbole! I've faced countless afflictions and trials in my journey with Jesus and, let's be honest, not all had a happy ending by any reckoning!"
Hey, I'm right there with you!
But that's why they're called "trials," right? James exhorts us to "...Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)
As a wise old preacher once said, "God is the God of miracles, yes. But He's also the God Who will put you in a situation where the only way out is through a miracle!"
In other words, our loving Father quite intentionally lets us face very real, and often painful, difficulties in order to strengthen our faith. That's right—to perfect our ability to be patient and utterly dependent on Him, knowing that "He's got this one too!" no matter how dark and desperate our circumstances might appear.
Ponder this excerpt from an article by author and speaker Sue Maakestad:
― "Doc" Emmett Brown, from Back to the Future (Universal Studios, 1985)
[Later in the movie ...]
Marty McFly: "Bulletproof vest? How did you know? I never got a chance to tell you."
[Doc smiles and retrieves an old piece of paper from his pocket. Marty opens it and discovers it's the warning letter that, in 1955, he had handed to Doc, who had immediately torn it up and discarded it. But here it was, all taped together.]
Marty: What about all that talk about [backfiring and unraveling] future events? The space-time continuum?
Doc: Well, I figured, what the ...?
* * *
If you're reading this devotional segment directly on the blog, your first question will be why it's "Devotional #27," when this week's should have been #6.
Glad you asked! We're jumping the gun, uncorking a spoiler from near the end of the Psalm 37 message. And it's all in keeping with our lead-in verse, verse 39, which says, "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble."
The conclusion of today's devotional—the spoiler of the spoiler—is this: Our loving "Abba [Daddy], Father," King of the Universe and Lover of our soul, He Who wrote the end of our story before ever it began ... He already wrote it to be a happy ending ("the salvation of the righteous"), and He will bear us, in the "strength" of His loving arms, through every "time of trouble" along the way until that final ending.
Or, as Psalms 34:19 states it, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all."
"But," you may say, "surely that's poetic hyperbole! I've faced countless afflictions and trials in my journey with Jesus and, let's be honest, not all had a happy ending by any reckoning!"
Hey, I'm right there with you!
But that's why they're called "trials," right? James exhorts us to "...Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)
As a wise old preacher once said, "God is the God of miracles, yes. But He's also the God Who will put you in a situation where the only way out is through a miracle!"
In other words, our loving Father quite intentionally lets us face very real, and often painful, difficulties in order to strengthen our faith. That's right—to perfect our ability to be patient and utterly dependent on Him, knowing that "He's got this one too!" no matter how dark and desperate our circumstances might appear.
Ponder this excerpt from an article by author and speaker Sue Maakestad:
Jesus told Peter to come out and walk on the water with Him. How come He waited to calm the storm till after they were back in the boat (Matthew 14:24-32)? How come God allowed the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3:13-30 to be thrown into the fiery furnace before they could see the fourth man 'like the Son of God' in the fire with them (v. 25)? How come Jesus waited another two days when Lazarus was on his death bed 'because He loved him' (John 11:5-6)?
This is a test. This is only a test. Please notice, God was right there for each of them and carried them through to the other side—and He's right there for you too.
— From "Banquet on the Battlefield" (by Sue Maakestad, The Door World Outreach / Bullseye Publication / June 2023)
[Read the full article here.]
The sad truth, though, is that while He's right there rooting for us to pass the test ... more often than not we fail! And when we fail a test? You got it!... Just like the SATs, we have to take it again, generally with a different set of "questions" or challenges, over and over if necessary, until we finally pass and He can proudly say, "Well done!"
How, then do I skip right to the part where I pass? How do I avoid taking these tests over and over?
Simple answer. That verse from James holds the master key: it's "the testing of your faith." Meaning ... God's not testing my ability to solve complex problems, my mastery of obscure spiritual truths, my bravado in the face of torture, how stiff an upper lip I keep while my cranium's being smashed against the pavement. No, no, NO! All He wants to see is that, the moment I encounter adversity from any quarter, I burst into His throne room, make a beeline for His loving arms, and say, "Abba! Daddy! The bullies are after me again. Please, You show them what-for!"
That simple? Yes, that simple. Every trial is a test of faith. And the only correct answer to a test of faith is ... faith.
"But that's cheating!" you say. "Are you suggesting that the whole point of this test—of every test throughout my Christian life—is that God wants me to do nothing? Let Him do everything!?"
Now you're getting it!
Remember Matthew 11:29-30: "Take My yoke upon you ... find rest for your souls ... My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The quicker I thrust my neck into that yoke in "time of trouble" (Psalms 37:39), the sooner I find myself letting go and allowing the omnipotent arm of the Lord to bring me salvation from the crisis at hand. I've discovered the divine Law of Cheating at last—skipping directly to the part where I pass the test of faith, where I yield my neck to His yoke and let Him score a perfect A+, with bonus points, on my behalf. And I'm loving it!
Does that mean my faith will never again face a trial? Of course it doesn't mean that. But I've passed this one, which means I'm stronger to face the next, and the next, and the next. And Father God is proud to see me grow and mature as His beloved child.
Sure, not every step we take on life's journey is a trial or test. (Thank God for that!) And sure, we skipped over episodes 6-26 of our study to reveal this "spoiler" about the tests we all face, not only at major intervals in our spiritual journey, but at frequent moments all along the way. But the underlying principle is the same for each step of our life, whether or not we're in the throes of a trial. It's the truth of Psalm 37, which is, "Do not fret. Trust in the Lord. Feed on His faithfulness."
***
Let me step out of character for the moment and disclose why I've jumped ahead to Episode #27 of our series. It's the inexpressible joy that fills my heart today, even as I find myself smack dab in the midst of the greatest trial I've ever faced. In fact, rewind to the beginning of this year, when I felt led to diverge from my usual themes of prayer and revival and instead do a devotional series about how the yoke of Jesus is easy and light. To be honest, I came back to God in prayer a few times with "Are You sure!?" before I was convinced I'd heard right. And so I started this blog series, cranking out the first five installments over a few months' time.
Fast-forward to 1 month ago—May 8, 2025—as I sat in my family doctor's office for a routine physical. We went over the usual small complaints and annoyances with my sixty-plus-year-old body, same as during other visits. I reminded him that, since being sick with COVID-19 four years ago, I've had this annoying chest congestion and cough. So, he ordered yet another "CAT scan" of my chest. (I'd had two before, as well as an X-ray, but they'd showed nothing relevant.)
Exactly 13 days later (May 21), I was sitting in that same chair in his office, with my loving wife by my side this time, listening to him explain all the frightening evidences of cancer that had turned up in the reading of this latest CAT scan that had just come back from the imaging center. Yikes!!
We were both stunned and numb, listening incredulously as he articulated the next steps—in-depth testing and appointments with various cancer specialists. Immediately, if not sooner!
How did this happen? Where was God and why didn't He keep it from happening!? Sure, my wife and I have been through many "dangers, toils, and snares" in our roughly half-a-century journey with Jesus. But something like this still knocks the legs out from under you!
Right away, we began to remind each other of how God has been faithful all these years, how He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, and (last we checked) He's still on the throne! Even in our state of shock—thank God—we had the presence of mind to stop, pray, and lay it all at His feet, even though our spirit was trembling inside. As David did in I Samuel 30:6, when he was "greatly distressed," he "strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
My wife received a word of revelation from Matthew 11 (same as this blog series); she said that God was telling her that His yoke is easy. That He's got this one too ... if we'll only release it to Him. Place our feeble necks in His glorious yoke. And so we did.
Of course, we also reached out to the Body of Christ for prayer. That same afternoon, my wife asked one of her friends from church to pray for peace, which she did. Wow, did that make a difference! There was a tangible mantle of the Holy Spirit's peace that descended and blanketed us. (When someone's going through a trial and asks you to pray for peace, don't think for a moment that it'll make no difference. It most certainly does!)
In fact, we were suddenly so at peace and wrapped in the Savior's love that, when my wife's sister came to the house that evening and asked, "So, how did that doctor visit turn out?" all I could respond with was, "Hallelujah, I've got cancer!" (And, I sincerely meant the "hallelujah" part!)
Long story short, there may be a long road ahead. I have four more tests coming up. More visits with cancer specialists. Perhaps a treatment plan that's uncomfortable (to say the least). God may choose just to heal me outright, or He may drag it out a bit.
But it's gonna be okay.
Why?
First, because I've chosen to cheat on this test (with Abba-Daddy's permission, of course). For once, and undoubtedly because He graciously got me started ahead of time on this blog about Psalm 37 and Matthew 11—as well as equally graciously dropping that same message into my wife's spirit—we were able to immediately realize our need to fly to His arms and place our neck in His yoke. It's a test of faith (same as all trials). We place our faith in Him and lay the test paper at His feet so He will ace this test for us. Which means the grade will be A+.
Awesome. So ... is that all?
Glad you asked! No, there's more. In fact, I've saved the best for last.
Back to our lead-in excerpts from the text: "Do not fret...trust in the Lord...the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble."
See, there's another hack—another divine cheat—hidden in that passage, and it's an easy one to miss. But, praise God, He's helped me not miss it, because it's been, not only a lifeline, but a well of joy springing up in both my own heart and my wife's!
Here's the divine progression (which, though well documented throughout Scripture, is so easy to miss)....
Cheat #1 is, when facing a test of our faith, we must resist the urge to conquer the test in our own strength. Again, all tests are faith tests, so run to Him, place the neck in that yoke, and trust Him to do the rest. By letting Him ace the test, we ace the test.
Cheat #2 is to further trust Him to give us true joy and strength for as long as the trial endures. That part takes an extra "oomph" of faith, but it's like bonus points on the test. The Apostle Paul stated that he was able to rejoice in his trials (Romans 5:3). Not just lay them at Jesus' feet and endure the trial by Jesus' mighty power, but ... actually be joyful throughout the process!
Why is that a cheat?
Because, in order to be joyful, one must believe not only that God will walk with us through the trial and lighten the load, but further, that the outcome will be victory!
Consider "Doc" Emmett Brown in his Back to the Future moment. While visiting the year 1955, Marty had handed Doc a warning letter. But Doc tore up the letter ... refused to read it ... due to his personal convictions on the topic of knowing one's own future. In fact, Doc didn't know (though he possibly suspected) that the letter would inform him how he would meet his death thirty years later.
When the two met again in 1985, it was just in time for Marty to witness (once again) the very moment Doc was gunned down by the Libyan terrorists. But this time turned out quite different, because Doc was wearing a bulletproof vest!
A cheat? Yes, absolutely! Though the scene had unfolded same as "before," and the Libyans had opened fire as foreseen (presumably because one cannot change the events that are to come his way), this time Doc had cheated the bullets. How? Simply by reading the message, knowing what the future held, and availing himself of the one thing he himself could do to prevent those bullets from piercing his heart. So he knew his tryst with death would not end in tragedy after all.
Stick with me here, because this is a key truth that opens a great storehouse of blessing, as it relates to the trials we all face on our Christian journey....
See, even if we've mastered Cheat #1—even if we're experts at running straight to the Father's arms when we face a trial of faith, asking Him to escort us through the very Valley of the Shadow of Death—that doesn't mean we can honestly "rejoice in our trials," as Paul stated we should. Especially if literal death is at stake, right!? Why? Because we don't know what the outcome will be.
But oh, the majesty of Cheat #2! Oh, the tender love of our Lord Christ, which is too marvelous to comprehend! (Ephesians 3:19) There are certain times—not all times, mind you, but certain ones—where in His infinite grace He will "slip us a note": a Scripture that suddenly jumps off the page, something in the evening news or a conversation with a friend that "lights up" with a hidden message we know is from God, or maybe during a prayer time where we just feel the Holy Spirit's presence in an almost tangible/audible way assuring us, "It's gonna be all right!"
That is when we can jump up and down shouting, "Glory, hallelujah!" with sincere and unquenchable joy. Not because the trial has ended. Oh, no! we're still right smack in the Valley of Shadow (as I am at this moment), trusting Him to carry us through. Rather, it's joy unspeakable and full of glory because He's let us cheat! He's given us a glimpse of how this whole thing will end, and it's a bright outcome after all! If we'll just cling to that glimpse in faith, never doubting, the bullets of the enemy cannot penetrate our joy-filled heart. Indeed, the joy of the Lord is our strength. It's our bullet-proof vest. (Nehemiah 8:10)
So, how did this second cheat come into play for my wife and me in our own Valley of the Shadow of Death?
Well, as you already know, we recognized this to be a trial of faith (same as all trials are) and ran straight to His arms, casting our cares upon Him and asking Him to take full control. That was Cheat #1. But, to be honest, though we felt at peace—as I mentioned, I had the power to say, "Hallelujah, I've got cancer!" ... and mean it—we did not immediately experience much joy. In fact, none at all. More like ... fear and foreboding!
Yet Father God, in His infinite mercy, knew that we couldn't make it through this one without Cheat #2. So, throughout the next few days He began "slipping us notes"—in Scripture, prayer times, words from brothers and sisters praying with us over the phone, etc.—hinting that this dark journey should end not in death, but in victory. Our fear began to crack, and rays of sunshine penetrated the darkness, but no joy as of yet.
And then it happened! It suddenly came to mind that I'd spent time in prayer back in January (a full four months before these current events), asking God whether it was His will for us to plan a certain two-week travel vacation that we were considering for this fall (October/November). At the time, I believed to have heard the answer—in a most unusual and emphatic way—as, "Yes, go!" So, I had immediately proceeded with booking the vacation.
Well, in retrospect now I wondered, "What's up with that!?" Had God prompted me to book a trip that (as today's circumstances suggested) I would never live to see? Of course not. Thank God, I know Him better than to think that, for there is no deceit in Him.
But the likely possibility was, even though I'd thought I heard Him give a resounding "yes" ... I heard wrong! Even the Apostle Paul said, "We see through a glass darkly" (I Corinthians 13:12), and we get a glimpse of him and his traveling companions struggling to discern the will of God during one of their own missionary journeys—the Macedonian incident of Acts 16:6-10.
I wasted no time pulling up my prayer notes from that Sunday afternoon in January. (I keep a notebook with all the details of my times with God: dates and times, what my questions were, what I felt He was telling me, as well as Scriptures I felt led to read—which generally gave me guidance or encouragement concerning that day's questions.)
On that occasion, I had taken extra-detailed notes, not just because it was a major life decision, but in response to my own amazement at all the crystal-clear answers I felt He was giving during my Scripture reading time. And that's when I found it! The "note" He had slipped me, which I had "torn up." The Scripture I had jotted down but immediately dismissed as "encouraging but totally irrelevant" to that day's prayer time. But oh, how gloriously relevant it turned out to be, now that I "taped it back together" so to speak (as Doc had done) and looked at it a second time! And this is how it goes:
Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
Because you would forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
And your life would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.
You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid...
(Job 11:15-19a, NKJV)
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
Because you would forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
And your life would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.
You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid...
(Job 11:15-19a, NKJV)
Hallelujah! Cheat #2 on full display!! While giving me direction for an event near the end of the year, He had also secretly disclosed that, by the time October rolls around, all our "misery" will be like water under the bridge! I immediately dissolved in tears of unspeakable joy, even in the face of the current ongoing trial. And I still can't go back and read that passage without tears.
As the old hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" tells us:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Indeed, He knows our every weakness; He knows we are but flesh (Psalms 78:39). He will not allow us to endure a trial we cannot bear. And sometimes it's a trial so severe that Cheat #1 alone—laying our troubles at His feet and letting Him pass the "test" for us—just won't cut it. He knows we will be overwhelmed with grief at the likely destination to which this dark Shadow-of-Death path is leading us, unless He graciously "slips us a note" (Cheat #2) that floods us with joy unspeakable and strength for the journey.
Does this always happen? I believe not. However, there is ample precedent in Scripture where we do see our loving Lord graciously provide the assurances of "Cheat #2" to allay fear and enable His people to endure and carry on—especially when facing life-and-death sorts of trials. For example:
- When the Israelites were caught between Pharaoh's army (who were about to slaughter them) and the mighty Red Sea, the Lord spoke through Moses saying, "The Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever." (Exodus 14:14)
- Numerous times when His people faced certain death at the hands of invading forces far greater than themselves, such when Isaiah prophesied (to Hezekiah) the miraculous lifting of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem, which was to occur within a few days. (II Kings 19)
- When messengers came from Jairus's house to inform him that his daughter was dead, Jesus told him, "Fear not, only believe." Indicating, of course, that she would not stay dead. (Mark 5:36)
- When Martha encountered Jesus outside the town after her brother Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus told her, "Your brother shall rise again." (John 11:23)
To recap from the top of this segment: Our loving "Abba [Daddy], Father," King of the Universe and Lover of our soul, He Who wrote the end of our story before ever it began ... He already wrote it to be a happy ending ("the salvation of the righteous"), and He will bear us, in the "strength" of His loving arms, through every "time of trouble" along the way until that final ending.
And as we have further learned, His compassion is boundless, to the point that He will sometimes reveal to us by His Spirit (if we're listening) what the final outcome of the trial will be, so we are filled with the joy of the Lord that gives us strength to endure till the end.
Why not pray ...
"Dear Father,
Thank You for Your indescribable gift of joy in tribulation—a cheat within a cheat that helps us ace the greatest trials of our faith! As the author of the poem "Footprints in the Sand" so fittingly describes it, through the most difficult and painful moments of my life, that's when You carry me! Please help me remember, when faced with a trial, that it's nothing other than a test of my faith—to relinquish control to You to resolve the adverse situation. And when that situation is so dire that my strength would surely fail, O gracious Father, please afford me the joyous assurance that the outcome will be bright at last. For, as the Psalmist said, You alone are my salvation and my strength in time of trouble.
In Jesus' name. Amen."
---
Originally published as a “Bradstix” devotional on the National Minute of Prayer Facebook page 6/8/2025.
Copyright © Brad Fenichel 2025 All Rights Reserved
Sunday, May 18, 2025
POUNDING ON A LOCKED DOOR - "Feed on His Faithfulness" Devotional #5
"Do not fret...trust in the Lord...and He shall bring it to pass."
– Psalms 37:1-5b (NKJV, excerpts)
– Psalms 37:1-5b (NKJV, excerpts)
"Well, here we are at last," said Gandalf.... "But this door was not made to be a secret known only to Dwarves."
At the top, as high as Gandalf could reach, was an arch of interlacing letters in an Elvish character. "What does the writing say?" asked Frodo, who was trying to decipher the inscription on the arch.
"The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle Earth in the Elder days," answered Gandalf. "But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter."
"What does it mean by 'speak, friend, and enter'?" asked Merry.
"These doors are probably governed by words. Some dwarf-gates will open only at special times, or for particular persons. And some have locks and keys that are still needed when all necessary times and words are known."
"But do you not know the word, Gandalf?" asked Boromir.
"NO!" said the wizard.
― From The Two Towers (1954) Chapter IV (excerpts), by J.R.R. Tolkien
* * *
"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment," according to Murphy's Law.
Though I agree with Mr. Murphy on this universal truth, he clearly failed to notice myriad other such cosmic laws that govern our existence. For example, the Law of Parking Lots: "No matter how many hundreds of vehicles are parked in the lot, it will be the car right next to yours where the occupants are loading or unloading, with doors wide open and a shopping cart blocking your path, making it impossible to enter your vehicle."
Or, there's the Law of Vacations: "Each day closer you get to your scheduled out-of-office date, it becomes exponentially more difficult to depart. In fact, on your final day in the office, everything will break loose rendering it impossible to leave."
But, the most predictable and incontrovertible law I've discovered is the Law of Double Doors: "When you approach a small business with a double entry door, one side will invariably be locked. And it will be whichever side you try first."
By this time you're wondering what all of this has to do with the Scriptures we've been exploring: about destressing our lives and yielding our necks to Jesus' yoke, thereby finding true rest for our soul. Specifically, our Psalm 37 journey has brought us to the end of verse 5: "Trust also in [the Lord], and He shall bring it to pass."
Surely one of the diciest dimensions of the Christian life, and a source of our greatest anxiety and stress, is that of faith. Remembering all the times I've prayed and not received the answer I expected, or not received it within the time frame that it was so desperately needed ... How can I trust that God will come through ... or, for that matter, that He's even listening?? (Come on! Don't say you haven't been there!)
Consider the Law of Double Doors. Sure, that's easy. After I try the first side and find it locked, do I stand there and pound on it? Certainly not! After rolling my eyes and tsk-ing, I quickly move to the opposite door which, of course, will be the unlocked one. End of dilemma!
* * *
Back to Gandalf and his companions, standing before a locked door at night, with deadly perils closing in behind and a wizard who did not know the secret password. After trying every known door-opening phrase he could recall or imagine, in every language of Middle Earth dating back to the Elder Days, all to no avail, Gandalf had an epiphany.
In fact, the inscription that he had said just an hour ago was "of no importance" actually held the key to opening the door! Rather than, "Speak, friend, and enter," the correct interpretation of the runes was, "Say 'friend,' and enter." So simple! Millennia ago, these doors had been for public access with minimal security. If you were a friend of Moria, you had only to say so, and you would be allowed access. Gandalf had only to speak the ancient word for "friend" and, sure enough, the doors swung open and his entourage was able to hurry inside where they were out of danger. (Or, so they thought! But you'll have to read Tolkien's masterpiece Trilogy to find out what befell them in their journey under the mountain.)
* * *
What's my own M.O. when it comes to the locked doors I encounter along my journey of faith? (Which, by the way, are put there quite intentionally by my loving Father to train me in how to conquer them.) Too often I keep pounding on the door till I eventually either (a) give up—turning my back on God's plans and purposes to go about my own hobbies instead—or else (b) make believe the door is open and I'm on the other side of it enjoying sweet communion with Christ when, in fact (as in the fairy tale of The Emperor's New Clothes), I know very well it's not so.
So, what's a Christian to do?
First, stop fretting! Cease trying to force the door open with our human thoughts and methods. Instead, like the faithful protagonist in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, let us come to the realization that we have "a key ... called Promise, that will open any door in Doubting Castle."
Ponder the promise of our text in Psalm 37: "Do not fret...trust in the Lord...and He shall bring it to pass." Or, as Paul tells us in greater detail, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
In other words, if the door of human endeavor is locked, try the other door--seeking God in prayer until He brings it to pass. Until He gives us the secret password that opens us into His glorious plan and purpose for us in the situation at hand ... which, by the way, won't always lead us "out of danger," but where He will be by our side bringing us through the Valley of Danger and Shadow of Death to the Mountain of Praise beyond.
In conclusion, it all ties back to the principle of the yoke. Are we not weary, anxious, and heavy-laden with the failures and locked doors we continually face in our well-meaning efforts to serve Jesus? Let us learn of Him and find rest for our souls, through prayer and trust, as He so graciously and patiently gets our attention and redirects our eyes to find the door that is unlocked.
At the top, as high as Gandalf could reach, was an arch of interlacing letters in an Elvish character. "What does the writing say?" asked Frodo, who was trying to decipher the inscription on the arch.
"The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle Earth in the Elder days," answered Gandalf. "But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter."
"What does it mean by 'speak, friend, and enter'?" asked Merry.
"These doors are probably governed by words. Some dwarf-gates will open only at special times, or for particular persons. And some have locks and keys that are still needed when all necessary times and words are known."
"But do you not know the word, Gandalf?" asked Boromir.
"NO!" said the wizard.
― From The Two Towers (1954) Chapter IV (excerpts), by J.R.R. Tolkien
* * *
"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment," according to Murphy's Law.
Though I agree with Mr. Murphy on this universal truth, he clearly failed to notice myriad other such cosmic laws that govern our existence. For example, the Law of Parking Lots: "No matter how many hundreds of vehicles are parked in the lot, it will be the car right next to yours where the occupants are loading or unloading, with doors wide open and a shopping cart blocking your path, making it impossible to enter your vehicle."
Or, there's the Law of Vacations: "Each day closer you get to your scheduled out-of-office date, it becomes exponentially more difficult to depart. In fact, on your final day in the office, everything will break loose rendering it impossible to leave."
But, the most predictable and incontrovertible law I've discovered is the Law of Double Doors: "When you approach a small business with a double entry door, one side will invariably be locked. And it will be whichever side you try first."
By this time you're wondering what all of this has to do with the Scriptures we've been exploring: about destressing our lives and yielding our necks to Jesus' yoke, thereby finding true rest for our soul. Specifically, our Psalm 37 journey has brought us to the end of verse 5: "Trust also in [the Lord], and He shall bring it to pass."
Surely one of the diciest dimensions of the Christian life, and a source of our greatest anxiety and stress, is that of faith. Remembering all the times I've prayed and not received the answer I expected, or not received it within the time frame that it was so desperately needed ... How can I trust that God will come through ... or, for that matter, that He's even listening?? (Come on! Don't say you haven't been there!)
Consider the Law of Double Doors. Sure, that's easy. After I try the first side and find it locked, do I stand there and pound on it? Certainly not! After rolling my eyes and tsk-ing, I quickly move to the opposite door which, of course, will be the unlocked one. End of dilemma!
* * *
Back to Gandalf and his companions, standing before a locked door at night, with deadly perils closing in behind and a wizard who did not know the secret password. After trying every known door-opening phrase he could recall or imagine, in every language of Middle Earth dating back to the Elder Days, all to no avail, Gandalf had an epiphany.
In fact, the inscription that he had said just an hour ago was "of no importance" actually held the key to opening the door! Rather than, "Speak, friend, and enter," the correct interpretation of the runes was, "Say 'friend,' and enter." So simple! Millennia ago, these doors had been for public access with minimal security. If you were a friend of Moria, you had only to say so, and you would be allowed access. Gandalf had only to speak the ancient word for "friend" and, sure enough, the doors swung open and his entourage was able to hurry inside where they were out of danger. (Or, so they thought! But you'll have to read Tolkien's masterpiece Trilogy to find out what befell them in their journey under the mountain.)
* * *
What's my own M.O. when it comes to the locked doors I encounter along my journey of faith? (Which, by the way, are put there quite intentionally by my loving Father to train me in how to conquer them.) Too often I keep pounding on the door till I eventually either (a) give up—turning my back on God's plans and purposes to go about my own hobbies instead—or else (b) make believe the door is open and I'm on the other side of it enjoying sweet communion with Christ when, in fact (as in the fairy tale of The Emperor's New Clothes), I know very well it's not so.
So, what's a Christian to do?
First, stop fretting! Cease trying to force the door open with our human thoughts and methods. Instead, like the faithful protagonist in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, let us come to the realization that we have "a key ... called Promise, that will open any door in Doubting Castle."
Ponder the promise of our text in Psalm 37: "Do not fret...trust in the Lord...and He shall bring it to pass." Or, as Paul tells us in greater detail, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
In other words, if the door of human endeavor is locked, try the other door--seeking God in prayer until He brings it to pass. Until He gives us the secret password that opens us into His glorious plan and purpose for us in the situation at hand ... which, by the way, won't always lead us "out of danger," but where He will be by our side bringing us through the Valley of Danger and Shadow of Death to the Mountain of Praise beyond.
In conclusion, it all ties back to the principle of the yoke. Are we not weary, anxious, and heavy-laden with the failures and locked doors we continually face in our well-meaning efforts to serve Jesus? Let us learn of Him and find rest for our souls, through prayer and trust, as He so graciously and patiently gets our attention and redirects our eyes to find the door that is unlocked.
Why not pray ...
"Dear Father,
I pray according to the words of the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 1:17-18), "Father of glory, [please give me] the spirit of wisdom and revelation ... the eyes of [my] understanding being enlightened" to stop fretting—to stop pounding for days, months, and years on the same locked doors—but, rather, to yield to Your yoke, trust and rest, as You "bring it to pass" Every. Single. Time. Hallelujah!
In Jesus' name. Amen."
---
Originally published as a “Bradstix” devotional on the National Minute of Prayer Facebook page 5/18/2025.
Copyright © Brad Fenichel 2025 All Rights Reserved
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Beware the Selective Sower
"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the
wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away
because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns
sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang
up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."
– Luke 8:5-8a (NKJV)
– Luke 8:5-8a (NKJV)
This well known parable of Jesus is repeated in three of the four Gospels, and it's one of the few parables of our Lord where we have a very detailed explanation of its message and meaning. He explains that the seed is His Word, and He describes the meaning of all the different sorts of ground on which it falls. Yet He does not come right out and tell us who the sower represents.
However, by taking the parable in its own context, as well as the full context of Scripture, it is clear that our Lord Himself—the Word made flesh (John 1)—was also the Great Sower of that Word. And He commissioned us to continue the ministry of sowing until His return. ("As the Father has sent Me, so send I you.")
Let us then take heed to the important details we may have missed in this parable, as our Lord makes it clear that, in our ministry of sowing His Word, there is something on which we MUST focus, and another on which we must NEVER focus:
- - We MUST focus on scattering the Word generously WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION as to where it will fall. Notice that the sower apparently did not take pains to avoid "wasting" seed on the trodden path, the rocky spots, and the thorny patches. Let us never hold back sharing the words and love of our Lord Jesus Christ because we perceive or suspect that the hearers might not be receptive.
- - And, secondly, we must NEVER focus on the outcome. Once we've been faithful to scatter the precious seed, the outcome belongs to God ALONE. We take no credit for those who yield a hundredfold crop, nor should we take the blame for those who reject the Word or who quickly fall away. Because, at the end of the age, EVERY knee shall bow—even those who rejected our Lord or cursed His name. (See Philippians 2:9-11). All people shall answer to HIM ALONE.
So, in the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Let us, then, be up and doing, with a heart for any fate”—as faithful sowers sharing His love, spreading the seed of His Word INDISCRIMINATELY to all men through our words and our actions. And leave all outcomes to HIM.
Copyright © Brad Fenichel 2025 All Rights Reserved
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