Church – Page 2 – Shalom Talk

A Still Small Voice

Published on July 31, 2025July 8, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

It has been my observation while trying to make sense of the Book of Job that sometimes God speaks to us with an audible voice, a whirlwind, an angel, a prophet, or a dream. He even writes stuff on a wall (Daniel 5). If we hear an audible or see a big sign, we feel more confident stepping out – we will follow the plan. When he is subtle, we can often get timid. It is easy to doubt what we are hearing. For sure we need to confirm all messages with scripture, but the truth is simple – God speaks in the way he decides is best for the specific situation. We are wise to trust his judgement.

We all experience confusing circumstances (1 John 4:1). Sometimes we just want God to send a text message to tell us what to do. Maybe you feel far from God and want Him to reach out to reassure you He is still there. Maybe you have heard people say the God of the Bible is personal, but you have never interacted with God before and wonder how to begin. The one true living God communicates with each of us.

This communication mode is central to the notion we are created in the Image of God. He always reaches out in the way that is best for us and best for the circumstances we are in (implied in Psalms 143:8). However, never assume he will communicate on your timetable. When you say something to another person, we wait for a response. If nothing ensues, we rapidly follow up – Did you hear me? What say you? Yet when talking with God, a timetable and polite responding is not part of the game. The communication plan is his, the schedule to communicate is his, the message is his. We are told to rest and be still. Wait. Help is coming!

So how does God speak to us? On the night Jesus was arrested, He spoke to His closest friends. He knew that He was going to return to His Father (implied in Matthew 26:47-56). His friends, the disciples, had spent several years with Jesus every day. They never struggled to hear His voice. But this was changing. Soon, His disciples would need guidance every day to make decisions about where to go and what to do next.

Jesus told his disciples — I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own authority; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:12-15). The comm plan emerges! And the wait begins. They barely understood what the spirit of truth was all about. But they waited. They trusted Jesus to do what he planned on his timetable.

Fast forward to now – after the second chapter of Acts (the arrival of the Holy Spirit is documented in Acts 2). The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life changes everything about hearing God’s voice. His presence delivers complete confidence that He lives within you and is always ready to deliver guidance. The Holy Spirit is our communications portal.

We read in 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 a description of the communication portal — What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love himthese are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. [NIV]

However, if we are not focused on God regularly, it is implausible to expect clear communication. God often speaks through the Bible. He uses scripture (coupled with insight from the Holy Spirit) to help us live the life we are called to live (implied in 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is full of lessons, experiences with God, wisdom, truth, and the message you need to hear to enhance and give direction to our ‘walk with God.’ Reading scripture on a regular basis is paramount. Getting to know the message is paramount. Learning the vocabulary of God is paramount. The message we hear will always align with Scripture.

Studying the Bible, spending time in prayer, and talking with other followers of Jesus are not just part of our to-do list – these actions are paramount. God encourages us to do these things because they help us to learn about His character and learn to recognize His guidance. However, I would be remiss if I did not say in clear language — If you think you have heard God speak to you, but it seems to be inconsistent with scripture, it is unlikely the message you heard came from Him. Pay attention, verify, then act on the message (implied in 1 John 4:1). Do not let Lucifer or your imagination get you into trouble.

AW Tozer said – the voice of God is a friendly unassuming voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it… Whoever listens will hear [God in Heaven speaking].

I think we are incredibly blessed be in contact with the one true living God. The more I learn and write about his attributes the more astonishing I find his attentiveness to our personal needs. Words fail me. We worship a God with undefinable range and power. Then comes us; finite and incredibly frail – needy. Goodness. I am prostrate on the floor. No place else to be. No words left except…

I choose Jesus.

The Steadfast Heart.

Published on July 29, 2025July 8, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

To Jacob, a friend of mine. I am sorry for your troubles. Let me tell you about somebody else who has a story like your story. I heard her story many years ago. Her name was Patty. In her early days, Patty lived a faithful life focused on Jesus. She was active in her church choir, spent hours praying for others. She made meals for neighbors when their children were sick. But then Patty broke her back. She rarely asked why, Patty simply tried to be true to God no matter how bad it got. Patty could have sat on the ground and withered away. She was completely flattened by life. The increased health care insurance premiums caused her boss to let her go. Quickly after the release, her house was repossessed by the bank for lack of payments. Patty had no place to go. Her girlfriend stepped in and invited Patty to shelter in her house until she recovered from the injury and found more work.

Gradually Patty was getting better. Then her friend died from a kidney rupture. Once again, her life was in turmoil, but her girlfriend had told the children that Patty should remain in the house. Then the children of the girl friend reneged on their agreement, took the house, and pushed Patty onto the street. She had no family, money, or place to go. She only had the clothes on her back. Gradually, things got better. She drifted to a new city and started again – she remained in the eye of the Hurricane.

I heard about Patty when she was working at a church thrift store — after all this happened. As I listened to the story, it appeared this woman, who had been faithful to God, had been completely crushed. Patty should have given up on God. She should have quit. She had every human excuse to stomp her foot and curse God. But Patty did not. In time, God restored her life with new friends, a job, a home, and the things she needed to live her remaining life in fullness. Through all of this, she stayed the course.

Abraham should have let go of the dream from God and returned to the land of his parents. He should have quit. Abraham should have told God that this covenant thing was dead, he was too old and completely unable to make a life in this new place. Yet, God had called Abraham several years earlier and Abraham responded. He left his home and traveled to a distant land. He left for this new place because God had promised to bless him with land, children, and prosperity (Genesis 12:1-13,18). However, none of that was forth coming. So far, this new place brought him famine, conflict with other groups, no children, and personal threats upon his life. Abraham had nothing to show except a sad adventure story.

So, he asks for guidance from God and once more God steadies him…be patient (Genesis 15:18). But after that conversation, all Abraham obtained was more silence (Genesis 16:1-6). He should have given up on God. He should have quit. But he did not and we know the rest of the story. Abraham became the father of many nations. We Christians continue to be adapted into his family (read the book of Hebrews).

Paul says — Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

In the face of what could be deemed as God’s failure, neither Patty nor Abraham gave up. They did not quit. They lived within his strength. All during her time of trouble, Patty would take aside young women who were in deep trouble, pray for them, encourage them, take them under her wing, and help them to trust in God despite their troubles. Abraham became the father of many nations. God is sovereign. No questions, no whining, just obedience. He is sovereign. When we are faithful, in the end he is faithful. Even if we waver a bit during the dark days, he is faithful. He loves us.

I choose Jesus.

The Hand Stretched out Before Me

Published on July 17, 2025July 8, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

It was my observation when pondering upon the commissioning of Ezekiel as prophet in Ezekiel 2:6-10, we find God advising him how to function in his role. He is told to be very bold. He must act with confidence. His work will not be easy. He must stand firm, and not be driven off of his tasks no matter how weird the task appears. He must never lose sight of who he is working for. God makes it clear to Ezekiel — They are a rebellious bunch of scorpions but they are my scorpions and I need to talk to them and get them back on track.

Ezekiel 2:6-10 says — And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, for they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you. Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. [NIV]

If you have been called to do things for God, then it is imperative that you are not afraid of mere men. At the end of the day we work for God, we answer to him not the men that surround us. The scorpions are constantly harassing God’s called, entangling them in their talk, looking for fault (see Matthew 22:15). We all know the bite of a scorpion is 1000 times harsher than a thorn-hedge (see Micah 7:4).

These scorpions are also hurtful to the Israelis caught up in the rebellion but not sure what to do. To those who would listen to Ezekiel, the scorpions choke out the message and belittle the messenger. God will not fail to reward the scorpions for their evil if they do not repent. Therefore, even in their disbelief, God makes use of the scorpions for correction and instruction in much the same way that Gideon taught the men of Succoth with thorns and briers (see Judges 8:16).

Clearly these people have earned the wrath of God, yet he tries again and again to bring them back to their senses. However, while the bad stuff continues, Ezekiel knows he lives amongst them. He will not be safe in the quiet of his own home, these are his neighbors and they are not nice people. Given the opportunity, they will make his life extremely difficult. We are reminded of the things that Jesus said to one of the churches in the book of Revelation – I know where you live, the same place where Lucifer’s seat resides (see Revelation 2:13). This is a strong statement and I suspect it applies to these scorpions.

Imagine the transition for Ezekiel, first he is hanging out in the middle of a vision, then he is talking with God about stuff. But when he edges back to reality, he finds himself with a parcel of scorpions, people who are hecklers doing their utmost to drive him away. I think they knew their captivity was self-inflected, they were being controlled by Babylon, but they could bark out all manner of threats and noise to scare Ezekiel in the same way that people railed against Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 3:5).

In the midst of all this commotion, Ezekiel has learned to keep his eye on the endgame. He knows that he must be faithful to his calling. The people who are harassing him need him and need the message. He knows that God will eventually soften their hearts. He knows God will do the work if Ezekiel does his part and accurately reflects the message. The weight of this mantle is no small thing for him. It would be easier to blend in and avoid trouble. But God has placed a love for these scorpions in his heart and he is determined to stay faithful. Goodness, if only we had a heart similar to this, amen. And, with the missive that comes from this final thought, I choose Jesus.

Do not be Hasty!

Published on July 10, 2025July 8, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

It has been my observation while reading Solomon’s thoughtful epistle Ecclesiastes, he recommends we guard our steps when we enter the house of God to worship. Being near to each other in corporate worship helps us to draw from the common expression of adoration towards Elohim by the community of God. On Sunday morning we move about with quiet expectation, we allow the lion within us to sing, but also to listen, we avoid haste and lack of self-control in our heart, guarding and measuring our thoughts before we utter anything to God. Please understand, He is close, not because we are in the House of God, but because He is close 24/7. He hears our thoughts even before we think them, he surrounds us with his presence; Under his protection, we rest and lean into his shelter. We are wise to let him envelop our worship, and then, in that framework, offer up a respectful sacrifice of praise, embracing and expressing the fear of God (massive respect for the formidable nature of God) in our worship.

Solomon writes — Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3).

Solomon’s focus is to guide us away from the world, by showing us the vanity of human-ness, we find the path to God and to our calling, that we may not walk in the way of the world, but by God’s will, nor depend upon the wealth of the world, but focus on prayer, praise, worship and doing the will of God for others. This is why we linger with the community of God; this is why we listen more and talk less.

Consider the fact that Solomon is nudging us towards the House of God; our place of public worship, created by men and women – at God’s direction. Notice in Ecclesiastes that Solomon reflects with regret on much of his life activities (implied in Ecclesiastes 2:4) claiming they were meaningless. I do not recall Solomon regretting creating God’s House, rather he indirectly reflected on God’s House with pleasure, completing the task his father David had assigned years earlier. This observation is not openly discussed in Solomon’s epistle lest it appear to be a point of pride. I think he did find quiet pleasure in building this focal point for the community to gather and worship the one true living God. Some things do not need to be spoken about in detail to be clear.

When David was anxious or confused, he went into the sanctuary of God. David wrote — If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood (Psalms 73:15-17).

We read in Proverbs – Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way (Proverbs 19:2). We should render our approach to the one true living God with a quiet pause, take time to compose our heart, avoiding carelessness and haste with our feet. During worship preparation we should harness our thoughts from roving and wandering from the task; for when we worship the one true living God – our sacrifice should be an all-encompassing effort. Some think this level of worship embodies the request from God for Moses and Joshua to put off their shoes (Exodus 3:2-6, Joshua 5:13-15) as a sign of subjection and reverence. I suggest you keep your feet clean (Exodus 30:17-21).

The Deeper Truth is — our sacrifice should not be the sacrifice of fools, that we bring our passive attention, lame thoughts, and careless words (implied Proverbs 15:7-9). We should not bring second best to the table, we should not revel in the sign, ceremony, and performance, without embracing the sense and full meaning of it, for that would be the sacrifice of fools not the sacrifice of praise.

You all know I am a musician; I have spent considerable time on worship teams; I have struggled with this. But, in the end, God accepts our meager offerings. He knows we are broken people who bring a ‘less than perfect worship’ to his alter. If our heart is in the right place, God’s mercy washes over all our failure and brings the true worship to surface. We are blessed to have permission to enter into the temple. Embrace it. Humble yourself and worship the one true living God…

I choose Jesus.

The Teacher of Truth

Published on July 3, 2025July 8, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

It has been my observation the Holy Spirit has many different tasks; this includes indwelling believers to bind them together with God and help them become more like Him. For Christians, the experience of eternal life does not begin at death but when they trust in Jesus and God places His Spirit within them (see 2 Timothy 1:14). Paul says — Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). Holy Spirit equips people for ministry, is our guarantee (deposit) of eternal life, gives people insight and wisdom, teaches people truth, communicates with the Father on people’s behalf, and empowers Christians to walk with God.

He lives within followers of Jesus and produces lasting change in their character. John 14:26 says — But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said [NIV]. He produces God’s love in human hearts. Romans 5:5 says — “Hope does not put us to shame, … God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit [NIV]. The Holy Spirit speaks the truth. John 16:13 says — When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come [NIV]. This infusion of the Spirit is remarkable, life changing, stabilizing, and essential.

The Holy Spirit is a promise of the great things to come for those who trust God. Ephesians 1:13-14 says You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession [NIV]. He provides us with the skills and abilities necessary to share God’s love. Hebrews 2:4 says — God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will [NIV].

Jesus Himself was filled with the Holy Spirit to carry out His ministry. Luke 4:18 says — The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free [NIV]. Jesus spent a lot of time talking about the Holy Spirit and wanted His disciples to understand the power of the Spirit. He told them it was “better” for them that He leave, because then the Holy Spirit would be sent to them (implied in John 16:7).

The first followers of Jesus were filled with God’s Spirit to take the gospel to the known world, and so are we. Acts 2:1-4 says — When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them [NIV].

This passage from Acts is vital to understanding the Holy Spirit. After Jesus died, rose again, and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit came down and filled up every disciple and apostle of Christ to spread the gospel to the world. Now, whenever anyone puts their faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately lives within them. God’s people get to experience the power of the Holy Spirit like Jesus did. The Holy Spirit provides believers with the strength to live the Christian life. John 15:5 says — Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing [NIV]. It is the Holy Spirit who convinces us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

I choose Jesus.

The Hand Stretched out Before Me

Published on June 19, 2025May 30, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

Do Not Be Hasty

Published on June 12, 2025May 30, 2025 by DanLeave a comment

I choose Jesus.