Month: May 2025

Rescued!

The Bible is full of stories of God rescuing His people. He rescued Israel from Egypt, Daniel from the lions, Elijah from Jezebel… and on and on it goes. Psalm 107, tells us that God continues to rescue people from all sorts of circumstances.

The lost.

Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless.

Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.

~Psalm 107:4-5

These represent people in dire straits. They are aimless and filled with despair. The drug-addict. The alcoholic. The destitute and broken. The people we are tempted to deem beyond all help.

But these are not beyond redemption. God loves them, and if they sincerely turn to God for help, He will answer.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.

~Psalm 107:6

The rebel.

In Psalm 107:10-22 we read about those who have rebelled against God. These refuse to acknowledge their Creator. They mock, and curse, and blaspheme. They defy God to His face.

God knows this path ends in their destruction. Through hardship, He causes them to see the foolishness of their ways. For some, this takes the form of “iron chains of misery” (vs. 10) and “hard labor” (vs. 12). For others, severe illness (vs. 18).

The ultimate purpose of these hardships is not to punish, but to bring the rebel to repentance. And when the rebel turns to God for help, God is there to rescue them.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

~Psalm 107:13 & 107:19

The self-sufficient.

Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world.

~Psalm 107:23

These are rebels of a different sort. They might even pay lip service to God, acknowledging His authority, but their hearts are far from Him. As long as life is good, they are content to go about their business and leave God out of it.

But when trouble comes…

Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror.

~Psalm 107:26

You can probably guess their response:

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.

~Psalm 107:28-29

Thank God for difficulty.

We have a tendency (as a result of our sin-nature I believe) to misprioritize God. That is, we place Him somewhere other than first in our lives. God often uses trouble and pain to get our attention. Oh that He could get our attention as quickly with blessings, but we often take those for granted.

Trials and tribulations are an opportunity to refocus on God and His plan for your life. God doesn’t want to break you, He wants to mold you. In times of difficulty, you have two choices: harden your heart and resist God every step of the way, or surrender to Him and cry out, “Lord, help!”

If you haven’t already, read all of Psalm 107. How does it speak to you? Do you need rescuing? God is willing and able!

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

~Psalm 118:5

Which Wolf Are You Feeding?

Have you heard the story, The Two Wolves? There are many variations of it, and I couldn’t find a definitive answer on where it originated, but here’s a version that I like:

AN ELDERLY CHEROKEE BRAVE TOLD HIS GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT GOES ON INSIDE PEOPLE.

“MY SON,” HE SAID, “THE BATTLE IS BETWEEN TWO ‘WOLVES’ INSIDE US ALL. ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER, ENVY, JEALOUSY, GREED, ARROGANCE, SELF-PITY, RESENTMENT, LIES, PRIDE, AND EGO.

THE OTHER IS GOOD. IT IS JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE, HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE, EMPATHY, GENEROSITY, TRUTH, COMPASSION AND FAITH.”

THE GRANDSON THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE, AND THEN ASKED HIS GRANDFATHER:

“WHICH WOLF WINS?…”

THE OLD CHEROKEE REPLIED, “THE ONE YOU FEED.”

This story came to mind as I was reading Romans 8.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

~Romans 8:5-6

The flesh and the Spirit are the two wolves. When we fulfill the desires of the flesh, we feed the evil wolf. When we fulfill the desires of The Spirit, we feed the good wolf.

Which wolf we feed is no trivial matter. The stakes are literally life and death! I don’t know about you, but I want to choose the path that leads to life and peace over the path that leads to death. Let’s look at some ways that we can feed the Spirit and starve the flesh.

What we look at.

Every day we make important choices about what we allow into our minds via our eyes. Which T.V. shows and movies are you watching? What internet sites are you visiting? What books are you reading? These choices have a massive impact on your life.

I enjoy movies and T.V. as much as anyone, but it’s important to be selective in our entertainment choices. Much of what Hollywood produces is designed to cater to the desires of our flesh. Choose wisely.

What about benign entertainment, like watching sports? Nothing wrong with that, but its like consuming empty calories. We should be careful not to “fill up” on things that have no spiritual value. When it comes to neutral entertainment, moderation is key.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

~Mathew 6:22-23

What we listen to.

The music you listen to has a powerful influence on you, for good or bad. Talk radio and podcasts can be uplifting or discouraging. The messages you listen to every day feed one wolf or the other.

If you want to feed the Spirit, choose carefully who and what you listen to. Test what your favorite podcaster says against scripture and see if it holds up. Pay attention to the lyrics in the songs you listen to, and ask if they are in line with biblical teaching.

Then [Jesus] added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. 

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

~Mark 4:24-25

The company we keep.

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” ~Dan Peña

Who do you spend most of your time with? We become like the people we hang around. Do your friends move you closer to God or farther from Him?

We humans are social creatures. We need each other. But it’s vital to surround yourself with people who lift you up, encourage you, and who care about your spiritual growth.

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

~Proverbs 12:26

Take stock.

The choices you make every day matter. Take some time this week to assess how you spend your time and who you spend it with. Is there room for improvement? Are there changes you need to make regarding what you watch and listen to? Do you need to make adjustments in your social life? Ask God to help you make changes that will draw you closer to Him. Choose carefully which wolf you feed every day!

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