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In the aftermath of Turkey’s devastating earthquake in February 2023, a haunting photo came across newswires: a father sitting amid ruins holding a hand extending from the rubble—the hand of his daughter. We see the edge of the mattress where his daughter had been sleeping, and we see her lifeless fingers that he now holds. His face is grim; his grief is profound.

In this father’s gritted face, I see a semblance of our own heavenly Father. Genesis tells us that God was grieved by the devastation of sin in His creation: “It broke his heart” (6:6 nlt). Isaiah, speaking of the future Messiah, says, “He was . . . a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (53:3 nlt). God grieves for us, and with us, and sits at the edge of the rubble of our lives, reaching for us: “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand” (41:13).

Whatever devastation you currently face—a tragic circumstance, the loss of a dear one, or maybe even the effects of your own sin—know that God grieves with you. Whatever earthquake has shaken your life, see that God is reaching for your hand. Whatever your current sorrow, hear the God of love saying to you, “Do not fear; I will help you” (v. 13).

What if true leadership isn’t about chasing success—but about embracing surrender? In this episode, Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin—founder and executive director of Soulfire International Ministries, COO of Christianity Today, and author of Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender—challenges today’s leadership norms with a deeply biblical vision of influence shaped by suffering, rooted identity in Christ, and the call to carry the cross.

Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/443drnicolemartin

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Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Psalm 19

Can an intelligent man or woman believe in God? It may surprise us to realize that intellect has nothing to do with it. If a man doesn’t believe in God, it is not because of intellectual difficulties, rather it is because of moral difficulties.

Psalm 19 gives us three distinct reasons for intellectual belief in God, and how He has spoken of His own existence.

First, God has declared His glory in the skies.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).

The heavens declare God’s greatness. The vastness of the Universe, along with its small intricacies, demonstrate God’s power.

The heavens declare the goodness of God: “Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge” (Psalm 19:2). It is God who daily maintains the fixed order in the Universe and provides everything it needs to give us life. His mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:23).

Second, we can believe in God because of the revelation of the Scriptures.

God speaks to us through His written Word. We have access to Scripture, the teachings of God, full of many virtues. It is inerrant, infallible, foundational, and full of God’s promises.

The Scriptures are more precious than gold (Psalm 19:10).

They are protective, for “By them your servant is warned…” (Psalm 19:11).

They are profitable, for “...in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:11).

If we want true and lasting wisdom, we can find it in the Word of God. The Scriptures are pure, clean, right, and righteous, and they endure forever.

Finally, we can know God through the illumination of the Spirit.

Through the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the Scriptures we read can become real.

Psalm 19:12 says, “But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and cleanses us. When we hand our control over to the Spirit, He brings us into communion with the Father.

Adrian Rogers says, “You don’t come to God because of intellect. You come to God because He first loved us."

Apply it to your life

By the Word of God in the heavens, in our hands, and in our hearts, we can know God. Spend time in His Word, marvel at His work in the Universe, and ask the Holy Spirit to commune with you.

We would love to hear from you! Please send us your comments here.

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Today on Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe … discover the aroma that’s pleasing to the Lord. Spiritually speaking, we all have a certain aroma that either pleases God … or it doesn’t. Do you smell like a follower of Christ to others? What does that mean? Join us in Ephesians chapter 5 as we discuss the characteristics.

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Wouldn't it be easier if you and your spouse had the same love language? Yes, but each of you might speak different dialects within the same language. Most of the time, however, couples speak different love languages. As the adage goes, opposites attract.

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In Philippians 2, the theme of humility shines through as Jesus

Christ exemplifies it by setting aside his divine privileges to serve

humanity and obey God’s will, even unto death. The Apostle Paul

urges believers to adopt the same mindset, valuing others above

themselves and working together in unity.

Meggie’s ten years of drug use kept her in and out of jail. Without a life change, she’d soon return. Then she met Hans, a former addict who almost lost his hand when a vein ruptured due to his substance abuse. “That was the first time I cried out to God,” Hans said. God’s answer prepared him to be a peer specialist for an organization that coordinates recovery for jailed addicts.

Called Stone Soup, the program is helping an American jail provide formerly imprisoned people with support to reenter their communities. Through the plan, Meggie moved into a sober-living house and has stayed sober. Hans now helps her and others with job placement, educational options, treatment, and family resources—a coordinated approach.

The Bible describes the strength of wise partnering. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Alone, however, “Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (v. 10).

Like the “Stone Soup” folktale, where a hungry traveler invites townspeople to each share one ingredient to make a delicious soup for all, the Bible confirms we’re stronger and better together (v. 12). God’s plan is for us to live in community, helping others and receiving help in return. That’s no fairy tale; it’s truth for life.