Our ministry has changed a lot since the start of the full scale invasion. Like it or now the conditions around you can have a powerful negative or positive affect on how you share the gospel. Here are a few ways that I see the conditions of war have changed how the gospel message goes out. 

We must say, however, that the content of the gospel message never changes. Nevertheless, our methods, approaches, and attitudes about the gospel can change drastically.

Verse: 1 Peter 1:6–7 (NIV)

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

Mat 13:20-21 (NIV)

20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. – 

Verse: Hebrews 12:18–28 (NIV)

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken–that is, created things–so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” 

Verse: James 2:15–17 (NIV)

15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

New Verse: Ezekiel 36:22–23 (NIV)

22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. 

Verse: Philippians 1:12-14 (NIV)

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 

The post How Wartime Changes The Gospel first appeared on The Suko Family.

In this video, I share firsthand insight into Ukraine’s religious freedoms, the constitutional protection of faith, and the real reason behind the 2023 law concerning churches tied to Moscow.

While Ukraine remains a country where religious freedom is protected, the situation in Russian-occupied territories is completely different. I share the story of my friend, Pastor Alexander Safetnikov, who was brutally beaten by Russian forces simply for his faith. His story is just one of many, as Russian occupation has led to the targeting, imprisonment, and even murder of evangelical believers.

If you have questions about what’s happening in Ukraine, let me know in the comments! I want to provide clear, unbiased answers from someone who is living here and experiencing it firsthand.

The post Persecution of Christians in Ukraine first appeared on The Suko Family.

America is in an identity crisis. People are searching for their identity and going to all kinds of drastic measures to change their identity in the desperate hope that with a new identity they will finally overcome their feelings of depression, anger, frustration, and lack of self-worth. . 

You can simply look at some of the best selling books to find evidence for this. Last year the book “Untamed” was published by Glennon Doyle and has remained in the top 5 on the New York Times best seller list for 68 weeks straight. The book is a memoir that describes how she, a discontent wife and mother of 3, in her late 30’s suddenly falls for a woman, realizes she’s lesbian, divorces her husband and starts a new life with a new identity. The tagline of the book says “This is how you find yourself.” 

Unfortunately, her story represents millions of Americans.

But what do we see when we go back to the founding fathers of the United States? Where did they find an identity for a new nation. We discover that there was no question in their minds about the identity of the United States because they based that identity upon a strong and unwavering faith in God.

John Adams the 2nd president of the US speaks about this foundation of faith in a letter to Thomas Jefferson

“The general Principles, on which the Fathers Achieved Independence, were the only Principles in which, that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite, and these Principles only could be intended by them in their Address, or by me in my Answer. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all those Sects were United: And the general Principles of English and American Liberty, in which all those young Men United, and which had United all Parties in America, in Majorities Sufficient to assert and maintain her Independence.

Now I will avow, that I then believed, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God: and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System.”

Sadly, those “immutable” principles of Christianity and the existence and attributes of God are quickly fading today in the USA. What many don’t realize is that when belief in the truth of God’s identity is lost, we also lose our own identity. Personal identity crises will always follow a public faith catastrophe. That is to say when the common population rejects God, the individual is left with no means to understand his existence and will resort to all new, strange, and extreme ways to obtain a meaningful identity apart from God. 

Another way we could look at it is like this, all identity crises are really about losing the identity of God, not of self! Find God and you will find yourself! Loose God and you will lose yourself! This is why God begins his very first written words to his chosen people with: 

Exodus 20:2-3  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

God was creating a new people and their identity would be the foundation for their nation. God knew that if their identity was not grounded in the nature of God himself then it would sooner or later veer off track. God’s very first words were words that clearly, uniquely, and undisputedly identified himself as God and God alone! 

If you don’t get anything else out of this sermon I want you to understand and to do one thing. Stop searching for your identity, stop looking for that elusive change you think you need to make in order to fulfill your desires and longings. Stop going to extremes to change your body, your lifestyle, you dress, or your home, or something else in search of identity. None of these things will ever bring you fulfillment and lasting identity. Stop searching for your identity and start searching for God because when you find him you will find your true identity. 

What happens when a nation or group of people lose the truth of who God is? 

2Ki 17:15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

It is no surprise that those who are seeking an identity in themselves and for themselves struggle with self worth. Millions in the US struggle with feelings of worthlessness. Without the infinite value of God they are forced to dig within themselves to find value. They will find all kinds of things within themselves if they go looking for it but they will never find the infinite value of an everlasting, everloving, and everable God.

Paul describes what it looks like when people turn from the truth of God’s identity and instead pursue their own passions.

Romans 1:21-28

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

Always at the forefront of the loss of identity is sexual deviance and confusion. Why? Because your sex/gender is a core aspect of your unchangeable God given identity. Furthermore procreation, marriage and family are also divinely ordered elements of our society and a Biblical part of our God given identity. To live according to my god given gender, the nature that God gave me is to acknowledge that someone or something else has sovereignty in my life, because I didn’t choose the gender I was born with and I can’t change the gender I was born with. 

The existence of family itself is a testimony to God’s order, God’s plan, and God’s control of our lives. Thus, it is no surprise that when a society rejects the identity of God, rejects the authority of God, and rejects the sovereignty of God they will simultaneously reject the natural gender God has given them and the order he has put within creation. 

Man will go to all means and all methods to become his own creator and then worship himself! 

So how did American culture in particular get to this point of identity crisis? It is vital for the Church to understand where the thinking of the country is today. This identity crisis has in a big way crept into the church. We must identify it’s mistaken claims of truth and counteract them with what the Bible says. This is vital for each of us lest we also are caught up in the futile search for identity. It is vital for parents, in order to give their children a foundation upon which they can build their lives. And finally, it is vital for the gospel. We must understand that any presentation of the gospel must confront these new realities of American popular thinking. Let’s look at three popular American lies that are at the root of this rejection of the truth of God’s identity and his sovereignty in our lives, and that have led to America’s identity crisis.

We moved to Tacoma in 1999 where we found a little apartment across the street from Wright Park. The following summer a group of young people spent the summer months attacking unsuspecting victims after dark and beating them until they were unconscious. On August 19, 2000 they attacked Erik Toews as he walked through Wright Park after dark on his way home from work. They did it just for the fun of it, they beat him beyond recognition with their fists, knees and a croquet club. 8 youths were arrested, including an 11 year old, two 12 year olds and a 13 year old. After the youths were apprehended the news media interviewed one of the mothers and I remember her in tears saying, “My son really has a good heart.” I thought to myself, has she gone crazy? How does she define evil, bad? Do you have to murder two, three, four or more people before you become evil?

That’s an extreme example but the sentiment in our nation is prevailing. We are not bad people doing evil things, but rather we are good people who sometimes make mistakes. Let’s make no mistake, these are not mistakes, they are crimes, sins, and they are evil. They are evil because man is evil!

Luke 18:18-19

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.

When we tell someone he is good no matter how he thinks or behaves then one of two things will happen when he does something that is obviously wrong. 

Gen 3:11-12 

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me–she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Personal responsibility and admission of personal guilt when it comes to sin is rare these days but we need to return to this vital understanding. Without it we become an unmanageable society of “good” people who do bad things and blame other groups, other races, and other individuals for their personal sin. 

The way out isn’t a comfortable one, it’s one of personal repentance before the cross of Christ. Yes, there is good news here and the good news is that God is good. You can stop relying on your own “goodness” God’s goodness is deeper, wider, higher, and greater than yours. And, yes, you are sinner, but God’s goodness can overcome that sin when you turn to the greatest good which is Jesus’ sacrificial death upon the cross for you and me. 

Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We need to return in our thinking, and in our practice to the idea of the sinfulness of man. 

Motivational speaker Tony Robbins tells his eager success oriented listeners that they can get anything they want if they follow his simple 5 step formula. 4 out of his 5 steps are about asking others for what you want and the final step is “ASK UNTIL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT!” Wow, that sounds like all my kids when they were 4-5 years old! He then exhorts them, “Belief in failure is a way of poisoning the mind.” says Robbins who divorced his wife of nearly 15 years so that he could pursue his own fulfillment.

The no limits mindset that many young people have today is like heroin for the soul. It convinces people that not only can they do anything but that they have a right to do anything. This destructive mindset leads people down a path of moral compromise justified by the belief that “I can do anything.” Ultimately, the conviction that I can do anything is the natural and logical conclusion when we put ourselves in the place of God.

Ultimately, you can’t do anything, and that’s a good thing!

Remember the young man who thought he was so good? He came to Jesus and ask what other good thing he might do to get into the Kingdom of Heaven?

Luk 18:26-27

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

[Psa 103:13-17 NIV] 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children–

How much better it is to humbly acknowledge the boundaries God has created for us and put our trust in a limitless God. You are finite but God is infinite!

I don’t believe there is a popular philosophy out there today that has caused more pain and destruction in relationships than this one. Nearly every divorce has this theme in it. 

It sounds like this:

“I have to do what’s right for me” 

“I’m not going to put aside my happiness for the sake of another’s happiness” 

“Listen to that little voice from within”

“Do what makes you happy”

These all have the same root, they find the driving, guiding life force from within. This is akin to getting in a car, sitting behind the wheel, stepping on the gas and then taking your hands off the wheel. 

“Let the car guide us, it knows best where it should go.” 

This is ludicrous. We all know that a car must have guidance or it will simply end up in a ditch. Yet, this is how many parents approach child raising, and this is how many adults approach their own lives. They have no guidance system beyond their personal whims and emotional swings. Today they want one thing but tomorrow the same thing no longer satisfies them so they discard it for the next thing. They are following a fluid point and thus they become fluid. They are fluid in their jobs, fluid in their relationship, and fluid in their gender. Isn’t fluid just another way to describe instability, unfaithfulness, and lack of direction?

Our lives demand a point of reference to follow that is unchanging. A point that can’t be moved by emotions, politics, finances, relationships, or sickness. We need a point to follow that is worth following because it offers us something that is far more valuable than our very lives. We need a point to follow that is outside of ourselves and that will bring ourselves inline with it’s goodness, and grace. We need a point to follow that will give us hope so great that we can confidently follow that point to the grave and beyond.

Truth: you are lost and need to follow Christ Mark 8:34

[Mar 8:34-37 NIV] 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Only God offers us true direction through Christ and his cross!

Unfortunately, as you look around our world it is not hard to find people who are rich, famous, in places of power, and over all who seem to be enjoying the “good life” yet they are also evil and have no fear of God. They say what they want and they do what they want. They seem to live on their own terms. Not only do their lives go against God and his Word but often they threaten the lives of those who are poor, who are in difficult circumstances and yet who honor God. 

This type of injustice can be found in any nation at any time. Evil men who are well off who do evil things to good people who are in difficult circumstances. We have seen this scenario many times throughout history. Evil and powerful people doing terrible things to poor and God fearing people. 

Many of us may have experienced such situations in our personal lives as well. Maybe it was a bully at your school growing up. Maybe it was someone one at your work who threatened you, who made your life tough, who was out to get you no matter what. These are the real life situations that who often find ourselves in and they can cause us to ask questions. 

“God why does it seem like the wicked prosper while we suffer?”

The other questions that we can ask is, “How should I react when the wicked are threaten me and I have no means to stop them”

Today we are looking at Psalm 37 where we find that David often dealt with these same questions. This theme comes up often in the book of Psalms, we can also see it clearly in Psalm 10 and Psalm 73. I recommend that you read through those psalms later.

We tend to think of Psalms as just being a hymn or a worship song. While this is true, many psalms also have the character of wisdom literature. Here we find a psalm that has a lot in common with the book of Proverbs. In fact it looks like Solomon quotes the first 2 verses of this psalm word for word in Proverbs 24:19-20. In this Psalm we find short and powerful statements of wisdom. We also see clear instructions for how we should view the world, how we should think about wicked people, and how we should react in these situations. The wisdom of the Proverbs can often be described as the skill of seeing the end at the beginning and in this Psalm this is exactly what we see.   

If we were to sum up the message of this psalm we could say two things. 

It’s application is thus:

This is a very simple way to look at it but sometimes that can be helpful for us as we take a step back and look at our own lives in contrast to the lives of the wicked. 

As we go through this text today I want to focus on 10 ways in which the righteous should react to the success and the threat of the wicked. 

The first two imperatives are negative, this is because generally as humans we react negatively to the success of the wicked. Before we can step in faith and walk the way God has planned for us we must first rid ourselves of these negative reactions. 

Psalm 37:1-2 NIV – 1 Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

I want you to notice how clear, how strong, and how straightforward David is here. He leaves no room for doubt. We are stopped in our tracks and told to stop. Also note that this is an unusual beginning for a psalm. Most psalms begin by addressing God, “Praise the Lord.” Thus, from the first line of this Psalm we can see that it has a unique nature. This is a Psalm that is more addressed to the individual, to you and me. So we better pay attention. This first line is an imperative for you and for me! 

What does it mean to fret? The Hebrew word here literally means “to burn” or “to glow” and it is often used to describe anger, especially God’s anger against the wicked. However, in the context of this psalm and also in the proverbs we see it being used more to describe someone who is getting worked up because of the evil deeds of another. 

It may include an aspect of fear, anger, anxiety, and frustration. The idea is that this wicked person is getting us worked up and hot in mind and in our spirit. We have no peace because of what they are doing. We can not relax our mind and we can not calm ourselves down. Yet, at the same time there is really nothing in our power that we can do to stop that person. 

I have to tell you that these feelings have crossed the surface of my heart as I thought about the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. “Why Putin, are you causing us such stress?” Yet, there is nothing I can do to change the situation. 

Do you have any situations in your life where you are preoccupied with frustrated thoughts, worries, anger, fear over something someone else is doing? If so then you need to take a step back and you need to put down your fretting and change your focus. A little later we will look at how we should change our focus. 

There is a second common reaction when we see evil people living wickedly and that is that sometimes it looks enticing to us. They seem to be enjoying life to the fullest. They have the all the money, all the sex, all the entertainment, and all the power. Those can be very tempting. If we are not careful we can start to quietly envy their lives. We can start to think, “if only I had one tenth of what he or she has.” These are dangerous thoughts and powerful temptations that we must recognize and we must put a stop to!

Envy and jealousy are terrible poisons for our soul. Just a few verses later David tells us:

…do not fret—it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8

Envy produces within us other terrible things like discontentment, frustration, anger, and can even lead to violence and murder. Envy led Cain to murder his brother, envy motivated Joseph’s brothers to throw him in a pit and then sell him. We must be careful not to allow envy’s poison to enter our hearts, it will slowly poison our minds and lead us to places we thought we would never go. Envy will rob us of our joy and exchange it for bitterness and discontentment. 

What we need in order to avoid the fretting and especially the envy is a little of God’s perspective. This is what we get in verse two.

“For like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” Psalm 37:2

This is why eternal perspective is so vital for us. It puts the end and the beginning together. When we look at the wicked, we see only the pleasures they are enjoying now. We can not see their end yet. God’s Word helps us to foresee their future. Their wealth will end, their power will end, their entertainment will end. Every good thing that the wicked has is a temporary thing and it will sooner or later be taken from them. 

Here are a few reasons why we should not envy the lifestyles of the wicked.

Psalm 37:3 NIV – 3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

David doesn’t spend a lot of time on the negative imperatives. He quickly directs our attention to the positive things we need to be doing. We can find at least seven positive commands in the psalm. What that tells me is that for those who have faith in God, we are so busy looking to Him, trusting Him, serving Him, praising Him, enjoying His goodness, that we hardly have time to be worried about the wicked or to envy their lifestyle. 

Truly, the righteous man will not envy the wicked because he has experienced and is experiencing God’s continual overflowing blessings of grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness in his life! This all starts at one simple point in our lives. TRUST. Yes, we say it a lot and maybe sometimes it sounds like we are overdoing it but we are not. Trust, is what God’s Word comes back to again and again. 

When the wicked seem to succeed, when they threaten our lives, when they have all the power, all the money, and all the fun, God wants us to trust him fully, faithfully, and freely! Friends please don’t ignore this simple and vital truth. Trusting God isn’t simply a theoretical, theological idea that is thrown around to make us sound spiritual. Trusting God has real life application! 

We can see three aspects to how our trust in God should be worked out in daily life there. 

Psalm 37:4 NIV – 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Now we come to a verse that it seems everyone loves to quote. Wow, we get delight and we get the desires of our heart all in one verse. Certainly, there is truth here, a very encouraging and hopeful truth. Yet, let us be careful not to look at this verse apart from its context. You see, our delights and our desires need to be seen within the context of trust and obedience (verse 3) and on the other side, commitment (verse 4).

So we can’t just take this verse and start clapping our hands in delight and tell God that the desire of our heart is to have a million dollars! No, it doesn’t work that way! We must first bring our hearts, our minds and our life in line with God’s Word! We must trust God in everything, we must not envy the wicked, we must learn to fight to live within God’s will. It is then that God begins to work within us to create new, godly desires and these desires he will always fulfill. 

What does it mean to delight in the Lord? “To be soft or pliable… or luxurious” (Strongs)

It conveys the idea of putting on a soft garment that feels luxurious and pleasant to the skin. This is in fact a good illustration because when we delight in the LORD it is truly like putting on a garment that covers us wholly, makes us feel comfortable, and yet also provides protection from the elements. 

Yet in our world there will always be false delights and true delights. We can easily be deceived to think that the lifestyle of the wicked is a delight. Yes, there are the temporary pleasures of sin, the temporary excitement from doing what makes us “feel good” but is this really delight? It is a false delight, it is like a sour candy with a sugary layer on the outside. That sugar will disappear fast and then you will just be left with sour!

So how do we change our delight? By changing our focus, our faith, and feet! 

This brings us naturally to David’s next imperative for us. He calls us to commit our way to the Lord. We briefly discussed a similar verse in Psalm 31 last Sunday.

Psalm 31:5 NIV – 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

Of course the idea of commiting involves a lot of trust. Trusting God is an important prerequisite to committing your way to Him. Nevertheless, the kind of commitment that we see here goes above and beyond generally trusting the LORD. 

To commit is to intentionally make a decision to bring all your life under His authority, His protection, and His will. This is very important for us to do. When we do this we give ourselves confidence in God Himself. We give ourselves a foundation upon which we can build our lives.

There are a lot of similarities to marriage here. Why do we have wedding vows, why do we have a marriage ceremony, why do we have witnesses and make a big deal out of all these things. Because commitment matters! All the things we do when someone gets married adds value to the commitment, it makes it real and tangible, it tells us that this is something that should never change.

What about our commitment to God? Have you committed your life to God? In a way this is what we do when we are baptized. We show the world that we believe and we are committed to living for God. In difficult times, in times when we have questions this kind of commitment gives us stability and assurance.

Psalm 37:7 NIV – 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Oh how we need stillness in today’s world of non-stop activity. We have learned to always have something turned on, some media, some audio, some video. Sometimes we gauge our life by the level of activity. We go here, we go there, we don’t have time to sit and be quiet any more. This is the curse of modern life, this is the curse of the city and of our habits. 

One of the most common results of anxiety is constant movement of the body and the brain. Someone who is very anxious can’t stay still for long. They will pace the room. If they sit they will shake their leg or fiddle with their fingers? Why? Because there is a nagging feeling that they need to do something, they need to control the situation. 

The practice of stillness puts us in a vulnerable position. It’s hard to be still when we feel there is a threat. To be still is to recognize God’s sovereignty and control in our lives. It is to realize that there are very few factors that we have any control or influence over and many many factors in our life that we have no control over. It is the calmness that comes when we put those uncontrollable factors in the hands of God! 

Ultimately, the stillness that David is talking about here is primarily a stillness of mind and spirit. This is the peace of God that is uniquely available to all who have their faith securely resting in Jesus Christ. 

John 14:27 NIV – 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Psalm 37:8 NIV – 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil

Although there is such a thing as righteous anger, it seems that David is speaking of an anger that resembles personal revenge. We can also see this anger as part of the fretting that was mentioned in verse one, we see it here again in verse 8, “do not fret.” Remember that the word “fret” literally means “to glow.” Often it was a word used in combination with the word anger. 

What David is saying is that we should not allow our emotions to carry us away in these situations. As Christians we must learn to recognize our emotions and to direct them properly. Last week I talked about David’s emotions and mentioned that emotions are not wrong in and of themselves. It’s what we do with them, how we react to them that makes the difference. We can do nothing and allow the emotions of anger, anxiety, frustration grow. They will eventually take hold of us, they will control us. Or we can recognize the emotion and began to direct our mind and our heart towards God. 

To refrain is to put limitations on something. How do we put limitations on anger, wrath, and worry? 

Now here’s some simple advice that we can all use! 

Oh how we need the faith to do good in all circumstances. It may seem over simplified but this is really the key. Goodness, God’s goodness is what we really need. We need it not just as an idea but as an action in our lives. The Christian should always know what to do, he just needs to do the next good thing!

The word “good” is the Hebrew word “tov.” It is the same word used to describe God’s creation! “He said, ‘It is good’”

Here are a few other ways this word can be translated: pleasant, agreeable, excellent, rich, appropriate, becoming, glad, happy, prosperous, kind, right.

These adjectives should describe our actions and reactions in difficult times. So take some time to look around you. How can you begin to do good, to whom can you be pleasant, kind, glad…?

Psalm 37:34 NIV – 34 Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

As come towards the end of the psalm we see an exhortation to hope in the Lord. Where there is hope there is life, there is motivation, and there is progress. Without hope, all is lost. Our emotions can leave us hopeless at times and that is why it is so important to keep our hope in the LORD at the center of our souls. 

Romans 8:23-25 NIV – 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

What does it mean to hope in the LORD?

Psalm 37:37 NIV – 37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.

David started with calling us to change our focus, to no longer fret over the wicked or envy them. He then called us to turn our focus to God Himself and now he directs our focus back to a different group of people, “The blameless.” Who are the blameless? They are those who have put their trust in God and received forgiveness and now their lives are examples of His grace? 

Why should we look at the blameless? Because their testimonies are powerful encouragements and reminders of God’s faithfulness. 

How can we look at the blameless? We can read their stories in God’s Word. People like Joseph, Daniel, Ezekiel, Stefan, Paul and many others who blamelessly stood strong in their faith in difficult circumstances and God rewarded them. We can read their stories in history books. Those who were persecuted and martyred. And we can look to those who are living with us now. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV – 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

No matter who we are, we will all face the problem of wicked people who do wicked things. Let us neither be discouraged or dismayed. Instead, let us put our trust confidently in the LORD. Let us remember his goodness and let us go about doing good things! 

Psalm 37:39-40 NIV – 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

What is true goodness and where does it come from?

These questions reflect a broader issue: our decisions often depend on our definition of “good.” But how do we define good? It might seem simple, but most people don’t consciously think about it. We assume everyone instinctively knows what is good and what is bad. However, our definitions of good and bad often revolve around personal experiences and circumstances. We think if life is easier, if we have more money, if we avoid hardships, then we are experiencing goodness.

We tend to define “good” in terms of personal benefit, pleasure, and happiness. Conversely, we view things that cause hardship, pain, or require sacrifice as “bad.” If we look at life this way, we might categorize:

Most of us would agree that the list on the left looks “good” or at least better than the list on the right. However, this definition of good is based solely on individual experiences, which can be misleading and problematic.

Let’s consider a different perspective. Is it good to be in a place where missiles are flying, bombs are landing, and lives are being lost? According to our initial paradigm, the answer would be “no.” But what if there’s another way to define good, a way that comes from something greater than ourselves?

It’s crucial to define goodness correctly because it determines our direction in life. Here, the Bible offers clarity on what true goodness is.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (NIV)

The prophet Micah provides a vital paradigm for understanding true goodness—one that is independent of our personal experiences and rooted in God’s perspective.

Before we understand true goodness, we must recognize its source. True goodness comes from God Himself. It can never exist outside of God’s moral design for our lives. Ultimately, true goodness is not a matter of circumstances but an issue of the heart. Without connecting to the only source of true goodness—God—we are on a never-ending, disappointing chase after an illusion of happiness and contentment.

We often mistake false goodness for true goodness. False goodness is the belief that we can find true goodness within ourselves or in our circumstances. It promises quick, cheap pleasure and tells us we deserve it. It’s not necessarily about sinful things but about the misguided focus that this product, activity, or moment will bring goodness into our lives. False pleasure is fleeting and leaves us more unsatisfied than before.

The Bible begins by highlighting God’s goodness. Genesis 1 repeatedly states that God’s creation was “good.” This goodness testifies to God’s wisdom, beauty, and power. All good things in life—good sleep, food, families—are gifts from God (James 1:17-18).

Acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God are central to experiencing true goodness. Obeying God’s commandments brings purity, holiness, and righteousness into our lives, making life pleasant and purposeful (Psalm 19:8-10).

To love mercy is to embody one of God’s main characteristics. Mercy and justice might seem contradictory, but they coexist in God’s nature. Justice relates to how we live before God, while mercy relates to how we live with others. A merciful life is a good life, as it reflects the mercy we receive from God (Psalm 5:7-8).

Walking humbly with God means seeing ourselves through His eyes—imperfect and in need of His strength. Without humility, we cannot walk with God. True humility acknowledges our need for God’s mercy and strength (Matthew 11:29-30).

Where are you looking for goodness? True goodness must be based on God Himself, not our experiences. Look to God and seek a genuine relationship with Him. Follow His law and live by it.

1. What are some “false goods” that are common today?

Reflect on these questions and strive to align your definition of goodness with the one shown in Micah 6:8. This divine perspective will lead you to true and lasting goodness.

There is something about the worth of the Gospel that is greater than any threat we can face, physically or otherwise.

For us personally, I believe that God called us to Ukraine, and the conditions where we live should not change God’s calling in our lives. This morning, I want to talk with you a little bit about the worth of the Gospel in our lives. We all make decisions based on what we think is worth it, what we value in our lives. The thing we value most, above all else, is the one thing we will always be willing to sacrifice for, compromise for, give our time, energy, efforts, money, resources, and strength to.

Today, I want to talk with you about living a life worthy of the Gospel. What does it mean to live a life worthy of the Gospel? How do the truths of the Gospel change the way I relate to others, make decisions, and react to problems?

The Apostle Paul helps us to understand:

Philippians 1:27-30

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Before we look at the details of this text, let’s talk about the context. Paul is writing to the church in Philippi, a church he knows well. They were worried about him because he had been arrested and put in prison. Paul tries to calm them by telling them:

Philippians 1:12 NIV: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”

Amazingly, Paul sees his imprisonment not as something that hinders him from preaching the gospel but as something that aids it. Paul experienced many difficulties in his life, but one thing always remained the same: his commitment to Christ and to the Gospel. Paul was so committed to Christ that even the threat of death could not keep him from serving Christ.

When Paul was in Philippi (Acts 16), he was attacked by a mob, beaten severely, and thrown into prison. But this didn’t stop Paul. The Philippians personally witnessed his commitment to live for Christ and to preach the Gospel. So when Paul wrote to them, they knew it was true!

Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Yet, Paul knew that he would go on living for a while to serve the people he loved. The truth is that Paul was more worried for the Philippians. He says:

Philippians 1:30 NIV: “since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”

From what Paul says here, it seems like the same people who persecuted Paul were now persecuting the church in Philippi. Some of their church members may have been beaten or put into prison. It was a difficult time for the church, and Paul wanted to encourage their spirits and strengthen them in the faith so that they could endure the persecutions and remain faithful to Christ.

Before we move on, let me answer one question: What is the Gospel?

Answer: The Gospel is literally “good news.”

Mark 1:14 NIV: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.”

The good news is that Jesus came as Savior and Lord. He died on the cross and rose again on the third day. The good news is that God will forgive and give eternal life to everyone who puts their faith in Christ!

The Gospel is good news of victory over sin, forgiveness, and new life in Christ. It is the best news. The Gospel is valuable; Jesus paid the ultimate price to save you and me from our sins and from eternal punishment. Thus, when we talk about living “worthy” of the Gospel, we are talking about living worthy of the price that Jesus paid for us when he died on the cross. This is no small thing! To live worthy of the Gospel is to live like Jesus and to live for Jesus. It is to love others like Jesus; it is a willingness to sacrifice as Jesus did! A life worthy of the Gospel isn’t a way to earn salvation but rather a means to show your gratitude for all God has done for you!

In light of this difficult context, let’s take a deeper look at what Paul means when he tells the Philippians to live “worthy of the Gospel.” Paul gives us nine ways to help us ensure our life is worthy.

Notice how Paul begins this text. He doesn’t say: When the weather is nice, when you have a good sleep, when you have money to pay the bills, when you feel like it, when others are watching, or when you are at church.

No, Paul says “Whatever happens.” Before our life can become worthy of the Gospel, we must establish one thing. What place will we give the Gospel in our life? Will we add the Gospel to everything else in our life? Will we simply place the Gospel on top of everything else that we believe in?

“Whatever happens” is an all-inclusive statement. It doesn’t allow room for excuses. Oh, how we love excuses, especially when we don’t want to do something. We say, “I couldn’t do it because a friend called me,” or “I’m not feeling so well today, I’ll try tomorrow.” The Gospel is unique because there can never be any circumstances in this world that would make it impossible to live out the Gospel.

– Every time a loved one betrays you, it is an opportunity to show more grace.

The Gospel is unique because only the Gospel can grow stronger in our lives no matter the circumstances. To live worthy of the Gospel, we must first change our perspective on the circumstances of life. Difficult circumstances are no longer excuses for sinning but rather opportunities for greater Gospel power in our lives.

If you want to live a life worthy of the Gospel, make the Gospel the unchanging factor in your life. All other aspects of life change. Our emotions change, our finances change, our relationships change, our bodies change. The Gospel doesn’t change; the Gospel is eternal!

Now I want to focus your attention on just one important word here: “conduct.” The Greek word Paul uses here might be familiar to you: πολίτης (polites). This refers to someone who is a citizen of a country or city. The idea is someone who fulfills his duty as a citizen, who lives up to the requirements of the laws in his country, and who takes his responsibilities as a citizen seriously.

When you repent and put your faith in Christ, you become a citizen of God’s heavenly kingdom, and you have a responsibility to live up to that citizenship. Citizenship is more than just a document that proves which country you belong to. A true and good citizen will also serve his country in real ways.

So, too, our faith is not just some confession that we repeat. Our faith in the Gospel ought to change the way we live. Paul says that we are “ambassadors of Christ.” We have a great responsibility to live out the Gospel, to make it real in every aspect of our lives. Sometimes it’s hard for people to understand how the Gospel should change their behavior. However, it’s very simple if we just look at it in two ways:

– The Gospel Means Living Out the Example of Jesus**

Let us look at how Jesus lived, how he served, how he related to other people, how he loved, how he sacrificed. This is our primary example of Gospel living.

– The Gospel Means Living Out the Core Gospel Truths**

The core truths of the Gospel are simple: truth, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love.

These are examples of how the Gospel changes our conduct.

– The Gospel Means Living Out the Teachings of Jesus**

Finally, we can simply look at the concrete teachings of Jesus and of the Bible. Our conduct should match these teachings.

Philippians 1:10-11 NLT: “10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”

Not long ago, I read about an old woman in her 90s who lived in Northern France. She was preparing to sell her very ordinary home and get

something smaller and easier to maintain. When the appraiser came, he noticed an old religious painting above her kitchen stove. After examining the painting, he urged the woman to get the painting looked at by an art expert. This woman had owned this painting for a long time. It was given to her by a family member, and she never thought it had any value, yet it had been in her house for decades. She could have lost it forever.

When she finally had an art expert look at it, they discovered it was a very rare painting by a famous Italian Renaissance painter. It was valued at nearly $7,000,000!

Her life was changed because she recognized the worth of something she had had for many years. How sad would it have been if she never knew what that painting was worth!

I wonder, how many Christians don’t really know the worth of the Gospel in their lives?

1 Corinthians 6:20 NLT: “for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

I want to suggest to you that the Gospel has value, not just because of what it does for us, but because of what God did for us. God sacrificed his Son. It cost God everything to bring you the good news of salvation. It cost Jesus everything to pay for your sins and for your eternal life. This is the ultimate worth of the Gospel. We must give the Gospel great worth in our lives.

If we don’t really see the worth of the Gospel in our lives, how can we live worthy of it? We give the Gospel worth when we worship God, when we submit our will to him, and when we obey his commands. We give the Gospel worth when we love him, when we love others, and when we pray. We give the Gospel worth when we place the Gospel above all other things in our lives. The worth of the Gospel should be visible to others in the way we live.

Philippians 1:27-28 NLT: “27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.”

Paul uses several strong phrases here:

Let’s focus on the first one, “stand firm.” When we see the phrase “stand firm,” we can visualize an army holding the line of defense against an enemy. The army is dug into their positions, they have a wall of defense, they have weapons and shields, and they are ready to stand firm against the enemy attack.

When Paul says to “stand firm” for the Gospel, he means to keep yourself strong in your faith and belief in the Gospel. When we are weak in our faith, we can be easily persuaded by others to believe different things or to sin. When we are strong in our faith, we will not be persuaded or tempted by the enemy. We can stand firm.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT: “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”

Philippians 1:27-28 NLT: “27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.”

Paul uses a phrase here that really stands out: “Striving together.” When we strive together for the faith of the Gospel, we are working together as one. We are united in our faith, united in our purpose, and united in our efforts.

As Christians, we are not alone in this world. We are part of a larger community of believers. We need each other to strengthen our faith, to encourage us, and to help us stand firm. This is why it is so important to be involved in a local church, to have fellowship with other believers, and to serve together.

Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT: “24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

When we strive together, we are stronger. We can accomplish more for the Kingdom of God. We can stand firm against the enemy, and we can support each other in times of need.

Philippians 1:28 NLT: “Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.”

In every generation, there are opponents of the Gospel. There are people who will try to intimidate Christians, to silence them, to make them doubt their faith, and to persecute them. Paul himself faced many opponents throughout his ministry. He was beaten, imprisoned, and ultimately executed for his faith.

Yet, Paul encourages us not to be intimidated by our enemies. When we stand firm in our faith and are not intimidated, it is a sign to our enemies that their efforts are futile. They cannot destroy our faith; they cannot take away our salvation. It is also a sign to them that we are confident in our salvation, that we trust in God’s promises, and that we are not afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Philippians 1:29-30 NLT: “29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.”

Suffering is not something we naturally seek out. We tend to avoid pain and hardship. However, Paul tells us that suffering for the Gospel is a privilege. Why? Because it identifies us with Christ. Jesus himself suffered for the sake of the Gospel, and when we suffer for our faith, we share in his sufferings.

Romans 8:17 NLT: “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

When we suffer for the Gospel, it strengthens our faith, it refines our character, and it gives us a deeper understanding of Christ’s love and sacrifice for us. It is an honor to suffer for the one who suffered for us.

Philippians 1:18-19 NLT: “18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.”

Paul found joy in the Gospel, no matter the circumstances. Even when he was in prison, even when others were preaching the Gospel with wrong motives, Paul rejoiced because the message of Christ was being proclaimed.

Joy is a powerful testimony to the worth of the Gospel. When we rejoice in the Gospel, we show others that our faith is genuine, that our hope is real, and that our joy is not dependent on our circumstances but on our relationship with Christ.

Philippians 4:4 NLT: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”

Philippians 1:12 NLT: “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.”

Paul’s imprisonment led to the spread of the Gospel. Even in difficult circumstances, Paul looked for opportunities to share the Gospel with others. He witnessed to the guards, to fellow prisoners, and to anyone who would listen.

Sharing the Gospel is one of the most important ways we can live worthy of the Gospel. We have been given the greatest news in the world, and it is our responsibility to share it with others. Whether it’s through our words, our actions, or our testimony, we can make a difference in the lives of those around us by sharing the Gospel.

Mark 16:15 NLT: “And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.'”

Living a life worthy of the Gospel is a high calling. It requires commitment, sacrifice, and a deep understanding of the worth of the Gospel. It means making the Gospel the unchanging factor in our lives, allowing

it to guide our actions, our decisions, and our relationships. It means standing firm in our faith, striving together with other believers, and not being intimidated by our enemies. It means recognizing the privilege of suffering for the Gospel, rejoicing in the Gospel, and sharing it with others.

May we all strive to live lives worthy of the Gospel, bringing glory to God and making a difference in the world for His Kingdom.

What is the relationship between risk, God’s glory and God’s calling in our lives. This sermon based upon Isaiah 42:8-9.

The post Risk, Calling, and God’s glory | Isaiah 42:8-9 first appeared on The Suko Family.

We answer your questions about life in Ukraine and what’s going on now here on the ground exactly 2 years after Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.

Below are some of the questions we answer in the video/podcast.

1. What is your plan if Russia wins the war and perhaps Odessa is threatened with being under Soviet control?

The situation in Ukraine continues to draw concern. Winter brings heightened worries about power infrastructure and heating, especially in the face of potential advancements by Russia. The big question on everyone’s mind remains: Will the United States continue to stand by Ukraine? As we navigate this uncertain period, your prayers and support are invaluable.

Despite these challenges, we’re grateful for the provision of power and heating so far. We recognize the freedom we have in Ukraine—a freedom allowing us to share the gospel and support churches. It’s a reminder of the larger impact this conflict has on spiritual freedoms.

Our efforts to aid soldiers include providing essentials like hand warmers. A recent testimony from Pastor Lê in Hồn illustrates the power of prayer in protecting Ukrainian soldiers from intense bombardment.

The unwavering faith of the church in Hồn is remarkable. Even amid danger, they emphasize the importance of corporate worship, highlighting the essentiality of spiritual nourishment.

We’re actively involved in two projects. The first, “Teach Us to Pray,” focuses on elucidating the depth of the Lord’s Prayer and its gospel truths. The second is a Christmas outreach endeavor aimed at distributing gift packets with gospel material to children in need.

Your prayers and support mean the world to us and to Ukraine. If you’d like to be a part of these projects or contribute in any way, check the link in this newsletter for more information.

Thank you for standing with us and for Ukraine. Your prayers and support provide hope and strength during these challenging times.

If you have any questions or want further updates, feel free to reach out. Your engagement and care make a significant difference.

Let’s continue to pray, support, and believe for Ukraine’s protection, provision, and eventual peace.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where it seems that terrors are multiplying. None of us want to be in a place of terror and yet we have all been there one way or another. Certainly, our family has been at the center of some terror in the past few months in Ukraine.

At first it was rumors of war. Tanks, artillery, soldiers, weapons of every kind moving in on three sides of the country. For at least a month we received almost daily communications from the US government to leave the country. 

Then on the morning of February 24th we were woken by a phone call at 5:00 AM to inform us that the war had begun. Christina saw one of the first missiles directed at our city fly past our living room window and 30 seconds later we felt the boom. Now we knew war had started!  

When it comes down to it, terror is something that happens in the heart of man. On one hand you can’t control it very well and on the other hand there are things we can and should do at Christians to keep terror from ruling our lives. In fact, as Christians we have a unique advantage when it comes to terror, we have the greatest, most powerful, and most effective anti-terror weapon, which is the Word of God and presence of His Spirit in our lives. 

Today we will look at Psalm 31. We will take a deep dive into the terror of David’s heart. In doing so we must examine our own hearts. We must recognize our terrors and learn to deal with them the way David did. This is not an exercise for the faint of heart, so I encourage you to take up your shield of faith and breastplate of righteousness. We need sober minds and hearts to look into these things. We need honesty with ourselves and courage to recognize that which terrorizes our hearts. May God humble us as we look to his Word and see our own hearts in the heart of David.

We must remember that a psalm is never meant to be a theological treatise or a “how to…” nevertheless we find within each psalm deep theological truths and guidance that can help us how to get through many different situations in life. 

First, however, a psalm represents the heart and the emotions of its author. Here, like in so many other psalms we see tension within the heart of David. We see his fear and we see his faith, we see his anguish and we see his answer. We must recognize this Psalm for its beauty, for its spiritual and emotional power, and for its depth of truth and wisdom. As we look to this psalm we must allow ourselves to see ourselves through the eyes of David. As we step where David stepped I believe we will not only see the relevant theological truths but that God will also deliver to us the real help and healing that we need in these terrifying times. 

1. David heard terror on every side

Psalm 31:13 NIV – 13 For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

You might be wondering why I am starting with verse 13 in the psalm. The reason is because like many psalms, the middle is often the climax or the hinge of the psalm upon which the rest of the psalm hangs. This is true for psalm 31. Here we see David building to a point and he completes this with verse 13 which is the middle of the psalm. 

Let’s look at how David built up to this verse. This middle section starts in verse 9 where David tells us “I am in distress!” As we read from verse 9 through verse 13 we get a very graphic picture of what terror looks like. 

Here are some of the words David uses to describe his terror:

All these words can be found in the middle section of this psalm. This is very heavy, very dark, very foreboding, very hopeless! And this is how David felt! He was being honest with God, with us, with his emotional and spiritual state. First of all, let me say that all of us connect with some of these words at times. Some of us connect with these words more often than others. If you have had or if you have some of these feelings you need to know that you are in good company. You’re not the only one. In fact, you’re in the company of King David himself!

The initial feeling of terror is not a sin!

I want you to notice that the Bible never once condemns David or us for feeling this way at times. We live in a fallen world, bad things happen, terrible things happen. We can always go around pretending that everything is wonderful when it really isn’t. David’s son Solomon who would later say. 

So if you find yourself frightened or terrorized, you don’t have to feel guilty. Sin is not in the emotion itself but rather in our reactions and decisions later.

A sad face can be good for the heart when it helps us to think of the truly important aspects of life like our relationship with God, the love of our family, and the value of faith. That being said, we must also realize that some of these powerful emotions like terror can be destructive if they are left unchecked in our life. 

What is terror? Terror is a strong feeling of fear and helplessness in the face of danger. That danger can be only perceived danger or real danger.

The Hebrew word “Magib” seems to specifically refer to the fear or terror one experiences when they are surrounded by the enemy and they see no way out. In fact this specific phrase “terror on every side” is found about 6 times in the Bible. The prophet Jeremiah uses it several times.

Terror is often seen in connection with “defeat”

Jeremiah 46:5 NIV – 5 What do I see? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee in haste without looking back, and there is terror on every side,” declares the LORD.

Terror also leads to panic:

Isaiah 31:9 NIV – 9 Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,” declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Terror can be self-destructive.

Jeremiah 20:4 NIV – 4 For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends…

Here are a few things we need to keep in mind when it comes to feelings of terror.

1. Terror is multiplied in the absence of truth!

“People are saying” most likely what they are saying is not completely true. We were told to leave Ukraine for at least a month before the war started. Russia is constantly terrorizing Ukraine and specifically Odesa with threats. But they’re not all true and they’re not all as bad as people say. 

Watch the news media today and you will hear people talk for hours about hypothetical situations and potential risks. People will always talk but their talk is usually not filled with Biblical truth. In the absence of truth our terror will always grow. This is why we are afraid of the dark. We don’t know what is lurking in those shadows. This is why people are afraid to make big decisions and life changes. They don’t know how it will turn out. 

There is only one solution to this, we must bring truth into the light. We must look to the facts and truths that we know for sure. The truth is that we promises from God about our future that give us hope that is greater than any terror! We must focus on the truths we find in God’s Word and certainly this will calm our fears and relieve our terror. We will look at these truths in our next point.

1. Terror should never dictate our decisions or our actions 

We may all experience feelings of terror but we need to learn to react to these feelings in a Biblical way. In this psalm we see David very honestly and openly sharing his feelings. He experienced terror on some level. Yet in the end we see that he did not allow those feelings to change the course of his life but rather very resolutely declared in the last verse, “Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the LORD.”

1. Terror is a weapon of the devil

1 Peter 5:8 NIV – 8 …Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Have you ever heard a lion roaring at night? I haven’t but I’m sure it would be very terrifying. The point of that roar is to induce terror. It’s much easier to capture someone who is acting out of terror than it is to capture someone who is calmly and logically thinking and using the mental powers God gave him in a wise and useful way. 

There are a million ways in which terror can enter our own hearts. Sometimes the devil uses other people to induce terror in us. Sometimes it can be geopolitical tensions and threats. Sometimes it can be our own sin the past that accuses us and terrorizes our hearts. Sometimes it is our own doubt and weak faith that put cracks in our spiritual armor and give terror an entrance into our heart. However it is that the devil finds a way to induce terror we are called to reset it. The first part of this verse gives us a clue as to how we can do that. 

1 Peter 5:8 NIV – 8 Be alert and of sober mind…

To be alert is to be aware of the devil’s work, to know that he is will always be looking for ways to cause terror. Sober refers to the ability God has gives each of us through his Spirit to calmly, logically, and resolutely look at the situation without panic, terror. To be sober is to understand the potential threat but to also believe in a God who is bigger and stronger and make a decision to proceed forward in faith and righteousness rather than in fear and panic.

We made the decision to go back into Ukraine despite the roar of Russia because we could see the need and believed in God’s power to save us.

1. God does not want you to live in a place of terror

John 14:27 NIV – 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Simply recognizing the fact that God wants us to live in his peace and in his power will do a lot to calm our fears. God’s peace comes with his presence. In times of terror we must always turn back to these vital and powerful truths. 

1. David made powerful statements of faith concerning himself

We have looked at terror, we have seen what it is like, let us know look at what David says before and after he describes his terror. Ironically, David sandwiches his terror with powerful statements of faith and truth. If we step back to look at this psalm in its entirety we see something interesting. The center of the psalm shows us David, pressed in on all sides by his enemies. “Terror on all sides.” There is a claustrophobic  feel as we read verse 13. We can imagine David is hiding out but he knows that every exit his enemy is waiting for him. He has no place to run, he is surrounded. Yet, David knows something his enemy doesn’t know. David sees the larger context. David doesn’t just see the enemy surrounding him, he also sees God surrounding his enemy. 

In difficult circumstances learn to see God’s grand context!

This is how David writes his psalm. We see David’s terrifying position right in the middle of this psalm but before that and behind that we see the power and the presence of a God! David makes some very powerful statements about his faith in God first 8 verses. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge. (verse 1) 

Here we see David looking back and recognizing a truth in his life. He remembered and he proclaimed that he had already taken refuge in God. David may be recalling some moment in his youth when he made that first step of faith on his own and called out to God for salvation. He recognizes that this has already happened in his life. 

The Bible often shows us how important it is to recall the steps of faith we have taken in the past. For the Christian this means you should Never forget those initial steps of faith that brought you to God, put you on your knees and resulted in true repentance and forgiveness. These moments of faith should be strongly etched on the walls of our hearts. They serve as powerful reminders of God’s great work in us and for us! 

David starts this psalm by looking back, recalling, and proclaiming a significant step of faith that he made in the past. 

Into your hands I commit my spirit (verse 5)

Once we remember our initial step of faith we then must actively do something to increase our faith. Here we see what David is doing in his spirit in this moment of fear. He tells us that he is committing his spirit into the hands of the LORD. 

This is not simply some theoretical church talk but rather a powerful statement that proclaimed the condition of his heart and the level of his faith. What David was saying was that he was ready to die if need be. His spirit was in the Lord’s hands. Whatever happened, if lived or if he died, it was up to the Lord and David trusted the safety of his soul in the hands of his Savior! 

Be ready to die!

We see the same statements by Christ on the cross and by Stephen when he was martyred.

Luke 23:46 NIV – 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Acts 7:59 NIV – 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

When we learn to commit our spirit to God it removes all possible terrors from our heart.

*How Chris asked me if I was ready to die and if my children were ready for me to die.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love (verse 7)

We also see that David makes a powerful statement about his future. He might not feel that gladness now, he might not be in a place of rejoicing now but with faith he looks forward to the return of gladness and rejoicing. These are vital statements and steps of faith that we must have in our spiritual life. 

Are you grieving now? Are you afraid now? Are you in pain now? Know that these are all temporary, joy will come again.  The hope of future joy and gladness can give us the strength we need to get through difficult times.

1. David made powerful statements of truth about God

Our tendency during difficult times is to look only at the problems and dangers before us. As Christians we must learn to look beyond these dangers to our God! David did just that! If we look at the second half of this psalm we see some very powerful statements of truth about God which show us how David turned his faith and his heart towards God during this difficult time. 

You are my God (verse 14)

It’s important to notice how quickly David turns from “terrors on every side” to “you are my God.” David is showing us that rather than listen to what everyone around him is saying he will choose to speak the truth about God! 

When everyone else is speaking fear, may we speak faith. But more important than just speaking our faith, we must act in faith. David further explains what it means to have the LORD as his God. 

1. My times are in your hands
2. His face will shine upon me (his favor)
3. I will not be put to shame  

You have stored up good things (verse 19)

David reminds himself of the good things God has given him and will give him. God’s grace, his mercy, his forgiveness, his joy, and his peace are the greatest gifts that have ever existed. We must never lose sight of these greatest gifts in our lives. They bring us stability and perspective. They help us see through temporary problems to God’s timeless promises! 

You protect those good things (verse 20)

When I get a good thing for myself, I can lose it.

When others get me good things, I can lose them.

When God gives us good things, no one can take that away from us! 

The good things God gives us can be given by no one else and can be stolen by no one else! We need to stop looking to all the ways in which the world evaluates goodness and start looking to God’s goodness and the surety that his goodness will always be with us! 

God’s goodness to you does not depend upon other people, it doesn’t depend upon your mood, it doesn’t depend upon the weather, it doesn’t depend upon your bank account, it doesn’t depend upon influence, it doesn’t depend upon the government! Thankfully, it doesn’t depend upon any of these things and that is why it is completely safe! 

1. David made powerful statements to encourage others

Finally, towards the end of this psalm we see David turning his attention away from himself and towards God’s people. Unfortunately, we tend to become very self-focused in trials and difficulties in our lives. We tend to think that we are the only ones who have experienced such problems, we tend to think that no one understands us, we tend to not see the need of those around us. 

Where there is a high level of terror, tragedy and torrment and there will always be a similarly high interest in the Gospel and thirst for God. And yet we tend to avoid these situations! 

Go to the places where you see terror, tragedy and torrment and speak the truth of God there! Praise him there and you will find that your efforts are multiplied! 

Praise be to the Lord (verse 21)

As we come to the end of this psalm there seems to almost be a separate short hymn of praise sung by David for the benefit of all the people. David praises God in this difficult time and he encourages us to praise God in our difficulties. This reminds me of how Paul and Silas praised God in their jail cell. It also reminds me of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand who spent 14 years in Romanian prisons during communism.

When I look back on my fourteen years in prison, it was occasionally a very happy time. Other prisoners and even the guards very often wondered at how happy Christians could be under the most terrible circumstances. We could not be prevented from singing, although we were beaten for this. I imagine that nightingales, too, would sing, even if they knew that after finishing they would be killed for it. Christians in prison danced for joy. How could they be so happy under such tragic conditions?

“I can never describe the beauty of this Church! Often, after a secret service, Christians were caught and sent to prison. There, Christians wear chains with the gladness with which a bride wears a precious jewel received from her beloved. The waters in prison are still. They receive His kiss and His embraces, and would not change places with kings. I have found truly joyful Christians only in the Bible, in the Underground Church, and in prison.

Love the Lord (verse 23)

David calls out to all of us now. He exhorts us to love the LORD. This is the motivation and calming effect we need on our hearts in fearful times. 

1 John 4:18 NIV – 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

If we have God’s love then we do not fear punishment nor do we fear men who may try to harm us. We stand in forgiveness, grace, and the goodness of God. This is the safest place we could ever be. We also are free to give God’s abundant love to all those around us, even to our enemies!

Be strong and take heart (verse 24)

Finally, David ends this psalm on a very powerful note! There is no room for doubt left in this statement. We are to be strong because our hope is in the Lord. We are to take heart because God has given us new and stronger hearts, filled with his power and his Spirit. 

1. What terrors do I have in my life?
2. How do I react to these terrors, am I living in fear or faith?
3. What does it mean to take refuge in God?
4. Why is it important to make statements of faith, what statements do I need to make now?
5. How can I help others calm their fears in difficult times?