Hey friends - Welcome to a mini Bible study with me. This is the first of its kind. Let me know if you’re blessed by it.

After our last podcast-post on The FALSE GOSPEL of LIFE WITHOUT SUFFERING vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS, through prayer, the Lord encouraged me to stay on this topic, diving deeper into the Why behind suffering.

I believe 1 Peter 4:12–19 is a powerful and deeply relevant passage filled with encouragement and potent truth for believers facing trials.

Here’s an inside look into how we’re going to dive into this passage.

First, we’ll pray.

Then, we’ll read the passage in full before we dive into each verse.

We’ll get some context about who’s writing the letter, who’s the audience, and why this letter is written.

Next, we’ll do a Verse-by-Verse Breakdown and highlight some insights from Greek words used in the passage that will expand our perspectives and understanding.

Through this, we’ll see that suffering isn’t chaos—it’s God’s refining process and proof of belonging to Christ. We’ll see that Christian suffering is powerfully connected to communion, glory, and trust.

Then, we’ll ask and answer some key questions:

* What Does This Passage Reveal About God?

* What Does This Passage Reveal About Us?

* How Should We Respond by Faith?

* What Needs to Change in Our Thinking or Beliefs?

After, we’ll highlight some Key Takeaways.

Lastly, we’ll address some real-life questions that Christians face—then and now—when we suffer for our faith that are either directly answered or deeply informed by 1 Peter 4:12–19. Questions like:

* “Why am I suffering if I’m following Christ faithfully?”

* “Is God still with me in this pain?”

* “What should I do while I’m suffering?”

* “Can I really trust God with my soul and my suffering?”

* “What perspective should I have in my suffering?”

How does that sound?

Too much? Hopefully not.

We’ll explore the big picture, then the passage in context, and then dive deeper and deeper into the juicy details, extracting relevant takeaways about God, about us, about suffering, and how we can respond with God’s help.

It goes without saying, this is not exhaustive. These are simply my takeaways from researching and meditating on this passage in Scripture.

Having said that, I believe Hebrews 4:12,

The “Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

So, we’re just scratching the surface of what our Infinite God has revealed.

We will never get to the end of our infinite, Almighty, all-knowing, ever-present God.

Nevertheless, we are invited to ask, seek, and knock—to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.

Jesus Himself said,

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

- Matthew 7:7-11

So, let’s do this, friends!

Let’s seek the Lord knowing He is with us and ready to engage with us as we engage with His living and active Word.

FYI: You can share this podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify or share this LIFE ON MISSION publication with friends using the link attached or the QR code below.

What is the PURPOSE of SUFFERING? Here’s what GOD’s WORD says in 1 Peter 4:12-19 - 🇫🇷 Quel est le BUT de la SOUFFRANCE ?

Let’s start this mini study with prayer and follow with some of the historical and biblical context.

Let’s Pray

Author of Life,

We come before Your throne of grace now by faith.

You are a good and gracious King.

Holy, holy, holy are You, Lord God Almighty.

The whole earth is filled with Your glory.

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for this passage in 1 Peter 4:12–19.

We come to engage with You through Your Word.

I know there are treasures You want to reveal to us today.

Give us eyes to see, ears that hear, and a heart and mind that perceive and understand what You want to reveal to us.

Thank You for Your love.

You are life-giving and good.

You are the Source of wisdom.

May we see Your wisdom on display through this passage.

Empower us, Lord, by Your Spirit to take Your words to heart and to respond in faith.

Thank You for all You have in store for us, God.

Teach us to see suffering as You see it, that we may overcome like Christ.

Thank You for the gift of Your Spirit in us who believe, the same Spirit that empowered Christ to overcome.

I love You, Lord, and thank You for Your presence now.

We submit this time and Bible study to You.

Here we are, Good Shepherd.

We sit at Your feet.

Speak to our hearts, gracious One.

We are listening.

Prepare us to receive and respond.

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Thank You, God! Let’s do this!

Let’s read the passage in context.

1 Peter 4:12–19

12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

18 And

‘If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

Amen!

A Contextual Overview of 1 Peter 4:12–19

These eight verses are just a small part of the letter of 1 Peter, the first of two letters. First thing’s first…

Who’s the Author?

This seems like a no-brainer based on verse 1 of chapter 1: The apostle Peter, also known as Simon-Peter or Cephas. Some have debated the authorship, for reasons I am unaware, the early church tradition and internal evidence point strongly to Peter. The first line of the letter says,

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are [across Asia Minor (i.e. modern-day Turkey)]” so I think we can be pretty sure it’s our buddy Peter.

When was this Written?

It is believed that the letter of 1 Peter was most likely penned in the early 60s A.D., during or just before a time of escalating persecution under Emperor Nero (mid-60s A.D.). This is the infamous Roman leader who violently persecuted and sought to bring an end to those who followed the Way, that is, the way of Christ.

Here’s a horrible piece of history. The account of Emperor Nero burning Christians alive to light his gardens is most famously written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his work “Annals”, specifically in Book 15, Chapter 44.

Here is the passage (translated from Latin) revealing the fiery trials the early church faced under the command of Nero:

“Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.”

“Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car.”

- Tacitus, Annals 15.44

This is the setting and time in which Peter wrote this letter to encourage and build up the believers across modern-day Turkey.

Who’s the Audience?

Believers scattered throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey)—likely a mix of Gentile and Jewish Christians—who were experiencing social exclusion, verbal and physical abuse, and persecution for their faith in Christ.

What’s the Purpose of this Letter?

Peter writes to encourage perseverance in suffering, remind believers of their heavenly hope, and call them to holy living. This section (4:12–19) zeroes in on suffering specifically for the sake of Christ—not because of wrongdoing, but as a mark of discipleship.

Now it’s time for a verse-by-verse breakdown, with key points and a takeaway from each verse. And as the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, or common Greek, we’ll explore some power-packed Greek words used in this passage. These open up deeper layers of meaning and richness. We see the Spirit of God inspiring Peter’s deliberate word choices, often echoing Old Testament imagery and the teachings of Jesus.

I will do my best not to utterly butcher the pronunciation of the Greek words highlighted, found using Greek New Testament on Blue Letter Bible. I appreciate your patience and grace.

Let’s go!

Verse-by-Verse Breakdown

1 Peter 4:12 – “Don’t Be Surprised”

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

* Peter addresses them as “Beloved.” There’s a loving, pastoral tone.

* “Fiery trial”: Suggests not just discomfort but intense suffering—also probably alluding to the literal persecution involving fire, but at the very least, referring to intense trials.

* What’s the purpose of the trial? To test and refine their faith, not destroy it. We can compare it with James 1:2–4 and 1 Peter 1:6–7.

* James writes:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

* In 1 Peter 1:6–7, Peter writes:

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

* What about considering suffering strange? We see in this passage that suffering for Christ is normal for the true disciple of Christ, not an anomaly. Jesus told us to expect it in John 15:18–20. Jesus said these powerful words:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

So, what’s the Key Takeaway?

Don’t be shocked by hardship. Expect it as part of walking with Christ.

Insights from Greek

The Greek word for “Beloved” is ἀγαπητοί (agapētoi) (root: agapētos)

* Meaning: “Dearly loved ones,” rooted in agapē (God’s self-giving, covenantal love).

* Insight: Peter addresses his audience affectionately, echoing God’s covenantal love. Even amid fiery trials, Peter addresses the Christian audience according to their identity as the beloved of God—this is a crucial identity anchor.

The Greek word for “Fiery trial” is πυρώσει (pyrōsei)

* Meaning: Literally “burning” or “fiery ordeal.” Comes from pyr (meaning fire).

* Insight: These are not just uncomfortable ordeals, but refining trials, like fire refines raw, unrefined metals to become precious, pure, and beautiful, like in Malachi 3:2-3 or 1 Peter 1:7. Suffering is not random—it’s a purifying process.

It says about the Lord’s coming in Malachi 3:2-3,

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.”

It says that though the believers had been grieved by various trials, as we heard earlier, the purpose was that:

“The tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7)

This Greek term for fiery trial connects suffering with God’s refining discipline, fire that tests and purifies. These trials are not meant to consume and destroy one’s faith, but to prove the genuineness of one’s faith.

1 Peter 4:13 – “Rejoice in Suffering”

“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

* Sharing in Christ’s sufferings links believers to their Savior. (See Philippians 3:7-11.)

* Suffering now leads to joy at Christ’s return—a future glory. Peter ties suffering and glory together throughout this letter.

* Joy, rejoicing, and being glad here are presented not based on circumstances, but rather, as a choice based on a solid future hope. This is joy resulting from being identified with Christ and anticipating His glory to be revealed.

A Key Takeaway: Rejoice now because your suffering ties you to Christ and leads toward glory.

Insights from Greek

The Greek word for “Rejoice” is χαίρετε (chairete) and “be glad” is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε (agalliasthe)

* Chairete, the word for “Rejoice,” is a present imperative, meaning “keep rejoicing.”

* Agalliasthe, the word for “be glad,” is something known as a middle/passive imperative, meaning intense, exultant joy, often used in worship.

* An Insight: These are not suggestions. Joy in suffering is a Spirit-empowered, intentional response, not mere emotion. This joy is Christ-centered and future-oriented, anticipating Christ’s glory.

The Greek word for “Share” is κοινωνεῖτε (koinōneite)

* Meaning: “To participate in, have fellowship with” Christ who suffered.

* An Insight: We are not just enduring suffering alone—we are fellowshipping with Christ in it. This is a profound union with Him and keen awareness of His presence in the midst of suffering, not just detached head knowledge about Jesus.

1 Peter 4:14 – “Blessed Are You”

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

* This echoes Jesus’ beatitude in Matthew 5:11–12. Jesus said,

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

* To be “Insulted for the name of Christ” entails social persecution—that might look like mockery, exclusion, slander, etc.

* Yet in the midst of being insulted for the name of Christ, the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. This echoes Isaiah 11:2 and perhaps this is what we see in the testimony of Stephen in Acts 6–7 just before he became the first Christian martyr.

* The Holy Spirit empowers, comforts, and testifies to the truth of Christ and to our belonging to Him.

A Key Takeaway: Suffering for Christ brings spiritual blessing and God’s empowering presence.

Insights from Greek

The Greek word for “Insulted” is ὀνειδίζεσθε (oneidizesthe)

* Meaning: To be reproached, reviled, shamed publicly.

* Here we see a strong connection to the sufferings of Jesus (e.g., the already mentioned words of Jesus in Matthew 5:11, and also Hebrews 11:26). To be insulted for Christ is to be blessed.

The Greek word for “Spirit of glory” is πνεῦμα δόξης καὶ θεοῦ (Pneuma doxa kai theos)

* This is a unique phrase in the Bible. It emphasizes that God’s glorious presence rests on the believer even as they suffer. This echoes Shekinah glory—God’s manifest presence in the OT (see Exodus 40:34).

What’s the Application? Where the world sees shame and suffering to be avoided, God is making His presence, power, and glory known to His people.

I don’t mean to leave you hanging but that’s where we’ll pause this Bible study for the moment. There’s a lot to digest already. The plan is to resume this deep dive in our next post!

I hope you’re already enjoying engaging with the Lord through His Word. There is more to come, stayed tuned for our deep dive into 1 Peter 4:15-19.

Also in our next post, we plan to ask and answer some key questions:

* What Does This Passage Reveal About God?

* What Does This Passage Reveal About Us?

* How Should We Respond by Faith?

* What Needs to Change in Our Thinking or Beliefs?

After, we’ll highlight some Key Takeaways.

Lastly, we’ll address some real-life questions that Christians face—then and now—when we suffer for our faith that are either directly answered or deeply informed by 1 Peter 4:12–19. Questions like:

* “Why am I suffering if I’m following Christ faithfully?”

* “Is God still with me in this pain?”

* “What should I do while I’m suffering?”

* “Can I really trust God with my soul and my suffering?” and

* “What perspective should I have in my suffering?”

Thanks so much for listening or reading along. You are loved. We’ll meet back here for Part 2 in 2 days, Lord willing.

May God bless you with eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart and mind to perceive and understand God’s Word and His will for you.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Posts/podcasts every M, W, & F!

Quel est le BUT de la SOUFFRANCE ? Voici ce que dit la PAROLE DE DIEU dans 1 Pierre 4:12-19

Salut les amis - Bienvenue à une mini-étude biblique avec moi. C'est la première de ce genre. Faites-moi savoir si cela vous bénit.

Après notre dernier podcast/article sur le FAUX ÉVANGILE D'UNE VIE SANS SOUFFRANCE vs. LA VRAIE BONNE NOUVELLE DE JÉSUS, le Seigneur m'a encouragé, par la prière, à rester sur ce sujet, en approfondissant le pourquoi de la souffrance.

Je crois que 1 Pierre 4:12–19 est un passage puissant et profondément pertinent, rempli d'encouragement et de vérité percutante pour les croyants confrontés aux épreuves.

Voici un aperçu de la façon dont nous allons plonger dans ce passage.

Premièrement, nous prierons.

Ensuite, nous lirons le passage en entier avant de le décomposer verset par verset.

Nous verrons le contexte : qui écrit la lettre, qui est le public, et pourquoi cette lettre est écrite.

Ensuite, nous ferons une analyse verset par verset et mettrons en valeur quelques aperçus à partir de mots grecs utilisés dans le passage, ce qui enrichira notre perspective et notre compréhension.

Ainsi, nous verrons que la souffrance n'est pas du chaos—c'est le processus de raffinement de Dieu et une preuve d'appartenance au Christ. Nous verrons que la souffrance chrétienne est puissamment liée à la communion, la gloire et la confiance.

Puis, nous poserons et répondrons à quelques questions clés :

* Que révèle ce passage sur Dieu ?

* Que révèle ce passage sur nous ?

* Comment devons-nous répondre par la foi ?

* Que faut-il changer dans notre pensée ou nos croyances ?

Ensuite, nous soulignerons quelques points clés à retenir.

Enfin, nous aborderons quelques questions réelles que les chrétiens se posent—autrefois et aujourd'hui—lorsqu'ils souffrent pour leur foi, des questions auxquelles 1 Pierre 4:12–19 répond directement ou apporte un éclairage profond. Des questions comme :

* « Pourquoi est-ce que je souffre si je suis fidèle au Christ ? »

* « Dieu est-il encore avec moi dans cette douleur ? »

* « Que dois-je faire pendant que je souffre ? »

* « Puis-je vraiment faire confiance à Dieu avec mon âme et ma souffrance ? »

* « Quelle perspective dois-je avoir dans ma souffrance ? »

Qu'en pensez-vous ?

Trop ambitieux ? J'espère que non.

Nous verrons d'abord le tableau d'ensemble, puis le passage dans son contexte, puis nous plongerons plus en profondeur dans les détails juteux, extrayant des vérités pertinentes sur Dieu, sur nous, sur la souffrance, et sur notre réponse avec l'aide de Dieu.

Cela va sans dire, ce n'est pas une étude exhaustive. Ce sont simplement mes conclusions tirées de mes recherches et de ma méditation sur ce passage des Écritures.

Cela dit, je crois en Hébreux 4:12 :

« Car la parole de Dieu est vivante et efficace, plus tranchante qu'aucune épée à double tranchant, pénétrante jusqu'à partager âme et esprit, jointures et moelles ; elle juge les sentiments et les pensées du cœur. »

Donc, nous ne faisons que gratter la surface de ce que notre Dieu infini a révélé.

Nous n'atteindrons jamais la fin de notre Dieu infini, tout-puissant, omniscient et omniprésent.

Néanmoins, nous sommes invités à demander, chercher, frapper—continuer à demander, continuer à chercher, continuer à frapper.

Jésus Lui-même a dit :

« 7 Demandez, et l'on vous donnera ; cherchez, et vous trouverez ; frappez, et l'on vous ouvrira.

8 Car quiconque demande reçoit, celui qui cherche trouve, et l'on ouvre à celui qui frappe.

9 Lequel de vous donnera une pierre à son fils, s'il lui demande du pain ?

10 Ou, s'il demande un poisson, lui donnera-t-il un serpent ?

11 Si donc, mêuvais comme vous l'êtes, vous savez donner de bonnes choses à vos enfants, à combien plus forte raison votre Père qui est dans les cieux donnera-t-il de bonnes choses à ceux qui les lui demandent ! »

- Matthieu 7:7-11

Alors, allons-y, les amis !

Cherchons le Seigneur, sachant qu'Il est avec nous et prêt à nous rencontrer alors que nous nous engageons avec Sa Parole vivante et active.

PS : Vous pouvez partager ce podcast via Apple Podcasts et Spotify ou partager cette publication LIFE ON MISSION avec vos amis en utilisant le lien attaché ou le QR code ci-dessous.

Quel est le BUT de la SOUFFRANCE ?

Commençons cette mini-étude par la prière, suivie de quelques contextes historiques et bibliques.

Prions

Auteur de la vie,

Nous venons devant Ton trône de grâce maintenant, par la foi.

Tu es un Roi bon et plein de grâce.

Saint, saint, saint est le Seigneur Dieu Tout-Puissant.

Toute la terre est remplie de Ta gloire.

Merci pour Ta Parole. Merci pour ce passage de 1 Pierre 4:12–19.

Nous venons pour Te rencontrer à travers Ta Parole.

Je sais qu'il y a des trésors que Tu veux nous révéler aujourd'hui.

Donne-nous des yeux pour voir, des oreilles pour entendre, un cœur et un esprit capables de comprendre ce que Tu veux nous montrer.

Merci pour Ton amour.

Tu es source de vie et bon.

Tu es la Source de la sagesse.

Que nous puissions voir Ta sagesse à l'œuvre dans ce passage.

Renforce-nous, Seigneur, par Ton Esprit, pour que nous prenions Tes paroles à cœur et que nous y répondions par la foi.

Merci pour tout ce que Tu as préparé pour nous, Dieu.

Apprends-nous à voir la souffrance comme Tu la vois, afin que nous puissions vaincre comme Christ.

Merci pour le don de Ton Esprit en nous qui croyons, le même Esprit qui a permis à Christ de vaincre.

Je T'aime, Seigneur, et je Te remercie pour Ta présence maintenant.

Nous Te soumettons ce temps et cette étude biblique.

Nous voici, Bon Berger.

Nous sommes assis à Tes pieds.

Parle à nos cœurs, Toi qui es plein de grâce.

Nous écoutons.

Prépare-nous à recevoir et à répondre.

Nous prions au nom de Jésus.

Amen.

Merci, Seigneur ! C'est parti !

Lisons le passage dans son contexte.

1 Pierre 4:12–19

12 « Bien-aimés, ne soyez pas surpris de la fournaise qui est au milieu de vous pour vous éprouver, comme s'il vous arrivait quelque chose d'étrange.

13 Réjouissez-vous, au contraire, de la part que vous avez aux souffrances de Christ, afin que vous soyez aussi dans la joie et dans l'allégresse lorsque sa gloire sera révélée.

14 Si vous êtes outragés pour le nom de Christ, vous êtes heureux, parce que l'Esprit de gloire, l'Esprit de Dieu repose sur vous.

15 Que nul de vous, en effet, ne souffre comme meurtrier, ou voleur, ou malfaiteur, ou comme se mêlant des affaires d'autrui.

16 Mais si quelqu'un souffre comme chrétien, qu'il n'en ait pas honte, et que plutôt il glorifie Dieu à cause de ce nom.

17 Car c'est le moment où le jugement va commencer par la maison de Dieu. Or, s'il commence par nous, quelle sera la fin de ceux qui n'obéissent pas à l'évangile de Dieu ?

18 Et

« Si le juste est sauvé avec peine, Que deviendront l'impie et le pécheur ? »

19 Ainsi, que ceux qui souffrent selon la volonté de Dieu remettent leurs âmes au fidèle Créateur, en faisant le bien.

Amen!

Un aperçu contextuel de 1 Pierre 4:12–19

Ces huit versets ne sont qu’une petite partie de la première lettre de Pierre, la première de deux lettres. Commençons par le début…

Qui est l’auteur ?

Cela semble une évidence à la lecture du verset 1 du chapitre 1 : l’apôtre Pierre, également connu sous le nom de Simon-Pierre ou Céphas. Certains ont débattu de l’auteur pour des raisons que j’ignore, mais la tradition de l’Église primitive et les preuves internes pointent fortement vers Pierre. La première ligne de la lettre dit :

« Pierre, apôtre de Jésus-Christ, aux élus qui sont étrangers dispersés dans le Pont, la Galatie, la Cappadoce, l’Asie et la Bithynie… »

Donc, on peut être assez sûrs que c’est notre ami Pierre.

Quand cela a-t-il été écrit ?

On croit que la lettre de 1 Pierre a probablement été écrite au début des années 60 après J.-C., durant ou juste avant une période de persécution croissante sous l’empereur Néron (vers le milieu des années 60). Ce tristement célèbre dirigeant romain persécutait violemment les disciples de Christ, ceux qui suivaient « la Voie ».

Voici un épisode horrible de l’histoire. L’historien romain Tacite relate dans ses Annales (livre 15, chapitre 44) que Néron faisait brûler vivants des chrétiens pour illuminer ses jardins la nuit.

Voici un extrait (traduit du latin) révélant les épreuves de feu que subissait l’Église primitive sous le règne de Néron :

« On ajouta à leur mort des moqueries de toutes sortes. Vêtus de peaux de bêtes, ils étaient livrés aux chiens et périssaient déchirés, ou bien on les clouait sur des croix, ou encore on les brûlait vifs pour servir d’éclairage nocturne une fois la nuit tombée. »

« Néron offrit ses jardins pour ce spectacle et y présentait un cirque, se mêlant au peuple en habit de cocher ou se tenant debout sur un char. »

— Tacite, Annales 15.44

C’est dans ce contexte et à cette époque que Pierre écrivit sa lettre pour encourager et fortifier les croyants dispersés dans ce qui correspond aujourd’hui à la Turquie.

Qui sont les destinataires ?

Des croyants dispersés dans toute l’Asie Mineure (l’actuelle Turquie) — probablement un mélange de chrétiens d’origine juive et païenne — qui faisaient face à l’exclusion sociale, aux insultes, à la violence, et à la persécution à cause de leur foi en Christ.

Quel est le but de cette lettre ?

Pierre écrit pour encourager à persévérer dans la souffrance, rappeler l’espérance céleste des croyants et les appeler à une vie sainte. Ce passage (4:12–19) se concentre particulièrement sur la souffrance à cause de Christ — non pas en raison d’un mal commis, mais comme signe de la véritable fidélité au Christ.

Maintenant, il est temps d’entrer dans l’étude verset par verset, avec des points clés et un enseignement pour chaque verset. Et comme le Nouveau Testament a été écrit en grec koinè (le grec courant de l’époque), nous allons explorer ensemble quelques mots grecs puissants utilisés dans ce passage. Ils ouvrent des couches plus profondes de sens et enrichissent notre compréhension. On y voit clairement l’Esprit de Dieu inspirer Pierre dans ses choix de mots, souvent en écho aux images de l’Ancien Testament et aux enseignements de Jésus.

Je ferai de mon mieux pour ne pas massacrer la prononciation des mots grecs que j’ai trouvés en consultant le Greek New Testament via Blue Letter Bible. Merci pour votre patience et votre grâce !

C’est parti ! 🎉

Analyse Verset par Verset

1 Pierre 4:12 – « Ne soyez pas surpris »

« Bien-aimés, ne soyez pas surpris de la fournaise qui est au milieu de vous pour vous éprouver, comme s’il vous arrivait quelque chose d’étrange. »

Pierre s’adresse à eux en disant : « Bien-aimés ». Il y a un ton aimant, pastoral.

« Fournaise » : Cela suggère non seulement un inconfort, mais une souffrance intense — faisant probablement allusion à des persécutions littérales impliquant le feu, ou du moins à des épreuves intenses.

Quel est le but de l’épreuve ? Éprouver et affiner leur foi, non la détruire. On peut comparer cela avec Jacques 1:2–4 et 1 Pierre 1:6–7.

Jacques écrit :

« Regardez comme un sujet de joie complète les diverses épreuves auxquelles vous pouvez être exposés, sachant que l’épreuve de votre foi produit la persévérance. Mais il faut que la persévérance accomplisse parfaitement son œuvre, afin que vous soyez parfaits et accomplis, sans faillir en rien. » (Jacques 1:2–4)

Dans 1 Pierre 1:6–7, Pierre écrit :

« C’est là ce qui fait votre joie, quoique maintenant, puisqu’il le faut, vous soyez attristés pour un peu de temps par diverses épreuves, afin que l’épreuve de votre foi, beaucoup plus précieuse que l’or périssable — lequel pourtant est éprouvé par le feu — ait pour résultat la louange, la gloire et l’honneur lorsque Jésus-Christ apparaîtra. »

Et qu’en est-il de considérer la souffrance comme étrange ? On voit dans ce passage que souffrir pour Christ est normal pour le vrai disciple, pas une anomalie. Jésus nous a dit de nous y attendre dans Jean 15:18–20. Jésus a dit ces paroles puissantes :

« Si le monde vous hait, sachez qu’il m’a haï avant vous. Si vous étiez du monde, le monde aimerait ce qui est à lui ; mais parce que vous n’êtes pas du monde, et que je vous ai choisis du milieu du monde, à cause de cela le monde vous hait. Souvenez-vous de la parole que je vous ai dite : Le serviteur n’est pas plus grand que son maître. S’ils m’ont persécuté, ils vous persécuteront aussi ; s’ils ont gardé ma parole, ils garderont aussi la vôtre. »

Conclusion principale :Ne soyez pas choqués par les épreuves. Attendez-vous à cela comme faisant partie de la marche avec Christ.

Aperçus du Grec

Le mot grec pour « Bien-aimés » est ἀγαπητοί (agapētoi) (racine : agapētos)

Signification : « Très aimés », enraciné dans agapē, l’amour sacrificiel et d’alliance de Dieu.

Observation : Pierre s’adresse à eux avec affection, reflétant l’amour d’alliance de Dieu. Même au cœur des épreuves brûlantes, Pierre parle aux chrétiens selon leur identité : les bien-aimés de Dieu — un ancrage identitaire crucial.

Le mot grec pour « Fournaise » est πυρώσει (pyrōsei)

Signification : Littéralement « brûlure » ou « épreuve ardente ». Vient de pyr (feu).

Observation : Il ne s’agit pas seulement d’épreuves inconfortables, mais de tests de purification, comme le feu qui affine les métaux bruts pour qu’ils deviennent précieux, purs et beaux, comme dans Malachie 3:2–3 ou 1 Pierre 1:7. La souffrance n’est pas un hasard — c’est un processus de purification.

Il est écrit au sujet de la venue du Seigneur dans Malachie 3:2–3 :

« Qui pourra soutenir le jour de sa venue ? Qui restera debout quand il apparaîtra ? Car il sera comme le feu du fondeur, comme la potasse des blanchisseurs. Il s’assiéra, fondra et purifiera l’argent ; il purifiera les fils de Lévi, il les épurera comme l’or et l’argent, et ils présenteront à l’Éternel des offrandes avec justice. »

Comme nous l’avons vu, bien que les croyants aient été attristés par diverses épreuves, le but était :

« Afin que l’épreuve de votre foi — beaucoup plus précieuse que l’or périssable, qui pourtant est éprouvé par le feu — ait pour résultat la louange, la gloire et l’honneur lorsque Jésus-Christ apparaîtra. » (1 Pierre 1:7)

Ce terme grec relie la souffrance à la discipline purificatrice de Dieu, un feu qui éprouve et purifie. Ces épreuves ne visent pas à détruire la foi, mais à en prouver l’authenticité.

1 Pierre 4:13 – « Réjouissez-vous dans la souffrance »

« Réjouissez-vous au contraire de la part que vous avez aux souffrances de Christ, afin que vous soyez aussi dans la joie et dans l’allégresse lorsque sa gloire apparaîtra. »

Partager les souffrances de Christ relie les croyants à leur Sauveur. (Voir Philippiens 3:7-11.)

La souffrance présente conduit à la joie au retour de Christ — une gloire future. Pierre lie la souffrance et la gloire tout au long de cette lettre.

La joie, l’allégresse et l’exultation ici ne sont pas fondées sur les circonstances, mais sur un choix ancré dans une espérance future solide. Il s’agit d’une joie qui découle de notre identification à Christ et de l’anticipation de la révélation de sa gloire.

Conclusion principale :Réjouis-toi maintenant car ta souffrance te lie à Christ et te conduit à la gloire.

Aperçus du Grec

Le mot grec pour « Réjouissez-vous » est χαίρετε (chairete) et pour « soyez dans l’allégresse » est ἀγαλλιᾶσθε (agalliasthe)

* Chairete est un impératif présent, signifiant « continuez à vous réjouir ».

* Agalliasthe est un impératif moyen/passif, exprimant une joie exubérante et intense, souvent utilisée dans le contexte de l’adoration.

Observation : Ce ne sont pas des suggestions. La joie dans la souffrance est une réponse intentionnelle, rendue possible par l’Esprit, pas une simple émotion. C’est une joie centrée sur Christ et tournée vers l’avenir.

Le mot grec pour « partager » est κοινωνεῖτε (koinōneite)

Signification : « Participer à », « être en communion avec » Christ dans ses souffrances.

Observation : Nous ne souffrons pas seuls — nous avons communion avec Christ dans la souffrance. C’est une union profonde avec Lui et une conscience vive de sa présence au cœur de l’épreuve, pas simplement une connaissance intellectuelle à Son sujet.

1 Pierre 4:14 – « Vous êtes bénis »

« Si vous êtes outragés pour le nom de Christ, vous êtes bénis, parce que l'Esprit de gloire et de Dieu repose sur vous. »

Cela fait écho à la béatitude de Jésus dans Matthieu 5:11–12. Jésus a dit :

« Heureux serez-vous lorsqu'on vous insultera, qu'on vous persécutera et qu'on dira faussement toute sorte de mal contre vous à cause de moi. 12 Réjouissez-vous et soyez dans l'allégresse, car votre récompense sera grande dans les cieux ; c’est ainsi qu’on a persécuté les prophètes qui ont été avant vous. »

Être « outragé pour le nom de Christ » implique une persécution sociale — cela peut prendre la forme de moqueries, d’exclusion, de calomnies, etc.

Pourtant, au milieu de ces outrages pour le nom de Christ, l’Esprit de gloire et de Dieu repose sur vous. Cela fait écho à Ésaïe 11:2, et c’est peut-être ce que nous voyons dans le témoignage d’Étienne dans Actes 6–7, juste avant qu’il ne devienne le premier martyr chrétien.

Le Saint-Esprit donne la force, le réconfort et rend témoignage à la vérité du Christ et à notre appartenance à Lui.

Un point clé à retenir : Souffrir pour Christ apporte une bénédiction spirituelle et la présence puissante de Dieu.

Aperçus du Grec

Le mot grec pour « outragés » est ὀνειδίζεσθε (oneidízesthe)

Sens : être reproché, injurié, humilié publiquement.

Nous voyons ici un lien fort avec les souffrances de Jésus (par exemple, les paroles de Jésus déjà mentionnées dans Matthieu 5:11, et aussi Hébreux 11:26). Être insulté à cause de Christ, c’est être béni.

Le mot grec pour « l’Esprit de gloire » est πνεῦμα δόξης καὶ θεοῦ (pneuma dóxēs kai theoû)

C’est une expression unique dans la Bible. Elle souligne que la présence glorieuse de Dieu repose sur le croyant, même lorsqu’il souffre. Cela évoque la gloire Shekinah — la présence manifeste de Dieu dans l’Ancien Testament (voir Exode 40:34).

Quelle application en tirer ? Là où le monde voit de la honte et une souffrance à éviter, Dieu manifeste Sa présence, Sa puissance et Sa gloire à Son peuple.

Je ne veux pas vous laisser en suspens, mais c’est ici que nous allons faire une pause dans cette étude biblique. Il y a déjà beaucoup à méditer. Le plan est de reprendre cette exploration en profondeur dans notre prochaine publication !

J’espère que vous prenez plaisir à rencontrer le Seigneur à travers Sa Parole. Il y a encore beaucoup à venir — restez à l’écoute pour notre étude approfondie de 1 Pierre 4:15-19.

Dans notre prochaine publication, nous prévoyons également de poser et de répondre à quelques questions essentielles :

* Que révèle ce passage sur Dieu ?

* Que révèle ce passage sur nous ?

* Comment devons-nous répondre par la foi ?

* Qu’est-ce qui doit changer dans notre façon de penser ou dans nos croyances ?

Ensuite, nous mettrons en évidence quelques enseignements clés.

Enfin, nous aborderons quelques questions concrètes auxquelles les chrétiens — hier comme aujourd’hui — sont confrontés lorsqu’ils souffrent pour leur foi, et qui sont soit directement traitées, soit profondément éclairées par 1 Pierre 4:12–19. Des questions comme :

* « Pourquoi est-ce que je souffre alors que je suis fidèlement Christ ? »

* « Est-ce que Dieu est encore avec moi dans cette douleur ? »

* « Que dois-je faire pendant que je souffre ? »

* « Puis-je vraiment faire confiance à Dieu avec mon âme et ma souffrance ? »

* « Quelle perspective devrais-je avoir face à la souffrance ? »

Merci beaucoup d’avoir écouté ou lu jusqu’ici. Vous êtes aimé(e). On se retrouve ici même pour la Partie 2 dans deux jours, si Dieu le veut.

Que Dieu vous bénisse avec des yeux pour voir, des oreilles pour entendre, et un cœur et un esprit pour percevoir et comprendre Sa Parole et Sa volonté pour vous.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast.

I have a strong conviction that the Lord wants me to share from a faith-filled, God-fearing, Christ-centered perspective, from every post I write, to every podcast I record, to my day to day conversations.

So, I am endeavoring to be faithful in little, planting Kingdom seeds and watering them, but ultimately I am trusting God to bring the growth, shift perspectives, lovingly shape hearts, and encourage each soul reading or listening.

I hope you can sense that in these podcast-posts.

* Deep dive #2: The FALSE GOSPEL of POLITICAL IDEOLOGY vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS

* Deep dive #1: The FALSE GOSPEL of POPULARITY & INFLUENCE vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS

* The Series Introduction: Which Gospel Are You Living By?

* Pre-Series Deep Dive: CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH - Unpacking some Junk and Replacing it with Eternal Treasures.

Today, we’ve got a serious lie to expose to the light. This should be a fun one, friends.

Here’s a quick introduction. In this series, we are aiming to honestly expose widespread false gospels to the light of Christ and the truth of God’s Word. We contrast these false hopes with the true Good News of Jesus and the always advancing Kingdom of God.

Why this, now? Simply because the Lord really moved my heart with His desire to inspire real, lasting HOPE in us—especially in an age when so many lack real hope.

So, I believe that God will restore HOPE in us as we turn our eyes toward Jesus and respond to the truth that sets us free.

My prayer is that this series will refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you.

You can also share this podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify or share this LIFE ON MISSION publication with friends using the link attached or the QR code below.

The FALSE GOSPEL of LIFE WITHOUT SUFFERING vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS

Let’s start with a counter-cultural truth revealed in 2 Timothy 3:12-13.

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

This is a hard truth to receive.

Talk about setting expectations, right?

God speaks the truth. All He says and does is true.

It may not always be easy to hear, but at least we can know it’s true.

So, if persecution is certain for “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus,” and that is a matter of fact from God’s Word, then why do we so often avoid inconvenience at all costs?

This begs the questions:

What do we truly desire? To live a godly life in Christ Jesus or something else?

Or, is there another gospel we may have believed that prioritizes pain-free life free from suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ?

What’s the False Gospel of Life Without Suffering?

In today’s world, there’s a subtle but seductive message that goes something like this:

“Suffering is horrible. It’s the worst.”

“If it’s hard, it can’t be from God.”

“If doors open and it feels easy, then it must be from God.”

“God won’t give you something you can’t handle.”

“God would never let you suffer.”

“Live your best, pain-free life now.”

“If you just pray, believe, work hard, and plan well enough, you won't have to struggle.”

“If you do enough good, good things will come to you.”

“Jesus suffered so you don’t have to.”

Welcome to the False Gospel of Life Without Suffering—the idea that the Christian life should be easy, comfortable, and pain-free if you’re doing it right.

It often wears a smiley mask. It might come in the form of inspirational Instagram reels, or motivational sermons with no mention of sin or the true Good News of Jesus, or self-help books and podcasts.

You may have heard things like this from well-meaning people or family members.

The messaging promises breakthroughs and blessings without the cost of obedience or the weight of taking up your cross.

Being honest, the False Gospel of Life Without Suffering can seem nice, right, and perfectly normal, but it contradicts what Jesus said and what the Bible declares.

It’s not the real Good News.

It is a false hope that leads many to wander from God when life gets tough.

Even more, I believe this promise of a life free from suffering is a lie from the pit that the deceiver uses to lead otherwise steady souls to spiral downward in hard moments rather than turn upward to Jesus—to the One who saves, sustains, and strengthens us to overcome with Him.

It is a matter of fact that we live in a very broken world where sin, evil, and darkness exist.

Suffering can be brutal and confusing and lead us to ask “Why?” but it isn’t the ultimate evil.

Scripture Reveals that Suffering Is Part of Following Jesus

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

- Matthew 7:13-14

“Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’”

- Matthew 16:24–25

Here we see that Christ’s invitation is not just that we believe in our heads that He is the Savior.

Instead, Jesus invites us to lay down our lives, to deny ourselves, to bear our cross, and begin a new life walking with Him by faith.

This is an invitation to surrender all we are and have to Him.

All are welcomed to come to Him, to embrace Jesus as our faithful Savior, Lord, and Source of all we need.

It’s worth noting though, this is the King of Glory we’re engaging with, so we come to Him on His terms, not ours.

(Oooo already I am sensing the fear of the LORD arising within me. The truth really does set us free. Hey, there’s no use hiding from the truth. Lord Jesus, help us to embrace the truth.)

Jesus never promised that life with Him would be pain-free. He promised something better: His presence with us in every trial, and eternal glory on the other side of the suffering.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

- 1 Peter 4:12–13

Hallelujah! That is an example of eternal perspective—what I like to call Kingdom perspective.

Next, we know from Acts 14:19-20, that after preaching the Good News in Lystra, Paul was stoned and left for dead. Just one day after Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and thought to be dead, Paul got up and went into the city where he met up with Barnabas and left for the city of Derbe. The account continues in Acts 14:21-22,

“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Friends, suffering isn’t an interruption to the Christian life—it’s part of it.

Why The False Gospel of Life Without Suffering Is So Dangerous

This false gospel isn’t just misleading—it’s cruel, because it sets people up to believe that when hardship comes, God must have somehow failed them.

It insinuates:

* That trials mean God is absent or angry or something else.

* That pain is the opposite of blessing.

* That Christian maturity means successfully avoiding difficulties.

This leads to crushed faith when life gets real.

But God never hides the cost of following Him.

He meets us in the fire, not just in the sunshine.

Our trials are temporary, especially so when considering the weight of glory, hope, and eternal life accessible through Jesus.

It is genuine and truly helpful to know the reality that suffering is promised to those who follow Christ.

It’s not easy, but it’s real.

Disciples of Jesus endure trials in this life like anyone else, but we have a tremendous advantage that the world doesn’t have:

We have a compassionate Savior, King, and Lord who knows what it’s like to suffer and promises to be with us through every dark moment, valley, and storm.

Jesus is our Deliverer who brings us up out of the muck and mire and sets our feet on solid ground.

We all will endure hard things, even hard seasons of life, but we’ll never be alone in them.

The Lord is with us, now and forevermore: strengthening us, uplifting us, speaking words of life, reminding us of His presence and promises, empowering us to endure and overcome, building our character, and blessing us with hope.

Suffering is temporary.

But in Jesus, we have enduring hope for a glorious eternal inheritance and abundant life with the Giver of life, joy, and peace.

Biblical Realities to Counter The “Life Without Suffering” Lie

1. Jesus Himself Suffered

I am about to read just a part of the Messianic prophecy pointing to Jesus, found in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah 53:3-6.

I couldn’t more highly recommend reading Isaiah 52:13 through the end of ch. 53 if you want to really meditate on what Jesus endured for us on the cross to deal with sin and redeem our lives.

It is both beautiful and heart-wrenching.

“He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.”

Just to hear it again with some words we may be more familiar with, here’s the same passage pointing to Jesus in the New Living Translation of the Bible.

“He was despised and rejected—

a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;

it was our sorrows that weighed him down.

And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,

a punishment for his own sins!

But he was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.

Yet the LORD laid on him

the sins of us all.”

Jesus wasn’t pampered.

He was pierced.

He was crushed.

He didn’t live a suffering-free life.

And He told us plainly:

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

- John 16:33

That is good news.

Remember the Lord’s promises to be with us always (Matthew 28:18-20) and to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)?

We can have full assurance that our overcoming Savior is with us through every trial, no matter how big or small.

2. Suffering Is A Part Of The Path to Glory

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

- Romans 8:18

So, we may have pain now, but there is glory forever for those who trust in Jesus.

It can be hard to receive this when the majority of the world believes and lives otherwise.

Nevertheless, I believe the sooner we embrace this Kingdom perspective with the Lord, the better—for the sake of our lives, our families, our communities.

For the sake of the world walking in darkness, spiritually blinded, enslaved to do what their sinful nature craves, physically alive but spiritually dead.

The way of the world leads to death. But the way of Jesus leads to eternal and abundant life.

3. God Lovingly Sanctifies Us Through Suffering

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

- Romans 5:1-5

Suffering isn’t wasted in God’s hands.

It’s a workshop where endurance produces godly character. Where godly character produces a lasting hope that is anchored in the One who is unchanging.

We get to live with these eternal realities in mind.

We’ve been made right in God’s sight by faith.

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus, we have full access to God’s grace and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Consider this too: Many of our neighbors, friends, and family members don’t have this standing before God—this peace, this grace, this enduring hope.

Imagine that? How would you or I live if we didn’t have this peace, this grace, this enduring hope from God?

To say the least, these neighbors, friends, and family members of ours need to be shown grace and love as much as we do.

I believe this is also why the way we go through suffering as followers of Jesus matters so much.

The way we handle suffering in this life should not resemble the ways the world hates and avoids suffering at all costs.

We have Jesus with us.

We have the Holy Spirit in us.

We have our Father in heaven who is for us.

We have peace, grace, and hope in God.

I can’t help but pray!

Lord,

Help and teach us to live like this is our reality.

Even in the midst of our trials, may others see the peace, grace, and hope we have in Christ and know there is a God in heaven who lives and works in, through, and around us on earth.

May they see for themselves that You are good, God, and Your steadfast love endures forever.

I pray in the name of Jesus our King,

Amen.

Thank You, Lord!

Let’s Be Real

If the goal of Christianity were comfort:

* Jesus wouldn’t have been born in a dirty manger in Bethlehem.

* Jesus and His disciples would’ve been without a home and on the road for the majority of His 3+ years doing Gospel work, urging repentance, and announcing the arrival of God’s Kingdom on earth.

* Jesus wouldn’t have ridden into Jerusalem on a little young donkey for His “Triumphal Entry.”

* Paul wouldn’t have been stoned, shipwrecked, and bitten by a snake.

* The disciples wouldn’t have professed that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life while they were persecuted, exiled, and killed as martyrs.

* James definitely wouldn’t have said,

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

- James 1:2-4

We don’t worship a God who says “Avoid the fire.”

We worship the God who walks with us in it.

Jesus Meets Us In the Suffering

Here’s some more good news: God doesn’t waste a single tear or trial.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.”

- Psalm 23:4

You and I might be in a valley, but we are never alone in it.

You might feel the weight of the world crushing you.

But God’s Word declares in Psalm 34:18,

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

You might be grieving, but Jesus says you are blessed and will be comforted.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

- Matthew 5:4

And in Christ, your suffering won’t have the final word.

The undefeated King Jesus has the final word.

Repent. Reframe. Rejoice.

Let’s be honest—none of us wants to suffer.

But when we see it with an eternal perspective, we realize:

* Suffering can draw us nearer to Christ.

* We get to grow in Christlike endurance, character, and hope.

* It reminds us that we need Emmanuel, God with us.

So we reject the lie that pain means God is absent.

We reject the lie that suffering is the ultimate evil and to be avoided at all costs.

Instead, we cling to the truth that God is near to the brokenhearted as it says in Psalm 34:18,

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

- Romans 8:28

A Final Thought

A suffering-free life is unattainable, but a suffering-free eternity is promised for any person who is willing to trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord.

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus or aren’t sure whether He has saved you, here’s the simple Good News:

God lovingly made us to know Him, enjoy Him fully, and make Him known.

Nevertheless, we have all sinned and gone our own way.

But in His mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus—fully God and fully man—

who lived the perfect life we could never live,

died the death we deserved,

and rose again to conquer sin and death forever.

And now, by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are invited into a new life—eternal, abundant life with God, starting now and lasting forever.

Whether you’re hearing this message for the 7th time or for the very 1st time, you can choose to commit or recommit your life to God, and to welcome Jesus to be your Savior and your Lord.

Just so you know, the Bible says in the book of Romans 10:9-11,

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’”

This is life-changing Good News, friends.

By God’s grace, you will be justified through faith in Jesus, meaning you will be made righteous in God’s eyes.

So, if you want to be forgiven, make peace with God, and accept God’s offer of salvation by trusting Jesus, the decision is yours to make—the offer of grace is on the table.

In contrast, the false gospel we’ve exposed to the light makes empty promises of a pain-free life without suffering that it cannot deliver.

It misleads people into doing all they can to seek comfort and avoid suffering as they march toward real, eternal suffering apart from God.

This is a lie worth exposing to the light.

Considering how convinced I am of the Good News of Jesus, it would be cruel of me not to share this Good News and to say nothing about a false message of hope that leads people toward an eternity away from God’s love, light, grace, and peace.

The true Gospel doesn’t promise life without suffering.

It offers resurrection after the cross, glory after the groaning, and Jesus in the middle of it all.

And honestly?

Renewed life and real relationship with the risen King Jesus is way better than avoiding hard things anyway.

Life with the Comforter isn’t easy, but it’s packed with meaning and power—it’s truly fulfilling, now and forevermore.

Hard things, hard seasons will come in this life, but they will pass.

With Christ, these trials will not overcome us.

As beloved sons and daughters, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

Yes, we give up temporary worldly pleasures and instant gratification.

Yes, there’s a battle between the desires of our flesh against the desires of the Spirit of God in us.

Yes, it requires faith and trust and relinquishing the illusion that we have control and the final say.

But, we invest now and gain for eternity.

We sow seeds and water them now, and reap an eternal harvest.

We give up our old lives and sins, and gain a real relationship with the living God who loves us.

We gain abundant life with Jesus, starting now and lasting forever.

THANK YOU, GOD!

Mes amis, mi amigos, my friends, everyone who’s reading or listening to this, I hope you were blessed and encouraged by this podcast-post. I hope you’re having a good time unpacking some more junk with me and replacing it with real eternal treasures. May God deeply refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. You can click the share buttons below or subscribe for free. May God bless you with hope in the Good News of Jesus! You are loved.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Posts/podcasts every M, W, & F!

Hey friends, thanks for joining the LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN Podcast.

Welcome back to the Who Is God series.

I am expectant in faith, trusting that our Almighty Maker will continue to encourage and build up His Bride through these posts. As a reminder, here’s the heart of this series:

EMBRACING WHO GOD IS helps us ALIGN OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST which leads to EXPERIENCING MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH GOD.

Get ready, because we’re about to engage with the living God and meditate on His omnipotent nature. I hope this fuels your faith and inspires lasting gratitude, prayer, & praise. Let’s go!

Omnipotent (All-Powerful) God

What does this mean?

To say God is omnipotent means He is all-powerful—limitless in strength, supreme in authority, and sovereign over all creation.

There is nothing too hard for Him, no enemy too strong, no situation too chaotic, and no heart too hardened.

God simply spoke, and galaxies came into existence.

He commands storms to cease and be still, and they obey.

He raises the dead, opens blind eyes, parts seas, casts out demons, sets captives free, and upholds the universe by the word of His power.

The almighty God uses His power not to crush, but to save those who feel crushed.

He uses His power to heal, to redeem, to set free, and to accomplish His beautiful purpose throughout creation.

His strength is not distant or insignificant.

It’s personal, potent, transformative.

In Christ, God’s power is for you and in you through the Holy Spirit.

Before we move forward…

Pause and remember who we’re approaching.

This is the Almighty One, seated on the throne, clothed in glory and majesty in radiant light, surrounded by angelic living creatures day and night who never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

- Revelation 4:8

Yet this is also the same God who invites you to draw near, who fights your battles, who strengthens your heart, and who is for you, not against you.

Take 30 seconds to be still before the Omnipotent God—the Mighty Warrior who saves—our Father, Lord, and King.

Ok, are you ready? Now, let’s step forward with reverence, courage, and holy confidence in Jesus.

God’s Word Reveals HE IS OMNIPOTENT

“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”

- Jeremiah 32:17

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

“O Israel, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.”

- Psalm 115:3, 9-11

“Nothing will be impossible with God.”

- Luke 1:37

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

- Ephesians 3:14-21

1. Behold: Who God Is

God is Almighty—nothing is too difficult for Him.

He created all things by His word (see Genesis 1).

He sustains all things by His power (remember Hebrews 1:3).

It says in Job 12:10,

“In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”

God reigns in glory over every nation, ruler, and detail of life.

It says in Psalm 22:27-28,

“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.”

The LORD’s power has no rival and no limit.

In Genesis 17:1, God introduces Himself as El Shaddai, God All-Mighty.

The power of God is seen in countless ways throughout time: in creation, in miracles, in judgment—and most gloriously, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

It says in Romans 1:4, that

Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.”

He doesn’t just possess power—He is the Source of all power.

And this same power is now at work in and for His people.

He is the God who fights for us, strengthens us, and fills us with His Spirit to live in victory over sin and fear.

2. Believe: Who You Are in Christ

Because God is omnipotent, you are never helpless or without hope.

You are empowered, protected, and held by the hand of the Almighty.

In Christ, you are not living in your own strength—you are filled with resurrection power.

It says in Romans 8:11,

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

In Christ, no enemy can ultimately prevail against you.

No burden is too heavy when carried with Him.

Your Defender is the Lord.

It says in Isaiah 54:17,

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”

Friends, we are not victims of circumstance or chance—we servants of the Lord are children of the all-powerful, victorious King.

This is the Lord who fights for you, who secures your freedom, who empowers your holiness, sustains your joy, and works for your eternal good.

The LORD’s power is made perfect and most evident not in our perfection, but in weakness.

As God’s grace was sufficient for Paul (see 2 Corinthians 12:9), God’s grace is sufficient for you and me.

3. Become: Like Jesus, Strengthened and Spirit-Empowered

A Declaration for Today (You can say this with me by faith):

“Lord God Almighty, I trust in You. Your mighty power is unmatched. Though I am weak, in You, I find strength. In You, Lord Jesus, I am strong. By Your grace and the power of Your Spirit living in me, I choose to walk in Your strength, not my own.”

A Call to Trust:

The same God who split the Red Sea, shut the mouths of lions, and conquered death through the cross is with you.

So, lay down fear.

Release anxiety.

Relinquish control.

Stop relying on your own strength.

Let your confidence rise in the Lord Most High—not in your ability, but in His infinite power at work in you through the Holy Spirit who abides in you.

Take A Step of Faith:

Draw near to God with thanksgiving.

Praise Him for His power and love.

Speak aloud a situation that feels impossible or overwhelming.

Then, declare God’s power over it.

You can use the Scriptures highlighting His all-powerful nature referenced in this post.

Remind your soul who the one, true, omnipotent God is.

Ask the Lord to move this knowledge of who He is from your head to your heart—from intellectual agreement to wholehearted belief.

Then, step forward in obedience, trusting He will supply all you need.

Remember God’s Promise:

“The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

- 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Let’s Pray

All-Powerful God,

There is none like You.

There’s no one beside You, El Shaddai.

God Almighty, You are undefeated.

Lord Jesus, I remember Your victory over sin, death, and darkness.

Your strength and sovereignty are unmatched.

Only You are mighty to save and faithful to deliver us from temptation and evil.

I celebrate You, Lord, as the all-powerful King—as my Father and Best Friend.

I acknowledge I am weak, but in You, Christ, I am strong.

Thank You for Your power at work in my life.

You are my strength and my shield.

Empower me by Your Spirit to live boldly, to love sacrificially, and to walk in fearless trust with You.

May Your power be made perfect and evident in my life today.

I pray in Jesus’ mighty name,

Amen.

Thank You, Lord!

Friends, may God increase your awareness of His omnipotent hand upholding you today and give you the strength you need to face every challenge with courage, faith, and joy—knowing He is with you.

His presence changes everything.

As it says in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, I pray,

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

Nothing is too hard for our God, and He is with us.

Thanks for tuning in and joining me in beholding the Lord Most Powerful.

This is the 11th post in this series called WHO IS GOD? A Series on Rediscovering the One True, Living God—and Who You Are Because of Him.

We’re on an intentional journey of growing to trust in God’s character and nature, allowing Him to shape our identity in Christ and responding by faith.

If you haven’t already, check out the latest podcasts highlighting Who God Is: Personal, Caring, The Comforter, Beautiful, Immutable (Unchanging), Love, a Consuming Fire, Infinite, Holy, and you can find the series introduction too. These are linked here.

* PERSONAL GOD

* CARING GOD

* GOD IS THE COMFORTER

* GOD IS BEAUTIFUL

* GOD IS IMMUTABLE (UNCHANGING)

* GOD IS LOVE

* GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE

* INFINITE GOD

* GOD IS HOLY

* WHO IS GOD? Series Introduction

By all means, share this LIFE ON MISSION publication or post with your friends.

May God bless you with the revelation of His POWERFUL nature and love today.

May God bless you to EMBRACE WHO GOD IS, ALIGN YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST, and EXPERIENCE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH HIM.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

DIEU TOUT-PUISSANT – QUI EST DIEU ? Une série pour redécouvrir le seul vrai Dieu vivant — et découvrir qui tu es à cause de Lui

Contempler les attributs, le caractère et la nature de Dieu

Bonjour mes amis, merci d’avoir rejoint le podcast LIFE ON MISSION avec TANNER KLEIN.

Bienvenue de nouveau dans la série QUI EST DIEU.

Je suis rempli d’attente et de foi, convaincu que notre Créateur Tout-Puissant va continuer à fortifier et édifier Son Église à travers ces méditations. En rappel, voici le cœur de cette série :

EMBRASSER QUI EST DIEU nous aide à ALIGNER NOTRE IDENTITÉ EN CHRIST, ce qui mène à une VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC DIEU.

Préparez-vous, car nous allons rencontrer le Dieu vivant et méditer sur Sa nature toute-puissante. Que cela nourrisse votre foi et inspire une gratitude, une prière et une louange durables. C’est parti !

DIEU TOUT-PUISSANT

Que signifie cela ?

Dire que Dieu est omnipotent, c’est dire qu’Il est tout-puissant—sans limite dans Sa force, suprême en autorité, et souverain sur toute la création.

Rien n’est trop difficile pour Lui, aucun ennemi trop fort, aucune situation trop chaotique, aucun cœur trop endurci.

Dieu a simplement parlé, et les galaxies sont venues à l’existence.

Il commande aux tempêtes de se calmer, et elles obéissent.

Il ressuscite les morts, ouvre les yeux des aveugles, sépare les mers, chasse les démons, libère les captifs et soutient l’univers par la parole de Sa puissance.

Le Dieu Tout-Puissant n’utilise pas Sa puissance pour écraser, mais pour sauver ceux qui sont écrasés.

Il utilise Sa puissance pour guérir, racheter, libérer et accomplir Son dessein magnifique dans toute la création.

Sa force n’est ni lointaine ni insignifiante.

Elle est personnelle, puissante, transformatrice.

En Christ, la puissance de Dieu est pour vous, et en vous, par le Saint-Esprit.

Avant d’aller plus loin…

Faisons une pause et rappelons-nous à qui nous nous approchons.

C’est le Tout-Puissant, assis sur le trône, vêtu de gloire et de majesté, entouré de créatures célestes jour et nuit qui ne cessent de dire :

« Saint, saint, saint est le Seigneur Dieu Tout-Puissant, qui était, qui est, et qui vient ! »- Apocalypse 4.8

Et pourtant, c’est aussi le même Dieu qui vous invite à vous approcher, qui combat vos batailles, qui fortifie votre cœur, et qui est pour vous, pas contre vous.

Prenez 30 secondes pour rester en silence devant le Dieu Tout-Puissant—le Vaillant Guerrier qui sauve—notre Père, Seigneur et Roi.

Prêts ? Avançons maintenant avec révérence, courage, et sainte confiance en Jésus.

LA PAROLE DE DIEU RÉVÈLE QU’IL EST TOUT-PUISSANT

« Ah, Seigneur Éternel ! Voici : tu as fait les cieux et la terre par ta grande puissance et par ton bras étendu : rien n’est trop difficile pour toi. »— Jérémie 32.17

« Notre Dieu est au ciel, Il fait tout ce qu’Il veut. »« Israël, confie-toi en l’Éternel ! Il est leur secours et leur bouclier. »« Maison d’Aaron, confie-toi en l’Éternel ! Il est leur secours et leur bouclier. »« Vous qui craignez l’Éternel, confiez-vous en Lui ! Il est leur secours et leur bouclier. »— Psaume 115.3, 9–11

« Car rien ne sera impossible à Dieu. »— Luc 1.37

« C’est pourquoi je fléchis les genoux devant le Père, de qui toute famille dans les cieux et sur la terre tire son nom, afin qu’il vous donne, selon la richesse de sa gloire, d’être puissamment fortifiés par son Esprit dans l’homme intérieur, en sorte que Christ habite dans vos cœurs par la foi ; étant enracinés et fondés dans l’amour, vous puissiez comprendre avec tous les saints quelle est la largeur, la longueur, la profondeur et la hauteur, et connaître l’amour du Christ, qui surpasse toute connaissance, en sorte que vous soyez remplis jusqu’à toute la plénitude de Dieu.

Or, à celui qui peut faire, par la puissance qui agit en nous, infiniment au-delà de tout ce que nous demandons ou pensons, à lui la gloire dans l’Église et en Jésus Christ, dans toutes les générations, aux siècles des siècles ! Amen.— Éphésiens 3.14–21

1. CONTEMPLER : QUI EST DIEU

Dieu est Tout-Puissant—rien ne Lui est impossible.

Il a créé toutes choses par Sa parole (voir Genèse 1).

Il soutient toutes choses par Sa puissance (voir Hébreux 1.3).

Job 12.10 déclare :

« La vie de tout être vivant est dans Sa main, ainsi que le souffle de toute l’humanité. »

Il règne avec gloire sur toutes les nations, tous les dirigeants et tous les détails de la vie.

« Tous les peuples se souviendront de l’Éternel et se tourneront vers Lui ; toutes les familles des nations se prosterneront devant toi. Car à l’Éternel appartient le règne : Il domine sur les nations. »— Psaume 22.27–28

Dans Genèse 17.1, Dieu se présente comme El Shaddaï, le Dieu Tout-Puissant.

Sa puissance est manifeste dans la création, les miracles, le jugement—et de manière suprême dans la résurrection de Jésus-Christ d’entre les morts (Romains 1.4).

Il ne possède pas seulement la puissance—Il est la Source de toute puissance.

Et cette puissance agit en vous et pour vous si vous êtes en Christ.

2. Crois : Qui tu es en Christ

Parce que Dieu est Tout-Puissant, vous n’êtes jamais sans espoir ni sans secours.

Vous êtes fortifié(e), protégé(e), soutenu(e) par la main du Tout-Puissant.

Vous ne vivez pas par votre propre force, mais rempli(e) de la puissance de résurrection.

« Si l’Esprit de Celui qui a ressuscité Jésus habite en vous, Celui qui a ressuscité Christ rendra aussi la vie à vos corps mortels par Son Esprit qui habite en vous. »— Romains 8.11

Votre Défenseur, c’est le Seigneur.

« Aucun outil conçu contre toi ne réussira, et tu condamneras toute langue qui s’élève contre toi en jugement. Tel est l’héritage des serviteurs de l’Éternel, la justice qui leur vient de moi, dit l’Éternel. »— Ésaïe 54.17

3. DEVIENS : COMME JÉSUS, FORTIFIÉ ET REMPLI DE L’ESPRIT

Une Déclaration pour Aujourd’hui (Tu peux le dire avec moi par la foi) :

« Seigneur Dieu Tout-Puissant, je mets ma confiance en Toi. Ta puissance est sans égal. Même si je suis faible, en Toi je trouve ma force. En Toi, Seigneur Jésus, je suis fort(e). Par Ta grâce et la puissance de Ton Esprit qui vit en moi, je choisis de marcher dans Ta force, et non dans la mienne. »

Un Appel à Faire Confiance

Le même Dieu qui a ouvert la mer Rouge, fermé la gueule des lions et vaincu la mort est avec vous.

Alors, déposez vos peurs.Abandonnez l’anxiété.Relâchez le contrôle.Cessez de compter sur vos propres forces.

Laissez votre confiance croître dans le Très-Haut—non pas dans votre capacité, mais dans Sa puissance infinie agissant en vous.

Fais un Pas de Foi

Approchez-vous de Dieu avec actions de grâces.Louez-Le pour Sa puissance et Son amour.Nommez à voix haute une situation qui semble impossible.Proclamez la puissance de Dieu sur cela.Demandez-Lui de faire descendre cette vérité de votre tête à votre cœur.Puis marchez dans l’obéissance, en confiance qu’Il pourvoira.

Souviens-toi de la Promesse de Dieu :

« Le Seigneur est fidèle, Il vous affermira et vous gardera du malin. »

— 2 Thessaloniciens 3.3

PRIONS

Dieu Tout-Puissant,

Il n’y a personne comme Toi.Tu es El Shaddaï, le Dieu Tout-Puissant.Tu es invaincu.Seigneur Jésus, je me souviens de Ta victoire sur le péché, la mort et les ténèbres.Ta puissance et ta souveraineté sont sans égal.Toi seul es puissant pour sauver et fidèle pour nous délivrer.Je Te célèbre comme le Roi tout-puissant, mon Père et mon Ami fidèle.

Je reconnais ma faiblesse, mais en Toi, Christ, je suis fort(e).Merci pour Ta puissance à l’œuvre dans ma vie.Sois ma force et mon bouclier.Remplis-moi de Ton Esprit pour vivre avec audace, aimer avec sacrifice, et marcher dans la confiance.Que Ta puissance soit manifestée dans ma vie aujourd’hui.

Je prie au nom puissant de Jésus,Amen.

Merci Seigneur !

Les amis, que Dieu augmente votre conscience de Sa main toute-puissante qui vous soutient aujourd’hui.Qu’Il vous donne la force de relever chaque défi avec courage, foi, et joie—car Il est avec vous.

Sa présence change tout.

Comme il est écrit dans 2 Thessaloniciens 3.5, je prie :

« Que le Seigneur dirige vos cœurs vers l’amour de Dieu et vers la persévérance de Christ. »

Rien n’est trop difficile pour notre Dieu, et Il est avec nous.

Merci d’avoir écouté et médité avec moi le Seigneur Tout-Puissant.Ceci est le 11e épisode de la série QUI EST DIEU ? Une série pour redécouvrir le seul vrai Dieu vivant—et découvrir qui vous êtes à cause de Lui.

Nous sommes en chemin pour apprendre à faire confiance au caractère et à la nature de Dieu, à Laisser Christ former notre identité, et à y répondre par la foi.

Si vous ne l’avez pas encore fait, découvrez les précédents épisodes du podcast :

* DIEU EST PERSONNEL

* DIEU COMPATISSANT

* DIEU EST LE CONSOLATEUR

* DIEU EST BEAU

* DIEU EST IMMUABLE (INCHANGEANT)

* DIEU EST AMOUR

* DIEU EST UN FEU DÉVORANT🔥

* DIEU INFINI

* DIEU EST SAINT

* QUI EST DIEU ?

N’hésite pas à partager cette publication LIFE ON MISSION ou cet article avec tes amis.

Que Dieu vous bénisse par la révélation de Sa nature PUISSANTE et de Son amour aujourd’hui.Qu’Il vous bénisse pour que vous PUISSIEZ EMBRASSER QUI IL EST, ALIGNER VOTRE IDENTITÉ EN CHRIST, et EXPÉRIMENTER UNE VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC LUI.

Hey friends, thanks for joining the LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN Podcast.

Welcome back to the Who Is God series.

We’re going to meditate on this unchanging attribute of God, behold who God is, realign our beliefs according to who He says we are in Christ, and respond as we seek to become a bit more like Jesus today.

I’m expectant in faith, trusting that our personal God will continue to encourage and build up His Bride through these posts.

As a reminder, here’s the heart of this series:

EMBRACING WHO GOD IS helps us ALIGN OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST which leads to EXPERIENCING MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH GOD.

Get ready, because we’re about to engage with the living God and meditate on His personal nature. I hope this fuels your faith and inspires lasting gratitude, prayer, & praise. Let’s go!

PERSONAL GOD

What does this mean?

To say God is Personal means He is not distant, abstract, or impersonal.

The Lord is near.

His name, Emmanuel, means God with us.

He is involved.

God is relational.

He knows you completely, loves you intentionally, and desires to be known by you.

God speaks.

He listens.

He walks with His people as their Good Shepherd.

He calls us by name.

He is not a vague force or an unreachable deity—we can relate to Him as Jesus did, calling His Father in heaven, Abba, like we call our earthy fathers, dad.

Our God is the One who came down to dwell with us through Jesus Christ.

The Living God is infinitely majestic and yet gloriously intimate.

He cares about your thoughts, your wounds, your joy, your growth, your dreams.

He is the Creator of the cosmos and the Lover of your soul.

In Christ, God draws near so that you can walk with Him and know Him personally, as your Father, your Shepherd, your Savior, and your Friend.

Before we move forward…

Let’s pause.

Let the awe of this sink in: The God of glory wants to be close to you.

He’s not hiding.

He’s not waiting for you to earn His presence.

He pursues us in love.

He came down to get on our level through Jesus.

He understands you and me better than we do—He made us.

He handcrafted you as a masterpiece.

Take 30 seconds right now to still your soul and behold the one, true, personal God—the One who sees you, knows you, and welcomes you into friendship with Himself.

Ok, are you ready?

Let’s step forward in childlike wonder and joy.

Let’s delight in the God who walks beside us and lives within us!

God’s Word Reveals HE IS PERSONAL

“Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.

When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses.

And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.

Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”

- Exodus 33:8-11

“But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.’”

- Isaiah 43:1

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

- John 10:27-28

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

- Revelation 3:20

1. Behold: Who God Is

God is relational, near, and intimately involved in the lives of His people.

God is not far-off or silent—He speaks, He leads, and He listens.

From Genesis to Revelation, the story of Scripture is the story of God pursuing personal relationship with His people.

We know from Genesis 3:8, that in the garden, in the beginning, God walked with Adam and Eve. They knew the sound of His footsteps walking in the cool of the day.

In Isaiah 41:8, we see that God calls Abraham His friend. In verse 13 of the same chapter, God speaks this to His people,

“For I, the LORD your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, “Fear not,

I am the one who helps you.”

We already mentioned Exodus 33:11 where we learn that God spoke to Moses face to face, as one talks to a friend.

In Jesus, we see the God who comes to dwell among us.

Speaking of Jesus, it says in John 1:14,

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

And through the Holy Spirit, God now dwells within us who believe—comforting, guiding, helping, convicting, and empowering us to live in daily fellowship with God.

It says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20,

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

God is personal.

He is love—and love moves toward us, toward closeness, not distance or isolation.

This is the God of the Bible—the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob—the one true, living God: holy, glorious, and always near.

2. Believe: Who You Are in Christ

Because God is Personal, you are uniquely known, wanted, and welcomed.

You are not just one of many—you are seen, chosen, and called by name.

In Christ, you are God’s beloved child, even called an heir with Christ, and nothing can separate you from His love.

God’s Word declares in Galatians 4:6-7,

“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

It says in Romans 8:38–39,

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Amen! Hallelujah!

You and I are invited into a personal relationship where we can walk with God daily, know and hear His voice, follow Jesus, and speak with God as we would to a friend.

Remember Jesus’ words recorded in John 10:27,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

You don’t have to perform for His affection or wonder if He sees you—God already loves you fully and desires to draw you close day after day.

Do you hear Him standing at the door, knocking?

Through Jesus, you’re not just saved from God’s wrath and eternity apart from God’s presence, but also saved for a real, life-giving relationship with the Living God.

3. Become: Like Jesus, Close With the Father & Present With People

A Declaration for Today (You can say this with me by faith):

“Lord, thank You for Your nearness. Thank You for pursuing me and seeking a personal relationship with me. I choose to walk with You today.”

A Call to Trust:

You don’t have to figure life out on your own.

You are not alone, God is with you.

God is not a concept to study—He is a Person to know.

It’s time for active trust in the Lord.

Trust Him enough to relinquish distractions and draw near, to talk to Him throughout your day, to share your heart, and listen for His voice.

Listen closely, wait for the Lord, and honor Him by responding in faith.

This is not a matter of if God speaks, it is a matter of whether we will listen and respond.

God is not distant.

He is Emmanuel, already here, with us, now.

Take A Step of Faith:

Set aside 10 minutes to be still in God's presence today.

Leave your agenda.

Simply show up with your heart, ears, Bible, and notebook open, ready to hear and respond.

Talk to Him like you would a trusted friend.

Give Him thanks.

Offer God the praise He deserves.

Know that He already knows what’s on your heart and mind before you even say a word.

Ask Him to speak to you, believing He will.

Know that God does not contradict Himself or His Word.

God’s character is unchanging: He speaks the truth, and His Word, the Bible, is truth.

Chew on His Word intentionally and listen.

Don’t be surprised to hear from the only God who speaks, who spoke the creation into existence, who “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3), and who calls His sheep by name.

Remember, the Lord’s sheep both know His voice and they listen to Him.

Remember God’s Promise:

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...”

- James 4:8

Let’s Pray

Good Shepherd,

I draw near to You now.

Thank You for drawing near to me in love.

Thank You for knowing me and loving me personally.

May I always remember You are right here with me, never far off.

I want to know You more, God.

I want to know what’s on Your heart and mind.

Grow in me the desire to seek You and learn from You.

Your heart is full of love.

You are good and wise in all your words and works.

Thank You for Your Word, the Bible, showing me how You speak and what You sound like.

Teach me to walk with You more and more like Jesus did—with real intimacy, trust, and joy.

Teach me to quiet and still my soul before you so I can hear Your voice in the midst of this world so full of noise and distractions.

Empower me to respond to Your Spirit, and to live in deep friendship with You.

You are my greatest treasure.

Open my eyes to see how precious You are and how priceless your words are.

Soften my heart to receive and respond to Your call, Good Shepherd.

Thank You for your grace offered through Jesus.

Lord my God, it is my joy and honor to belong to You.

You are the best Friend ever.

May I be a faithful friend to You.

Help me to receive and respond to Your love today, sweet Savior.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Thank You, God!

May you walk today with a fresh awareness that the one, true, Personal God is with you, for you, and ready to speak to you every step of the way.

He loves to be close to you.

Friends! Thanks for tuning in and joining me meditating on the Lord Most Personal. This is the 10th post in this series called WHO IS GOD? A Series on Rediscovering the One True, Living God—and Who You Are Because of Him.

We’re on an intentional journey of growing to trust in God’s character and nature, allowing Him to shape our identity in Christ and responding by faith.

If you haven’t already, check out the latest podcasts highlighting Who God Is: Caring, The Comforter, Beautiful, Immutable (Unchanging), Love, a Consuming Fire, Infinite, Holy, and you can find the series introduction too. These are available in English and in French, linked here.

* CARING GOD

* GOD IS THE COMFORTER

* GOD IS BEAUTIFUL

* GOD IS IMMUTABLE (UNCHANGING)

* GOD IS LOVE

* GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE

* INFINITE GOD

* GOD IS HOLY

* WHO IS GOD? Series Introduction

By all means, share this LIFE ON MISSION publication or post with your friends.

May God bless you with the revelation of His personal nature and love today.

May God bless you to EMBRACE WHO HE IS, ALIGN YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST, and EXPERIENCE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH HIM.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

DIEU PERSONNEL – QUI EST DIEU ?Une série pour redécouvrir le seul vrai Dieu vivant — et découvrir qui tu es à cause de Lui

Contempler les attributs, le caractère et la nature de Dieu

Bonjour les amis, merci de nous rejoindre sur le podcast LIFE ON MISSION avec TANNER KLEIN. Bienvenue de nouveau dans la série QUI EST DIEU ?

Nous allons méditer sur cet attribut immuable de DIEU, contempler qui Il est, réaligner nos croyances selon ce qu’Il dit que nous sommes en Christ, et y répondre en cherchant à devenir un peu plus comme Jésus aujourd’hui.

Je suis plein d’attente dans la foi, confiant que notre Sauveur compatissant continuera d’encourager et d’édifier Son Épouse à travers ces messages.

Petit rappel : voici le cœur de cette série :

ACCUEILLIR QUI EST DIEU nous aide à ALIGNER NOTRE IDENTITÉ EN CHRIST, ce qui mène à une VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC DIEU.

Prépare-toi, car nous allons entrer en relation avec le Dieu vivant et méditer sur Sa nature personnelle. J’espère que cela nourrira ta foi et inspirera une gratitude durable, de la prière et de la louange. Allons-y !

DIEU PERSONNEL

Que signifie cela ?

Dire que DIEU est personnel signifie qu’Il n’est pas distant, abstrait ou impersonnel.

Le SEIGNEUR est proche. Son nom, Emmanuel, signifie : DIEU avec nous.

Il est impliqué. DIEU est relationnel.

Il te connaît parfaitement, Il t’aime intentionnellement, et Il désire être connu de toi.

DIEU parle. Il écoute. Il marche avec Son peuple comme leur Bon Berger.

Il nous appelle par notre nom.

Il n’est pas une force vague ou une divinité inaccessible — nous pouvons avoir une relation avec Lui comme Jésus l’avait, appelant Son PÈRE céleste Abba, tout comme nous appelons nos pères terrestres "papa".

Notre DIEU est Celui qui est descendu pour habiter parmi nous par Jésus-Christ. Le DIEU vivant est infiniment majestueux et pourtant glorieusement intime.

Il Se soucie de tes pensées, de tes blessures, de ta joie, de ta croissance, de tes rêves. Il est le Créateur du cosmos et l’Amoureux de ton âme.

En Christ, DIEU S’approche pour que tu puisses marcher avec LUI et Le connaître personnellement — comme ton PÈRE, ton Berger, ton Sauveur, et ton Ami.

Avant d’aller plus loin…

Faisons une pause.

Laisse cette vérité t’émerveiller : Le Dieu de gloire veut être proche de toi.

Il ne Se cache pas. Il n’attend pas que tu mérites Sa présence.

Il nous poursuit avec amour. Il est descendu pour venir à notre niveau par Jésus.

Il te comprend mieux que toi-même — Il t’a créé. Il t’a façonné de Ses propres mains comme un chef-d’œuvre.

Prends maintenant 30 secondes pour apaiser ton âme et contempler le seul vrai Dieu personnel — Celui qui te voit, te connaît, et t’accueille dans une relation d’amitié avec LUI.

Ok, prêt(e) ? Avançons avec émerveillement et joie d’enfant. Réjouissons-nous dans le DIEU qui marche à nos côtés et vit en nous !

La Parole de Dieu révèle qu'IL EST PERSONNEL

"Lorsque Moïse se rendait à la tente, tout le peuple se levait, chacun se tenait à l'entrée de sa tente et suivait Moïse du regard jusqu'à ce qu'il soit entré dans la tente. Quand Moïse entrait dans la tente, la colonne de nuée descendait et s'arrêtait à l'entrée de la tente, et l'Éternel parlait avec Moïse. Tout le peuple voyait la colonne de nuée s'arrêter à l'entrée de la tente, tout le peuple se levait et se prosternait à l'entrée de sa tente. L'Éternel parlait avec Moïse face à face, comme un homme parle à son ami. Puis Moïse retournait au camp, mais son jeune assistant Josué, fils de Nun, ne quittait pas l'intérieur de la tente."

— Exode 33.8-11

"Mais maintenant, ainsi parle l'Éternel, Celui qui t'a créé, ô Jacob, Celui qui t'a formé, ô Israël : Ne crains rien, car Je t'ai racheté, Je t'ai appelé par ton nom, tu es à Moi."

— Ésaïe 43.1

"Mes brebis entendent Ma voix ; Je les connais, et elles Me suivent. Je leur donne la vie éternelle ; elles ne périront jamais, et personne ne les arrachera de Ma main."

— Jean 10.27-28

"Voici, Je me tiens à la porte et Je frappe. Si quelqu’un entend Ma voix et ouvre la porte, J’entrerai chez lui, Je souperai avec lui, et lui avec Moi."

— Apocalypse 3.20

1. Contemple : Qui est Dieu

Dieu est relationnel, proche et intimement impliqué dans la vie de Son peuple. Il n'est ni éloigné ni silencieux—Il parle, Il guide et Il écoute. De la Genèse à l'Apocalypse, l’histoire des Écritures est celle de Dieu qui poursuit une relation personnelle avec Son peuple.

Nous savons d’après Genèse 3.8 que, dans le jardin, Dieu marchait avec Adam et Ève. Ils reconnaissaient le bruit de Ses pas quand Il marchait dans le jardin à la brise du soir.

Dans Ésaïe 41.8, Dieu appelle Abraham Son ami. Et au verset 13 du même chapitre, Dieu déclare à Son peuple :

"Car Moi, l’Éternel, ton Dieu, Je tiens ta main droite, C’est Moi qui te dis : Ne crains rien, C’est Moi qui viens à ton secours."

Nous avons déjà mentionné Exode 33.11, où Dieu parle à Moïse face à face, comme un homme parle à son ami.

En Jésus, nous voyons le Dieu qui vient demeurer parmi nous. Il est écrit dans Jean 1.14 :

"Et la Parole a été faite chair, et Elle a habité parmi nous, pleine de grâce et de vérité ; et nous avons contemplé Sa gloire, une gloire comme la gloire du Fils unique venu du Père."

Et par le Saint-Esprit, Dieu habite maintenant en nous qui croyons—Il nous console, nous guide, nous convainc et nous rend capables de vivre une communion quotidienne avec Lui.

Il est écrit dans 1 Corinthiens 6.19-20 :

"Ne savez-vous pas que votre corps est le temple du Saint-Esprit qui est en vous, que vous avez reçu de Dieu, et que vous ne vous appartenez point à vous-mêmes ? Car vous avez été rachetés à un grand prix. Glorifiez donc Dieu dans votre corps."

Dieu est personnel. Il est amour—et l’amour se rapproche, il ne s’éloigne pas et n’isole pas. C’est le Dieu de la Bible—le Dieu d’Abraham, d’Isaac et de Jacob—le seul vrai Dieu vivant : saint, glorieux et toujours proche.

2. Crois : Qui tu es en Christ

Parce que Dieu est Personnel, tu es pleinement connu, voulu et accueilli. Tu n’es pas simplement un parmi tant d’autres—tu es vu, choisi et appelé par ton nom. En Christ, tu es l’enfant bien-aimé de Dieu, même appelé héritier, et rien ne peut te séparer de Son amour.

La Parole de Dieu déclare dans Galates 4.6-7 :

"Et parce que vous êtes fils, Dieu a envoyé dans nos cœurs l’Esprit de Son Fils, lequel crie : Abba ! Père ! Ainsi tu n’es plus esclave, mais fils ; et si tu es fils, tu es aussi héritier par la grâce de Dieu."

Et dans Romains 8.38–39 :

"Car j’ai l’assurance que ni la mort ni la vie, ni les anges ni les dominations, ni le présent ni l’avenir, ni les puissances, ni la hauteur ni la profondeur, ni aucune autre créature ne pourra nous séparer de l’amour de Dieu manifesté en Jésus-Christ notre Seigneur."

Tu es invité à une relation personnelle où tu peux marcher chaque jour avec Dieu, connaître et entendre Sa voix, Le suivre et Lui parler comme à un ami.

Souviens-toi des paroles de Jésus dans Jean 10.27 :

"Mes brebis entendent Ma voix ; Je les connais, et elles Me suivent."

Tu n’as pas besoin de faire des efforts pour mériter Son affection ni de te demander s’Il te voit—Il t’aime déjà pleinement et t’attire chaque jour à Lui.

L’entends-tu frapper à la porte ?

Par Jésus, tu n’es pas seulement sauvé de la colère de Dieu et d’une éternité séparée de Sa présence, mais aussi sauvé pour une relation réelle et vivifiante avec le Dieu vivant.

3. Deviens : Comme Jésus, Proche du Père et Présent avec les Gens

Une Déclaration pour Aujourd’hui (Tu peux le dire avec moi par la foi) :

« Seigneur, merci pour Ta proximité. Merci de me poursuivre et de rechercher une relation personnelle avec moi. Je choisis de marcher avec Toi aujourd’hui. »

Un Appel à Faire Confiance

Tu n’as pas à comprendre la vie tout seul. Tu n’es pas seul, Dieu est avec toi. Dieu n’est pas un concept à étudier — Il est une Personne à connaître. Il est temps de faire confiance activement au Seigneur. Fais-Lui suffisamment confiance pour laisser de côté les distractions et t’approcher, pour Lui parler tout au long de ta journée, pour Lui ouvrir ton cœur, et écouter Sa voix. Écoute attentivement, attends le Seigneur, et honore-Le en répondant par la foi. Dieu n’est pas lointain. Il est Emmanuel, déjà ici, avec nous, maintenant.

Fais un Pas de Foi

Consacre 10 minutes aujourd’hui pour rester en silence dans la présence de Dieu. Laisse ton agenda de côté. Présente-toi simplement avec ton cœur, tes oreilles, ta Bible et ton carnet ouverts, prêt à entendre et à répondre. Parle-Lui comme tu parlerais à un ami de confiance. Remercie-Le. Offre à Dieu la louange qu’Il mérite. Sache qu’Il sait déjà ce qui est sur ton cœur et dans ton esprit avant même que tu ne dises un mot. Demande-Lui de te parler, en croyant qu’Il le fera. Médite Sa Parole intentionnellement et écoute. Ne sois pas surpris d’entendre le seul Dieu qui parle, Celui qui a parlé la création à l’existence, qui « soutient toutes choses par Sa parole puissante » (Hébreux 1:3), et qui appelle Ses brebis par leur nom.

Souviens-toi : Ses brebis connaissent Sa voix et elles L’écoutent.

Souviens-toi de la Promesse de Dieu :

« Approchez-vous de Dieu, et Il s’approchera de vous... »

— Jacques 4:8

Prions

Bon Berger,

Je m’approche de Toi maintenant.

Merci de T’être approché de moi avec amour.

Merci de me connaître et de m’aimer personnellement.

Puisse-je toujours me souvenir que Tu es ici même avec moi, jamais loin.

Je veux Te connaître davantage.

Fais grandir en moi le désir de Te chercher et d’apprendre de Toi.

Ton cœur est rempli d’amour. Tu es bon et sage dans toutes Tes paroles et toutes Tes œuvres.

Merci pour Ta Parole, la Bible, qui me montre comment Tu parles et comment Tu te fais entendre.

Apprends-moi à marcher avec Toi toujours plus, comme Jésus l’a fait — avec une véritable intimité, confiance et joie.

Apprends-moi à apaiser et calmer mon âme devant Toi, afin que je puisse entendre Ta voix au milieu de ce monde rempli de bruit et de distractions.

Donne-moi la force de répondre à Ton Esprit, et de vivre dans une profonde amitié avec Toi.

Tu es mon trésor le plus précieux.

Ouvre mes yeux pour voir combien Tu es précieux et combien Tes paroles sont inestimables.

Attendris mon cœur pour recevoir et répondre à Ton appel, Bon Berger.

Merci pour Ta grâce offerte par Jésus.

C’est ma joie et mon honneur de T’appartenir, Seigneur mon Dieu.

Tu es le meilleur des amis.

Puisse-je être un ami fidèle pour Toi.

Aide-moi à recevoir et à répondre à Ton amour aujourd’hui, doux Sauveur.

Au nom de Jésus je prie, Amen.

Que tu marches aujourd’hui avec une conscience renouvelée que le seul vrai Dieu personnel est avec toi, pour toi, et qu’Il te parle à chaque pas. Il aime être proche de toi.

Merci d’avoir pris ce temps pour méditer avec moi sur le Seigneur le plus personnel. Ceci est le dixième message de cette série intitulée : QUI EST DIEU ? Une série pour redécouvrir le seul vrai Dieu vivant — et qui tu es à cause de Lui.

Nous sommes en cheminement intentionnel pour grandir dans la confiance en le caractère et la nature de Dieu, Lui permettant de façonner notre identité en Christ, et y répondant par la foi.

Si ce n’est pas encore fait, je t’invite à écouter les derniers épisodes du podcast qui mettent en lumière Qui est Dieu : Compatissant, Le Consolateur, Magnifique, Immuable (Inchangeable), Amour, Feu Dévorant, Infini, Saint — et tu peux aussi retrouver l’introduction à la série. Les liens sont ici :

* DIEU COMPATISSANT

* DIEU EST LE CONSOLATEUR

* DIEU EST BEAU

* DIEU EST IMMUABLE (INCHANGEANT)

* DIEU EST AMOUR

* DIEU EST UN FEU DÉVORANT🔥

* DIEU INFINI

* DIEU EST SAINT

* QUI EST DIEU ?

N’hésite pas à partager cette publication LIFE ON MISSION ou cet article avec tes amis.

Que Dieu te bénisse aujourd’hui par la révélation de Sa nature personnelle et de Son amour.

Que Dieu te bénisse afin que tu ACCUEILLES QUI EST DIEU, ALIGNES TON IDENTITÉ EN LUI, et EXPÉRIMENTES UNE VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC LUI.

Hey friends, thanks for joining this LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN Podcast.

Welcome back to the Who Is God series.

I hope you’ve been blessed and encouraged with hope in our last three posts centered on FALSE GOSPELS vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS. So far, we introduced the series asking “Which Gospel Are You Living By?”, and followed with two deep dives, the first on the false hope of POPULARITY & INFLUENCE, and the second, on the false hope of POLITICAL IDEOLOGY. I had a lot of fun writing these with the Lord. These are linked here if you’re interested!

There is much to come, contrasting the true GOOD NEWS of JESUS with convincing false gospels flooding our culture today, including but not limited to: Wealth & Comfort, Life without Suffering, Salvation without Lordship, Self-Expression & Identity Autonomy, Personal Happiness, Romantic or Sexual Fulfillment, Hustle & Achievement, Escapism & Entertainment, Religious Performance, Self-Love & Self-Help.

I’m excited to keep diving deep in that series, but before we do, I’m excited to turn our horizontal gaze into a vertical one. In prayer, the Lord redirected me to focus the next few posts on WHO HE IS, as revealed in His Word.

I am expectant in faith, trusting that our caring King will continue to encourage and build up His Bride through these posts. As a reminder, here’s the heart of this WHO IS GOD series:

EMBRACING WHO GOD IS helps us ALIGN OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST which leads to EXPERIENCING MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH GOD.

Get ready, because we’re about to engage with the living God and meditate on His nature as the Caretaker of His people. I hope this fuels your faith and inspires lasting gratitude, prayer, & praise. Let’s go!

GOD IS CARING

What does this mean?

To say God is Caring means He is tenderly attentive to our every need, aware of every detail of our lives, and moved with compassion toward us.

He is not distant or indifferent—He is intimately involved.

His heart is full of mercy.

His eyes are always on His children.

God does not just tolerate you—He cares for you. Personally. Constantly. Even eternally.

The God who upholds galaxies also numbers the hairs on your head (see Jesus’ words in Luke 12:7).

He hears your prayers, sees your tears, carries your burdens, and cares for your heart.

He is the God who draws near with compassion, who binds up the brokenhearted, and who rejoices over you with singing (we’ll come back to this in the upcoming section on God’s Word revealing that He is caring).

Before we move forward…

Let’s pause.

We’re going to take just 30 seconds to quiet our thoughts and behold the God who cares—the Father who welcomes you, the Good Shepherd who guides you, the Savior who laid down His life for you.

You are not forgotten.

You are not alone.

Let your heart rest in the truth that the One who created you cares for you deeply.

He has not overlooked your pain.

He sees.

He knows.

And He cares.

Feel free to pause now.

Ready? Let’s step forward with confidence, leaning into the loving care of our gracious God.

God’s Word Reveals HE IS CARING

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

- 1 Peter 5:6-7

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”

- Psalm 103:13

“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”

- Psalm 145:9

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

- Psalm 147:3

“The Lord your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.”

- Zephaniah 3:17

1. Behold: Who God Is

God cares. He is infinitely compassionate and tenderhearted.

Jesus received and ate with sinners, something viewed as taboo for a teacher in His time. The Pharisees loathed Jesus for this.

Jesus told them this parable:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

- Luke 15:4-7

The Lord is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one who’s lost and wandering.

God cares so much that all of heaven rejoices when just one sinner repents and turns back to God.

Do you remember the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32? It is worth the read.

God is like the merciful and compassionate father who runs to embrace the returning child who was lost but now was found.

This God is known as El Roi, the God who sees (Genesis 16:13).

God sees us and looks after us.

His heart is moved with mercy when His people are weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd (see Matthew 9:36).

We know from Psalm 147:3 that God is the Healer of the brokenhearted, the one who binds up our wounds.

We know from Psalm 34:17 that “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

We know from Psalm 68:5 that God is the Defender of the vulnerable, the “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”

The Lord’s care is not abstract—it is intimate, personal, and near.

Jesus reveals the caring nature of God with every touch, every healing, every gracious word He speaks.

He is the exact imprint of God's nature. It says about Jesus in Hebrews 1:3,

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

This is your God: not only powerful, glorious, and sovereign, but also profoundly caring.

2. Believe: Who You Are in Christ

Because God is Caring, you are never overlooked or alone.

You are accompanied by the Caretaker of your soul.

You are known—completely.

You are loved—eternally.

You are held—securely.

In Christ, you are God’s beloved child.

It says in 1 John 3:1-3,

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

Our one, true, living God watches over His own with compassion.

It says in Psalm 32:10 that,

“Steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.”

God’s own are precious in His eyes (see Isaiah 43:4), and nothing in all creation can separate you from His love.

It says in Romans 8:38–39,

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

You and I are invited to draw near with confidence to God’s throne of grace, where we will find mercy and help in times of need (see Hebrews 4:16).

No detail of our lives is too small for God’s attention.

No sorrow or pain is beyond His care.

We are safe in the hands of our caring Father.

3. Become: Like Jesus, Compassionate and Attentive

A Declaration for Today (You can say this with me by faith):

“Lord, I believe You are the One who cares for me. Thank You for Your tender-loving care in my life. You see me truly, You know me completely, and You love me intentionally. Thank You.”

A Call to Trust:

No matter the burdens you carry today, you can lay them down before the Lord.

He knows how to bear our burdens and paid the price for us to be truly free from the weight of sin.

Bring your cares to the One who cares for you—perfectly and beautifully.

Let the Father’s compassion calm your fears and steady your soul.

He’s not too busy for you. He’s already near.

Open your heart to receive the Lord’s tender-loving care.

As you do, you will be equipped to share His intentional care with someone else who needs it.

Take A Step of Faith:

Take a few minutes and bring a worry, a weight, or a complicated situation—and lay it down before God in prayer.

Thank God for taking the pressure off your shoulders.

You can thank Him in advance by faith.

Let Jesus deal with it and care for you. You can ask Him to help you to both lay it down and to receive His compassionate care.

Then leave that burden where you left it with the Lord—don’t pick it up again.

Tell the Lord what’s on your heart, and ask Him to show you His caring presence in that specific area today.

Thank Him for hearing you and keep your eyes open, expectant in faith to see God’s faithfulness on display.

Stay ready to receive and to share God’s intentional care.

Remember God’s Promise:

“[Cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

- 1 Peter 5:7

Let’s Pray

Caring Father,

Thank You for Your compassion that never fails and Your mercy that knows no end.

Thank You for Your intentionality with me.

Thank You for Your loving-kindness toward me, day after day.

You really do see me, You hear me, and You draw near to me with perfect love.

Who is like You, Lord of all?!

What a gift it is to be free from the weight of this world.

I cast my cares before You today.

I surrender control to You now, Lord.

You know what I need, when I need it.

You know and do what’s best for me and for Your glory.

You’re the best Leader, Counselor, and Caretaker of my heart, mind, soul, and life.

Help me to really trust Your tender heart, even when circumstances feel heavy or uncertain.

Shape me to look more like Jesus—attentive and receptive, gentle and merciful, and truly motivated by love.

Teach me to rest in Your outstretched arms, receive Your compassion, and share Your compassion with those who need it around me.

Thank You!

I pray in the name of Jesus my comforting King,

Amen.

May the tender care of your Heavenly Father bring peace, comfort, and joy to your heart today—and every day.

He cares for you.

Thanks for tuning in and joining me meditating on the Lord Most Caring. This is the 9th post in this series called WHO IS GOD? A Series on Rediscovering the One True, Living God—and Who You Are Because of Him.

We’re on an intentional journey of growing to trust in God’s character and nature, allowing Him to shape our identity in Christ and responding by faith.

If you haven’t already, check out the latest podcasts highlighting Who God Is: The Comforter, Beautiful, Immutable (Unchanging), Love, a Consuming Fire, Infinite, Holy, and you can find the series introduction too. These are linked here.

* GOD IS THE COMFORTER

* GOD IS BEAUTIFUL

* GOD IS IMMUTABLE (UNCHANGING)

* GOD IS LOVE

* GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE

* INFINITE GOD

* GOD IS HOLY

* WHO IS GOD? Series Introduction

Were you blessed by our caring God through this post?

You can multiply its impact by sharing it with a friend. Copy the link, send it to a buddy, your parent, a sibling, or your neighbor.

For all the podcast listeners, feel free to share these LIFE ON MISSION posts via Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May God bless you to EMBRACE WHO GOD IS, ALIGN YOUR IDENTITY IN HIM, and EXPERIENCE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE WITH HIM. May God bless you with His care today.

DIEU COMPATISSANT - QUI EST DIEU ? Une série pour redécouvrir le seul vrai Dieu vivant – et qui vous êtes à cause de Lui

Contempler les attributs, le caractère et la nature de Dieu

Salut les amis, merci de rejoindre ce podcast LIFE ON MISSION avec TANNER KLEIN.Bienvenue à nouveau dans la série Qui est Dieu ?

J’espère que tu as été béni et encouragé par l’espérance dans nos trois derniers articles centrés sur les FAUX ÉVANGILES vs. LA VÉRITABLE BONNE NOUVELLE DE JÉSUS.Jusqu’ici, nous avons introduit la série avec cette question : « Quel évangile vis-tu vraiment ? », puis nous avons plongé profondément dans deux premiers faux espoiles : le faux espoir de la popularité et de l’influence, et celui de l’idéologie politique. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à écrire cela avec le Seigneur. Les liens sont ici si tu veux les découvrir !

Il y a encore beaucoup à venir : nous allons continuer à confronter la vraie BONNE NOUVELLE DE JÉSUS avec les faux évangiles convaincants qui inondent notre culture aujourd’hui, notamment (mais pas uniquement) :Richesse & Confort, Vie sans souffrance, Salut sans seigneurie, Expression de soi & autonomie identitaire, Bonheur personnel, Épanouissement romantique ou sexuel, Productivité & Réussite, Évasion & Divertissement, Performance religieuse, Amour de soi & développement personnel.

Je suis enthousiaste à l’idée de continuer cette série, mais avant cela, je suis encore plus enthousiaste de réorienter notre regard horizontal vers un regard vertical.Dans la prière, le Seigneur m’a redirigé pour consacrer les prochains messages à QUI IL EST, tel qu’Il se révèle dans Sa Parole.

J’ai foi que notre Roi compatissant va continuer à encourager et édifier Son Église à travers ces messages.Petit rappel : voici le cœur de cette série QUI EST DIEU ?

👉 ACCUEILLIR QUI EST DIEU nous aide à ALIGNER NOTRE IDENTITÉ EN CHRIST, ce qui nous conduit à EXPÉRIMENTER UNE VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC DIEU.

Prépare ton cœur, car nous allons rencontrer le Dieu vivant et méditer sur Sa nature de Gardien compatissant de Son peuple.J’espère que cela nourrira ta foi et inspirera une gratitude, une prière et une louange durables.Allons-y !

DIEU COMPATISSANT

Que signifie cela ?Dire que Dieu est compatissant signifie qu’Il est tendrement attentif à chacun de nos besoins, conscient de chaque détail de notre vie, et ému de compassion envers nous.Il n’est pas distant ni indifférent — Il est intimement impliqué.Son cœur déborde de miséricorde.Ses yeux sont constamment posés sur Ses enfants.

Dieu ne se contente pas de te tolérer — Il prend soin de toi.Personnellement. Constamment. Même éternellement.

Le Dieu qui soutient les galaxies compte aussi les cheveux de ta tête (voir les paroles de Jésus dans Luc 12:7).Il entend tes prières, voit tes larmes, porte tes fardeaux et prend soin de ton cœur.Il est le Dieu qui s’approche avec compassion, qui panse les cœurs brisés, et qui se réjouit de toi avec des chants d’allégresse (on reviendra à cela dans la section où la Parole de Dieu révèle qu’Il est compatissant).

Avant d’aller plus loin…

Faisons une pause.Prenons juste 30 secondes pour apaiser nos pensées et contempler le Dieu qui prend soin — le Père qui t’accueille, le Bon Berger qui te guide, le Sauveur qui a donné Sa vie pour toi.

Tu n’es pas oublié.Tu n’es pas seul.Que ton cœur se repose dans cette vérité : Celui qui t’a créé prend profondément soin de toi.Il n’a pas ignoré ta douleur.Il voit.Il sait.Et Il s’en soucie.

N’hésite pas à mettre sur pause maintenant.Prêt ? Avançons avec assurance, en nous appuyant sur les soins aimants de notre Dieu plein de grâce.

La Parole de Dieu révèle QU’IL EST COMPATISSANT

« Humiliez-vous donc sous la puissante main de Dieu, afin qu’il vous élève au moment voulu. Déchargez-vous sur lui de tous vos soucis, car lui-même prend soin de vous. »— 1 Pierre 5:6-7

« Comme un père a compassion de ses enfants, l’Éternel a compassion de ceux qui le craignent. »— Psaume 103:13

« L’Éternel est bon envers tous, et ses compassions s’étendent sur toutes ses œuvres. »— Psaume 145:9

« Il guérit ceux qui ont le cœur brisé, et panse leurs blessures. »— Psaume 147:3

« L’Éternel ton Dieu est au milieu de toi, un héros qui sauve ; il fera de toi sa plus grande joie ;Il gardera le silence dans son amour ; il aura pour toi des transports d’allégresse. »— Sophonie 3:17

1. Contemple : Qui est Dieu

Dieu prend soin.Il est infiniment compatissant et plein de tendresse.

Jésus recevait et mangeait avec les pécheurs — ce qui était vu comme scandaleux pour un maître de son époque. Les pharisiens le haïssaient pour cela.Jésus leur raconta cette parabole :

« Si l’un de vous a cent brebis, et qu’il en perde une, ne laisse-t-il pas les quatre-vingt-dix-neuf autres dans le désert pour aller chercher celle qui est perdue, jusqu’à ce qu’il la retrouve ? Et quand il l’a retrouvée, il la met avec joie sur ses épaules. De retour à la maison, il appelle ses amis et ses voisins, et leur dit : “Réjouissez-vous avec moi, car j’ai retrouvé ma brebis qui était perdue.”De même, je vous le dis, il y aura plus de joie dans le ciel pour un seul pécheur qui se repent, que pour quatre-vingt-dix-neuf justes qui n’ont pas besoin de repentance. »— Luc 15:4-7

Le Seigneur est le Bon Berger qui laisse les quatre-vingt-dix-neuf pour chercher celui qui est perdu.

Dieu se soucie tellement que tout le ciel se réjouit quand un seul pécheur se repent et revient à Lui.

Tu te souviens de la parabole du fils prodigue dans Luc 15:11-32 ? Ça vaut la peine de la relire.Dieu est comme ce père miséricordieux et compatissant qui court embrasser son enfant revenu à la maison.

Ce Dieu est appelé El Roï, le Dieu qui voit (Genèse 16:13).Dieu voit et prend soin.Son cœur est rempli de compassion quand Son peuple est fatigué et dispersé, comme des brebis sans berger (voir Matthieu 9:36).

Nous savons, d’après le Psaume 147:3, que Dieu est le Guérisseur des cœurs brisés, celui qui panse nos blessures.Nous savons, d’après le Psaume 34:17, que « Quand les justes crient, l’Éternel entend et les délivre de toutes leurs détresses. »Nous savons, d’après le Psaume 68:5, que Dieu est le Défenseur des vulnérables, « Père des orphelins, défenseur des veuves, tel est Dieu dans sa sainte demeure. »

Les soins de Dieu ne sont pas abstraits — ils sont intimes, personnels et proches.

Jésus révèle la nature compatissante de Dieu à chaque toucher, chaque guérison, chaque parole pleine de grâce.Il est l’empreinte exacte de la nature de Dieu. Il est écrit de Jésus en Hébreux 1:3 :

« Il est le reflet de la gloire de Dieu et l’empreinte de sa personne ; il soutient toutes choses par sa parole puissante. Après avoir accompli la purification des péchés, il s’est assis à la droite de la Majesté divine dans les lieux très hauts. »

C’est cela ton Dieu : non seulement puissant, glorieux et souverain, mais aussi profondément compatissant.

2. Crois : Qui tu es en Christ

Parce que Dieu est plein de sollicitude, tu n’es jamais oublié ni seul.

Tu es accompagné par le Gardien de ton âme.

Tu es connu — entièrement.

Tu es aimé — éternellement.

Tu es porté — en toute sécurité.

En Christ, tu es l’enfant bien-aimé de Dieu.

Il est écrit dans 1 Jean 3:1-3 :

« Voyez quel amour le Père nous a témoigné, pour que nous soyons appelés enfants de Dieu ! Et nous le sommes. Si le monde ne nous connaît pas, c’est parce qu’il ne l’a pas connu. Bien-aimés, nous sommes maintenant enfants de Dieu, et ce que nous serons n’a pas encore été manifesté ; mais nous savons que, lorsqu’il paraîtra, nous serons semblables à lui, parce que nous le verrons tel qu’il est. Quiconque a cette espérance en lui se purifie, comme lui-même est pur. »

Notre Dieu unique, véritable et vivant veille avec compassion sur les siens.

Il est écrit dans Psaume 32:10 :

« Celui qui se confie en l'Éternel est entouré de sa grâce. »

Ceux qui appartiennent à Dieu sont précieux à ses yeux (voir Ésaïe 43:4), et rien dans toute la création ne peut nous séparer de son amour.

Il est écrit dans Romains 8:38-39 :

« Car j’ai l’assurance que ni la mort ni la vie, ni les anges ni les dominations, ni le présent ni l’avenir, ni les puissances, ni la hauteur ni la profondeur, ni aucune autre créature ne pourra nous séparer de l’amour de Dieu manifesté en Jésus-Christ notre Seigneur. »

Toi et moi sommes invités à nous approcher avec assurance du trône de la grâce, afin d’obtenir miséricorde et de trouver grâce pour être secourus au moment opportun (voir Hébreux 4:16).

Aucun détail de notre vie n’est trop petit pour l’attention de Dieu.

Aucune tristesse ni douleur n’est au-delà de ses soins.

Nous sommes en sécurité entre les mains de notre Père plein de sollicitude.

3. Deviens : Comme Jésus, Compatissant et Attentif

Une Déclaration pour aujourd’hui (Tu peux la dire avec moi par la foi) :

« Seigneur, je crois que Tu es Celui qui prend soin de moi. Merci pour Ta tendre sollicitude dans ma vie. Tu me vois vraiment, Tu me connais parfaitement, et Tu m’aimes intentionnellement. Merci. »

Un Appel à Faire Confiance :

Peu importe les fardeaux que tu portes aujourd’hui, tu peux les déposer devant le Seigneur.

Il sait comment porter nos fardeaux et Il a payé le prix pour que nous soyons véritablement libérés du poids du péché.

Apporte tes préoccupations à Celui qui prend soin de toi — parfaitement et magnifiquement.

Laisse la compassion du Père calmer tes peurs et affermir ton âme.

Il n’est pas trop occupé pour toi. Il est déjà proche.

Ouvre ton cœur pour recevoir les tendres soins du Seigneur.

Et en le faisant, tu seras équipé pour partager Ses soins intentionnels avec quelqu’un d’autre qui en a besoin.

Fais un Pas de Foi :

Prends quelques minutes pour apporter un souci, un poids, ou une situation compliquée — et dépose-le devant Dieu dans la prière.

Remercie Dieu d’avoir ôté cette pression de tes épaules.

Tu peux Le remercier d’avance par la foi.

Laisse Jésus s’en occuper et prendre soin de toi. Tu peux Lui demander de t’aider à tout déposer et à recevoir Sa compassion.

Puis, laisse ce fardeau là où tu l’as déposé devant le Seigneur — ne le reprends pas.

Dis au Seigneur ce que tu as sur le cœur, et demande-Lui de te montrer Sa présence pleine de sollicitude dans ce domaine précis aujourd’hui.

Remercie-Le de t’avoir écouté et garde les yeux ouverts, dans l’attente par la foi, pour voir Sa fidélité se manifester.

Reste prêt à recevoir et à partager les soins intentionnels de Dieu.

Souviens-toi de la promesse de Dieu :

« [Déchargez-vous] sur lui de tous vos soucis, car lui-même prend soin de vous. »

— 1 Pierre 5:7

Prions

Père plein de sollicitude,

Merci pour Ta compassion qui ne faillit jamais et Ta miséricorde qui n’a pas de fin.

Merci pour Ton intentionnalité à mon égard.

Merci pour Ta bonté pleine d’amour envers moi, jour après jour.

Tu me vois vraiment, Tu m’entends, et Tu t’approches de moi avec un amour parfait.

Qui est comme Toi, Seigneur de tout ?!

Quel don précieux que d’être libre du poids de ce monde.

Je dépose mes soucis devant Toi aujourd’hui.

Je Te remets maintenant le contrôle, Seigneur.

Tu sais ce dont j’ai besoin, et quand j’en ai besoin.

Tu connais et fais ce qui est le meilleur pour moi et pour Ta gloire.

Tu es le meilleur Guide, Conseiller et Gardien de mon cœur, de mon esprit, de mon âme et de ma vie.

Aide-moi à vraiment faire confiance à Ton cœur tendre, même lorsque les circonstances sont lourdes ou incertaines.

Façonne-moi pour ressembler davantage à Jésus — attentif et réceptif, doux et miséricordieux, et véritablement motivé par l’amour.

Apprends-moi à me reposer dans Tes bras ouverts, à recevoir Ta compassion, et à partager Ta compassion avec ceux qui en ont besoin autour de moi.

Merci !

Je prie au nom de Jésus, mon Roi consolateur,

Amen.

Que les soins tendres de ton Père céleste apportent paix, consolation et joie à ton cœur aujourd’hui — et chaque jour.

Il prend soin de toi.

Merci d’avoir pris le temps de méditer avec moi sur le Seigneur, le Plus Compatissant. Ceci est le 9ᵉ article de cette série intitulée QUI EST DIEU ? Une série pour redécouvrir le Dieu unique, véritable et vivant — et découvrir qui tu es grâce à Lui.

Nous sommes en cheminement intentionnel pour apprendre à faire confiance au caractère et à la nature de Dieu, permettant à Dieu de façonner notre identité en Christ, et y répondant par la foi.

Si ce n’est pas encore fait, découvre les derniers podcasts qui mettent en lumière Qui est Dieu : Le Consolateur, Magnifique, Immuable (Inchangeable), Amour, Feu Dévorant, Infini, Saint — et tu peux aussi retrouver l’introduction à la série. Les liens sont ici :

* DIEU EST LE CONSOLATEUR

* DIEU EST BEAU

* DIEU EST IMMUABLE (INCHANGEANT)

* DIEU EST AMOUR

* DIEU EST UN FEU DÉVORANT🔥

* DIEU INFINI

* DIEU EST SAINT

* QUI EST DIEU ?

As-tu été béni par notre Dieu plein de sollicitude à travers cet article ?

Tu peux en multiplier l’impact en le partageant avec un ami. Copie le lien et envoie-le à un proche, un parent, un frère ou une sœur, ou à ton voisin.

Pour les auditeurs de podcast, n’hésite pas à partager ces articles LIFE ON MISSION sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.

Que Dieu te bénisse pour que tu PUISSES ACCUEILLIR QUI EST DIEU, ALIGNER TON IDENTITÉ EN LUI, et EXPÉRIMENTER UNE VIE PLUS ABONDANTE AVEC LUI.

Que Dieu te bénisse aujourd’hui par Ses soins pleins de sollicitude.

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast. This is going to be a juicy one. We’ve got another Scripture-soaked podcast-post for you.

Here’s a quick introduction. We’re aiming to honestly expose widespread false gospels to the light and truth of Christ, and contrast these with the true Good News of Jesus and the always advancing Kingdom of God.

Why this, now? Because the Lord really moved my heart with His desire to inspire real, lasting HOPE in us—especially in an age when so many lack real hope.

So, I believe that God will restore HOPE in us as we turn our eyes toward Jesus and respond to the truth that sets us free.

My prayer is that this series will refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you.

Just so you know, you are welcome to explore our latests podcast-posts. So far, we gave the introduction for this new series, asking Which Gospel Are You Living By? as well as the first deep dive in this series centered on The FALSE GOSPEL of POPULARITY & INFLUENCE vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS. These are linked here.

Before that, we had some fun exploring CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH - Unpacking some Junk and Replacing it with Eternal Treasures.

Before it, I shared about PARIS: The SPIRITUAL DESERT Masked By BEAUTY, My Conviction to Go, God has Brought the Nations to Us, & Good News from Sunday. I am full of hope and resolve, excited to see what the Lord has in store for this city and for us.

In the post before it, I got to give A Glimpse into The Real Reality of our LIVES ON MISSION in PARIS 🇫🇷 4 mo. here in a 10x10 Studio✨. Life here has not been glamorous but it has been eternally significant.

If you’re interested in those podcasts, you can click the links attached. You can also share this podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify or share this LIFE ON MISSION publication with friends using the link attached or the QR code below.

Now let’s dive into this controversial topic!

The FALSE GOSPEL of POLITICAL IDEOLOGY vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS

Jesus declared,

“My kingdom is not of this world.”

- John 18:36

Just before Jesus was unjustly condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus said this to the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, while Pilate questioned Him.

Let’s set the stage.

What is the False Gospel of Political Ideology?

Let’s be honest: in today's world, it can be tempting to believe that hope comes riding in on the back of a political candidate or person in power—or that peace, justice, and "the good life" can be delivered through the power of policy, party, or protest.

Whether it's the right or the left, conservative or progressive, many today are placing their ultimate hope, trust, and identity in political ideology rather than in the risen King, Jesus Christ—and it shows.

The lie whispers:

“If we just elect the right people…” “If we could just fix the system…” “If our side had more control, things would be so much better…” “With the right leader, policies, and support, we can usher in justice, peace, and make things right.”

This is a glimpse into the False Gospel of Political Ideology—a belief that human power structures can bring about the kind of redemption only Jesus can deliver.

It takes real, God-given longings for justice, truth, and peace…and misplaces them in kingdoms built by men, not the Kingdom of God.

Let’s bring this false gospel into the Light.

What about Jesus’ reign and His Kingdom? Let’s explore that.

Jesus Is King, and His Kingdom Is Not of This World

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea, under the Roman Emperor of the time, Tiberius. After Jesus was betrayed by Judas, the Jewish leaders took Jesus to Pilate because they did not have the legal right to execute someone, according to Roman law (see John 18:31). In the book of John 18:33-37, we are brought into the governor’s headquarters where Pilate questioned Jesus. We get to see Jesus’ response to Pilate when asked, essentially, if He was a political threat. It says,

"So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”

Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

The Kingdom of God does not rise or fall with elections, policies, or cultural movements.

God’s Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

It does not fit neatly into man-made party platforms.

It is not confined to red states or blue states or any other political group or movement.

It's not American or European or national or globalist.

The Kingdom of God is holy, eternal, and completely "other."

In this Kingdom of Light, Jesus reigns as King.

In the book of Isaiah 9:6-7, a prophesy pointing to Jesus is given. It says,

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

The Gospel of the Kingdom announces that Jesus reigns now—not someday, not once we take back cultural ground, but now.

It says in Mark 1:14-15,

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

So, what about us? What about now?

The reality is that the Lord Jesus rules with justice and righteousness from the throne of heaven, and His people are called to represent His reign on earth—not as partisans, but as faithful disciples filled with the Spirit of God.

Ok, now back to the fruit of placing our hope in politics, government, or an ideology.

Why the False Gospel Fails

Political idolatry creates division, fuels fear, and puts false saviors on the throne of our hearts.

It makes enemies out of neighbors and breeds a self-righteous spirit that sees “them” as the problem instead of sin as the real enemy.

It says:

* "If you're not politically engaged like me, you're part of the problem."

* "I am a [fill in the blank] and nothing can change that."

* "We can see, but you are blind."

* "Change for the better can only happen through our candidate."

* "If you don’t agree with me, don’t talk to me."

Can you sense the entitlement, the pride, the contempt, the disdain for the other. Yuck.

No thank you.

Here’s what Scripture says in Psalm 146:3-10:

“Put not your trust in princes,

in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;

on that very day his plans perish.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them,

who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed,

who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;

the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.

The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the sojourners;

he upholds the widow and the fatherless,

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The LORD will reign forever,

your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the Lord!”

It says in Psalm 20:7,

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

The LORD isn't looking for political allegiance—He's calling for full surrender to His Son, Jesus.

Politics can be a tool for the common good, for justice, and contribute to human flourishing, but it is a terrible place to anchor your hope.

Kingdom People: Living Under a Greater Rule

As followers of Jesus, the Biblical reality is that we are exiles, sojourners, and ambassadors of Christ and His Kingdom on this earth, and yet, already we are citizens of heaven.

It says in Philippians 3:20-21,

“Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Do we live like this is true? That’s a question I ask myself. Do I live like I am a citizen of heaven? Do I eagerly await our Savior’s return? Do I know with all my heart that the Lord Jesus Christ will transform my lowly body to be like His glorious body? Do I trust in His power, convinced He is sovereign over all, able to subject all things to Himself, coming soon to bring true and complete justice?

Another question to consider:

Is our allegiance to the eternal Kingdom of God, or to another?

There’s tension that exists here.

We’re called to be in the world but not of the world.

God doesn’t ask us to withdraw from the world’s brokenness, and we’re definitely not called to worship the world’s systems either.

Instead, it says in 2 Corinthians 5:20,

“We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Our job isn't to win culture wars.

It's to represent the reign of Jesus, to make disciples, to pursue justice rooted in the Gospel, and to love our enemies.

This is the invitation for all followers of Jesus, young and old—all are set apart as ambassadors of Christ and His Kingdom, chosen by God to represent His eternal rule and reign, motivated by love.

A Quick Reality Check

Imagine if Jesus ran for a governmental office. What would His platform be?

* “Die to yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. Love your enemies, give generously, humble yourself, serve the least, let My light shine, and prepare to be hated for My Name’s sake.”

What about His campaign slogan?

* The Kingdom is here, no more fear! Repent, follow Me, and you’ll be free!

I’m not so sure that message would trend well on social media.

In a way though, that leads us to the point:

Jesus didn’t come to be liked. He came to announce the Good News of the Kingdom, to reconcile lost souls back to God, to offer a better way to abundant life, and set captives free.

Jesus came to reign—first in our hearts, and over all creation.

Jesus Reigns and Will Make All Things New

No matter who's in power, the tomb is still empty.

The throne is still occupied.

Christ’s Kingdom is still advancing.

Jesus Himself said,

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

- Matthew 16:18

The Lord Jesus is building His church and the kingdom of darkness cannot stop it.

Light wins. Darkness loses.

It says of Jesus in Colossians 1:15-20,

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

So, we can live today with hope, knowing the day will come when Jesus’ reign will come on earth as it is in heaven.

Remember Revelation 21:1-7,

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

That is gloriously good news.

That’s the hope we live for—not a passing policy or political figure or identity politics, but an unshakable Kingdom.

Awesome God, please help us to remember You reign now and You will reign forever! Hallelujah!

Friends, there will come a day when every president, king, and ruler will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

This has everything to do with how we live today, in light of Jesus’ reign and victory.

It says in Philippians 2:3-11,

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Amen and amen!

Be Encouraged: You Belong to a Better Kingdom

If you've placed too much hope in politics, here’s what you can do: Simply repent and return to Jesus.

There is no shame in realigning your heart—it is a blessing from God.

I know well from experience, the opportunity to repent is a priceless gift from God—otherwise we’d be stuck and dead in our sins.

It is a beautiful thing to repent and turn back to the Lord, and it comes with a promise.

It says in Acts 3:19-20,

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.”

God’s not rolling His eyes or passive aggressive when you turn back to Him; He’s not like a vindictive Judge or partial worldly leader.

The King of kings is ready to wipe away your sins and welcome you into His refreshing presence.

The Lord’s invitation is so gracious. His ways and plans are better.

His Kingdom is eternal and good.

A Final Thought and A Reminder of the Best News Ever

Politics can never save us, but King Jesus already has.

If you’ve trusted in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you know this to be true.

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus or aren’t sure whether He has saved you, here’s the simple Good News:

God lovingly made us to know Him, enjoy Him fully, and make Him known.

Nevertheless, we have all sinned and gone our own way.

But in His mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus—fully God and fully man—

who lived the perfect life we could never live,

died the death we deserved,

and rose again to conquer sin and death forever.

And now, by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are invited into a new life—eternal, abundant life with God, starting now and lasting forever.

This is life-changing, good news. I need this reminder daily.

Whether you’re hearing this message for the 50th time or for the very 1st time, you can choose to commit or recommit your life to God, and to welcome Jesus to be your Savior and your Lord.

The Bible says in the book of Romans 10:9-11,

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’”

By God’s grace, you will be justified through faith in Jesus, meaning you will be made righteous in God’s eyes.

Friends, it’s worth noting, tomorrow is not guaranteed for all of us.

So, if you want to be forgiven, make peace with God, and accept God’s offer of salvation by trusting Jesus to be your Savior and Lord, the decision is yours to make—the offer of grace is on the table.

And if you accept, all of heaven will rejoice with you.

The powers of hell and sin will lose their grip on your life.

You will begin a new, real relationship with the one, true living God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Your sins and past failures will be forgiven. You will be made new, completely cleansed in God’s eyes.

God’s life-giving Spirit will come into you and be with you through every valley, storm, and season of life.

He will guide you into all truth, lovingly convict you of sin and encourage you to turn back to Jesus. He will shape you to look more and more like Jesus in beautiful and unique ways.

You will be welcomed into the Kingdom of God as a beloved son or daughter, into God’s covenant family, into abundant life with God.

The Bible will come alive to you as God’s precious words and truth.

You will experience God in ways you never fathomed were possible.

You will never regret choosing Jesus over the temporary false hopes of the world.

God has transformed my life in all these ways and so many more. I could not possibly more highly recommend seriously considering the implications of life with Jesus vs life apart from Him. Only He can save, redeem, and offer real, abundant life starting now, and lasting forever. Life with Jesus isn’t easy, but it is beautiful, powerful, surprising, and filled with life, purpose, hope, and light—it’s a life worth living.

Thank You, God!

Jesus’ Himself said,

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

- John 14:16

In John 6:44, Jesus also said,

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

So, if you sense God drawing you to Himself, moving your heart, and you want to let go of false hopes and whatever else is weighing you down, you can receive God’s offer of grace right now.

Feel free to pray this with me, whether you want to trust in Jesus for the first time or recommit your life to Him. Otherwise, I’d encourage you to really consider God’s offer of grace.

Lord God Almighty,

Thank You for this offer of grace.

Thank You for Your offer of forgiveness, salvation, and new life with You.

I surrender my past, my present, and my future to You, God.

Forgive me of my sins against you and against others.

I’m sorry, and I choose to lay down all the things I put my trust in.

I choose to put my trust in You, Lord.

God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus, who lived the perfect life I could never live, died the death I deserved, and rose again to conquer sin and death forever.

I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

I confess with my mouth right now that Jesus is Lord.

By faith, I believe that God raised him from the dead.

Lord Jesus, You are welcome into my life and into my heart.

Fill me with Your Spirit.

Open my eyes to truly see, my ears to hear You speak, and my heart and mind to understand and know Your love and truth.

Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, ready and willing to guide me into all truth.

Teach me to know Your love, to sense Your presence, and to walk with You all my days.

I pray in the name of my Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Hallelujah! Thank You, God!

Friends if you believe this, know that all of heaven is celebrating your decision to trust in Jesus, and I am celebrating with you!

Please let me know if this is you, and I’d love to pray for you. It would absolutely make my day. Here’s my email: [email protected].

I can say with 100% certainty, you’re going to need prayer and people who know, love, and trust Jesus to walk alongside you, read the Bible with you, and pray with you. Discipleship is essential. Community is available. God’s Spirit abides in you and will help you to walk with Jesus daily. Your Father in heaven is for you. The Bible is the God’s Word, it’s alive and active (see Hebrews 4:12), and it’s the most relevant tool for your growth as a disciple of Jesus. Every time you explore God’s Words, you get to engage with God Himself. You are so loved.

Mi amigos, mes amis, my brothers and sisters, everyone who’s reading or listening to this, I hope you were blessed and encouraged by this podcast-post. I hope you’re having a good time unpacking some more junk with me and replacing it with real eternal treasures. May God deeply refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. You can click the share buttons below or subscribe for free. May God bless you with hope in the Good News of Jesus! You are loved.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Posts/podcasts every M, W, & F!

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast.

Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to expose the false gospel of Popularity and Influence to the light of God’s Word and truth and unveil the heart or motivation behind it. Then we’re going to look at Jesus, someone who knew how to handle crowds, and see His perspective on this. We’ll contrast the false hopes with The True Good News, see what Paul had to share on this topic, and share a practical application moment together, seeking the Lord’s perspective on a few questions. We’re going to get a Gospel Reality Check, fix our eyes back on Jesus: The Anti-Influencer (Yet Most Influential One of All), and get fired up to Live for an Audience of One, like Jesus. Finally, we’ll pray and finish with a Final Word of Hope.

This is the first deep dive in our new series called FALSE GOSPELS vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS.

If this interests you, and you haven’t already, you can subscribe for free.

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

We’ve got a whole lot more we’re planning to uncover in the coming weeks, including topics like:

- Political Ideology

- Wealth and Comfort

- Life without Suffering

- Salvation without Lordship

- Self-Expression and Identity Autonomy

- Personal Happiness

- Romantic or Sexual Fulfillment

- Hustle and Achievement

- Escapism and Entertainment

- Religious Performance

- Self-Love and Self-Help

I introduced this series in our last post called, Which Gospel Are You Living By? Introducing a New Series: FALSE GOSPELS vs. THE TRUE GOOD NEWS of JESUS. It’s linked here if you’d like to check it out.

You can also share this podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify or share this LIFE ON MISSION publication with friends using the link attached or the QR code below.

I really believe that God really wants to restore HOPE in us as we turn our eyes toward Jesus and respond to the truth that sets us free.

My prayer is that God will refresh you in this series with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you.

Alright, are you ready? Let’s do this!

First things first, God’s Word

In Galatians 1:6-10, Paul writes to the churches in the region of Galatia,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

What’s the False Gospel?

It can be packaged in various ways, but these statements will give the essence of the counterfeit gospel preached.

“If people like you and what you offer, then you add value to their lives, and if you add value, you are valuable.”

“Your worth is measured by your reach; if what you offer is worthwhile, then people, success, and influence will follow.”

“Go big or go home, whatever it takes. Build your brand. Be true to yourself. Be an influencer. Build a following. Go viral. Stay relevant.”

Welcome to the gospel of popularity and influence—preached daily by algorithms, celebrity culture, and carefully curated online personas of seemingly perfect people who have no issues, problems, or flaws in any part of their lives.

This messaging preaching popularity and influence is a bit like a modern golden calf. Remember that story from the Bible? If we’re honest, many of us are tempted to bow to it.

Let’s call it what it is: a false gospel contrary to the true Good News of Jesus.

It whispers: “If enough people approve of you, you’ll finally be secure. Seen. Significant.”

But it’s a trap. A moving target. A hamster wheel. And the finish line? Nowhere in sight.

The Heart Behind It

This lie preys on our God-given desire for belonging and significance—but offers a counterfeit version rooted in performance and public opinion.

Within every soul, there are deep longings to be seen, to be known, to be loved, and to be valued.

That makes sense considering God wired us for life in community.

You and I are intricately and beautifully crafted by the loving hand of the Creator, designed to depend on the Designer.

We are meant to know: God sees us, knows us, loves us, and treasures us.

But when we disconnect that need from God’s unshakable love and plug it into the crowd’s approval instead, we can become slaves to applause and opinions.

One moment, you're trending, you’re liked, you’re relevant.

The next?

You’re canceled, no longer necessary, or simply forgotten—old news.

Crowds are fickle, here for a minute, and gone the next.

Jesus isn’t.

Don’t put your hope in the opinions of others, put your hope in the One who never changes and never disappoints—the One who sees you, knows you, loves you, and values you.

It says in Hebrews 13:8,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Jesus and the Crowd

Let’s take a look at how Jesus handled popularity:

“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people, and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

- John 2:23–25

Jesus was not intoxicated by fame.

He didn’t build His identity on who liked Him—even when the crowds were impressed.

Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father alone.

He lived, worked, served, and did all that He did for an audience of one.

Remember, the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” turned on Him just days later, crying out, “Crucify Him!”

As for Jesus, neither the crowd’s approval nor their mocking and reviling caused Him to stumble off track from the Father’s will and purpose for His life.

With resolve, Jesus pressed on faithfully.

He didn’t perform for approval.

He lived to please the Father.

Here’s Some Good News

In Christ, we’re not loved because we’re liked.

We’re loved because we belong to God, because we are His.

In God’s great love for us and by His unmerited grace, God draws us near to Himself and blesses us with faith as a gift.

Through Jesus, we’ve been adopted into God’s own covenant family.

It says in 1 John 3:1,

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

It says in Proverbs 29:25,

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”

It’s by grace that we can now stand before God by faith, not as outsiders, but as a beloved son or daughter.

You and I don’t need to build a personal brand or gain others’ approval to belong in the Kingdom of God.

You don’t need to go viral to be valuable to God.

Hallelujah!

Paul Had Something to Say About This

Let’s go back to Paul’s mic drop statement in Galatians 1:10:

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Here we see Paul confronting the temptation to soften the message of the Gospel for the sake of public approval. He knew well that the truth isn’t always popular.

Our Savior and Lord Jesus was crucified, not crowned and adored by the masses.

So Paul says, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

That is sobering.

But also freeing.

Because it means we don’t have to pretend.

We don’t need to please people.

We don’t have to seek out the attention and affection of others.

We can simply seek to be faithful to the One who fights for us, stands with us, and laid down His life for us.

A Practical Application

Invite the Lord into a time of praying and listening.

Imagine the Lord Jesus, with love in His eyes, asking you these questions:

Who are you trying to impress?

What do you care about more, what people think of you or what I say about you?

If no one ever notices you except Me, and I am pleased with you, would that be enough for you?

What is your response?

Consider writing down your answers. If you’re like me, that might help you process these questions with the Lord.

(If you're not sure how to answer, consider how you feel when your post gets only three likes… or consider how you feel when a boss or coach or family member doesn’t recognize your efforts… or consider how you feel when someone you love disregards what you're thinking or feeling…)

How you react or respond might help reveal what’s going on inside you.

Take some time to wait and listen. See what the Lord brings up in your heart or mind.

Remember Jesus’ words recorded in the book of John 16:33,

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Gospel Reality Check

Here’s some more good news:

You don’t have to strive to be seen, because you’re already fully seen and known by God. You don’t have to prove yourself to be loved, because you’re already fully loved in Christ. You don’t have to chase likes or people’s approval, because you’ve already been chosen by the King of Glory.

You are already treasured by God.

Feel free to read that again.

I need God’s to help to receive and believe this—not just in my head, but in my heart.

You can join me in asking God for His help:

“Awesome God,

You see all and know all things, and I believe You really do love me.

Help me to accept this as the truth, as the reality You secured for me through Christ.

Thank You for seeing me.

Thank You for knowing me.

Thank You for choosing to love me.

Thank You for choosing me.

Help me to believe that I am who you say I am, not who I think I am and not what others say about who I am.

Move this life-changing knowledge from my head to my heart.

Teach me to live like it’s true.

I ask and pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Thank You, God!”

How was that? God is good right?! He is moving, even now, shifting our perspectives, aligning our beliefs with truth, answering our prayers. I believe it! Do you believe it?

Let’s trust our trustworthy God by faith and keep turning our eyes to the Source of Truth.

Jesus: The Anti-Influencer (Yet Most Influential One of All)

Jesus didn’t post selfies with sinners to build clout, or a following, or a reputation.

He loved those who seemed unloveable, healed the broken, called out and forgave sin, washed His disciples feet, and took up a cross to die for a world that didn’t want Him as their one, true King.

Jesus didn’t follow trends—He confronted them.

He flipped tables in the temple courts when others had made a habit of using them for their own gain.

And yet—Jesus set an unprecedented example for all humanity then and His impact continues to this day.

No one has shaped history more than this man who died on a cross, rejected and despised by the crowds that acclaimed His name just days before.

Why?

Jesus was driven by love—love for the Father and love for us.

He wasn’t driven by popularity or worldly influence.

In the book of Matthew 20:28, Jesus said of Himself,

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hallelujah!

And the story doesn’t end there!

Jesus didn’t stay in that grave.

He rose from the grave as He said He would and validated every word He declared from the Father.

Death couldn’t hold Him down.

And Jesus is alive today, moving and working in and through His sons and daughters through the Holy Spirit.

Now we, redeemed children of God, can live as more than overcomers through Him who loves us.

Now we can let Christ’s fiery light shine to the world that they may see the good that our God does through us and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Hallelujah!

JESUS REIGNS!

Now what?

Let’s Live for an Audience of One, like Jesus

You have nothing left to prove, because God has already proven His love for you on the cross. You have nothing left to hide, because your identity is hidden with Christ in God. You have nothing left to promote, except the good news of Jesus, crucified, risen, and reigning from heaven with justice, grace, mercy, and love.

We have every reason to respond to God’s love and walk with Him all our days.

All glory to the Lamb who was slain, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Let’s Pray

Glorious God,You are a good and gracious King.

I confess I’ve often chased the approval of others instead of trusting Your love. Forgive me for seeking others’ approval, putting people and their opinions on a pedestal, and acting in the fear of man rather than fearing the LORD alone.

Thank You for Your forgiveness, Father. Thank You for calling us into something better—into the freedom of knowing Your soul-satisfying love and our identity as Your beloved child.

Lord, thank You for Your example.

You didn’t live for popularity, but lived to please the Father—and You died to redeem us. Hallelujah! You are so worthy to be praised. You alone are worthy of my life, of all I am and have to give.

Teach us to live for You alone, for Your glory, knowing that You are Emmanuel—God with us.

I want to hear, “Well done,” not from the crowd—but from You, everlasting King.

Father, teach us to walk humbly, boldly, and joyfully in the Holy Spirit as chosen sons and daughters, no longer slaves to fear or people’s approval.

May our lives make Your Name known—not our own.

May our lives of faith-in-action reveal how beautiful, matchless, and glorious You are, Lord our God.

We pray all these things by faith in the name of Jesus.

Amen!

Thank You, LORD!

A Final Word of Hope

You don’t need to be famous, or popular, or influential in the world’s eyes. You can be free of these heavy burdens you were never meant to carry.

Reckon with the fact that you are fully seen, known, and deeply loved by God.

Simply respond to God’s steadfast love.

If you’re in Christ and He’s in you through His Spirit, You have God in you, guiding you into all truth, empowering you to abide in Him, know His love, and live like Jesus—full of grace and truth, faithful and diligent, attentive and responsive to God.

And when you know you are fully seen, known, and deeply loved by the God who is for you, with you, and in you, you are free—truly free to walk with God in fullness of joy.

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

- Colossians 3:3

God is good. I hope that you feel infused with HOPE as we’ve turned our eyes toward Jesus and the realities of His truth that sets us free.

May God continue to refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. You can click the share buttons below or subscribe for free. May God bless you with hope in the Good News of Jesus!

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast. This is going to be an interesting one. We’re aiming to honestly expose widespread false gospels to the light and truth of Christ, and contrast these with the true Good News of Jesus and the always advancing Kingdom of God.

We are starting this new series because the Lord moved my heart with His desire to inspire real, lasting HOPE in us—especially in an age when so many lack real hope.

I really believe that God really wants to restore HOPE in us as we turn our eyes toward Jesus and respond to the truth that sets us free.

My prayer is that this series will refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you.

Just so you know, you are welcome to explore our latests podcast-posts. In our last post, we had some fun exploring CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH - Unpacking some Junk and Replacing it with Eternal Treasures.

Before it, I shared about PARIS: The SPIRITUAL DESERT Masked By BEAUTY, My Conviction to Go, God has Brought the Nations to Us, & Good News from Sunday. I am full of hope and resolve, excited to see what the Lord has in store for this city and for us.

In the post before it, I got to give A Glimpse into The Real Reality of our LIVES ON MISSION in PARIS 🇫🇷 4 mo. here in a 10x10 Studio✨. Life here has not been glamorous but it has been eternally significant.

If you’re interested in those podcasts, you can click the links attached. You can also share this podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify or share this LIFE ON MISSION publication with friends using the link attached or the QR code below.

Which Gospel Are You Living By?

It says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4,

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Welcome to the world we know today.

Welcome to the Battle for Your Belief

We live in a time when everyone’s preaching something.

It may not come from a pulpit, but it’s there—in ads, on screens, through influencers, podcasts, self-help books, messages, videos, and even memes.

Every day, whether we realize it or not, we are discipled by something or someone.

There are countless voices offering different “gospels”—a version of the good life, a promise of hope, purpose, happiness, or identity.

And not all of them are true, to say the least.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ—or Something Else?

The word gospel simply means “good news.” But not all “good news” is God’s news.

Culture is full of counterfeit gospels.

They might sound good.

They may feel empowering.

There may even be an element of truth sprinkled in—just enough to influence our hearts and minds.

But they are so often rooted in man-made ideas, and they ultimately lead us away from the love, freedom, and abundant life that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Here’s the hard truth:

Many of us are living by false gospels without even realizing it.

Why This Series?

This series was born out of a deep conviction and an even deeper hope:To call God’s people back to the true, life-transforming, perspective-shifting, joy-filled Good News of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

On the other hand, agendas abound. False hopes are so regularly served to us on an enticing, shiny platters, it can be hard to have any real hope whatsoever.

Our intention in this series is to lovingly—but boldly—expose some popular lies to the light and truth of God’s unchanging Word and celebrate the unfading beauty of the real Gospel.

Here’s what’s at stake:

When we believe a false gospel, we end up placing our hope in something that cannot save us.

In stark contrast…

When we respond to the true Gospel, follow Jesus, and anchor our lives in Him, we come to experience abundant life with God.

We get to let go of false gospels and sin-stained ways and take up our true identity in Christ, as beloved sons and daughters.

We get to leave behind our me-centered lives and embrace new Christ-centered lives.

We get to give up false hopes and place our hope daily in Jesus, the One who never changes, never lies, and never disappoints—the One who offers an inheritance of eternal, abundant life, starting now and lasting forever.

We learn to live life led by the Holy Spirit, life with God, not apart from Him.

As we abide in Jesus, we grow and become more and more like Him—more and more full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The world needs these kinds of people.

We need this kind of transformation, amen?

So What Are Some of These False Gospels?

These aren’t always shouted with pitchforks and evil laughter.Often, they come softly, in Instagram captions, interesting TED talks, marketing slogans, well-meaning conversations, and so much more.

They preach the same messages I measured against God’s Word in my last post, CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH - Unpacking some Junk and Replacing it with Eternal Treasures.

* “You do you.”

* “Make a name for yourself.”

* “Just follow your heart.”

* “Believe in yourself.”

* “You deserve this.”

* “You need to love yourself.”

* “Look within yourself to find answers.”

* “Do what makes you happy.”

There are so many more sayings like this:

* “Chase your dreams—no matter the cost.”

* “Never change for anyone.”

* “You’re enough.”

* “Manifest what you want.”

* “Your truth is your power.”

Yuck, I don’t even like saying these out loud.

At first glance, they don’t seem dangerous—they may seem inspiring.But peel back the layers, and you’ll see the problem:

These messages put you at the center, not Jesus.They build kingdoms of self, not the Kingdom of God.

How They Oppose the True Gospel

Each of these false gospels replaces the cross with a crown of self-exaltation.

They promise freedom—but actually deliver slavery to self and to sin.They promise life—but disconnect us from the Giver of Life.They tell us to look within to find meaning—while the true Gospel invites us to look up to the One who made us, knows us, loves us despite our sins, and died for us to ransom us from the kingdom of darkness and deliver us into the Kingdom of the Beloved Son, Jesus—the Kingdom of Light.

Only Jesus can save.

Only Jesus satisfies the deepest longings of our hearts and souls.

Only one Gospel is true.

What’s the True Gospel Again?

Here’s the simple Good News:

God lovingly made us to know Him, enjoy Him fully, and make Him known.

Nevertheless, we have all sinned and gone our own way.

But in His mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus—fully God and fully man—who lived the perfect life we could never live,died the death we deserved,and rose again to conquer sin and death forever.

And now, by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are invited into a new life—eternal, abundant life with God, starting now and lasting forever.

Feel free to read that again.

Take whatever time is necessary to let this reality sink from your head, down into your heart.

It takes time.

It requires the Spirit of God to inspire the childlike faith necessary to believe and respond to this Good News.

This is not just a message about how to get to heaven and avoid hell.

It’s about the arrival of the Kingdom of God, of God’s reign advancing through Jesus working through and with His people.

It’s about living under Christ’s loving reign, abiding in the Lord, and becoming more like Jesus in the world with the help of the Holy Spirit.

There are infinite depths we could dive into the infinite mercy, grace, and love of God on display through the Good News of the Lord and Messiah, Jesus.

A Sneak Peek Into this Series

Over the coming weeks, we plan to confront 12 of the most common false gospels in our culture and expose them to the truth and light of Jesus Christ.

Here’s a sneak peak of what’s coming, including False Gospels of:

* Popularity and Influence

* Political Ideology

* Wealth and Comfort

* Life without Suffering

* Salvation without Lordship

* Self-Expression and Identity Autonomy

* Personal Happiness

* Romantic or Sexual Fulfillment

* Hustle and Achievement

* Escapism and Entertainment

* Religious Performance

* Self-Love and Self-Help

Why This Matters

This isn’t about pointing fingers at “the culture out there.”It’s about humbly asking the Lord:

“Who or what is discipling me?”

“What do I actually believe, and is it aligned with the Word of God?”

“Where does my hope truly come from?”

“Where have these false hopes crept into my thought-life and perspective?”

“Is my life built on the Cornerstone, Jesus? Is He truly at the center of my life?”

“Is God’s Good News truly the best news ever to me? Or has my heart grown cold due to familiarity or something else?”

“How can I embrace and respond to who Jesus is and what He has done?”

“How can I partner with God in the work of the Kingdom?”

“How can I embody and share the true Gospel of Jesus and the Kingdom of God?”

It’s good to keep in mind that following Jesus—obeying His words and ways—really does stretch our faith past our comfort zones, and that is a good thing. It leads to long-term growth in Christ.

This is not an exercise in comparing us vs them. Not at all.

We’re not here to shame others—but to shine the light of Jesus, sharing His love, truth, and grace.

When we embrace the Good News and respond to it, everything else seems to come into perspective.

Let’s Rediscover HOPE and The True Good News Together

This series is for:

* Anyone who needs some real HOPE.

* Anyone who wants the truth over what’s trendy.

* Anyone who desires freedom over fear and pressure to conform to the ways of this ever-changing world.

* Anyone who feels weary from performing or pretending.

* Anyone who knows of Jesus, but has felt pulled by the pressures of culture.

* Anyone who doesn’t know Jesus, but is open or curious to learn more.

* Anyone who wants to go deeper into truth and experience the joys of life with God.

* Anyone who is curious if there's more than the empty promises and candy-coated idolatry offered to us everyday, whether we asked for them or not.

We believe God has so much more beauty in store than we could possibly fathom.

There is HOPE.

His name is Jesus, and His Kingdom is here, now, advancing, and it will come, soon, in full.

And some more good news?

Jesus not just better than the false gospels offered.

Jesus everything our hearts and souls have been longing for and so, so much more.

Stay Tuned

Moving forward, I intend to release new podcast episodes, exposing a false gospel to the light and proclaiming the best news of Jesus.

Come with your Bible, see for yourself. Come with your questions. Come with your heart open, ready to receive from the Lord.

Let’s tear down every counterfeit idol. No more wasting our attention and affections on false hopes.Let’s build our lives on the Rock, the one true Savior and Lord, Jesus.

Let’s abide in God’s Word as true disciples, living according to the truth that sets us free, as Jesus said:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:32

I hope you were blessed and encouraged by this series introduction. I hope you’re excited to unpack some more junk with me and replace it with real eternal treasures. May God refresh you with the best news ever and inspire lasting, contagious hope within you that overflows from you. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. You can click the share buttons below or subscribe for free. May God bless you with hope in the Good News of Jesus today!

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Posts/podcasts every M, W, & F!

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast. This is going to be a fun one. We’re going to measure widespread sayings from mainstream culture against eternal truth from God’s Word.

In the last podcast-post, I shared about PARIS: The SPIRITUAL DESERT Masked By BEAUTY, My Conviction to Go, God has Brought the Nations to Us, & Good News from Sunday.

In the post before it, I shared A Glimpse into The Real Reality of our LIVES ON MISSION in PARIS 🇫🇷 4 mo. here in a 10x10 Studio✨.

If you’re interested in those podcasts, you can click the links attached here. You can also share this LIFE ON MISSION podcast via Apple podcasts or Spotify or share this publication with friends using the QR code below.

CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH

Our world today has a lot to say about who you are and what you should believe, while leaving God and His truth in the dust. It can be hard to distinguish lies from half-truths from truths.

But, unlike the rest of the world, followers of Jesus have both The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Jesus Himself, and the the Bible, the true words of God.

It says in Proverbs 30:5,

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

We can trust God, the Source of Truth, and we can trust His Word.

In Romans 12:2, it says,

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

That’s exactly what we’re going to do right now. We’re going to acknowledge some messages our world preaches, and contrast them with God’s truth from His Word. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we’re going to renew our minds with truth, so we can better discern God’s will—what is good, acceptable, and perfect.

This is not an exhaustive list of convincing cultural lies and half-truths, of course. But, for many, this messaging has worked its way into our subconscious minds and beliefs.

As for me, I’d prefer what’s real and true according to God over what seems true or sounds nice everyday of the week.

So, I hope this post encourages your faith and builds you up in the love and truth of God.

Let’s let the Lord search our hearts and help us to let go of misguided beliefs that align more with the world then with God’s Word.

Let’s unpack some junk and replace it with eternal treasures.

1. “You do you.”

The Implied Lie: Autonomy and self-expression are the highest good. In other words, you decide what’s best for you.

The Biblical Truth:

It says in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20,

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Also, in Isaiah 55, we see God’s love on display as He encourages His people to repent from their wayward ways and return to Him, so that He might have compassion on them and pardon them. God speaks,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

- Isaiah 55:8-9

Our lives are not our own—either we belong to Christ if we’ve placed our trust in Him or otherwise, we’re enslaved to whatever overcomes us according to 2 Peter 2:19. God knows what’s best and His ways, His will, and His timing are best, not ours. The goal isn’t to "do you" but to become like Jesus and enjoy Him completely.

2. “Make a name for yourself.”

The Implied Lie: Worth is found in recognition, fame, or legacy.

The Biblical Truth:

Remember the Tower of Babel? Humans have been believing this lie from the deceiver since the beginning.

In Genesis 11:4, we see the people of Babel said,

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves…”

Rather than disobey God by seeking to make a name for ourselves, we can choose to trust in and celebrate the name of our Savior Jesus who humbled Himself and was obedient even to the point of death on the cross.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

- Philippians 2:9-11

We are not here to exalt ourselves—we exist to exalt the Name above every name: Jesus.

3. “Just follow your heart.”

The Implied Lie: Your feelings are trustworthy guides to truth and purpose.

The Biblical Truth:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

I the Lord search the heart and test the mind,to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

- Jeremiah 17:9-10

It says in Proverbs 3:5,

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

Don’t follow your heart—follow Jesus, and let Him lovingly lead and shape your heart.

4. “Believe in yourself.”

The Implied Lie: You are the source of strength and success.

The Biblical Truth:

Jesus said,

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,

for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

- John 15:5

And as Paul proclaimed, we too can declare,

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

- Philippians 4:13

We’re not called to believe in ourselves but to believe in the One who gave Himself for us—the One who is with us and who strengthens us to do what pleases our Father in heaven.

5. “You deserve this.”

The Implied Lie: You are entitled to blessing, ease, or reward because of your effort or value.

The Biblical Truth:

What we deserve is the penalty for our sins—death. This is why the Good News of Jesus is such good news.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

- Romans 6:23

Our God is a merciful and gracious Savior and King,

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”

- Psalm 103:10

What we deserve is judgment—but God, being rich in mercy, gives grace instead. That is mind-blowing, counter-cultural, beyond-comparison love. Not only does God show mercy by choosing not to condemn us for our sins, but also He offers eternal and abundant life to any formerly condemned sinners who choose to trust in Jesus for salvation. What we receive by faith is not based on merit, but on Christ’s finished work.

6. “You need to love yourself.”

The Implied Lie: Loving yourself is the foundation of wholeness and healthy relationships.

The Biblical Truth:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be

lovers of self,

lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

- 2 Timothy 3:1–5

The Lord Jesus said,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

- Matthew 22:37–39

Notice, Jesus didn’t command us to love ourselves more, or to love yourself so you can love others, but to love God supremely and others sacrificially. True love flows from God, not self. What we need is to receive and respond to the love that overflows from God into our hearts.

“God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

- Romans 5:5

7. “Look within yourself to find answers.”

The Implied Lie: Truth and direction come from introspection or inner wisdom.

The Biblical Truth:

God is the true Source of wisdom, insight, and knowledge.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

- James 1:5

It says in Psalm 119:105,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

So, we don’t look within for answers—we look to God. We consult God’s Word and depend on His Spirit. We can find all we need in the Source of Truth Himself.

8. “Do what makes you happy.”

The Implied Lie: Pleasure or comfort is the ultimate goal of life.

This one really sounds good, doesn’t it? I’ve heard it from countless well meaning people.

The Biblical Truth:

God is the source of lasting joy, blessing, and every good thing.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

- Psalm 16:11

Jesus said,

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

- Luke 9:23-24

Jesus also said,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

- John 10:10

Happiness rooted in self fades. Joy rooted in Christ lasts forever. We’re not called to pursue pleasure—but to pursue Christ, to walk with Him as His disciples, enjoy abundant life with Him, and experience fullness of joy in His presence.

What Drives You?

As followers of Jesus, we are free, not slaves driven by the culture, the flesh, or convincing half-truths. Instead, we are driven by the eternal weight of glory, the love of Christ, and the promise of being with Him forever.

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

- 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

Let’s live abundant lives in the light with Christ! Let’s not settle for nice-sounding lies or half-truths that build our ego.

Join me in a quick prayer.

Lord,

May we be ones who are driven by the eternal weight of glory, the love of Christ, and the promise of being with You forever.

May we be ones who abide in Your Word and keep Your words as true disciples, knowing the truth, and set free by it, as You said:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit, guiding us into all truth and pouring Your love into our hearts. Thank You for Your grace empowering us to choose truth over lies, life over death, and light over darkness.

I pray in the name of Jesus—The Way, The Truth, and The Life! Amen!

I hope you were blessed and encouraged by this post. I hope you had a good time unpacking some junk with me and replacing it with eternal treasures. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. May God bless you!

LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Posts/podcasts every M, W, & F!

Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast. In the last podcast-post, I shared A Glimpse into The Real Reality of our LIVES ON MISSION in PARIS 🇫🇷 4 mo. here in a 10x10 Studio✨.

But that’s not the whole story. I briefly mentioned the huge need for discipleship here, the Good News of Jesus taking root, powerful weekly home gatherings, and some amazing opportunities God’s given us to invest both in people’s lives and in the Body of Christ here. There are some exceedingly good things God is doing here that surpass the struggles we’ve come up against.

MY CONVICTION TO GO

First, I want to share a conviction I have from the Lord.

I am convinced that the Lord has called me to live as an ambassador of Christ and His Kingdom to the nations, to let His light shine wherever the Good Shepherd leads me to go.

I’ve been convinced that God was inviting me to go to other nations as an ambassador of Christ and His Kingdom since I was about 12 years old. It was then, for the first time, I heard about missions and reaching the unreached and unengaged. These are people groups across the world who have limited or no access to the Bible or at least a Bible in their mother tongue, or to churches, or to followers of Christ. Or, people groups who have been reached to one extent or another, but are not currently being engaged by anyone who follows Jesus.

That blew my mind.

There are people who have never heard the Good News of Jesus. No message of forgiveness of sins, repentance, renewal, new life, and life abundant. No one to share of God’s grace. No concept of God’s love made manifest through Jesus, including His sinless life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection—defeating sin, death, and the deceiver. No concept of salvation by grace through faith and eternity with the Lover of our souls, the LORD our Creator, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord, our best Friend. No idea of the goodness and power of the one, true, living God.

Nothing.

Not only that…I found out we know exactly where essentially all these people groups live.

We even have clear ways to get to them.

But for whatever reason, real or imagined, thousands of these unreached and unengaged people groups exist to this day.

It’s been 2000 years since Jesus commanded His disciples to go and share the Good News of the Kingdom to all nations.

But for whatever reason, real or imagined, followers of Christ have counted the cost to go to other places, but not to these remaining strongholds of darkness.

This is not without reason. The unreached places that exist are not easy to reach—not at all.

Neverthless, I thought in my 12 year old mind: “Here I am, Lord, send me!”

“If it’s a matter of willingness, I’ve got that. Send me, Lord!”

God had a lot of heart, mind, and soul prep ahead of me in the years that followed.

But that real conviction and call persisted and deepened.

THE SPIRITUAL DESERT MASKED BY BEAUTY

I expected God to direct me to dark places where the Good News and light of Christ are not yet shining. I had a strong sense the Lord would lead me to a spiritual desert.

And He did…but outer appearances can be deceiving.

First it was Indonesia, then Singapore, then across SE Asia—Indonesia again, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam—and for whatever reason, while I was there, the Lord called me toward Europe, not just anywhere, but to “the city of love,” “the city of lights,” Paris.

How romantic.

Little did I know that a spiritual desert could be masked by beautifully designed architecture, parks, and fountains resembling a golden age of the past.

Paris is a beautiful city. There’s no doubt about it.

I much prefer created beauty over man-made beauty—oceans, mountains, rivers, & green over buildings, museums, statues, & concrete—nevertheless, there’s no denying Paris is a beautiful city.

Having said that, it’s good to remember God’s words to the prophet Samuel regarding Israel’s next king after Saul, David.

“For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

- 1 Samuel 16:7

Spiritually speaking, Paris is largely dark, dry, and in many ways, dead. But, not completely, not everywhere.

There are pockets of brilliant, bright light.

There are beacons, like moving lighthouses across the city—God’s people.

Christ followers are meeting in churches, in parks, in homes, in cafes, and beyond.

Not only that, the nations are gathered here. There are people from nearly every tribe, tongue, and nation living among the 10m+ souls here in the Paris region.

That is exciting. That is really good news for us disciples of Jesus.

Why? Because Jesus said to His disciples:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

- Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus also spoke about the end times before His second coming. In particular, He speaks of this Good News of the Kingdom being proclaimed to the whole world, to all nations, before the end comes. His words are recorded in Matthew 24:14,

“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Feel free to read that again.

When will the end come? Well, according to the Son of God, the end will come after the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations.

So, brothers and sisters, we’ve got some work to do with Jesus, don’t we? Here’s some unexpected news: You probably don’t need to go far.

GOD HAS BROUGHT THE NATIONS TO US

First, we serve a big God, the God who is Lord over all the nations. The King of kings, the Lord of lords.

Now, just for a moment, or maybe a few, I want to invite you to drop whatever your views on immigration are, whether legal or illegal.

Consider this reality with me…we live in a time and age of unprecedented international connection, from social media and the internet, to real people moving from one nation to another: some for better opportunities for themselves, for their families, or for their children, others fleeing war, and many other reasons.

So what’s the point?

Well, some of us, like my wife and I, are called to go to the nations as representatives of Christ and His Kingdom of Light.

The rest of us can sit back, relax, and enjoy the one-way ticket to eternal life with Jesus and our buddies, right?

According to Jesus, no. That’s not His invitation for us. That’s not following His example.

Instead, all of us, every soul who claims that Jesus is his or her Savior and Lord, are invited to live as representatives of Christ and His Kingdom of Light wherever He places us on this earth. In our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, in our schools—wherever we are.

Jesus was and still is is committed to “This gospel of the kingdom [being] be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations.”

So, if we are true disciples, true followers and apprentices of Jesus, then we all have a role to play.

That is some good news. For the sake of all those who are zooming down the wide and easy rode that leads to destruction, the way we live, love, speak, and act as witnesses and representatives of Jesus can help save lost souls from certain judgement.

You might have neighbors or colleges from other nations without access to the Bible in their language, or churches, or small groups, or even people who love Jesus.

You might know someone who has never had a conversation with a faith-filled follower of Jesus.

Our God can give us eyes to see them more like He does, and help us show them compassion like Jesus does.

With God’s Spirit working in us, we can simply plant Kingdom seeds and water them, trusting that God will bring the growth.

We can sow seeds of love, of grace, of truth.

We can be a friend and build meaningful relationships.

We can listen to people’s stories and share ours, including how Jesus changed our lives or even how He changed our day for the better.

We can choose to forgive, show mercy, and seek peace in our relationships.

We can speak words that bring life and not death.

We can let God empower us to drop bad habits and invite His love to realign our affections.

We can reach out to others in love, even when we don’t get anything back in return.

We can show grace to someone who doesn’t deserve it, like Jesus shows grace to us.

We can lovingly point others to Jesus, share the Good News of the Kingdom, and help disciple others toward Christlikeness, knowing it’s our awesome God who truly brings transformation.

We can know, it’s the Lord of the Harvest, who brings the harvest and raises up laborers to go and work the harvest.

Speaking of God bringing the harvest, I have some highlights to share.

GOOD NEWS FROM SUNDAY

Here’s something that God has used to really encourage my faith this week. The Lord provided some incredible opportunities to let His light shine on Sunday.

* I got to pray for three women at different times, one from the Middle East, one from Africa, and one from South America.

* Madison Rose and I even got to see God partially open the ear of one of these women who had not been hearing from that ear! Hallelujah!

* I got to testify of Christ and the goodness of God to several people, two from the US, two from the UK, two from Nigeria, two from France, and one from Thailand.

* I got to pray for a woman from Australia and share a Scripture the Lord brought to my mind to share with her. It turns out that was the confirmation she needed, as she read that same passage earlier that morning. That was the power of the Holy Spirit on display.

* I even got to share the Gospel with someone who was visiting our local church for the 1st time. In response to hearing the Good News, this person told me: “I believe!” It was an awesome moment worth celebrating. All glory to God!

As I reflected on the power-packed day, thanking God for all these encounters, in prayer, the Lord posed two questions to me:

Have I not called you an ambassador to the nations, to let My light shine?

I wrote down my response in prayer, “You have, Lord. Hallelujah!”

Are not the nations gathered here, now?

“They are, Lord!” I responded.

It was a sweet, powerful moment, sensing the Lord’s confirmation that I am in the center of His will.

I know our God is faithful to lead and guide us into all truth, as He said His Spirit would.

So, despite all the challenges related to being here, now, in Paris. No amount of spiritual warfare, or intense heat, or mosquitos, or pollution, or eczema, or bad pain from a bad bed, or sickness, or bike issues, or tooth issues, or lack of space in our 10x10 studio, can thwart the beautiful plans and purpose of God.

It really is an honor to be here now.

It’s an honor to be an ambassador of our Lord and King Jesus, and His Kingdom of Light, in this city that so desperately needs real love, life, and light.

Please join us in praying for this city! If Paris can be redeemed, any place can be redeemed, no matter how seemingly dark, dry, or dead.

Jesus reigns!

It says in John 1:1-5,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

May God bless you today to walk in the light, love the light, and let Christ’s light shine as an ambassador of Jesus and His Kingdom of Light.