Ministry of the Mundane #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Ministry of the Mundane #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

"And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days." - Joshua 6:2-3

Imagine the scene: thousands of armed warriors walking silently around an impenetrable city, day after day, with nothing visible happening. No dramatic breach in the walls, no enemy surrender, no apparent progress. Just the monotonous shuffle of sandaled feet on dusty ground, the weight of armor, and the relentless Middle Eastern sun beating down.

For six days, they marched. Six days of what must have felt utterly pointless to human eyes. Six days when some surely wondered if they had misheard God's voice, if this strategy made any sense, if they were wasting precious time and energy on a fool's errand.

This is the ministry of the mundane, the sacred calling to remain faithful when nothing seems to be happening.

The Temptation to Quit Before the Breakthrough

How many of us abandon our marching on day five? Day six? We read our Bibles faithfully for months with no dramatic spiritual breakthrough. We pray consistently for a wayward child who shows no signs of change. We serve in our local church week after week, often feeling invisible and unappreciated. We choose kindness toward a difficult spouse, forgiveness toward an ungrateful teenager, patience with an elderly parent, over and over again, with little evidence that our efforts are making any difference.

The enemy of our souls knows exactly when to whisper his lies: "This isn't working." "God has forgotten you." "You're wasting your time." "Everyone else sees immediate results, why don't you?"

But the men of Israel teach us something profound about faith: treat every stage like it's your last stage. March around that wall on day six with the same dedication you had on day one, knowing that your breakthrough might be just one more lap away.

The Hidden Work of Faithfulness

What we often fail to understand is that God is always working, even when we cannot see it. Those walls of Jericho weren't crumbling because of the marching itself, they were going to fall because of God's power. But God had chosen to exercise that power through the faithful obedience of His people, day after ordinary day.

Your daily faithfulness is not mundane to God. Every time you choose patience over anger, every morning you open His Word even when you don't feel like it, every act of service performed without recognition, these are the very building blocks of Christian character. This is not the preliminary work before "real ministry" begins; this IS the real ministry.

Consider the parent who faithfully corrects the same behavior in their child for the hundredth time. We long to speak once and see permanent transformation, but God's design involves repetition, patience, and long-term faithfulness. The fruit may not be visible today, or even this year, but every faithful correction is a seed planted in eternity.

Keep Marching

Whatever wall you're facing today, whether it's a difficult relationship, a financial struggle, a health challenge, or simply the ordinary demands of following Christ in a fallen world—remember the men of Israel. They didn't see the end from the beginning. They simply trusted God's word and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Your mundane faithfulness matters more than you know. That daily Bible reading is shaping your heart. Those patient corrections are forming your children's character. That quiet service is building God's kingdom. That perseverance through difficulty is developing your faith.

Don't stop marching on day six. The walls may fall tomorrow.

"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9

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The Music of Rest #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Music of Rest #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

The Music of Rest: Finding God's Rhythm in a Restless World

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

I violated the rest reality in the Bible to my own hurt, I almost self-destructed. I don't know where I came across this statement, but it's become a pattern I've tried to follow, and it was: "Divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually." The concept is that we need to have some rest built into each day, each week, and each year. I have been encouraging every pastor friend of mine to follow some version of this and build rest into the rhythm of their life. In music, they say that a rest is when there is no music, but the truth is there is the making of music in the rest. The rest is a vital part of the whole composition. God's design and desire is that the composition of our lives be well-pleasing to Him, and He's the one that established the rhythms of rest as well as the call to do business till He comes.

Just as a musical composition needs rests to create beauty and meaning, our lives need intentional pauses to create space for God's presence and renewal. Without these rests, our life's song becomes a chaotic noise rather than a harmonious melody that glorifies our Creator.

Five Practical Steps to Enter God's Rhythm of Rest

1. Divert Daily (15-30 minutes): Set aside time each day to step away from your regular responsibilities. This could be a morning walk, evening prayer time, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of coffee while reflecting on God's goodness. Turn off devices and tune into God's presence.

2. Withdraw Weekly (Half day to full day): Honor the Sabbath principle by dedicating regular time each week to rest from work and focus on worship, family, and spiritual renewal. This might mean saying no to certain commitments or work projects on your chosen day of rest.

3. Abandon Annually (Several days to weeks): Plan extended periods of rest throughout the year, true vacations where you completely disconnect from work responsibilities. Use this time for deeper spiritual retreats, family bonding, or simply allowing your soul to be restored in God's presence.

4. Create Rest Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries around your rest times. Communicate with family, friends, and colleagues about when you're unavailable. Let your voicemail, email auto-reply, and boundaries protect these sacred times of renewal.

5. Practice the Presence of God in Rest: Don't just rest from work, rest in God. Use your rest times for prayer, Scripture reading, worship, or simply sitting in God's presence. Remember that true rest comes not just from the absence of activity, but from the presence of peace that only God can provide.

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The Undiscovered Country #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Undiscovered Country #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

The Undiscovered Country: Embracing Our Journey to the Future

 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." C.S. Lewis

In Star Trek VI, the Klingon Chancellor Gorkon speaks of death as "the undiscovered country," borrowing Shakespeare's phrase from Hamlet. Yet in the film's closing moments, Captain Kirk reframes this metaphor: "The undiscovered country... the future." What was once a symbol of finality becomes an invitation to possibility.

The Paradox of Waiting and Soaring

Isaiah's promise presents us with a beautiful paradox: those who wait upon the Lord will soar like eagles. In our culture of instant everything, waiting feels like inaction. But the Hebrew word for "wait" (qavah) carries deeper meaning—it suggests hopeful expectation, like a taut rope under tension, ready to spring into action.

The eagle doesn't flap frantically to stay aloft; it finds the thermal currents and rides them with grace and power. Similarly, when we anchor ourselves in God's character and promises, we discover an updraft of strength that carries us forward into uncertainty.

 Boldly Going Where We've Never Gone

The Star Trek motto "to boldly go where no one has gone before" resonates with the Christian journey. Every morning, we wake to a day that has never existed before. Every choice we make writes a page in history that has never been written. Like the crew of the Enterprise encountering new civilizations, we face each day with both wonder and trepidation.

The unknown stretches before us, personal challenges, global uncertainties, opportunities we can't yet imagine. C.S. Lewis reminds us that this journey is universal; we're all time travelers moving forward at exactly the same pace, regardless of our circumstances or station in life.

Strength for the Undiscovered Country

What transforms our journey from mere survival to soaring adventure? The promise of renewed strength. Isaiah describes three phases of this strength:

- Mounting up with wings as eagles: Moments of transcendence when we rise above our circumstances

- Running without weariness: Seasons of sustained energy and purpose

- Walking without fainting: The quiet endurance needed for ordinary days

Notice the progression moves from spectacular to mundane. The most remarkable promise might be the last—that we won't faint during the simple act of walking. Most of life happens in the walking, not the soaring.

Curiosity as Spiritual Discipline

The future remains undiscovered not because it's hidden from us, but because it doesn't yet exist. It's being written moment by moment through our choices, relationships, and responses to circumstances beyond our control. This uncertainty isn't a design flaw in creation, it's an invitation to trust.

When we approach tomorrow with curiosity rather than anxiety, we practice a form of worship. We acknowledge that God's imagination exceeds our own, that His plans for us contain possibilities we haven't dreamed. Like children on Christmas morning, we can wake each day wondering what gift the hours might bring.

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Treasure Hunt #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Treasure Hunt #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

  Treasure Hunt: The Search for Wisdom

"If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:45 (KJV)

In November 1922, after six grueling years of excavation in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, archaeologist Howard Carter made a discovery that would captivate the world. With trembling hands, he peered through a small hole into the darkness and famously whispered, "I see wonderful things." Behind that ancient doorway lay the virtually intact tomb of Tutankhamun, filled with treasures beyond imagination.

Carter's quest had been marked by relentless persistence. Season after season, he had endured the scorching desert heat, financial pressures, and mounting skepticism from critics who believed the valley held no more secrets. Yet Carter pressed on, convinced that somewhere beneath the shifting sands lay a prize worth every sacrifice.

How remarkably this mirrors our spiritual journey in seeking divine wisdom! God has not hidden His treasures in some distant, unreachable realm. Instead, He has graciously placed them within our reach in the pages of Scripture, particularly in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job contain riches more valuable than all of Pharaoh's gold.

Yet like Carter's archaeological dig, the pursuit of wisdom requires persistent effort. The casual reader may glimpse only surface truths, but those who dig deeper, who study, meditate, and apply God's Word with the same determination Carter showed in the desert—will uncover treasures that transform their lives.

Consider the persistence required in both quests. Carter didn't abandon his search after the first unsuccessful season, nor should we abandon our study of Scripture after a difficult passage or a dry season in our spiritual lives. Just as Carter methodically sifted through sand and debris, we must carefully examine each verse, each principle, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate truths that might otherwise remain buried.

The wisdom literature of the Old Testament offers us practical guidance for daily living, insights into human nature, and profound understanding of our relationship with the Almighty. These treasures don't reveal themselves to the hurried or superficial seeker. They require the same patient excavation that Carter employed in his earthly quest.

When Carter finally entered Tutankhamun's burial chamber, he found not just gold and jewels, but artifacts that revealed the beliefs, customs, and aspirations of an ancient civilization. Similarly, when we persistently search the Scriptures, we discover not merely moral teachings, but the very heart and character of God Himself.

The riches Carter found were temporary, museum pieces that fascinate but cannot transform. The wisdom we uncover in God's Word, however, has the power to change our hearts, guide our decisions, and prepare us for eternity. As the wise man wrote, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold" (Proverbs 3:1314).

Let us approach our Bibles with the same excitement and anticipation that filled Howard Carter as he searched the Valley of the Kings. God's treasures await our discovery, but they require our diligent seeking. Unlike earthly treasures that may be stolen or decay, the wisdom we gain from Scripture becomes part of our eternal inheritance.

The sand has long since settled over Carter's excavation sites, but the treasures of divine wisdom remain as fresh and accessible today as they were when Solomon first penned his proverbs. Will we be content to admire them from a distance, or will we take up our spiritual tools and begin the rewarding work of uncovering the riches God has prepared for those who diligently seek Him?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant us the persistence of Howard Carter as we search Your Word for wisdom. Help us to value Your spiritual treasures above all earthly riches, and give us diligent hearts that will not grow weary in seeking Your truth. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Empty Hands #prayer #Knowledge #Witness #God #Nightlight #RTTBROS #TrustInGod #sovereignty #wisdom #fearofthelord

Empty Hands #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

  Empty Hands, Open Hearts: The Wisdom of Being Teachable

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7 (KJV)

There's something profoundly humbling about Solomon's opening words in Proverbs. Here stands the wisest man who ever lived, and his first lesson isn't about accumulating facts or winning arguments, it's about posture. The posture of fear. The posture of reverence. The posture of someone who knows they don't know it all.

How often do we approach God's Word like scholars defending a thesis rather than students seeking truth? We flip through familiar passages, nodding along with verses that confirm what we already believe, while our eyes glaze over the uncomfortable ones that challenge our assumptions. We come to Scripture like lawyers building a case rather than children learning to walk.

But notice what Solomon calls this alternative approach: foolishness. "But fools despise wisdom and instruction." The Hebrew word for "despise" here carries the idea of rejecting with contempt, of treating something as worthless. When we use the Bible merely to rubber-stamp our existing opinions, we're essentially saying, "I already know what I need to know. God's Word is only valuable when it agrees with me."

The "fear of the LORD" that Solomon describes isn't terror, it's the breathless awe of standing before infinite wisdom and recognizing our desperate need for it. It's the difference between a cocky student who thinks they could teach the class and a hungry learner who hangs on every word because they know their life depends on understanding.

This fear produces a specific kind of knowledge, not just information, but transformation. When we approach God's Word as learners rather than lecturers, something beautiful happens: we discover truths that make us uncomfortable, and that discomfort becomes the very place where growth occurs.

Consider how often Jesus had to correct people who thought they had God figured out. The Pharisees knew their Scriptures backward and forward, yet missed the Messiah standing right in front of them. They had turned God's Word into a weapon for their arguments rather than a mirror for their hearts.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

Here's the invitation: to come before God with empty hands and an open heart. To let His Word shape our opinions rather than forcing our opinions onto His Word. To embrace the uncomfortable verses alongside the comforting ones, knowing that God's wisdom often looks foolish to our limited perspective.

Reflection Questions:

- When you read Scripture, are you more often surprised by what you find, or do you find exactly what you expected?

- What biblical truths make you uncomfortable, and how might God be using that discomfort to teach you?

- How can you cultivate a "fear of the LORD" that leads to genuine learning rather than mere confirmation?

Prayer:

Lord, help us to come before Your Word not as experts but as students, not as judges but as those being judged by Your truth. Give us the humility to let Your wisdom reshape our thinking, even when it challenges our comfortable assumptions. May we truly fear You, not in terror, but in the awe-struck recognition that You alone have the words of eternal life. Amen.

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Yours In Christ #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Yours In Christ #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

 Yours in Christ: The Sacred Art of Connection

"Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." 2 John 1:3

During my monthly visits to our church's shut-ins, I had the privilege of witnessing something beautiful that has become increasingly rare in our digital age. As I arrived at one dear sister's home with my usual offering of cookies and devotional materials, I found her just finishing an old-fashioned letter written by hand on paper. Her eyes sparkled as she told me about reconnecting with a childhood friend from their church days together, someone who had recently visited and rekindled their precious friendship.

We sat together and talked about how letter writing has become a lost art. In our world of instant messages, emails, and texts, we've gained speed but perhaps lost something deeper. She showed me her letter, and there at the bottom, written in her careful script, were the words "Yours in Christ."

Those three simple words stirred something in my heart. "Yours in Christ," what a profound declaration of connection, not just between two people, but rooted in something eternal. When our grandparents and great-grandparents closed their letters with "Sincerely yours," "Faithfully yours," or "Yours in Christ," they weren't just following social convention. They were acknowledging a sacred bond.

In our rush toward digital efficiency, we've replaced these meaningful closings with quick signatures or simple names. But what have we lost in translation? When someone writes "Yours in Christ," they're saying something powerful: "I belong to Christ, and in Him, I belong to you too. Our connection runs deeper than mere friendship, it's rooted in the eternal."

The apostle John understood this sacred connection. His letters overflow with expressions of love, grace, and peace that flow from our shared relationship with the Father and His Son. John didn't just sign his name and move on; he reminded his readers of the spiritual bonds that tied them together in truth and love.

As I prayed with this precious sister that day, I was reminded that every encounter we have with fellow believers is an opportunity to say, in word and deed, "Yours in Christ." Whether we're dropping off cookies, making a phone call, or sending a text message, we can infuse our connections with the understanding that we belong to each other because we first belong to Him.

Perhaps it's time to revive this lost art, not necessarily the handwritten letters (though what a gift that would be!), but the heart behind those sacred closings. In a world that often feels disconnected and hurried, what if we approached each interaction with the spirit of "Yours in Christ"? What if we remembered that our relationships with fellow believers are not casual acquaintances but eternal connections forged by the love of our Savior?

The next time you end a conversation, send a message, or say goodbye to a brother or sister in faith, remember that you are theirs in Christ, and they are yours in Him. This bond transcends time, distance, and even death itself.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious connections You've given us through Your Son. Help us to remember that our relationships with fellow believers are sacred bonds that reflect Your love. May we treat each interaction as holy ground, knowing that we are Yours, and in You, we belong to one another. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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The Totally Other. #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Totally Other. #RTTBROS #Nightlight 

The Totally Other: Why the Almighty Isn't Your Cosmic Butler

We live in an age that has domesticated God. We've shrunk the Creator of galaxies down to the size of our personal problems, transformed the Judge of all nations into our heavenly yes-man, and reduced the Holy One of Israel to a divine vending machine that dispenses blessings when we insert the right prayers.

But Scripture paints a radically different picture. When Isaiah caught a glimpse of God's throne room, he didn't see a kindly grandfather or a cosmic buddy. He witnessed something that shattered his very sense of self: "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:1-3).

Notice that even the seraphim—those burning ones who dwell in God's presence, cover their faces. They cannot look directly upon His holiness. Isaiah's response? "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5).

This is not the reaction of someone meeting their buddy in the sky. This is the response of a creature encountering the absolutely Other, the One who is so far above us in holiness, power, and majesty that human language fails to capture His essence.

God's otherness isn't just about His power, though He "doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Daniel 4:35). It's about His perfect holiness that cannot tolerate sin, His perfect justice that demands righteousness, and His perfect nature that exists completely independent of our approval or understanding.

When we approach God as if He owes us something, when we demand He explain Himself to us, when we reshape Him in the image of our preferences, we reveal how little we understand who He actually is. The God of the Bible is not running for office seeking our vote. He is not a service provider competing for our business. He is the sovereign King whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

This should humble us, but it should also fill us with wonder. The same God who is so holy that mountains melt at His presence chose to make a way for unholy people to approach Him through Christ. The same God who needs nothing from us chose to love us. The same God who could crush us with a word instead calls us His children.

Let us never forget: our God is not safe, but He is good. He is not manageable, but He is merciful. He is not our equal, but in Christ, He is our Father. Approach Him today not as a peer, but as a subject before the King of kings, with reverence, with awe, and with gratitude that such a holy God would welcome you into His presence at all.

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