<h1 class="text-2xl font-bold mb-4" dir="ltr">Every leader wants to finish well.</h1>Yet, sometimes the challenges and discouragements of life can feel overwhelming. We get tired and distracted. Without realizing it, we settle for less than God’s best.Whether you are just beginning your ministry journey or you’ve been serving for decades and feel weary, ineffective, or ready to quit—it may be time for a Leadership Awakening. Your life can be marked by God’s goodness all the way to the finish line.Through scriptural time-tested principles we can:<ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Measure leadership success God’s way.</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Overcome the opposition godly leaders face.</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Display traits that transform your family, workplace, church, and community.</li><li value="4" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Equip yourself and others to run the race and finish well.</li></ul>Don’t become another casualty on the battlefield of Christian leadership. You can live an impactful life and one day hear the Lord’s beautiful words:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).</blockquote><h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">The Vacuum of Godly Leaders:</h2>General William Booth (1829 – 1912), founder of The Salvation Army, warned well over a century ago:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”</blockquote>We are living in that reality today. There is an erosion of moral foundations and a vacuum of courageous leaders. Education alone does not produce them. Diplomas don’t prove them. Character does.Degrees in leadership are only worth the paper they’re printed on if there’s no substance of godly character to accompany them. Jude challenges us to be spiritually fit to contend for the faith, because only those who are grounded and prepared can stand in the battle for truth.<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">Commitment and Clarity:</h2>We live in a culture where commitments and agreements are often shallow and unreliable. It used to be that a handshake or a verbal promise carried weight. Now, even with a signed contract, you might still wonder if a person will follow through.Sometimes agreements—even with people we trust—need to be put in writing. Not out of suspicion, but for the sake of clarity. As God said through the prophet Habakkuk:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it” (Habakkuk 2:2).</blockquote>Clarity of vision and clarity of agreement go hand in hand. They minimize conflict and maximize unity.<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">Kindred Hearts:</h2>The apostle Paul had many coworkers, but when he needed to send someone to the Philippians, he chose Timothy:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare” (Philippians 2:20 NASB).</blockquote>True unity is more than shared doctrine or organizational structure. It’s a matter of having the same heart, spirit, and purpose. You can tie the tails of two cats together, but that won’t bring unity. They may be united, but not in unity —it will only bring chaos.God desires for His Church to awaken, especially now as we see the erosion and unraveling of so many of our moral foundations. I’m not talking about some lowest common denominator of unity, but unity in Christ. Authentic UNITY is not UNIFORMITY, but UNITY that comes from our UNIQUE diversity, yet common relationship in Christ and His Word. He desires for His Church to come together and soar above the many distractions that keep us divided.<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">A New Generation:</h2>True intercession is not just hiding in the prayer closet. It’s standing in the gap between the living and the dead. Moses and Aaron provide an example of this, as they grabbed the censers of incense (symbolic of intercession) and ran to stand in front of those who were perishing, begging for God to stop the plague of sin. They cried out for mercy, for God to move on behalf of their people.Genuine unity happens when there’s a shared vision and clear leadership, where love, mutual submission, and proper alignment are present. Take time to assess your key relationships—in marriage, family, business, or ministry. Do you have unity of heart and spirit with those closest to you? If not, begin with prayer. Ask God to change your heart first, and then invite Him to restore your relationships.<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">Defining the Narrative:</h2>In times of crisis, we need leaders who will speak and live the narrative of the Kingdom. Those who tell the story, define the narrative, and create the history. Our lives tell a story. What is the story we are telling by the way we live?<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">The Battle for the Soul of the Nation:</h2>Isaiah 1 warns of the sins that bring God’s displeasure on a nation—shedding innocent blood, moral looseness, injustice, and spiritual compromise. Paul echoes this in 2 Thessalonians 2, warning that when people no longer love the truth, they are given over to deception and strong delusion.This battle is not just political—it’s a battle for the soul of a generation. Sacred truth, marriage, and life itself are under attack. We cannot retreat into “holy huddles” while the culture drifts further into apostasy.President Lincoln once said:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”</blockquote>We must make sure our ideology is defined by God’s character, Word, and Spirit—not our personal preferences or cultural trends.<h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">A Revival of Character:</h2>From preachers to politicians, from pulpits to public offices, we need a revival of character. The church needs heroes today—men and women like Joshua and Caleb who can see past the giants and hold fast to the promises of God.The prophet Zephaniah described a time when princes, judges, prophets, and priests had all become corrupt. Yet God promised to restore a “pure language” to His people so they could call on Him with one accord. We need that restoration today.Courageous leadership does not acquiesce or bow to public opinion. It holds fast to truth with compassion and conviction. As Peter E. Waldron once said:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“Fortitude is an attribute of character glaringly missing from the pulpit and the pew.”</blockquote><h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">Finishing Well:</h2>Leadership success is not just starting the race—it’s finishing well. That requires spiritual, physical, and emotional health, cultivated daily.<ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Guard your heart. Most leaders don’t fall suddenly—they drift slowly. Stay vigilant.</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Know your real friends. Build relationships on authenticity, not position.</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Reject flattery. It manipulates for gain. Speak truth in love instead.</li></ul>The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:5,<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“Be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”</blockquote><h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-3" dir="ltr">The Call:</h2>We are at a crossroads. The Church as an institution will not survive without a fundamental awakening—a return to our spiritual moorings and biblical foundations.As Duncan Campbell said of the Hebrides Revival, “Revival is a community saturated with God.”It’s time for individual heart awakenings that lead to a corporate church awakening—before we face a rude awakening.God is looking for common men and women who will rise above comfort and convenience, who will walk in character, courage, commitment, and honor.Leaders who will love God and people more than themselves.Let us answer the call to courageous and persevering leadership—standing firm in the unshakable kingdom we have received, so that we can say with confidence at the end of our race:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).</blockquote>

The Call for Godly, Courageous and Persevering Leadership 

If there is to be a restoration of the moral laws in America, a comeback to the very foundations of faith, and belief in God as the giver of life and all rights of life, then it will only be possible if the Elijahs of our nation come out of the caves of silence and fear and return to their God-given assignment in leading the nation to justice and righteousness.If every pastor in America, every minister who believes in the authenticity of the Bible as God’s word, rises up and confronts the deception of our times and the dark forces of evil in our nation, then this nation can be saved from the deception and destruction it is being submerged into.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">God told Elijah that he was not alone, for there were still others like him who had not compromised or surrendered their integrity and convictions of truth into the hands of those who were looking to overpower their wills and control their minds.</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him (I Kings 19:18).</blockquote>God was telling Elijah that there was a remnant, an army of men and women who were determined to not be overtaken and forced to worship or serve the gods of the culture of the time they were living.The same is true in America today, as there are many Elijahs in the land who are hiding and remain silent in despair and have lost hope as they believe there is no one else like them.The Elijahs of America are running away from their calling, away from their God-given assignments, and refusing to stand and resist the forces of evil and darkness.Fear as a strong river has overpowered their will to speak and fight for justice.As a result of fear, many Elijahs are hiding in caves today, as Elijah did until God asked him what he was doing there.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?’ (I Kings 19:9)</blockquote>The Elijahs of America are the pastors of every village, every city, every state and throughout the nation who have found a cave where they feel comfortable.They are looking the other way, as if they do not see what is happening in the nation, how the immoral has absorbed the moral, how the unreal has become real, and how sin is the normal in the land.Many have become weak in their preaching and have replaced the teaching of God’s word and its application to everyday issues with words of entertainment and human reasoning based on the ideology of culture and its tolerance for evil and iniquity.They are doing nothing to bring the transforming power of God and his truth to the generations of people who are sitting every week in their church buildings.The only hope for restoration and healing of a divided nation the United States has become is that every pastor in America will stop making the pulpit a cave to hide and speak what the people want to hear, instead of preaching and teaching what God has called them to speak without fear.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).</blockquote>God raised the church in America to be the gatekeeper of its borders and protect the nation’s spiritual condition while keeping the commandments and truth of his word.The church in America was raised as the prophet Elijah to speak to all Americans that love God and nation to no longer halt between two opinions.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people answered him not a word (I Kings 18:2).</blockquote>When the church speaks to the nation and the people do not respond a word as stated in the times of Elijah, it is up to the Elijahs to confront the false prophets of Baal.The time for confronting darkness has come, and the church is standing today at the front line of the battle for America, while giants are destroying our nation and intimidating Christians in America with threats of persecution or destruction of their character, as it commonly happens in the political arena in the pursuit of power.There is, without any doubt, a need for the like Elijahs to come out, even if they think they are alone.The church in America is in the valley of decision, at a point in history where it must decide whether to stay within the walls of its precious buildings or gatherings or come out and engage in the final war against culture that is destroying the nation.It is at the hour of its final destination where, along with the church all over the world, it is preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it as the last trumpet will sound calling the church out before the trumpets of revelation and the great tribulation.However, the church in America is hearing the last trumpet for America these days, and it is the decisive moment in history to either save the United States of America or let it fall in the hands of a godless culture.Darkness will only prevail if the salt has lost its taste and the light remains hidden.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">The prophet Joel prophesied in Joel 3:12-14,Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat:For there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:Come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow;For their wickedness is great.Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision:For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.</blockquote>The valley of decision is where the church must not waiver between two schools of thought but make up its mind whether to obey and serve God or serve the gods of the world and their culture of deception.It is a time to call upon the Elijahs of America and decide who they will serve.

Where Are the Elijahs in America?

<h1 class="text-2xl font-bold mb-4" dir="ltr">The Ten Commandments</h1><a href="https://" rel="noreferrer" dir="ltr">The Ten Commandments were given by God to serve as the foundational code of conduct—a standard of morality for any and all civilizations that desire to be a nation under God, and therefore, blessed. The history of America is one built upon this foundation.</a><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson on November 4, 1816:“The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount contain my religion.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">President Harry S. Truman addressed the Attorney General's Conference in February 1950:“The fundamental basis of this nation's laws was given to Moses on the Mount ... I don't think we emphasize that enough these days… If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except for the State.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“The Ten Commandments are not the laws. They are The Law,” stated Cecil B. DeMille on November 8, 1956, at the New York opening of his epic film The Ten Commandments.</blockquote>Released by Paramount Pictures, the movie starred Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Pharaoh Rameses II. Adjusted for inflation, it went on to become the 8th highest-grossing film of all time. While filming on-location in Egypt, Cecil B. DeMille—then 75 years old—climbed a 107-foot ladder to shoot the famous Exodus scene from atop the massive Per Rameses set. In the intense heat, DeMille suffered a near-fatal heart attack.Though doctors ordered him to rest, DeMille finished directing the movie. He never fully recovered and died of a heart condition on January 21, 1959. He had anticipated doing a film on the Book of Revelation.For almost five decades, Cecil B. DeMille produced monumental films in Hollywood, including:<ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Joan the Woman (1916)</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Male and Female (1919)</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Adam’s Rib (1923)</li><li value="4" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">The Road to Yesterday (1925)</li><li value="5" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">The King of Kings (1927)</li><li value="6" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">The Sign of the Cross (1932)</li><li value="7" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Cleopatra (1934)</li><li value="8" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">The Crusades (1935)</li><li value="9" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Samson and Delilah (1949)</li><li value="10" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), for which he won an Academy Award.</li></ul>Cecil B. DeMille was educated at Pennsylvania Military Academy and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.His niece, Agnes de Mille, choreographed films and musicals such as:<ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Oklahoma! (1943)</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Carousel (1945)</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Rodeo (1942)</li><li value="4" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Paint Your Wagon (1951)</li></ul><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Continuing his comments at the 1956 New York opening of The Ten Commandments, DeMille stated:“Man has made 32 million laws since the Commandments were handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai more than three thousand years ago, but he has never improved on God’s law. The Ten Commandments are the principles by which man may live with God and man may live with man. They are the expressions of the mind of God for His creatures. They are the charter and guide of human liberty, for there can be no liberty without the law... What I hope for our production of The Ten Commandments is that those who see it shall come from the theater not only entertained and filled with the sight of a big spectacle, but filled with the spirit of truth... That it will bring to its audience a better understanding of the real meaning of this pattern of life that God has set down for us to follow.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">President William McKinley stated in his Inaugural Address, March 4, 1897:“Our faith teaches that there is no safer reliance than upon the God of our fathers ... who will not forsake us so long as we obey His commandments.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Alfred Smith, four-term Democrat Governor of New York and the first Catholic Presidential candidate, stated in May 1927:“The essence of my faith is built upon the commandments of God. The law of the land is built on the commandments of God. There can be no conflict between them.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Franklin D. Roosevelt stated on December 24, 1942:“We as a nation and as individuals will please God best by showing regard for the laws of God. There is no better way of fostering good will toward man than by first fostering good will toward God. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments.”</blockquote>In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said:“The purpose of a devout and united people was set forth in the pages of the Bible:<ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">to live in freedom;</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">to work in a prosperous land;</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">to obey the commandments of God.</li></ul>This Biblical story of the Promised Land inspired the founders of America. It continues to inspire us.”<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">On March 8, 1983, at the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida, President Ronald Reagan stated:“There’s a great spiritual awakening in America... One recent survey by a Washington-based research council concluded... 95 percent of those surveyed expressed a belief in God. A huge majority believed the Ten Commandments had real meaning in their lives.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Dr. Billy Graham, in accepting the Congressional Gold Medal on May 2, 1996, said:“We have lost sight of the moral and spiritual principles on which this nation was established—principles drawn largely from the Judeo-Christian tradition as found in the Bible... There is hope! Our lives can be changed... The Scripture says, ‘You must be born again’... Think how different our nation would be if we sought to follow the simple and yet profound injunctions of the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">On February 5, 1997, Governor Fob James threatened to call out the National Guard to prevent the removal of the Ten Commandments display from a courtroom in Gadsden, Alabama:“The only way those Ten Commandments and prayer would be stripped from that courtroom is with the force of arms.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">In 1973, as Governor of California, Ronald Reagan stated:“With freedom goes responsibility. Sir Winston Churchill once said you can have 10,000 regulations and still not have respect for the law. We might start with the Ten Commandments. If we lived by the Golden Rule, there would be no need for other laws.”</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">As President, Reagan stated at a National Rifle Association banquet in Phoenix on May 6, 1983:“If we could just keep remembering that Moses brought down from the mountain the Ten Commandments—not ten suggestions—and if those of us who live for the Lord could remember that He wants us to love our Lord and our neighbor, then there’s no limit to the problems we could solve.”</blockquote>Our nation has a rich history—particularly when it comes to acknowledging the Ten Commandments’ place in our lives. In recent years, the Ten Commandments have been under attack by people of lawlessness.But there is a remnant Church, working to re-elevate God’s laws to their proper place in the life of this land and to remind this country that we are one nation under God. To learn more about William Federer, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" dir="ltr">https://americanminute.com/</a>

The Ten Commandments in America

When we talk about revival, we often imagine packed altars, powerful worship, and miracles breaking out in a room.

And while those things do happen, Scripture paints a much deeper—and more uncomfortable—picture of what revival really looks like. In Ezra 9, we get a glimpse of revival not through fireworks and celebration, but through heartbreak, repentance, and confrontation with compromise.

Ezra, a Levite priest, was sent by the king of Persia to restore worship in Jerusalem. Think about that: a pagan king recognizes that the God of Israel is a good God and sends His people back to rebuild what had been destroyed. That’s supernatural favor. It’s grace.

And Ezra did it. He brought the vessels back. He reestablished the temple. He had the building, the instruments, the altar, the structure. It was all there—what most would call success.

revival isn’t measured in buildings or budgets. It’s measured in obedience.

Right when everything was “done,” leaders approached Ezra with a heartbreaking report: the people had not separated themselves from the pagan nations around them. Even the priests and Levites—the ones meant to lead in holiness—had intermarried and compromised.

Ezra’s response wasn’t polite disappointment. He tore his clothes. He ripped out his hair and beard. He sat on the ground, shocked. And honestly, we should be too.

Because if the Church doesn’t tremble at its own compromise, it will never carry the weight of revival.

Ezra wasn’t shocked that the world was being worldly. He was broken that the people of God—those who had the law, the temple, the history, the calling—had stopped being set apart. They’d made peace with what God said to destroy. They had welcomed what they were commanded to resist.

This is where we need to pause and take a hard look at our own generation.

The American Church has become comfortable at the altar of cultural relevance. We’ve blurred the lines to avoid offense. We’ve negotiated with darkness in the name of inclusion. And now we’re shocked that the next generation doesn’t know who God is.

Let’s call it what it is: we’ve made covenants with other gods. Not with statues, but with ideologies, movements, philosophies, and lifestyles that oppose the holiness of God. And the result is a nation that’s spiritually confused and morally numb.

Like Israel, we’re guilty of raising a generation that doesn’t know the difference between worship and entertainment, between freedom and compromise.

And just like in Ezra’s day, that spiritual mixture doesn’t just grieve God—it invites judgment.

Ezra’s greatness wasn’t in his preaching or leadership. It was in his response.

He didn’t say, “They sinned.” He said, “We sinned.” He confessed not just the people’s failure but his own complicity.

That’s the posture that invites revival: shared repentance. No pointing fingers. No “us vs. them.” Just a priest on his face at the time of the evening sacrifice, saying, We are guilty. God, forgive us.

And something powerful happens at that moment.

The Turning Point: 3PM and the Grace of God

Ezra breaks down “until the evening sacrifice”—around 3PM. That might seem like a detail, but it’s not. In Scripture, 3PM is a holy hour.

It’s the time Elijah called down fire from heaven.

It’s the hour Jesus cried out, “It is finished.”

It’s when Peter and John healed the man at the Gate Beautiful.

3PM is when God moves. And that’s when Ezra says something that shifts the entire chapter:

Don’t miss this. The people were still in a mess. The culture was still compromised. But because there was a remnant willing to repent, God gave a measure of revival.

Revival is not a moment of hype. It’s a response of heaven to a remnant willing to be honest, broken, and bold.

Ezra talks about being given a “peg in His holy place.” That word “peg” is rich—it’s a stake, a fixture, a silver hook that reflects the glory around it. That’s what the remnant becomes. A reflector of God’s glory in the holy place. Not by might. Not by numbers. But by purity.

Let that sink in: revival begins not with a crowd, but with a remnant. Always has. Always will.

If we want to see true revival in America, we have to start with repentance in the Church. We can’t protect this nation with a Church that’s poked holes in its own umbrella. The rain of confusion, perversion, deception—it’s falling right through the gaps we’ve tolerated.

But here’s the hope: God has built a highway in our bondage. A highway of mercy. Of grace. Of restoration.

Will we confess like Ezra? Will we stand in the gap? Will we be the peg in the holy place?

Because God is ready—not to reward performance—but to respond to repentance.

We’re not too far gone. Not when there’s still a remnant. Not when grace still finds a way. Not when the cross still speaks.

So maybe the question isn’t: Where is revival?

Maybe the real question is: Where is the remnant who’s willing to weep, repent, and reflect the glory of God—no matter the cost?

When Revival Isn’t What We Think: A Measure from Ezra

<h1 class="text-2xl font-bold mb-4" dir="ltr">Colossians 1:15-22 is an amazing passage and conveys one of the earliest creeds of the Church–Jesus is Lord. Before we explore this pericope, however, we need to do some background work and reflect upon the biblical context.&nbsp;</h1> The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church in Colossae, a city about 100 miles southeast of Ephesus. Colossae had been well known long before Paul’s time. At one time, it was a thriving commercial and political center. Persian kings like Xerxes and Cyrus favored it as their ancient day vacation get-a-way. But by the first century A.D., the greatness and glory of Colossae had faded. It had become just another ordinary, insignificant, and often harsh ancient city filled with ruins serving as memories of a more vibrant time. For many, the expectations of any return to glory were futile. And yet, the Gospel has a habit of confounding the maps of men. Once this irrelevant, eroded city collided with the Good News, it instantly became eternally significant and welcomed another King—the King of Kings. Many assume Paul started the Church in Colossae. After all, he wrote them this letter. Paul was a church planter, for sure, but he did not plant this one. In fact, Paul never even visited the city. Still, he tremendously impacted this new group of believers. While ministering in Ephesus, another city about 100 miles away, Paul boldly and faithfully preached the message of Christ. God used his ministry to light a fire in the hearts of the Ephesians. Some of those believers carried the Good News to the surrounding cities, like Colassae. Eventually, the message of salvation reached a Colossian man named Epaphras, mentioned in Colossians 1:7. He is the man believed to have started the Church in Colossae. What a simple but profound lesson for Christians today. When we faithfully and passionately share the love and message of Christ, lives will be changed not only in our own community but far beyond. When we disciple and raise up followers of Christ to disciple others, the impact becomes ineffably exponential. The believers in Colossae were initially enthusiastic for Christ and His message of the Kingdom. They grew their Church, but before long, problems surfaced, which isn’t shocking? Every Church has issues. The Church is the Body of Christ and the Body is made up of members, by people who aren’t perfect.&nbsp; The problem in Colossae was the Church’s struggle to overcome cultural resistance to Christianity.&nbsp; Colossae was religiously diverse. Over the centuries, Persians, Greeks, and Romans had brought their gods. The people were accustomed to worshiping many deities. When Jesus was presented to them, the temptation for many Colossians was to fit Him into that system, to treat Him as one more god among the others.This is called syncretism—it’s incredibly dangerous to the health of any Church. At the same time, Gnosticism was beginning to influence the culture and seep into the minds of new believers. This philosophy taught that all matter was eternal and essentially evil. That runs completely counter to Christian doctrine, especially the doctrines of creation and the incarnation. As Christians, we believe matter was created ex nihilo (out of nothing) by God, and that creation was good. We also believe Jesus became flesh, that God Himself in Christ entered creation, and that He is good. The Gnostics rejected this. They claimed Jesus did not have a real body, that He was some kind of spirit being who could not truly die on the cross. Obviously, this is extremely problematic. If Jesus did not die, then He did not save the world from sin and eternal death. These ideas, along with similar heresies like Docetism, were creeping into the Church and diminishing Christ in the minds of many. When Paul heard about this, he was compelled by the Holy Spirit to address the Church in Colossae. He was not going to stand by and let anyone believe Christ to be just another god, that He was not enough, or that He was not real flesh and blood. So, around A.D. 60, Paul wrote what may be his most powerful and Christ-centered passage. He may not have known the Colossians personally, but he knew exactly who he was writing about. In these few verses, Paul drives home one central truth: the supremacy of Christ. Jesus is Lord. Here are a few ways His Lordship is expressed by Paul: <ol class="list-decimal list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord/God (v. 15) Paul starts with a bold statement: “The Son is the image of the invisible God.” In other words, the God we can’t see has made Himself visible in Jesus. This isn’t just a copy or a vague likeness. This is God Himself in human flesh (John 1:14). If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen God. </li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord of Creation (vv. 16–17) Paul goes on: “For in him all things were created… all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Jesus is both the maker and the sustainer of everything. Every mountain, every ocean, every star you see at night—He made them. The galaxies keep turning and the smallest atom stays in place because Christ is holding it all together. Creation doesn’t just come from Him; it’s tied up in Him and belongs to Him. </li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord of Lords (v. 16) Paul says He rules over “thrones or powers or rulers or authorities.” That means every government, every ruler, every unseen spiritual power, heavenly or earthly, ultimately answers to Him. They might not recognize Him now, but one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:10-11). </li><li value="4" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord of the Church (v. 18) Paul tells us: “He is the head of the body, the church.” That’s not just a title; it’s reality. The head gives life and direction to the body, and Jesus does the same for His church. It doesn’t belong to pastors, elders, or members—it belongs to Him. He leads it, He sustains it, and He measures its health by faithfulness, not by size or programs. </li><li value="5" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord over Death (v. 18) Paul calls Him “the firstborn from among the dead.” That doesn’t mean He was created—it means He’s first in rank and first in victory over death. Jesus walked into death and came out the other side, alive and triumphant. He’s leading the resurrection parade, and everyone who belongs to Him will follow. </li><li value="6" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Jesus is Lord of Reconciliation and Peace (vv. 19–22) Paul closes with this: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things… by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” The One who made all things is also the One who can fix what’s broken. Sin has fractured the world, but through His real, physical, willing death, Jesus has brought peace between God and His people. Those who were once far from Him are now holy, clean, and secure in His presence. </li></ol>This letter is a Christological masterpiece. You can’t read it (especially this passage) and walk away confused about who Jesus is according to the Christian faith. Yes, He was a man, but not just a man or a great teacher, an extraordinary ethicist, or a premier philanthropist and philosopher. He is also Lord, the Lord God. Lord of Creation, Lord of Lords, Lord of all, Lord of the Church, Lord over death, and Lord of Reconciliation and Peace. He is Lord in countless ways, but the real question is: is He the Lord of our lives? Most of us would probably say, “Of course He is! I have placed my faith in Christ; I believe He died for my sins and gave me eternal life.” If you can say that, then Jesus is your Savior. Praise God. But I’m not asking if Jesus is your Savior. I’m asking if He is your Lord. Making Jesus your Savior requires faith; it involves no effort beyond believing in Him. Allowing Jesus to be the Lord of your life, however, demands something more. It means willfully setting aside your own desires, will, and ambitions, and submitting fully to His. It means turning over the reins of your life to Jesus every day, giving Him complete control over all that you are and all that you have.

Jesus Is Lord: One of the Earliest Creeds of the Church

We live in the greatest nation on earth—actually, the greatest nation in the history of the world. But we’re not great because we’re so smart, or strong, or moral. We’re great because God has been good to us. Throughout our history, God really has shed His grace on us.

This country is also great because, from the very beginning, there’s always been a remnant in America—a people who honored His Word, walked in His ways, and cried out to God on behalf of the nation. Even when the majority turned away, God always had a faithful few who gathered together, frequently, and said, 

Another Founding Fire? Preachers who weren’t afraid to speak the truth. The British called these providers and proclaimers of the Gospel the Black Robe Regiment. They caused quite a stir and made quite the impact. In fact, this group of courageous preachers were credited by the British as one of the primary reasons for American Independence and the sort of government this nation formed.

But after we won independence, something shifted. We gained freedom from the king of England—and started acting like we were free from the King of Kings too.

Our history isn’t perfect, and if you step back and look, you can see patterns that look parallel to Israel’s story in the Old Testament. Righteousness, rebellion, retribution, and restoration. It’s a cycle–not just for Israel, but for humanity. Immediately after the British were defeated, God was no longer needed for many of the victors. Church attendance dropped. Pride crept in. The Enlightenment that traversed the Atlantic pushed God to the periphery within the collective American Mind. Reason was elevated over revelation. And once again, the cycle repeated.

But God wasn’t finished with this nation. God stirred the waters again. The Second Great Awakening sprang up and swept across the land. Circuit riders spread the Gospel to the masses, riding thousands of miles on horseback. Preachers like Richard Allen, Harry Hoosier, and Francis Asbury began, through the power of the Holy Spirit, lighting fires in the hearts of the people again. God moved. People repented. The nation began to find its moral compass again and, finally, abolished the sin of slavery.

The nation was broken. The Church was split. Families were destroyed.

This became the central prayer for the remnant in the land, which paved the way for a late 19th century, early 20th century movement of the Holy Spirit–The Holiness movement. It was a new, fresh Pentecostal outpouring. Revivals such as the one on Azusa Street, fanned the flame within thousands of believers and won over thousands more. The people of this land became hungry for more of God. The Church was revived and new expressions of the Christian Faith erupted, forming holiness centered denominations and associations.

But over time, the church got quiet again, especially after WWII. The people of God in America became complacent. Materialism consumed the majority. God was forgotten by many and the results were devastating.

Prayer was taken out of schools. Abortion was legalized. Most Christians said nothing. In that silence came the sexual revolution, a new wave of Marxism, the beginning of moral relativism, and the rise of postmodernity.

We now live in a culture that believes truth is subjective.

Over the last few years, these destructive ideologies and perspectives have coalesced, resulting in identity politics, spreading hostility and confusion and, ultimately, creating a colossal identity crisis for thousands.

Now here we are today, with a window of opportunity to see a movement of God, another Great Awakening that will make the first two seem like weekend retreats.

I’m telling you—we’ve got a chance. It’s not over. Not if we humble ourselves. Not if we pray. Not if we draw that circle and say, “Start with me.”

Let Us Pray

We love to talk about the promises of God.

We sing about them. We declare them. We quote Jeremiah 29:11 and shout 

But what do we do in the in-between? What happens when we’ve received a promise, but we’re stuck in the long, confusing space between 

If you’ve ever felt like your life is full of prophetic words but void of fulfillment, you’re not alone. You’re not faithless. And you’re not forgotten. You’re in God’s process.

Romans 1:20 tells us that the invisible attributes of God can be clearly seen through what has been created. That means if you want to understand how God works, you have to study His creation. That’s how Paul starts unpacking the mystery: the invisible is revealed through the visible.

Take Genesis, for instance. In chapter 1, God creates the heavens and the earth. But in chapter 2, something shifts: God begins to form. He forms man from the dust. He plants a garden. He shapes, establishes, and prepares things for fruitfulness. In Isaiah 45:18, God says:

He didn’t create it to be empty. He formed it to carry purpose.

And that’s the same with you. God didn’t just create you—He’s forming you. He’s shaping your character, stretching your faith, maturing your gifts, and establishing your steps. The new creation happened in a moment—but formation? That takes time.

The Process Is Not Punishment—It’s Preparation

One of the most dangerous lies you can believe is that God is punishing you when He’s really preparing you.

God creates you in grace—but He forms you through fire. The potter doesn’t stop at creating the clay; he keeps pressing, spinning, reshaping. That process isn’t evidence of rejection—it’s proof of investment. God takes time with what He values.

Same person. Two names. Two identities. One is raw potential (Jacob), the other is royal destiny (Israel). God created Jacob—but He formed Israel.

Sometimes we don’t resist God’s promises—we resist His timing. We want the fruit of the Spirit, but not the pruning. We want destiny, but we dread delay.

The reason we struggle is because we often judge our lives by events rather than by process. We look at single moments—crisis, loss, failure—and we panic: 

That word “work together” in the Greek literally means to cooperate. It’s as if all the pieces of your life have a staff meeting in heaven and say, 

“Alright, how are we going to help fulfill God’s purpose in this person’s life?”

 Even the pain. Even the delays. Even the betrayal.

Abraham is a perfect example. God promised him a son. But years passed—nothing happened. So Abraham did something. He and Sarah took matters into their own hands, and Ishmael was born. But that wasn’t God’s promise—it was man’s shortcut.

And for 13 years after that, God went silent.

It wasn’t until Abraham was 99 that God showed up and said: 

“I am El Shaddai—the God who is more than enough.”

In other words: You tried to fix what only I can fulfill. You’re not disqualified, but you’ve delayed what I wanted to do.

So here’s the principle: when you’re tempted to rush the process, remember that God hasn’t forgotten the promise.

In Isaiah 45, God makes it plain: He didn’t create the world in confusion. He didn’t form it empty. And He didn’t call you without purpose.

He established the earth. That Hebrew word means 

 God gives shape, order, identity, and composition to everything He makes. You were born with design. You were saved with intent. You’ve been formed for fruitfulness.

Don’t waste your life trying to walk in someone else’s calling. Embrace the composition God gave you. That includes your temperament, your talents, your testimony, and yes—even your trials.

There will be seasons where you can’t see God’s hand. But you still have His word.

God speaks righteousness. He doesn’t mumble. He doesn’t manipulate. He declares truth—even when it’s hidden behind process. He hasn’t forgotten what He told you. He’s shaping you to carry it.

The biggest temptation in process is to do something—anything. We hate the silence. We hate the fog. So we start grabbing for control. We start murmuring. We start compromising.

But murmuring is the language of unbelief. 

Let me say that again: patience is not weakness. It’s faith under pressure. It’s worship in the wilderness. It’s trusting that God hasn’t changed His mind just because the timeline isn’t what you expected.

Isaiah 45 prophesied about a Persian king named Cyrus—120 years before he was even born. And when Cyrus finally rose to power, he fulfilled every single word God had spoken. He broke open the gates of Babylon. He freed the captives. He ordered the rebuilding of the temple. And he did it not knowing that his story was already written in the scroll of the prophets.

And that same Cyrus-built temple? That’s the one Jesus walked into centuries later.

What started as captivity ended in Kingdom.

If you’re in the middle of your process, don’t despise it.

You may not see the fruit yet. You may not understand the timeline. But the Potter never wastes the clay. If He created you, He will form you. If He formed you, He will make you fruitful. If He made you fruitful, He will establish you.

God doesn’t create in vain. He creates to be inhabited. By purpose. By fruit. By glory. By Himself.

And if you hold on—if you trust the process—what He promised will come to pass.

Embracing God's Process: When the Promise Is in Progress

If there’s one passage in Scripture that captures both the beauty and the power of unity among believers, it’s Psalm 133.

Just three verses long, this psalm—attributed to David—is short but weighty. It reveals not only how God sees unity, but also how He responds to it.

This passage doesn’t just describe unity—it celebrates it. It reveals what unity does in the Spirit. And if we look closely, it shows us three divine movements that happen when believers walk together in harmony.

1. Unity Produces a Sound That Pleases Heaven

The Hebrew word used for “harmony” in verse 1 implies a musical blending—a sweet, pleasing sound. In other words, unity is audible to heaven. It’s not just a concept or a doctrine; it’s something that makes noise. When the people of God gather with one heart and one spirit, it creates a resonance that’s pleasant to the ear of the Lord.

Imagine the sound of a symphony tuning up—disjointed, chaotic, uncertain. That’s often what it feels like when we walk in division. But when unity arrives? The notes align. The dissonance fades. A melody begins to rise.

Unity is a spiritual frequency, and God listens for it.

That’s why disunity is so disruptive. It’s not just relational dysfunction—it’s noise pollution in the spiritual realm. It silences what should be a holy sound. But when we humble ourselves and choose oneness, our gathering becomes a song. A sound that heaven cannot ignore.

The psalm takes us from sound to substance:

This is priestly imagery. The oil mentioned here is not symbolic—it’s literal, sacred oil reserved for anointing the High Priest of Israel. When it was poured out, it didn’t trickle. It ran freely. From the head, down the beard, over the robe. That oil represented consecration, empowerment, and divine appointment.

And in this passage, unity is compared to that kind of anointing.

That means when the Body of Christ walks in harmony, the same sacred oil that once anointed Aaron begins to flow again—this time from our eternal High Priest, Jesus. The anointing of Christ doesn’t remain locked in heaven. It flows through His Body—through us.

But catch this: the oil only flows when the Body is united.

Disunity creates blockages. It cuts off the flow. But when brothers and sisters come together in humility, grace, forgiveness, and mutual honor, the oil begins to run again—freely, generously, supernaturally.

This anointing is not just for goosebumps or good feelings. It’s the enabling power of God to do what we cannot do in the natural realm—To heal, to reconcile, to preach, to deliver, to build, to endure.

No wonder the enemy fights so hard to divide us. If he can kill unity, he can stop the flow.

3. Unity Creates the Climate for Blessing and Life

The final verse gives us the outcome of all this:

There—in the place of unity. There—in the atmosphere of harmony. There—when the Body refuses to tear itself apart, but instead leans in, loves hard, and holds fast.

That’s where God commands the blessing.

Unity doesn’t just attract favor—it activates it. It pulls it down. God doesn’t suggest a blessing. He commands it. He releases something that cannot be undone by the enemy.

That’s why the enemy doesn't have to defeat the Church—he just has to divide it.

But when we protect unity, we step into a realm of divine reward. Not just temporal blessing, but life everlasting. That phrase points to both the now and the not-yet—the abundance of His Spirit today and the inheritance of eternity tomorrow.

When we live in unity, we're rehearsing heaven.

In a world fractured by division, tribalism, and offense, walking in unity is not automatic—it’s intentional. It’s countercultural. It requires maturity. It demands we lay down our preferences for the sake of the mission.

But if we truly want to be a church that carries the presence and power of God, then unity is not optional—it’s foundational.

Let’s be honest: unity is rarely convenient. It means choosing to forgive even when you’re right. It means celebrating others even when you feel overlooked. It means submitting to authority, serving the mission, embracing diversity, and speaking truth in love.

But let’s not forget: it’s also rewarding. Because in that place, God pours out something we can’t fabricate: His anointing. His blessing. His very life.

You don’t have to wait for a conference or a campaign. Unity starts with small decisions that ripple through a community:

These are not minor acts. They are seeds that grow into movements. They are bricks that build altars. They are notes in the melody of harmony.

As we continue through this year, let’s make a decision—not just as individuals, but as a body—to walk in unity. Let our gatherings create a sound that delights the heart of God. Let the oil flow again. Let the commanded blessing be evident among us.

Because when we walk in unity, we’re not just being kind—we’re being priestly. We’re releasing heaven on earth.

And that… is where the Lord commands the blessing.

When Unity Becomes a Sound

<h1 class="text-2xl font-bold mb-4" dir="ltr">U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Health &amp; Human Services, Center for Disease Control, and other agencies report that children from fatherless homes are:</h1><ul class="list-disc list-inside mb-2"><li value="1" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Five times more likely to live in poverty;</li><li value="2" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Nine times more likely to drop out of school;</li><li value="3" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Twenty times more likely to go to in prison;</li><li value="4" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Higher risk of drug and alcohol abuse;</li><li value="5" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Increased incidents of internalized and externalized aggressive behavioral problems;</li><li value="6" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Greater chance of runaways and homelessness;</li><li value="7" class="mb-1" dir="ltr">Twice as likely to commit suicide.</li></ul>The first "Father's Day" was conceived by Grace Golden Clayton. She was inspired by the first Mother's Day observance in 1908. She reminisced of her father, Methodist Reverend Fletcher Golden, who raised her and her siblings after their mother died. Grace was also moved by the West Virginia Monongah Coal Mine explosion, December 6, 1907 - the worst mine disaster in the nation's history. In the town of 1,000 people, 360 men died in the mine, leaving families fatherless. Grace arranged for a single special service at Central United Methodist Church on July 5, 1908, saying:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">“It was partly the explosion that set me to think how important and loved most fathers are. All those lonely children and those heart-broken wives and mothers, made orphans and widows in a matter of a few minutes. Oh, how sad and frightening to have no father, no husband, to turn to at such an awful time.”</blockquote>The person responsible for making Father's Day an annual observance was Sonora Louise Smart Dodd. Hearing a church sermon on the newly established Mother's Day, she wanted to honor her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, who had raised six children by himself after his wife died in childbirth. The 28-year-old Sonora Louise Smart Dodd drew up a petition supported by the Young Men's Christian Association and the ministers of Spokane, Washington, to celebrate Fathers' Day on June 19, 1910.With the help of the Y.M.C.A, Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, she helped spread it the next year to Oregon, then Chicago and then around the nation.In 1916, Woodrow Wilson telegraphed a message to the Spokane Fathers' Day service.In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed a Father's Day resolution: “to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Coolidge stated: "My father had qualities that were greater than any I possess. He was a man of untiring industry and great tenacity of purpose ... He always stuck to the truth. It always seemed possible for him to form an unerring judgment of men and things. He would be classed as decidedly a man of character.I have no doubt he is representative of a great mass of Americans who are known only to their neighbors; nevertheless, they are really great."</blockquote>Coolidge wrote to his father: “I am sure I came to it (the presidency) largely by your bringing up and your example.”In 1966, Lyndon Johnson issued the first Presidential Father's Day Proclamation.In 1972, President Nixon established Father's Day as a permanent national observance, Proclamation 4127, stating:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">"To have a father — to be a father — is to come very near the heart of life itself. In fatherhood we know the elemental magic and joy of humanity. In fatherhood we even sense the divine, as the Scriptural writers did who told of all good gifts corning "down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17)—symbolism so challenging to each man who would give his own son or daughter a life of light without shadow ... "</blockquote>Nixon added: "Our identity in name and nature, our roots in home and family, our very standard of manhood—all this and more is the heritage our fathers share with us … It has long been our national custom to observe each year one special Sunday in honor of America's fathers; and from this year forward, by a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, that custom carries the weight of law ...Let each American make this Father's Day an occasion for renewal of the love and gratitude we bear to our fathers, increasing and enduring through all the years. Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, do hereby request that June 18, 1972, be observed as Father's Day."On May 20, 1981, in a Proclamation of Father's Day, President Ronald Reagan stated:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,' Solomon tells us. (Proverbs 22:6) Clearly, the future is in the care of our parents. Such is the responsibility, promise, and hope of fatherhood. Such is the gift that our fathers give us.</blockquote>Dr. Ben Carson explained: “The more solid the family … the more likely you are to be able to resist peer pressure …Human beings are social creatures. We all want to belong, we all have that desire, and we will belong, one way or another … If the family doesn't provide that, the peers will, or a gang will, or you will find something to belong to.”On Father's Day, 1988, Ronald Reagan said:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">"Children, vulnerable and dependent, desperately need security, and it has ever been a duty and a joy of fatherhood to offer it. Being a father requires strength ... and more than a little courage ... to persevere, to fight discouragement, and to keep working for the family ..."</blockquote>Reagan ended: "Let us ... express our thanks and affection to our fathers, whether we can do so in person or in prayer."On December 6, 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt addressed Congress:<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">"No Christian and civilized community can afford to show a happy-go-lucky lack of concern for the youth of to-day; for, if so, the community will have to pay a terrible penalty of financial burden and social degradation in the to-morrow."</blockquote>These are just a few reminders from our Nation’s leaders of the significance of Father’s Day and the God ordained role fathers are to play in shaping the future. To learn more about William Federer, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://americanminute.com/" target="_blank" dir="ltr">https://americanminute.com/</a>

Father's Day in America

There is one word that transcends culture, language, denomination, and time.

It’s a word that echoes from ancient Israel to the throne room of heaven—A word that survives translation, reverberates through the Psalms, and triumphs in Revelation.

It’s the premier word for praise. A declaration. An exclamation. A cry that rises when human language fails and the soul reaches toward God with fire and awe.

Why does it appear where it does in Scripture?

 And why is this word not only worthy of our study—but essential to our worship?

Let’s follow the path of this divine word and uncover its power, its placement, and its eternal purpose.

Hallelujah comes from two Hebrew words: hallal, which means “to boast, rave, or shine—even to the point of foolishness,” and Jah, the shortened form of Yahweh, God’s sacred name.

It’s not a quiet word. It’s not polite. It’s explosive. Raw. Passionate. It bursts from those who’ve caught even a glimpse of God’s majesty. It’s the shout of those who’ve been rescued, healed, restored. It’s the anthem of the overwhelmed and undone.

And remarkably, this word has never been tamed by translation. In every major language, hallelujah remains pronounced the same. That’s not by accident—that’s providence. It’s as if God has preserved this sound across tongues so that, when all else fails, every tribe and tongue could lift one unified shout.

The word “hallelujah” appears 24 times in the Old Testament—all of them in the Psalms, and all clustered between Psalm 104 and Psalm 150. These are often called the “Hallelujah Psalms.”

Here, we see that hallelujah isn’t just scattered praise—it’s intentional. Strategic. It appears at the start and end of many Psalms (like bookmarks of worship), and always in connection to God’s purpose, power, and providence.

Psalm 104, for example, is a poetic unveiling of God’s creation—His control over wind, water, light, and life. By the time the psalmist finishes describing the majesty of the Maker, he has no option but to exclaim: “Hallelujah!”

Psalm 105 and 106 recount Israel’s history—God’s faithfulness through famine, slavery, plagues, and deliverance. Again, the response isn’t theological analysis. It’s worship. “Hallelujah!” becomes the answer to both victory and failure—because it’s God’s goodness, not ours, that deserves the song.

Psalm 113 tells us He lifts the poor from the dust and seats them among princes. Psalm 115 reminds us that He alone is worthy—not the mute, blind idols of the world. Psalm 146 shouts about how God gives food to the hungry, sight to the blind, and freedom to prisoners.

And then, Psalm 150—six verses, and every one ends with a command to praise. Horns, strings, cymbals, breath—everything that exists is drafted into the hallelujah chorus.

Shockingly, the word hallelujah appears only four times in the entire New Testament—and all in a single chapter: Revelation 19.

Here’s the setting: Babylon—the symbol of a corrupt, idolatrous, oppressive world system—has fallen. Judgment has come. The smoke of evil’s ruin rises.

And in that moment, the redeemed and the angels erupt in a sound like thunder:

Heaven is not quiet when justice rolls down. The long arc of history bends toward a triumphant crescendo—and the name of that crescendo is hallelujah.

Each hallelujah in Revelation carries its own thunder:

Because no other word can do what this one does.

Hallelujah looks backward to creation and the covenant, forward to redemption and reign, upward to glory, and downward to defeated darkness. It speaks to God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, justice, and mercy—all at once.

It is the eternal soundtrack of the redeemed.

And the more we see God clearly—His power, His plan, His heart—the more that word wells up in us without effort.

We don’t just say it. We become it. Our lives, our breath, our witness all echo: Hallelujah!

Handel captured it musically. David captured it poetically. John captured it apocalyptically. But the Church is called to live it daily.

Hallelujah is more than a lyric—it’s a lifestyle.

So let it rise—from your prayer closet, your worship set, your heartbreak, your breakthrough, your waiting season, your victory lap. Let it rise from every church, every city, every nation.

Because whether on this side of eternity or the other, one thing is certain:

Hallelujah: The Eternal Anthem of the Redeemed

It is traditionally believed that Solomon authored three books: Proverbs – the book of wisdom, Song of Songs – the book on love, and Ecclesiastes – the book debating the meaning and purpose of life. All these books are very interesting books. The book of Proverbs has much to say about wisdom and folly. The wise are contrasted with the foolish. This blog is an attempt to look at the FOOLS in the book of Proverbs. If one can keep the Bible open and read the verses in its entirety it would be very helpful.

What are some of the characteristics of a foolish person according to the book of Proverbs? First of all, a fool “despises wisdom and discipline” (1:7). In fact, “fools hate knowledge” (1:22). Even the personification of folly in chapter 9 (vv. 13-17) is characterized as “loud, undisciplined and without knowledge” (9:13). Also, not only does a fool hate wisdom, knowledge and discipline, he “finds pleasure in evil conduct” (10:23). Hmmm… look at the next characteristic… “every fool is quick to quarrel” (20:3). Also, a fool lacks self-control. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control” (29:11).

The folly of a fool gushes out through his mouth, often resulting in his own destruction. Proverbs 10:14b “…the mouth of a fool invites ruin.” Twice in the space of three verses the book of Proverbs calls the fool “a chattering fool” (10:10, 13). Proverbs 18:2 “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.” Again, no control over the tongue. Proverbs 18:6 “A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.” A fool’s greatest enemy is his own mouth… he invites quarrels and beatings with his mouth. “A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul” (18:7). A fool lays a trap for himself with his mouth. A foolish person also engages in character-assassination or slander (10:18).

A foolish son brings grief to his mother (10:1). In fact, a fool “despises his mother” (15:20). Again, “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him” (17:25). A foolish son brings ruin to his father (19:13).

Proverbs 3:35 says that God will bring a fool to shame. The book of Proverbs also says that a fool invites ruin for himself, as has been noted above. So also, we have already noted that he invites punishment for himself (18:6; 26:3). A foolish woman will end up destroying her house (14:1). So what exactly awaits a fool? Shame, ruin, punishment and destruction…

Proverbs 14:7-9 “Stay away from a foolish man…” A foolish person is often self-deceived and such a person can lead others also into similar deception. Further, one must deal wisely with a foolish person… “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” (26:4-5). One must be wise enough to decide when to speak and when not to while dealing with a fool. If one employs a foolish person, the employer may have to pay a price (26:10).

In the book of Proverbs, a fool refers to a rebellious person, who does not submit to authority or listen to instructions. A fool is someone without proper moral direction… one who is inclined to evil. Such a person hates wisdom and discipline, and delights in evil. In the book of Proverbs, a fool is described often in contradistinction to the wise man or woman. Who is the wise man? That is the subject matter for a later blog. We need to examine ourselves… are there any hints of folly within us?

Who Is A Fool According to Proverbs

I love this ancient Jewish proverb, “Follow the rabbi, drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.” This proverbial statement encompasses the ancient Jewish model of discipleship, which is both rich in meaning and literal in its applications. Disciples, in the ancient Jewish context, followed their teacher, their Rabbi so closely that they would actually be covered with the dust kicked up by the rabbi’s feet; and, because they followed their rabbi so closely, they were also covered with the rabbi’s instruction, wisdom and knowledge. At the same time, they learned from the rabbi’s example.

In a nutshell, they learned to lead by following.

This is the model of discipleship Jesus employed over 2000 years ago. Jesus covered a dozen ordinary, average men with his dust; he covered them with his wisdom and knowledge as they walked behind him throughout Galilee, Judea and Samaria. And, because these disciples walked in the dust of their rabbi, they learned how to talk like, walk like, and be like Jesus.

As modern-day disciples, we are still called to, “Follow the rabbi, drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.” In fact, we are invited to follow the greatest rabbi there is and his name is Jesus.

One of the ways to follow Jesus and be covered in his dust is to become what Augustine, Aquinas, and Wesley claimed to be… a person of One Book. Like the Primitive Church, these leaders drank deeply from the well of the Apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). They opened up the Holy Scriptures, particularly to the Gospels, and immersed themselves in the writings of the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), reading and living in the shadow of their teacher via the Holy Texts.

These three devoted pupils, who became teachers in their own right, along with millions of others before and after them, have walked the same path. They followed their rabbi by drinking in his teaching. They gulped down Jesus’ words, traveling with Him in the Gospels, walking in his dust as he healed the sick, embraced the poor, and raised the dead. Their desire to be spiritually saturated with Scripture led to personal and social transformation during their lifetime. The learned to lead by following Jesus and through their Spiritual leadership the Kingdom of God was advanced.

As believers, we claim to follow the Rabbi of Rabbis, who is also the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings but when was the last time we took time to really drink in his words and be covered with the dust of his feet?

When was the last time you sat at the feet of Jesus, forgetting time and setting aside the many trivial tasks in the periphery of your life that are seeking your attention so that you can bathe yourself in the instruction of Christ?

If you want to lead you have to learn and there’s no better way to learn to lead than by following Jesus. He’s the best teacher there ever was and is. Real leaders follow Jesus.

This blog post explores the ancient Jewish model of discipleship, where disciples learned to lead by closely following their Rabbi. It emphasizes the importance of immersing ourselves in the teachings of Jesus, the greatest Rabbi, and how this spiritual saturation can lead to personal and social transformation.

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