Call 2 Witness

In Genesis 41, we see the Pharaoh of Egypt learn the importance of recurring dreams.

Genesis 41

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted — thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

After…

How do you surrender when you want a certain outcome?

How do you submit when you don’t understand?
How do you lean in when you want to run?
How do you push on when you want to fall back?
How do you fight when you have no strength?
How do you abide in the flames?

On earth, can I obtain perfect peace?

This question comes from this verse:

Isaiah 26:3 – You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

A few weeks ago I taught on a Biblical definition of peace. “Perfect peace” as seen in this verse could be literally translated as “peace peace” or “peaceful peace.” It’s the Hebrew word “shalom” twice in a row.

I talked about what I thought this “shalom shalom” was. The word “shalom” can mean peace, well, safe, prosperous, or complete depending on the context, so I defined the word as “well, whole, or fully healthy.” To be at peace means you don’t need anything, you aren’t striving to gain something. You are safe, healthy and well.

So Isaiah 26:3 seems to be talking about the ultimate form of this peace. It’s about trusting in God for…

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ESV 1 John 4:7

I sat yesterday and chatted with a friend. We are roughly the same age. He has four kids, I have five. We have similar height, weight and hair color. In other ways, we couldn’t be more different. He’s single; I’m married. He’s struggling to find a job; I’m employed. Finally, there are ways we are similar–yet different. He’s educated in the streets; I’m educated in school. He’s had a drug problem for 20 years; I’ve had a pride and people-pleasing problem for 20 years. Finally, we both love Jesus and are growing to love Him more each day. In that regard we have a lot in common…loving Jesus, and occasionally falling away from Him…and then getting back into following Him. My friend and…