Day 247 RPGs of Faith

 

9/4/2025

"Mercy and truth have met together. Grim justice

and peace have kissed! Truth rises from the earth and 

righteousness smiles down from heaven."

Psalm 85:1-11

 

Another day in the kingdom, that is, my little piece of civilization. "Civilization" seems rather confusing when you break down the word in an attempt to understand the actual meaning of the word. Let's see..."civil" suggests rational behavior, kindness, courtesy, almost symbiotic; "ization" further suggests a cohesiveness, again symbiotic, blending of culture, societies, differences, and it all goes into the one word, civilization," representing an advanced system - one that works together for the good of all. Imagine that! I guess I do have a piece of a dream kingdom in my home, but then I am holding out for the much grander Kingdom where the Son always shines and the glory of the Father fills the earth. Greater things.

I am happy to report that after the last few mornings, my day began earlier and with less outside chatter and distractions. I was able to sit and listen, gather my thoughts, read the word, and pray. I am beginning to get the message from God that I need to adjust what I am doing. One season gone, and another just beginning. When I think I have things figured out...another "But, God" moment appears! I received a message later on in the morning that "God isn't done with you yet. His plan is steady, and His love is persistent." How does God orchestrate these little reminders at just the right time? When people are married for long periods of time, one of the perks is that you finish each other's thoughts. I guess that's a perk?! I have found myself saying something or jotting a thought in my journal, when no sooner do I pull the pen away, someone says the exact thing I have just written or was thinking. It is uncanny, and sometimes, a bit scary! I have also experienced times when I am furiously writing in my journal troubling feelings, thoughts of inadequacy, feelings of not belonging, and just as I write words of, "O Father, where do I belong?" I will hear Him say "You belong to Me!" And because He is tenacious, like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, He is relentless in His pursuits. Most children don't like punishment. I know I sure didn't, but perhaps, most of the time, it was because I was not guilty, nonetheless "just in case you ever decide" to do thus and so was the answer to my questioning. I guess I just have a guilty look? And here I thought I was merely quizzical and precocious as a child. A prodigy of wonder! 

The idea of finishing one's thoughts or words, becoming more like someone, is exactly how we are meant to grow as Christians, becoming more in tune with Christ's personality and character. That's the relationship we hope for, and it is the one Jesus died for us to share with Abba. My Weekly Worship was entitled "Revive Us Again." I had just finished reading through the book of Ezekiel, a great prophetic study pertinent for today and what is happening in history. It is amazing to me how such important matters are overlooked, or simply not taught. If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then why isn't the Bible, the study of our existence thanks to the Jewish nation and God's grace and mercy, why aren't more pastors zealous for re-telling it? I have so many questions, Abba, and I anxiously await the return of the King. Yet, there is more to do, more to learn, more to grow, and more to share with anyone who wants to listen. So many churches speak of revivals, repeatedly have them, with small gatherings meant to refresh themselves, but there is not real church growth. 

"Waiting for national revival is no excuse for not seeking personal revival."

Our Daily Walk

As I write these words, the hymn, "Fill My Cup, Lord" is playing, and it echoes my heart:  

 

"Like the woman at the well, I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—

'Draw from My well that never shall run dry.'

 

Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

 

There are millions in this world who are seeking
For pleasures earthly goods afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray—

 

Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole."

 

Feeling enabled, my son and I decided to tackle the necessary task of the day, so off we journey on a great adventure in the land of Walmart shoppers. My son becomes very taxed dealing with the customer service agents who steer anyone with over 15-20 items in their carts to the aisles with cashiers, but my son always manages to self-check out. I guess they recognize those less needy of assistance, as he was ushered over to an open self-check out station. Since that was the only errand of the day, we headed home and arrived without incident. 

 

Prior to leaving home, I had received a few text messages requesting that I call them when I get a chance, plus I had an overcharge on a VISA purchase that I needed to report. I chose to do the latter first. Suffice it to say that it did not go well, and because, among my other trainings, I have owned my own business plus worked as a retail manager more than once. I won't go into the details, but I hope the young lady learned that being a manager requires taking responsibility and being accountable, rather than saying she has no control over the matter. I was courteous, but I was bold and courageous. I just hope, and I did ask Holy Spirit and repent just in case, that I handled it in an approved manner. But, in honesty, it upset my apple cart for the remainder of the afternoon, so when I did have brief conversations, my patience was limited. Nonetheless, we must take responsibility for our actions and our words. Our behavior does speak volumes, more than out actual words. It's a heart matter. We must learn to go into our prayer closets, shut the door, and spend time in the secret place of the Most High. Again, it is the relationship that He wants, and the one we need in order to grow in His grace. 

 

Thursday nights are my Harvest study group meetings, so I needed to get my attitude adjusted, as our topic was "Going Forward." This message was in preparation for our upcoming series entitled "Upward, Inward, Outward," which, as you may have surmised by the title, is discovering what it means to grow in our relationship with God (upward), to grow in our personal lives spiritually (inward), and how to love others (outward). Pastor Jonathan had shared that the fundamentals of the Christian faith could be likened to spiritual weapons, as putting on our whole armor in Ephesians 6:10-20 instructs. He used the military term of RPGs, which stands for rocket-propelled grenades, but it serves as an excellent acronym as follows:

 

R = Read your Bible

P = Pray

G = Go to church

S = Share your faith

 

In spiritual warfare, our weapons are not carnal or physical weapons, rather they are spiritual. We are told to take up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Apostle John called Jesus the Word of God; the world was spoken into existence in Genesis, and Jesus defeated satan in the wilderness by saying, "It is written....!" As I have taught many times before words are powerful, as they hold power for life or death (Proverbs 18:21), but in this context we see in Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The use of acronyms are powerful tools in teaching new believers, and reminding more "seasoned" believers the importance of the word of God. As Jonathan stated, no one has "arrived" spiritually, and they never will, otherwise they cease to grow. Then they become "stagnant Christians," another topic of our discussion, but I'll leave it for later.

 

For now, the group session went well. We had a new fellow adventurer in our group, and hopefully, my unique teaching style will not chase her away. I need all the support I can get, wouldn't you say?! Selah.