Holding on to Reason

Prayers of the Bible: Part 1

Jesus’ Prayer for Believers

Jesus’ Last Supper in Watercolor

Context: This is a part of Jesus’s prayer during ‘The Last Supper’ when He prayed for all of us who choose to believe in Him.

“My prayer is not for them alone (the Disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” ­ -John 17:20-23 (NIV)

 A Song of Praise by Moses, Miriam, and the Israelites

Context: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt to the bank of the Red Sea. Pharaoh’s army pursued them there, trapping them. But, God split the sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry land. Pharaoh’s army tried to pursue them through the sea, only to have God return the waters and drown them. Once safe on the other side of the Red Sea; Moses, Miriam, and the Israelites sang a song of praise.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
    he has hurled into the sea.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior;
    the Lord is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.
The deep waters have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
    shattered the enemy.

“In the greatness of your majesty
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;
    it consumed them like stubble.
By the blast of your nostrils
    the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
But you blew with your breath,
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.
Who among the gods
    is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
    working wonders?

“You stretch out your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.
In your unfailing love you will lead
    the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.
The nations will hear and tremble;
    anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,
the people[c] of Canaan will melt away;
     terror and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone—
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought[d] pass by.
You will bring them in and plant them
    on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,
    the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.

“The Lord reigns
    for ever and ever.”

When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
    he has hurled into the sea.”
- Exodus 15:1-21 (NIV)

Hannah’s Prayer of Thankfulness

Context: Hannah had been desperately praying for God to grant her a child. He answered her prayers, giving her a son. She named him Samuel which means, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” This is her prayer of thanks after God granted her a child.

Hannah dedicated Samuel to God.  Samuel became a priest, a prophet, and the last judge for the Israelite nation. He anointed Saul and then David, to be the first and second kings of Israel.

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
    for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

“Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.

“The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.
 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
    he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
    those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

-1 Samuel 2:1b-10 (NIV)

 Asaph’s Prayer about His Despair

Context: Asaph, from the book of Psalms, is one of the Levites whom King David assigned as worship leaders in the Tabernacle choir. This Psalm was meant to be sung to the Lord in praise. In it, Asaph was suffering from extreme depression. He sang about his struggle and explained how he would combat that struggle. He did so by remembering everything God had done in the past. Through considering God’s actions as a whole, Asaph was reassured about who God is and how powerful He is. Then, instead of focusing on his despair, he chose to focus on the historically proven truth that God is always faithful.

I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;
    when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

You hold my eyelids open;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
    the years long ago.
I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
    let me meditate in my heart.”
    Then my spirit made a diligent search:
“Will the Lord spurn forever,
    and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
    to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people,
    the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
    the skies gave forth thunder;
    your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
    your path through the great waters;
    yet your footprints were unseen.[c
You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

- Psalm 77 (ESV)


King David’s Prayer of Repentance

Context: King David was walking on his roof when he saw Bathsheba bathing. Bathsheba was married to a man named Uriah who was one of David’s inner-circle known as his “mighty men”. Even so, David called Bathsheba to come to him and he lay with her. She became pregnant. After trying and failing at a couple of deceptive tactics in order to get away with his actions, David plotted to have Uriah killed in battle. Then David married Bathsheba in order to try and cover up their infidelity. Of course, nothing can be hidden from God. God sent his prophet, Nathan, to confront David about his actions. When confronted, David was struck down with grief. This is his prayer to God when he asked for forgiveness.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right[
b] spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    build up the walls of Jerusalem;
then will you delight in right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

- Psalm 51:1-19 (ESV)


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more things written by Amanda Hovseth.




You are on a Journey! (A lesson for kids about God's design.)

For this journey you are:

  • given information about who God is: all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present.

  • offered forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ payment for sins by His death on the cross.



  • given a relationship with God, and an identity as a child of God, if you accept Jesus’ payment.


  • given instructions to, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt. 28:19-20).


God knows every twist and turn which you will have to make on your own personal journey.

So, God also built you a body which is specially formed to help you on your specific journey.


Some people might look at you and not understand why you were given the body you have.

They may even laugh at you and make fun of you for the ways your body is different from how they think bodies should be.

You might also look in a mirror and think BAD things about your body.



Perhaps you’d rather have a different colored one, a different shaped one, or a different sized one. Maybe God made you a boy but you want to be a girl. Maybe you’d rather be an animal.

You may not understand why God chose to make you the way He did.


But, someday something will happen. Something God knew would happen.

And you will realize that God planned for your body to be the exact one you needed to deal with that situation.

The body you hated will turn out to be the perfect tool for you to use to serve God and to spread the truth of His Gospel.

God made you perfect just as you are.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
— Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“Dear God,

Thank you for making me the way I am. Thank you for giving me the body I need to live out your plan and purpose for my life. Thank you for loving me, for staying by my side, and for helping me during my journey through this life.

In Jesus name,

Amen.”


“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

- Psalms 139:13-16 (NIV)


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on “On a Journey/Designed by God (Kids Booklet)”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written my Amanda Hovseth.

The Metaphysical Search

When nothing in this world can satisfy…

Who am I?

Why am I here?

What is life all about?

“Life and the universe refuse to remain silent, and they trigger a thousand questions in us. For those with ears to hear, and for those who dare to pay attention, the universe is alive with sounds and signals to suggest that there is a wider world than we see—a world of warmth, color, and brilliance, lit by the reality of the sun and the author of it all.

Do you already “know what you see and hear,” in the sense that you have already made up your mind about what there is to be seen and heard, so that you can see and hear nothing else? Or do you “see and hear in order to know,” in the sense that you are open to the surprise of new insight and fresh perception?...This is the way of a mind and a heart that are open to a breakthrough.

Whoever has ears to hear let him hear.”

- Os Guinness “Signals of Transcendence: Listening to the Promptings of Life”

“Throughout the ages mankind has sensed that there is something deeper than physical reality. Things like the spiritual, the mental, and the emotional. These are realities that cannot be seen or sensed with the five senses, yet they are realities nonetheless.

The study of what is really real is called metaphysics. Metaphysics deals with the reality behind the reality that we see. The metaphysical explains (accounts for) the physical. As an analogy, think about your smartphone. What you see on the screen is not the whole story. There is advanced circuitry and a whole network behind that screen. That is like the metaphysical behind the physical.”

- The Think Institute

A Metaphysician’s goal is to find the reality behind the reality that we see.


Metaphysics is not the end game; its existence is not the answer. It is merely a path taken—the name of the search—to discover the ultimate reality.


If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.
— C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Inventions and their Inventors

When the first hairdryer was invented by Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy, people didn’t walk up to the large heater and metal pipe and ask it what it was or what its purpose was. Instead, they went to its creator—Godefroy—and asked him to explain the purpose of his creation’s existence.


“Who am I?”

“Why am I here?”

“What is life all about?”

When it comes to these questions, we are the hairdryer in the equation. We did not choose to bring ourselves into existence or decide on why we should be brought into existence. So, if we want the answers to these questions, we have to ask the right being. We have to ask our creator.

What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.
— Pascal “Pensees (10.148):1"

God draws us to seek Him. We are all born with an emptiness inside, which no other human can fill. Neither spouses nor parents nor friends can be 100% what we need 100% of the time. But God can be. Only God’s love can fill that emptiness inside.

An all-powerful, timeless being like God could have created anything he wanted to create. He could have made us like robots that would do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, but he didn’t. Instead, he chose to give us free will (the ability to act according to one’s own discretion).

God wants to have a real relationship with us, to interact with us, to love us, and to, hopefully, have us love him back and also love each other. 

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. - 1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

In order for us to be able to have a genuine relationship with God, we had to have been created with the ability to love. In order to make it possible for us to love; God had to give us the ability and option not to love—because love means nothing if it is not freely given.

When people choose not to love God and not to love each other, they often choose to be selfish and do things God doesn’t want them to do. Or things which go against his design, which we call sin. Sin hurts people and causes bad things to happen.

The good news is, even when we do bad things, God still loves us and he refuses to give up on us. God knew when he created Adam and Eve that they would mess up and choose not to show him love. Yet, he also knew that he could fix the problem if he was willing to die on the cross to pay for our sins. So, despite knowing he would have to suffer and die for us, he still chose to create us. Jesus came down to earth and died on the cross to pay for our sins and fix our relationship with God. This means, even though we mess up we can still have a relationship with God.




Now you have a choice.

-    You can choose to pay God for your sins yourself. This will mean you cannot make it into Heaven.

-    Or you can choose to admit that you cannot be good enough to get into Heaven on your own, and don’t want to pay the consequences of your sins, yourself. Then, you just need to accept the payment Jesus already made on your behalf for sin, and enjoy the free gift of a relationship with God and entry into Heaven.


Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us...overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:34, 37-39 (NLT)


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on “The Metaphysical Search”. For more information related to this topic you can also download “Metaphysics and God” tract and go to the blog post titled “Metaphysics and God”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written my Amanda Hovseth.

Metaphysics and God

Metaphysics deals with the reality behind the reality that we see.

The Metaphysician asks:

“What is true always and everywhere, regardless of time or place?”

“How is this truth related to the particular truths of determinate (having exact and discernible limits or form) times and places?”


Here’s a summary of ‘The Metaphysical Argument’, from Duns Scotus, the influential Medieval Christian theologian, combined with the ‘The First-Cause Argument’, explained by Josh McDowell’s Ministry at josh.org.

_________________________________________

1.   It is possible that something can be produced.

2.   It had to have been produced by itself, by nothing, or by another being.


3.   It can’t be produced by nothing, because nothing causes nothing.

4.   It can’t be produced by itself, because an effect never causes itself.

5.   Therefore, it had to be produced by another, which we will call: ‘A’.

6.   If ‘A’ is the first to ever exist then we have reached the conclusion.


7. If ‘A’ is not the first to ever exist, then we return to 2).

8. From 3) and 4), we find another producer which we will call- ‘B’.


9. Either:

this cycle repeats for infinity

|or|

we eventually come to the first thing to ever exist--the ultimate producer who never had to be produced.


10.  An infinite series is not possible because it is ‘Infinite Regress’. It breaks the laws of thermodynamics and entropy. Which states: in a closed system, matter cannot sustain itself infinitely because eventually physical matter will be converted into heat and various forms of energy until no matter is left. Something has to be creating and adding new matter to the system.


11.    Therefore, the ultimate, first to exist producer does exist. 


12.  If this producer is the first of everything to exist, it has to be the origin of time, space, and matter. It could not be subject to natural law, or that would imply that it needed time, space, and matter to exist. Which means it is timeless, spaceless, and immaterial.


13. This unproduced producer is God.

He is prime reality, himself.


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on “Metaphysics and God”. For more information on the topic of Metaphysics you can also read, “The Metaphysical Search” blog post and utilize a free printout of “The Metaphysical Search”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written my Amanda Hovseth.

A Functional Faith: The Unclean Woman

Three of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) include the story of the “Unclean Woman of Faith”.

  • And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

  • And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

  • And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”  But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

When read on its own, this story doesn’t seem like much more than a quick little example of a miracle. But when the Bible is read in context, we learn there is more to it.

The first thing we must understand about this story is that this woman is suffering through much more than just a health issue. According to the Jewish law, this specific health issue also makes her unclean. And when someone, or something, is unclean and it comes in contact with someone or something else, it makes that thing unclean too.

Leviticus 15:19-33 (NLT) “Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening…If a woman has a flow of blood for many days that is unrelated to her menstrual period, or if the blood continues beyond the normal period, she is ceremonially unclean. As during her menstrual period, the woman will be unclean as long as the discharge continues…”

So for twelve years this woman has been considered unclean within the Jewish community, which means she has been ostracized from her friends and family, expected to permanently separate herself from their society until the bleeding stops and she can be made ceremonially clean again.

Since, their medicinal options obviously hadn’t helped her in twelve years, she had most likely given up hope of ever having a normal life. As Mark 5:26 says, “...and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” (ESV).


Then Jesus came on the scene.

Lost Renaissance Masterpiece Found Hanging Above Woman’s Hot Plate

As Mark 5:27 says, this woman heard of the things Jesus had been doing. Not only was He performing healing miracles--which probably would have been enough for her to ask Him to heal her--but He was also specifically fulfilling Messianic prophecies. And we can know she recognized this and believed He was the promised Messiah because of how she goes about trying to get healed.

Mathew 9:21 informs us that she believed the only thing she needed to do was touch his garment. “...she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” (ESV).

Why would she think that specifically? Why wouldn’t she think she needed to ask Jesus to heal her? It seems a bit strange to assume that his garments would have the power to heal her.

Well, she obviously had a pretty decent knowledge of the Scriptures, because she is putting her faith in one of the Messianic prophecies in Malachi:

Malachi 4:2 (ESV) But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

The Hebrew word for “wings” in this verse is "kanaph". Strong's Concordance, defines it as follows:

 Kanaph (kaw-nawf); Noun Feminine, Strong #: 3671

Wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt

- Wing

- Extremity skirt, corner (of garment)

In other words, this verse is saying:

 Malachi 4:2 (ESV) But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in the fringes of its robe. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

This woman knew Jesus was the solution to all of her problems. With one little touch, she could return to her life with her family and friends. The problem was, He was going to be surrounded by a crowd of people which she wasn’t supposed to get close to because everyone she would come in contact with would become unclean.

It was a huge risk for her to venture into the crowd to touch Jesus’ cloak. If she had been wrong and hadn’t been healed, a lot of people would have been furious with her for being so reckless and making them all unclean. They may have even gotten angry enough to execute her for it. But her knowledge of the Scriptures and of the fact that God’s prophecies always come true, led her to have such a strong faith that she took the risk, pushed her way through the crowd, and reached out to touch the edges of Jesus’ cloak.

And, the result? 

Luke 8:44, 46-48 (ESV) She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased…Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Her faith wasn’t just a random whim or feeling. She knew the Biblical prophecies about the coming Messiah and knew that Jesus had been fulfilling them.

Walking into a crowd in her state was too dangerous to risk without being certain of who Jesus was. If she had been wrong, she could have even made Jesus, Himself, unclean by touching Him. But she wasn’t wrong. Jesus was the promised Messiah. So, instead of her making Jesus unclean, Jesus made her clean; just as He does for everyone who puts their faith in Him. 


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written my Amanda Hovseth.

The Christmas Tornado

Here I am with my first company issued semi-truck.

A few years ago, I was working for Werner as an over-the-road truck driver. This meant I could be sent to deliver items with my truck anywhere across the United States, and I lived in said truck for months at a time.

The truck driving field is a tricky one, because while it tends to pay well, there are a lot of companies which treat their employees like they are just tools to be used and not like human beings. 

When I first accepted the job, I had been told that I would have a route which would allow me to be home with my family every weekend. My dad had recently passed away, so the ability to be home often with my mom during that time was imperative in my decision to take the job. They had, as it turns out, lied to me, and I ended up being away from home for around three months at a time. 

Here I am learning to drive manual in a semi-truck in Millington, Tennessee.

Unfortunately, by the time I realized they had lied to me about my route, they already had me trapped financially. In order to get a Commercial Driver’s License I had had to attend a trucking school in Millington, Tennessee. They lured me down there by saying that the trucking school would be completely paid for by Werner, but once I was there, they revealed that I would have to take out a loan for $7,000 in order to pay for the three week school. Then if Werner decided to actually hire me, they would make my loan payments every month for as long as I worked for them. Honestly, that’s an okay deal, if they had been upfront about it. But they hadn’t.

Long story short, I ended up trapped working for them by a $7,000 loan. I tried to make the best of it. I had met another girl, Laura Powers, during training in Los Angeles, California who had asked me if I’d be willing to team drive with her. So, I called her up and we started out our venture as close-quarters roommates and co-workers.

Laura was great, we got along really well and had a lot of fun times together. The only problem was, no matter how hard I tried, I could not handle the stress of the job and of feeling like I was abandoning my family. Things got so bad for me emotionally that I could no longer eat anything without instantly having to rush to the bathroom, which is the last thing anyone wants to happen while driving a 16-wheeler down a five-lane interstate.

I vividly remember one specific moment when I was at my wit’s end. I was driving south in Florida, towards Orlando. I wanted to quit my job right then and there, but I had no idea how I would get home or pay off my loans if I did. So, I did what I should've done sooner, I turned to God for help. 


“Desperate Prayer” by livin_4_jesus

I prayed, “Daddy God, I’ve gotten myself into a major bind here. I do not think I can physically continue with this job. But I don’t want to be financially irresponsible and end up with a mountain of debt I can’t pay off. My emotions tell me I should quit and go home. My logic tells me I need to stick it out at least until my debt is paid off. I need you to decide for me. If you want me to quit then find a way to get me home to do so; if you don’t want me to quit then please heal my mind and body so I can physically continue this job. In Jesus name, Amen.”


A photo I took when I realized I was going to work over Christmas.

A few weeks later, Christmas was right around the corner and Laura and I knew neither of us were going to be able to be home for Christmas. There was no way our dispatchers would allow it to happen. We had learned pretty quickly that the dispatchers liked to promise they would get us to certain places to keep us compliant, but then yank it away from us at the last minute and send us to the other side of the country. 

Our route over Christmas was taking us from North Carolina to Salt Lake City, Utah. It just so happened that I was driving on Christmas day through Nebraska on I-80 heading west. It was a windy and stormy day so I had to take it slower than usual. Then the strange and abnormal (for winter in Nebraska) happened, I had just passed Grand Island when our cell phones blared out an Emergency Alert. A tornado had touched down a few miles away from us. 

Chevy- my co-driver’s dog

I woke Laura up and had her get her leash on Chevy--her husky dog who rode along with us--as I pulled over into the truck stop by Wood River. After I parked the truck, the three of us hurried into the truck stop to take shelter.

We had a blast that night, hanging out with the truck stop employees and the few other truck drivers who were stuck there waiting out the winds. The tornado didn’t end up coming our direction so the next day we started our trek west again. We were nearly to Ogallala before we were informed that I-80 in Wyoming was closed to all traffic due to high winds and they estimated the closure to last three days. 

Laura and I had a choice, we could wait the three days out, being buffeted around by the wind in our semi-cab, or we could head a little farther west and just a tad bit north, and wait out the weather with my family at my mom’s house. We chose the second option.

So, I wasn’t home for Christmas that year, but I was home for the day after Christmas. I was so thrilled to see my family, that I was feeling a lot better psychologically, at first, but then I was hit with an emotional bomb. I found out that the guy I was seeing was already married, had at least one other “official” girlfriend, and had a one-night-stand in Chicago, who was pregnant with his baby. (He was also an over-the-road truck driver so that’s how he pulled off this horrific trickery--just keeping us all in different locations.)

Everything he had ever said to me kept spinning around in my head, because none of it matched up with the reality I was now facing. I felt like a fool. I hated that he had turned me into the “other woman”. I was so angry and heartbroken I couldn’t stop crying. What was left of my fragmented psychological state shattered to pieces. 

In that moment, I knew without a doubt that there was no way I could continue putting up with dispatchers whose starting place of communication was yelling obscenities; or with feeling like my life was moving on without me while I was just rolling down interstate after interstate. I was lost and broken, both emotionally and physically.

That’s when it hit me--I was home. At the precise moment where I had absolutely nothing left to give to over-the-road trucking, God had gotten me home. I talked to Laura and she insisted that she and Chevy could manage on their own. So I unloaded my stuff from the truck and I quit my job.

Shortly after, I was hired to drive sugar-hauling trucks for a local company, which allowed me to be home every day. Then a few weeks later, I got a notice that Werner was being sued for their dishonest practices, and I was able to make a deal with the bank to pay them $1,900 instead of the full $7,000 and have my debt wiped clean.

That day in Florida when I had prayed for help, I hadn’t been able to see a clear path to regaining my financial freedom or to getting back home, but God had already laid the path out before me. I’ll definitely never forget the time that God answered my prayers with a Christmas tornado.  

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- Romans 8:28 (NIV)


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written by Amanda Hovseth.

How to Protect Yourself from Suicide

Develop a Safety Plan

  • List out warning signs which help you identify that you are starting to experience significant, severe thoughts of suicide. 

  • Write out a safety plan and actively turn to it when the warning signs start to show.


Preventative Steps You Can Take:

  • Have a list of people to contact during a crisis.

Create this list by being honest with people and telling them about your struggles with suicidal thoughts. Ask them if they are willing and capable of being one of your accountability partners. Call or go to them when suicidal thoughts threaten to get the best of you.

  •  Remind yourself that the feeling will pass.

It has before and always will. In contrast, acting on a temporary feeling has permanent consequences. Place notes or signs with this sentiment around your home, vehicle, and workspace, so they will be there when you need reminders.

  • Find someone or something to live for: a family member, a friend, or a pet, which depends on you staying alive to take care of them; or even a future goal to accomplish.

Sometimes it is simply easier to stay motivated; to keep living for the sake of people or animals that you love, than it is to stay living for yourself. And that’s okay. There is nothing wrong with staying alive because of the knowledge that you are needed. And if you aren’t certain you are needed at the moment, then, on your good days, find a way to make yourself needed, so you have that safety net and knowledge for the bad days.

  • On your good days work to sabotage your preferred suicide method, so when the bad days come it will be difficult to commit suicide.

Be honest with yourself about what your preferred method would be, and then limit your access to the things required to enact it. For example: unload guns, put dangerous things in a locked safe, take down any poles or hooks which can hold a lot of weight, have someone you trust be in charge of your meds-even over the counter ones like ibuprofen. Research shows that “method substitution”--choosing an alternate method when the original method is restricted--does not happen often. Put time and distance between yourself and your chosen method.

  • Learn that you aren’t alone. No one is completely happy in their lives or their bodies. Most people have struggled with negative thoughts, and many with suicidal thoughts.

You aren’t abnormal. All those other people found ways to survive it and continue to live in spite of it/after it. They are proof that this can be overcome and you can win this battle.

  • Figure out what kind of life you want and make a step by step plan for earning that life and work towards it.

A lot of people who have attempted suicide said that as they thought they were dying, they realized they didn’t actually want to die; they just wanted a different life. Starting a new life may seem hard or scary but it is a lot easier than suicide, and, if you think about it, what do you have to lose? Might as well try for a new life. Also, a step-by-step plan will give you a goal to focus on and each step completed will give you a feeling of success and accomplishment.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame him who tramples on me.

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness.”

-Psalm 57:1-3 (ESV)


What Does the Bible Say to do When Life Starts to Crush Us?

* * *

It says to turn to God. He is our Savior from anything and everything. Ask Him for help, and trust that He will provide.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV)

God loves you and made you in His image. You are worthy of a life filled with love and purpose.

If you struggle accepting this truth emotionally, you can find practical things to do that will encourage emotional acceptance of it: helping other people, spreading God’s Word, finding a job which adds value to society. Work to live your life according to God’s grander purpose and eventually you will be able to see how valuable your life is, not only to God, but also to the world around you.

Ask God for help and He will show up.

God will provide a way through the struggle but those provisions aren’t always miraculous occurrences or instant healing. Most of the time God provides quietly, in practical ways: like a phone call from a friend when you’re close to the edge, or an unexpected income source to pay for the bills accrued from going to therapy.

Even when you don’t know how to ask for help for yourself, the Holy Spirit knows what you need and is crying out to the Father on your behalf.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” -Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)


Our world teaches us that the end goal of life is independence; but God wants us to accept our dependence on Him.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” -1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

“But he (God) said to me (Paul), ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)

These verses aren’t claiming that life won’t be harder than we can handle. They are specifically talking about overcoming the temptations which the world throws at us. But even for those temptations, we are not supposed to rely on ourselves to overcome them:  it is God who “provides the way to escape”. God uses our weaknesses to show the world His strength in order to draw people to Him.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” -Psalms 73:26 (ESV)

The best way to fight thoughts of sadness and even suicide is to regularly stay in the Word of God.

Find verses which remind you of God’s presence and power and of how much He loves you. Memorize them so you can repeat them to yourself in times of anguish. His promises will help you endure these times.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” -Psalms 34:18-19 (ESV)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6- (NIV)

Also see: Psalms 16:8; Psalms 23:4; Psalms 55:22; Psalms 94:18; Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 15:13; 1 Cor. 1:3-4; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Peter 5:6-10


Do not try to go it alone.

If you feel suicidal thoughts start to invade your mind, seek professional help immediately!

Call your therapist and/or go to the Emergency Room.

There is no need to go it alone. God wants us to cry out to Him, to seek out godly counsel from others, and when necessary, to request medical help. We live in a sin-cursed world, which means our bodies are imperfect and sometimes things like hormones or brain chemistry can be off balance. God gave humans the intelligence necessary to understand science and create medical solutions. There is nothing inherently wrong with using helpful medications. 

Remember, with medical solutions there is usually a period of trial and error, because everyone’s body is different and you need to find what works for you. If you try one method or medication and it doesn’t work, don’t give up. Try a different one until you find the right fit. Millions of people have had success with medical intervention; it could work for you as well.

Healing Takes Time


Contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call: 1-800-273-8255

or chat online: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on “Protect Yourself from Suicide (full page)” or for a shorter version: “What Does the Bible Say to do When Life Starts to Crush Us?”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written by Amanda Hovseth.

An Un-worthy Tool in God's Hands

Over a year ago, I went to an art museum in Knoxville, Tennessee, with my mom and grandma. One of my grandmother’s friend’s sons (Richard Jolley) had a massive blown glass installment, so we went to see it in person. It was impressive.

Richard Jolley “Cycle of Life” Knoxville Museum of Art

Richard Jolley “Cycle of Life” Knoxville Museum of Art

Richard Jolley “Cycle of Life” Knoxville Museum of Art

After admiring the blown glass, we walked through the rest of the museum. There were a bunch of awe inspiring paintings. A few stretched from floor to ceiling with intricate details. Others seemed to morph as you moved closer or farther away from them. The talent displayed in that building was phenomenal. 

Marion Greenwood, The History of Tennessee, 1954-55, Oil on linen, Courtesy of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Surprisingly, the flip side was also true. Right next to a painting of a young woman and her daughter which was full of gentle whimsy while still a clear image; was a simple white canvas with paint apparently inadvertently splashed across it. Of course, next to the splatter painting was an excessively garrulous elucidation of the painting and what it represented, written as an exhaustingly ostentatious, involuted, pronouncement. (See what I did there? And How exhausting that one sentence was to read? Imagine three massive paragraphs like that talking about paint splatters on a canvas and you’ll understand my point.) 

Catherine Wiley, Untitled (Woman and Child in a Meadow), 1913.

Paint Splatter Art

All I could think was…the audacity!

It blew my mind that someone could set aside all of their responsibilities in life and focus entirely on painting for a year (information gathered from the description plaque), only to produce a work as simple and nonsensical as that, and then, instead of feeling like they wasted their time, think, “This is a masterpiece and it belongs in an art museum!”

But then it hit me… in a way… they were right. There it was, their “masterpiece” sitting in an art museum in the same room as paintings which required a type of talent, dedication, practice, and hard work that only the likes of Michelangelo could compare. Somehow, for some reason, the art world agrees that the splatter painting was in the same league as the rest.

I started to wonder if maybe it was me, not the artist, who was doing something wrong. Was I misunderstanding something about life which other people had grasped?

Maybe there was something I could learn from their audacity…? 

A few days later I was relaying these sentiments to my friend Emily Havens and she said, “It sounds like you might be struggling with shame.” 

I responded in confusion, “Shame? No, I don’t think so…I mean, I hardly ever get embarrassed by anything. Growing up with my dad (an incredibly embarrassing man in all the best ways) kind of worked that out of me.”

But then Emily explained that maybe I was misunderstanding what shame was and we decided to do a book study by Brené Brown on shame in order to dive deeper into the idea. (Brené Brown is today’s leading expert on shame.)

It turns out I was misunderstanding shame. Shame isn’t the same as embarrassment. Shame is the idea or belief that I am not worthy.

“Shame is that warm feeling that washes over us, making us feel small, flawed, and never good enough.” -Brené Brown

Based on that definition, yes, I was struggling with shame.

My painting skills aren’t perfect so I’m not worthy to have people see my paintings. My writing skills aren’t perfect so I’m not worthy to have people read what I write. I’m not perfect so I’m not worthy of having God choose to use me to advance His purpose in the world. 

My fear to share my art and my writing stemmed from shame, and it has held me back in many important avenues in my life. I am behind on my path to reaching my full potential because of my shame. My shame appears to have even held me back on my walk with God.


In order to receive God’s gift of salvation, we have to be aware of how much we fall short. No one asks for help if they think they can do it themselves. So, it stands to reason that we, who have acknowledged our shortcomings and asked God for help, may struggle with feeling unworthy after salvation as well. Honestly, it’d be weird if we didn’t. 

I was looking at myself in the hypothetical mirror and seeing all of the ways I fell short of God’s holiness. All the sins I struggle with, all the mistakes I’ve made—both willful and accidental. How little I actually know about the Bible, compared to how much I could know if I was more dedicated in my studies. If God were to look at all of His children, lined up on a bench, I couldn’t see any reason why He would choose to put me “into the game”. It was illogical to think He would want to use me to further His purpose on this earth.

But, God foresaw this as a struggle we would face and addressed it in His Word. The Bible makes it clear that after salvation, we are meant to walk confidently in who we are in Christ. We are meant to set our shame, our unworthiness, aside and view ourselves the way God now views us, which is exactly how He views Jesus. 

  • “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NLT)

  • “Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.” Romans 8:17 (NLT)

  • “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 (NIV)

  • “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39 (NIV)

  • “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

  • “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Ephesians 3:12 (NLT)

  • “He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Colossians 1:13–14 (NLT)

It’s not about our abilities or worthiness, it has never been about that. It’s about Jesus’ abilities and worthiness.


God uses our lives to show how great He is. His power shines through our unworthiness. When I succeed, it is God succeeding, and my weakness makes that clear.

We are meant to act in faith in such a way that God will have to step in, in order for us to succeed. God gifts us with what we have and supplies what we lack.

For example, 2 Corinthians shows that when the Apostle Paul thought about getting prideful, God gave him a “thorn in the flesh” to reveal to Paul the truth of his weakness. Then God tells Paul that His grace is sufficient to cover Paul’s weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 (NIV) Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When God’s grace steps in for our weaknesses, it turns people’s heads towards God by showing them how awesome He is.

So, if our usefulness to God isn’t based on how awesome we can be, but is in fact based on how awesome Jesus is; and Jesus’s awesomeness shines even greater through us when we are weak, then God can use me just as I am right now, flaws and all.

It doesn’t make sense for me to waste time with shame. I am not being judged on my worthiness, but on Jesus’ worthiness. So, if I allow shame to hold me back, it is like saying, Jesus isn’t worthy or Jesus isn’t capable.

If we have faith in God’s Word and that God never lies and always keeps His promises, then shame has no place in our walks with Him.

It is by faith we are saved; and it is also by faith that we live our lives as useful tools in God’s hands. I have faith that I am worthy to be used by God, because Jesus succeeds where I fail. He overflows where I lack. Jesus makes me worthy.

I am worthy because I am in Jesus and Jesus is worthy.


Unfortunately, believing this truth and cultivating the ability to live it out are two very different things.

Shame can hold us back from learning and growing. Shame keeps people from trying new things, for fear of making mistakes and looking foolish. But no one is an expert when they first start learning something new. If we want to avoid being bad at something, then we can’t ever try anything new. It’s a crippling mentality and only serves to hold us back.

So, here’s one practical approach I’ve been using in order to re-focus my mind on living out the Biblical truth that Christ makes me worthy:

When I notice an inadequacy in myself, I force myself to add on a positive caveat. For example:

The first book I ever wrote and had published: “Perspective: A Dark Tale of Hope”. I also drew the cover design myself. I battle shame in regards to this book every time it is brought up.

  • “My painting is not perfect, but it is still beautiful and will bring people joy if I share it.”

  • “My writing isn’t perfect, but it can still get across the point I am trying to convey, and that is what really matters.”

  • “I am not perfect, but God loves me anyway.”

These positive additions prevent shame from forcing me to hide from the world. And the more I step out into the world to do what God has called me to do, in spite of my weaknesses, the more God will step in, keeping His promises by showing His strength through me. Furthermore, the more I experience God moving in my life, the stronger my faith grows.


God wants us to thrive through the grace He lavishes on us.

Ephesians 1:3-23 (ESV): 

“Amazing Grace” by Ivan Guaderrama

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Body of Christ by Danny Hahlbohm

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written by Amanda Hovseth.

Inflation- Christianity in an Unstable Economy

When society becomes unstable and finances are no longer secure…

Where do you turn?

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2 (KJV)

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”
Psalm 61:2 (KJV)

God makes it clear that there is only one way to store up riches which cannot be lost, and it is to store them in Heaven for the life to come. In contrast, everything of the earth will eventually rot away and be lost.

Luke 12:29-34 (ESV) And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


The kind of faith required to sleep easy while the world crumbles around us, takes a while to cultivate.

First, we need to read the Bible to get to know who God is and what promises He has made us. Then we grow our faith by acting accordingly, trusting God will not break character and will always keep His promises. The more we chose to act in faith, the more we will get to see God in action and the stronger our faith will become.

Eventually, as our minds get used to focusing on things above instead of on earthly things, we will begin to see the world through God’s perspective. Anxiety about the unstable changes in our world will fade, as we learn to trust God and it becomes clear that He does, indeed, love us and work all things for our ultimate good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on Inflation: Treasures stored up in Heaven”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more stuff written by Amanda Hovseth.

How are People Meant to Pray?

- Pray Directly to God

- Pray Only to God

- Pray Openly and Honestly

Pray Directly to God

Prayer is an amazing privilege. The fact that we can come to the Creator of the Universe, the Alpha and Omega, the all-seeing, all-powerful God and talk to Him as if talking to a loving parent is…truly mind blowing. 

But it begs the question: why? Why is an all-powerful being willing to spend time listening to our problems?

The answer is simple, He loves us. God loves us, and He wants a relationship with us.

Prayer is an integral part of having a relationship with God; it is how we communicate with Him.

This relationship with God has been made possible through the work Jesus did on the cross.

Art by Lars Justinen

Hebrews 10:1-23 (NLT) “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures.’

First, Christ said, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them’ (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will.’ He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, ‘This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he says, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.’ And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”

Pray Only to God

There are some belief systems which would try to tell us that we have to petition other beings to talk to God for us. 

But why would we ask others to talk to God when God not only allows us to talk directly to Him, He wants to hear directly from us.

The God of the Bible is real, He hears, and He answers.

“Praying in the Garden” by Kip-Decker

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1 John 5:14 (NIV) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

When we pray it does not land at the feet of beings who cannot help or do not care to help. The Prophet Elijah demonstrated this difference between the God of the Bible and others when he challenged the Prophets of Baal  (1 Kings 18:20-40). And the Bible repeatedly talks about how foolish it is to pray to anything besides God, Himself.

Jeremiah 10:3-16 (ESV) “For the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood!  Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men. But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

Thus shall you say to them: ‘The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’ It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.”

Pray Openly and Honestly

Praying is just like communicating in any other relationship. It's as easy as thinking and talking. 

Prayer not only gives God the opportunity to respond to us by answering prayers, but prayer also changes those who pray. It reminds us to think of God throughout the day, and when we are God-conscious as individuals, our behavior is different than if we rarely think about God.

Be open and honest, God already knows the secret parts of our hearts anyway. We need to talk with Him honestly, acknowledging the truth of what we think and feel in order to properly work through stuff with God. This builds a stronger relationship between us.

Don't worry about wording things perfectly in prayer. God will even help us with our weaknesses in prayer.

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV) “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

God won't misunderstand or pretend to misunderstand what it is we need and are asking for. God loves us and will help us in ways we cannot even think to pray for. He will answer our prayers by giving us what we need and what is best for us. 

Luke 11:9-13 (ESV) “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”


You can download a free printout of this information by going to our “Free Material” Page and clicking on “Prayer Tract”.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

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