Author: Phil Rehberg

It is in vain that you rise up earlyand go late to rest,eating the bread of anxious toil;for he gives to his beloved sleep. Psalms 127:2 (ESV) Anxiety seems to be prevalent in all societies. Modern society has not reduced our anxiety; instead, it seems to have magnified it. We are in a pandemic of anxiety in America and our youth are especially afflicted. Anxiety treatment is a huge industry. Most of us are tempted to be anxious by our financial circumstances. We are anxious about having enough to afford what we need to sustain a moderate standard of living. But the Psalmist (Solomon) warns us against anxious work. If you are working so much that you are “late to rest” and not getting the sleep you need, then maybe anxiety is driving your daily routine. Is this what the Lord wants from his children? If the God of all Continue Reading →

Those who go out weeping,carrying seed to sow,will return with songs of joy,carrying sheaves with them. Psalms 126:6 (NIV) In this mortal life, sometimes we are like farmers who sow tears instead of seeds. We are sad about the destruction all around us; we watch people waste or ruin their lives because they turn away from Yahweh. Sometimes these are our loved ones, even our children, which magnifies our sorrow. We are sad about our own faults and failures in faith and love because we know that we cannot be fully one with the Lord. But God will germinate all these tears that we sow; they will produce a bumper crop. Jesus said: “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4, NIV). Yahweh will comfort us with fruitfulness; the tears we shed now will produce an abundant harvest of blessing. “For this light momentary affliction is Continue Reading →

The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalms 121:7-8 (NIV) Today’s post is a reminder of a very basic encouragement from Yahweh: he watches over us. He sees everything that goes on in our lives and he gazes on our lives because he loves us and wants to guide us. Sometimes it might seem like God is not watching our lives and is just letting bad things happen without any attention from him. But he is watching and he knows everything and he will act in his time. We are only in the first phase of the kingdom of God, so we must embrace suffering like Jesus did. But he is always watching and caring. He “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5, ESV) and “he cares for Continue Reading →

Great peace have those who love your law,and nothing can make them stumble. Psalms 119:165 (ESV) What is God’s law? Jesus said that loving God and loving others are the greatest laws, for, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40, ESV). He also said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15, ESV). If we love Jesus’ “laws” then we will have peace, in other words, our hearts will be calm and harmonious. Remember that Jesus is our model and our source for the restoration of the image of God. We look to his life to learn what it means to be fully human again. So what kind of peace did Jesus have? He definitely had peace in his earthly life for he promised: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world Continue Reading →