My mind floods, races, rages. It swarms, billows, fills. I imagine, invent, infer. Thoughts appear, linger, fade, and grow. Then the coolness of the last drops of my morning coffee passing over my tongue reminds me that it was all most likely the caffeine and I am merely one mortal making his way along his path.

But, but! For those glorious and intoxicating moments of fullness, I do dream. Here is my dream for today.

I want you to be confident in your belief that Jesus is Lord. And that Scripture, the Bible, is coherent, true, and worth daily study–daily.

Today’s tip is inspired by my own morning study of Isaiah’s words and oracles.

We join Isaiah as he has finished asserting “bad things man, bad things.”

“Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my words.

“Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed? Does he continually turn and harrow the ground?

“Does he not level its surface and sow dill and scatter cumin and plant wheat in rows, barely in its place and rye within its area?

“For his god instructs and teaches him properly.

“For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is the cartwheel driven over cummin; but dill is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a club.

“Grain for bread is crushed, but he does not continue to thresh it forever.

“Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, he does not thresh it longer.

“This also comes from Yahweh of hosts, who gives wonderful counsel and great wisdom.”

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Isaiah uses obvious farming techniques to clarify the fact that Yahweh is doing nothing abnormal, nothing unpredictable, nothing incomprehensible when he relents in time for there to be a remnant after judging his people.

Jesus, likewise, (not to mention all other inspired biblical speakers) uses obvious aspects of life on planet earth to clarify his points. I’m thinking specifically of the “rain falling on the righteous and unrighteous” moment of the Sermon on the Mount.

Finally we have Paul clarifying that if there’s no resurrection of Jesus, there is nothing into which to put our faith. Do you see why he says this? Why he must say it?

This is how the truth works.

But not everyone agrees. Some folks want you to believe in them or their words before the event happens. That is fine, but it is no longer truth. It is speculation. It is unbiblical and unchristian. And it is usually depressing (I’m thinking irreversible climate change) and expensive (here I’m thinking of the many of you who financially support all the motivational speakers whose promise involves the future being better).

Here me clearly this day, Christian: You’re right to trust in the god who makes “righteousness the level”.

I don’t want to motivate you. I want to remind you. Jesus is Lord and Judge. “Cease to do evil. Learn to do good.”

(And read your Bible everyday.)