My Hope

February 12, 2018

This morning I would like to talk about my hope. The hope I have in Jesus Christ. The strength and wisdom that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I try to share the challenges of life that I experience as well as the mountain tops, but I am not sure that I adequately share my hope, and that thought keeps weighing on me. This morning I could ignore it no longer.

This morning it came in a devotional by Timothy Keller and a verse in Proverbs 14.

Proverbs 14:26 (ESV)

²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,

and his children will have a refuge.

Keller reminded me that before Christ Jesus I depended on my intellect, my Dad, other guys I respected or brute force experimenting to solve problems, but all these methods, though familiar, fall short, and they cannot prepare you for all the storms that may enter your life. Only God can do that, and I place my Hope in Him.

My Hope

My hope is in Christ Jesus. Though for a moment I may slip back into the familiar the Holy Spirit patiently directs me back to my true hope. Sometimes it takes only a moment, and sometimes it may be a few days, but God is faithful and patient, and He has opened my eyes to so much. He has opened His Word to me and my heart to accept things that I never saw. Every day is something new.

When the adversary tries to use a circumstance in my life, it is not long before the Lord reminds me of

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

With that passage, I am reminded of all that Jesus did for me. He died that I might live. He took on my sin and the sin of all that I might be forgiven. John 1:1-5 flashes in my head.

John 1:1-5 (ESV)

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

What joy there is in this.

Trust

The other thing that Keller talked about is the next level of trust in God. This trust is different than trusting God to save. It is trusting His plan even when I do not understand it. This trust came to me about three years ago with the stroke.

Never in my life would I have believed that something that would take away my ability to work or to problem solve or ride a motorcycle or… would be a blessing. But it has been. God showed me a level of grace that I could not fathom and drew me closer than I thought I could ever be to Him. He showed me how to have true confidence in Him.

Yes, there are times that I fall back into what is familiar. But those things fail me now. Sure, I can write this blog, but that is at my own pace and with God to guide me at His pace. When the furnace goes out, and I get thinking about a solution I simply get distracted and wound up instead of trusting God to bring me through it. It is the truly little things in this world that are the easiest distraction because they are things that I, ruled over. I, (as in 10 feet tall and bulletproof), took care of when an issue arose.

When I say I took care of the others may disagree because I was not much fun to be around until they were resolved. To say I fretted over them was being kind. But God changed that using a stroke that I brought on with all that fretting to change my heart.

Romans 8

Though all that time he showed me the truth of Romans 8:28 and the fact that in trials we have two choices. We can draw closer to God or turn from Him. I am overwhelmed by how God worked through everything to change my heart. He used the Word, my church family, friends, circumstances and my wife Pat to soften my heart so that when my stubbornness brought on this stroke, I turned to Him. I see so much more in His Word now. I love Romans 8:26-28

Romans 8:26-28 (ESV)

²⁶ 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. ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

But not only that passage, but 23-25 as well.

Romans 8:23-25 (ESV)

²³ And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

That passage leads me back to Hope; hope and trust.

Reflections (Hope and Trust)

The gift that God has given us is so amazing. He gave His Son to die for the sin of the world that we might live. I love the way Paul explains it in Ephesians 2. It is a short chapter, but it is so powerful. He discusses grace through faith.

Faith in God’s promise. I also like the way Peter explained it in his first sermon in Acts 2 just after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:37-41 (ESV)

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Our hope and faith rests in Christ Jesus.

Closing Thoughts

In closing, I am taken back to Romans 8 beginning in verse 31.

Romans 8:31-39 (ESV) “God’s Everlasting Love”

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is our fortress. He is our hope. If I can trust that he created this world, why would I not trust that he can see me through a financial issue or a furnace or car trouble? No, he does not want me to sit on my hands and wait. He wants to act but pray for guidance and trust in Him in His Word and know that He is God, and His promise is true.

In all things, my Hope and Trust is in God. I may falter, but God will not let me fall if I will always turn to Him prayerfully in His Word.

My heart is full, and my joy cannot be contained. Jesus is my King and His Word lights my path.

Prayer

Father, today my prayer is a simple thank-you for all that you do every day. I praise you and give thanks that through Your Word You allow me to draw close. Forgive me on those days when I overlook your promise and fall back into old patterns. Thank you for the gift of repentance and grace. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

Following My Headlight Around

January 23, 2018

I am not sure where this is going to go today. If this were back in my Biker days, I would suggest that I am going to follow my headlight around for a while and see where it takes me. This past week has been kind of jumbled like a ride down an old twisty road. There have been a few straight stretches where I could open it up a bit, but mostly a lot of twists and turns on a shade-filled lane.

Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad thing. It is just different. Sometimes there was a lot of uncertainty about what was around the next turn, but through it all, I still had the light… the light of God’s Word. Despite the distractions of these twisty lanes, I could always count on His Word.

The Starting Point

The starting point for me was a couple of weeks ago when first Pat, my wife, got sick with a stomach virus and then me. It was just enough that we missed two weeks of Church. Now I do not know about you, but I really do need my church family every week at the very least. The more, the better.

I do understand that not all can attend a church due to health issues. That makes perfect sense to me, and I have family and friends that fall into that bucket, but I do not understand folks that say they have no place for organized religion, or structured churches. Sometimes it is not what you get from Church but what you give. I go to worship and to learn and to have fellowship with others. It lifts me up, and I try to share the joy it gives me with others. God had a reason for Hebrews 10:23-25.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV)

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

When I get into a position that I cannot meet with fellow believers, it does negatively impact me. I miss everything about it. It is not perfect, but neither am I. It is my wellness checkup. It is part of my assurance of faith, and it is my opportunity to share with others. That I may see no other time during the week.

The Full Assurance of Faith

The heading for Hebrews 10:19-39 is the “The Full Assurance of Faith” in my ESV translation. Chapter 10 opens with the writer explaining Jesus sacrifice once and for all through verse 18 then you get the “Therefore” in verse 19, and for me, that passage through verse 25 is so powerful.

Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV)

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I read that passage, and I am humbled by the price Jesus paid for me… for all of us. It is beyond words for me. I am filled with thanksgiving.

The Light

I read verses 19-25, again and again, this morning. As I read this passage over and over, I saw a distinct break. The gift and the response. The gift, or light, in the passage for me came in verses 19-22

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)

That “Therefore” spells it out. Since Jesus did all these things for us including cleansing us from all evil we need to do something with it within the body of the Church.

The Response

As believers forgiven by the blood of Jesus, we need to hold fast to our hope and encourage each other. Verses 23-24 to me are just as important. God knows us and knows our needs. He knows our memories are short and He never intended for us to walk this path alone. Just reading these words remind me of how wise God is.

Hebrews 10:23-24 (ESV)

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

He reminds us to hold on, but also to, “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” The question that comes to my mind instantly is answered in verse 25.

Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)

²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Armor

Now meeting together is not the only thing that we need. In fact, if that is all you do is go to church on Sunday that is less effective than the current flu vaccine. That is only a portion of what we need to grow and protect ourselves against the onslaught of the adversary.

Just look at Ephesians 6:12-18

Ephesians 6:12-18 (ESV)

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

You need to put that Armor on every day. Your body needs more than one meal a week to sustain it. So, does your spirit. To count on Sunday morning as sufficient to keep you going spiritually is like taking one glass of water and assuming that is sufficient for the week.

Closing Thoughts

Well, I started this telling you I was going to follow my headlight around a bit this morning. I guess that is true because this final turn even surprised me a bit. I looked back at the passages that God had laid on my heart and the need we have for His Word and each other, and I got thinking about how our actions also impact each other, good or bad. That lead me to Deuteronomy 17:14-20. The heading for that section in my ESV translation is “Laws Concerning Israel’s Kings.” It always struck me that God wanted to be the King of Israel. But in Deuteronomy, He knew that they would cry for a king like all other nations, and He would grant their wish.

As I read verses 14-20, I saw the king that God spoke of rising in me on occasion. I only have one wife, and Pat and I both pursue Jesus, but I can see the importance of this warning. God knows the temptations of this world. He also speaks of wealth and gold and warns against acquiring too much. But the safeguard against all of these is spelled out in verses 18-20.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (ESV)

¹⁸ “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, ²⁰ that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

We have God’s Word and the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Word and intercede in our prayers. Now we are not kings, but like kings our actions impact others. God knows us so well, and He gave us all this to bring us closer to Him. These things were written to teach us that we might avoid the pitfalls of those who came before. But we cannot do that if we do not act on His counsel and seek to know Him through His Word and in prayer.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the morning. Thank you for your guiding light through Your Word. Father, let me not forget that this trip is not one that I can run alone, and I cannot do without immersing myself in prayerful study of your Word and openly sharing it with others. I thank You for all Your Provision Lord in Jesus name, Amen

Hope and Trust Revisited

December 7, 2017

The last couple weeks, give or take, I have been contemplating hope and trust. That meditation all came to a head last night in my last small group study for the fall season. We have been studying the Apostle’s Creed for the last 12 weeks. It is a study assembled by Matt Chandler, a preacher from Texas.

The last phrase of the Apostle’s Creed is, “The resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, Amen.”

Matt opened the video portion of the study discussing hope. He spoke of normal hopes, like a good job and a home and obsessive hopes where we place all the pressure on ourselves to achieve the goal rather than trusting God enough to place our hope in Him.

Struggles

I am going to go back to a time when I was still fairly healthy and still working. I was in a very high-stress job. I liked the work, but I worked for a man that kept me feeling dispensable. He was not my boss, but my bosses boss.

My standard response in those days was to work harder. I pushed harder and pressed to show that I could do the job. I had been born again, and my faith was growing, so I prayed for guidance, and I know God helped me with managing my outward emotions, but I was holding onto the inner ones. I feared that I was not a degreed engineer. You might say I had worked an apprenticeship. I knew how to ask questions and learn, and that served me well until management changes, and I felt very insecure even though the Lord had reassured me often.

All through His Word He promised to provide, and I knew this, BUT I had been raised to be self-reliant, and I took that seriously, so I struggle to let go and let God like my Grandmother told me all the time she was alive. I unknowingly had drawn this line that I would not let God cross.

More Confusion

Because of all this selfishness and stubbornness, the stress had become very difficult to manage, and in the midst of it all a job opening came up in one of my old departments. Instead of knowing what to do I went into a tailspin. Take a shot at the new job or stick it out with my current job. So I prayed. I do not remember how many days or weeks. I just prayed, but I did not get an answer as to which way to go. Instead, I was given some direction that sent me into a tailspin. I did not want to act on it. The action was in Acts 1.

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Beginning in the 12th Verse of Acts 2 the Disciples discuss the need to replace Judas to return their number to 12. They prayed and discussed the need to replace Judas and Peter went to the Psalms 55:12-15 as confirmation that they need to decide on a replacement for him.

These men whittled it down to two to choose from. At that point, they turned to God completely for the decision.

Acts 1:24-26 (ESV)

²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

As soon as I read this passage, I knew what I needed to do. But as much as I knew what to do I was unwilling. I just could not pull the trigger. The Hope and Trust I thought I had were just not as strong as I had to led myself to believe.

Flipping a Coin (Because I do not know how to Cast Lots)

Well after reading that passage the Holy Spirit and I went back and forth for about a week, maybe more, maybe less on this command. It occupied my thoughts everywhere. But I was going to submit. I just did not realize it, and it came with a ritual I had every couple days.

The cafeteria at work closed at 12:30 so if I wanted a drink or a snack in the afternoon I had to have change, and the change machine would cash a $5 bill. I checked my drawer, and it was empty, so I pulled a $5 out of my wallet and went to get change.

Well, the Holy Spirit started working on me a soon as I had all those quarters in my hand, and I was just as stubborn as every other time, and I said I was not going to flip a coin over a job. I head to my desk with the resolve that I had made the right decision.

The Flip

I got to my desk and opened the drawer, and I dropped the change in the drawer and one lone quarter missed and hit the desktop spinning like a top. I am not sure if my heart dropped, my mouth fell open or my heart got stuck in my throat; all I remember is that I said, “Ok Lord, you win, if it is heads I will stay where I am and if it is tales I will apply for the other job.” It continued to spin for a few seconds, and when it rested in the middle of my desk, it was heads. It lifted a weight off my shoulders I felt a sense of relief. But, unfortunately, I still had some work to do on trust.

Hope and Trust

This morning I looked up the words hope and trust in the dictionary, and that was helpful too. I found that part of the definition of Hope was trust. I knew I had placed my hope and trust in God for my salvation. But the temporal things I was still holding tightly. I trusted Him enough to stay where He had planted me, but I still put my hope and trust in my ability to execute the work. I prayed for guidance and understanding, but I never really prayed for help. Nor did I let go enough to let God show me that he would help me through this task. So the stress, anxiety, and fear of failure continued to grow, and I worried I would lose my job, Matt Chandler called that worry and stressed the “Check Engine Light.”

The Fall

Well, the engine light was serious, and I should not have ignored it. But I did, and I developed a pretty serious knock on the motor. Enough so that I was no longer road worthy. But you know God knows us better than we know ourselves and He will use whatever is available to prune and sharpen us for His purpose. The stroke and the disability were difficult to grasp. But as soon as it happened God was there. He was there with my wife, family, and friends and he delivered to me a Bible study that He knew I needed.

Further Proof

When I went on disability, God did His math and showed us how we could function on a significant reduction in salary. He opened my eyes to show that some things I could no longer do but others were available to me. Things I had never considered, like writing and photography.

Every time there was a trial He has shown both Pat and I can trust Him enough to place all our hope in him. I have grown to understand Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

He knows us so well. His love for us is immeasurable.

Final Reflections

As I pondered all this and I cannot help but remember the post I wrote earlier in the week on Acts 2 and the Holy Spirit and how we need it all. The Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and Hope, Trust, and Obedience. I was reminded of this by a quote from one of my spiritual mentors, George Mueller.

“The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look at the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusion.”

It was all there for me, and in the end, I did get it. I listened to the Spirit, and I confirmed it in the Word about the job, but I did not listen to Him as He showed me all the promises of provision in the Word until I broke. I know that things would have been different if I had listened. But God knows me, and He knew what it was going to take, and He blessed me with an abundance of Hope and Trust.

Closing thoughts

I know that I still have my moments when I reach for the wheel. I know that there are times when I tell God that I have got this. But because of the teaching of the Holy Spirit and the gift of God’s Word I am quicker now to let go and let God. I am thankful for God’s grace and the glorious gift of repentance and forgiveness.

Prayer

Father, I give thanks to you for all your promises in Your Word. I give thanks for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in me to convict me and teach me. How wise and wonderful you are. Thank you for your patience with me and the gift of repentance and grace. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

December 5, 2017

You know this morning I cannot tell you how my days started. Sure, I can tell you that I had some coffee and I meditated on some things that I had read and listened to last night but beyond that, I did not move forward with any purpose. I seemingly was just putting one thought in front of the other until I picked up my Bible, and found that it was open to Acts 2.

Pat and I participate in a small group about every other Sunday night, and we are moving slowly through Acts. We are still in chapter one but at the end of it. I picked up the Bible and read from the beginning of Chapter 2 and came to Peter’s Sermon that he delivered on that morning to a vast crowd of onlookers.

Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost

I read this sermon this morning and then just thought about it. Meditated on what happened that morning.

As he addressed the crowd, he cautioned them to listen and explained they were not drunk. He did not begin with his words; he began with those of the prophet Joel.

Acts 2:14-16 (ESV)

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

He did not speak on his own authority. He went to the power found only in the Word of God, and before he opened he cautioned them to listen; to “give ear to my words.” (vs 14). Then he began his sermon with those words from the Scriptures. The words of Joel.

As I read this, all I could think of is Christ’s words in Matthew when He warned of persecution.

Matthew 10

Jesus was preparing to send the 12 Apostles out to speak and proclaim as you go, saying, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 10:7 (ESV). He was giving them instruction. He warned them that there would be persecution and He told them what to do then as well.

Matthew 10:19-20 (ESV)

¹⁹ When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

That passage ran through my head as I read the beginning of verse 15. These had been ordinary simple men, until that morning. Now they were no longer simple but filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:14-21

Peter begins verse 14 standing with the 11 and lifting up his voice addressing a crowd gathered around them. Many had heard the ruckus, and many had been making fun of them as they heard them talking. Now a rough looking fisherman as refined as a wooden cup carved out of a piece of driftwood stood to address them. Many of these men had traveled from the far ends of the world, and I can imagine the trip was not inexpensive for them. I imagine a crowd of wealthier men, and likely some scholars and they are all being called to order by a fisherman, and he is quoting Joel word for word.

As I ponder it a bit, I think it might be like a farmer in Bib Overalls standing on a wall during a break at a global warming symposium calling all these professors to order and quoting some revered righting they all know word for word. I am thinking they would be set back a bit.

But Peter did that, and he did not do it on his own. The Lord gave him the words.

Acts 2:14-16 (ESV)

He spoke with boldness. Not his words, but words given him by the Holy Spirit, and not from his strength or confidence but that given him by God. The thing is when I read this passage, I can see the crowd hushed, and just the slightest tinge of fear come over them mixed with pride asking, “who is this man to speak to us like that.” But not enough to overcome the fear. So, they stand and listen.

Acts 2:16-21

Peter explains to them what they are witnessing. The men are not drunk, but the prophecy of Joel is being fulfilled. Think about that. Can you imagine what is going through the minds of this crowd? They know they have been hearing the message in their own tongue, but they must be struggling with how that is possible. Then Peter opens with this passage.

Acts 2:16-21 (ESV)

¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

¹⁸ even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

¹⁹ And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

²⁰ the sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

²¹ And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

I can hear a faint murmur in the crowd and other hushing them as they try to hear. So many things must be running through the minds of these folks, as Peter says it.

²¹ And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

I must believe that sentence hushed the crowd if only for a moment as Peter took another deep breath, and began with verse 22.

Acts2:22-24

These verses had to cause those that stayed to shudder. I am sure some turned to leave. Some left, but some were drawn back as Peter spoke.

Acts 2:22-24 (ESV)

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

What powerful words Peter speaks. I imagine the crowd now is stuck unable to turn away. Like that movie that keeps us on the edge of our seat unable to imagine what might happen next, but this is different because by now they are beginning to understand Peter speaks of life and death, as he turns to the words of David from Psalm 16 in most of the next verses.

Acts 2:25-28

This Jesus that Peter spoke of these men had at least heard of his plight, and some probably had called for His crucifixion. Peter finishes with Joel by telling them that God raised him from the dead and now he is speaking from the Psalms 16 of David

Acts 2:25-28 (ESV)

²⁵ For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

²⁶ therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

my flesh also will dwell in hope.

²⁷ For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One see corruption.

²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence

He went from there to verse 29 through 36.

Acts 2:29-36

In these verses, he makes it plain to them.

Acts 2:29-36 (ESV)

²⁹ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

³⁵ until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

As I read this passage, I imagine now all who are left are silent and listening intently to the words of Peter. I imagine him no longer using a raised voice but more a firm and direct voice more subdued delivering this serious message as to force people to strain to listen. Then he stops, and there is this moment of confusion where no one wants to say anything until they know he is finished. The next verse says it all.

Acts 2:37-41

I imagine these people shaken to their core looking about to be sure that they are all still standing. Verse 37 is so vivid an image for me as are the rest of the verses through 41. I can imagine the crowd waiting for that one voice to ask the question of what to do and all praying the answer was one of hope.

Acts 2:37-41 (ESV)

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words, he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And Peter did not hold back he told them what they must do. I found it curious that there were not any exclamation points in the text. They were all level deliveries of what was needed. It blows me away how the good news does not need the roar of a rushing wind or a great storm. It simply needs a calm and confident voice.

Closing Thoughts

As I read these 30 or so verses, I found myself in the middle of it imagining how Peter and the 11 felt as they shared this good news and the 1000s listening as they heard it. Peter started the whole thing by asking these men to listen to what he had to say because it was important. He said it a couple of times. I know the Holy Spirit gave Peter the words to speak, I must believe He also grabbed the attention of the crowd as well.

When we study the Word of God, and we pray for guidance it is not enough to speak or read; we too must listen. That was driven home to me in a daily verse that I read first thing, and I want to include it in the close. It is in Hebrew 2.

Hebrews 2:1 (ESV)

¹ Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

We surely need to listen to what God reveals to us in His Word, or it is simply letters on a page, and like the seed cast on the hard ground, it will not take root.

Prayer

Father, thank you, Lord, for your Holy Word and the lessons in it. Thank you for the gift of your indwelling Spirit who guides us and teaches us every moment of the day. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen!

Praise Him

November 22, 2017

Despite the Circumstances

This morning I read several Psalms. I started in 96 and ended in 107. The title of Psalm107 stopped me and caused me to reflect on it, and it was as if I had never read the Psalm before. The Title was “Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So.” The opening stanza was like the others that preceded it this morning they all spoke of giving praise to God.

Psalms 107:1-3 (ESV)

¹ Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

² Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

³ and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.

But after this first stanza, things changed a bit each subsequent stanza told an initial tale of woe.

Life

Life happened to these people that God redeemed. Some were not good people. Some were simply lost others thrown into trials that tested their faith to the brink.

As I read each tale, I could see myself in all of them to one degree or another. Sometimes lost sometimes angry and in rebellion and other times simply frightened and overwhelmed by my circumstances.

Psalms 107:4-5 (ESV)

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to a city to dwell in;

⁵ hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

Psalms 107:10-11 (ESV)

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

prisoners in affliction and in irons,

¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God,

and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

These are but two examples, but they continue through the whole Psalm.

Redemption

There was another common theme in this Psalm. When each person reached their bottom. They cried out to the Lord, and He delivered them. He lifted them out of their circumstance and saved them… Saved US.

Reflection

You know in this season, for some reason, we can all seem to look back on the years and give thanks, even non-believers. But it does not take long for that to fade. Circumstances can get our attention, and before you know it, we are in a struggle with something or someone that has no real power over us. Besides that, with all the frustration, anger or worry, we have little or no power over it either.

Sure, you used to be able to smack the side of a TV and it would work for a while and you can intimidate someone into relenting in an argument, but in the end the TV is still broken, and the persons mind is unchanged; in fact, you probably made both things worse in the long term for that short-term gain.

Closing Thoughts

I am thankful for the Lord leading me to this Psalm this morning. He reminded me regardless of my circumstances my best option is always to trust in Him and if my faith waivers, as it sometimes does, He will be there when I come to my senses. I am also reminded of two favorite passages in the New Testament. One in Matthew and the other in Ephesians.

Matthew

The passage in Matthew is Jesus reminding us what the Psalmist said in the title of Psalm 107 “Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Ephesians

The passage in Ephesians reminds me of the lostness of the individuals in each stanza and how God saved them when they cried out.

Ephesians 2:4-10 (ESV)

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We were saved while we were still dead in our sin. Saved by grace through faith. I get cold chills when I think of it. I give praise to God for His mercy.

Prayer

Father, thank you for saving me while I was dead in my sin. Thank you for pulling me free by grace through faith. We praise you Lord and serve you with a joy-filled heart in Jesus name Amen!

Without God I am Nothing

October 31, 2017

The Light of God Shines Through

This morning as my day began I went through my studies, prayer, and meditation and I came upon a thought that the Holy Spirit just built upon. The thought? “Without God I am nothing.” Sure, many would argue that’s crazy, but the more I thought about it, the more real it became for me.

The only thing that makes it crazy is the unbeliever that feels certain that we are here by accident, (now that is crazy), but the truth of it is there was a beginning, and there will be an end of sorts, but there would have been nothing without God. He set everything in motion.

What do we Think of God

Think about it. How often do we thank the Lord for simply our existence? This morning I was drawn to Genesis 1

Genesis 1:1-2 (ESV)

¹ In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

In the beginning, there was nothing, and God took each day and spoke each thing into existence, and the last thing that He created was a man. I like the detail in Chapter 2 of Genesis.

Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

⁷ then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

He created everything from nothing, and woman he formed the same way except he used a rib from Adam to unit them.

I ponder on this, and I cannot help but think of a quote by A.W. Tozer.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Isn’t that a powerful thought? We can choose how we see God in relation to our lives. He does not dictate what we see. He has chosen to hide his physical being from us. We can make Him as large or small as we like. As for me the better I come to know Him the larger he gets and the smaller I get. I am truly powerless without him.

In the Beginning

When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them a brain filled with the ability to reason. They had the power to figure things out and to manage the creation that God gave Adam dominion over. Adam did not have to work his way up from the bottom to learn the business. God gave him those tools when he created him. God chose each function of that brain and each capability and gave it to Adam and Eve including the ability to make bad decisions.

He defined all the emotions we carry in our hearts today. Some were corrupted by our rebellion and fall, but God showed me how to breathe and to eat and to speak and to walk and to think, and He did all that in an instant through Adam and Eve. The fall changed things, but the fundamentals are still there. We love because God first loved us.

Who told you that a sunrise was beautiful and gray clouds were gloomy. How did you know that a desert was desolate and a garden lush and beautiful? God showed us everything in the beginning.

The Fall and Corruption

I know that the adversary is a liar and deceiver I know he introduced the first doubt and temptation which lead to the first sin. That sin affected everything in creation. I cannot fathom what things might be like had it not happened, but I know that despite it all God has not stopped loving us and He has called us to believe in His Son who died so that we may live. Just think about that for a minute.

God had given us, (Adam and Eve), everything we needed, but it was not enough. Doubt lead to temptation and temptation to sin. But God’s desire is to reunite us with Him. That desire is so strong that He gave His Son to die for my sin, for all our sin, paying our debt and overcoming death so that we could be reunited with Him.

From Chapter 3 of Genesis through all the Old Testament and New Testament, ending with Revelation God has shared His plan with us.

Reflections

I look at this life I have lived and realize that I spent so much of it thinking so much less of God then He was or deserved. He was more a parachute than anything else. He got little or no credit for any time that he saved me or helped me or protected me. All those things were my doing. I was sharp. I worked my way through the ranks, and I was aggressive, and I could accomplish anything I put to mind. I look at these last few sentences and get a bit nauseated by all the I’s on the page.

The truth of it all is that I did nothing but steal the glory that belonged to God from the beginning. I did do that. He is so patient as Peter describes.

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

If not for his patience I would have been lost. I was like Paul for those three days. I was blind to the true Gospel. But through men of God, He opened my eyes and over time humbled my heart.

Final Thoughts

As I look back on all this and realize who is truly sovereign over all things. I also realize how easy it is to be corrupted by the adversary. In it all, we must be diligent. We must not forget that all things come from God. My favorite reminder is in 1John.

1 John 4:19 (ESV)

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

We must also remember that the liar is always working to deceive us, and we must be prepared to stand against his attacks. That takes more than relying on someone else telling us about Jesus and His power. That is like watching a boxing match and at the end feeling you are ready to fight the world champion… it is not going to happen. We need to train, and that takes prayer and study in God’s Word, both personal and in small groups of believers. We need the full Armor of God!

Full Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Prayer

Lord God thank you for every breath and every thought that you have given me. Thank you, Lord, for all my provisions. Father, I pray that I may not squander these gifts but care for them and grow them as you desire of me and I pray all this in the name of your precious Son Jesus Christ, Amen!

Pray, and for Whom? (Ask and it will be given to you…)

October 26, 2017

The Light of the Son Clears the Darkness and Fog

I do not have a ritual in the morning per say. It is more some things that I want to accomplish each morning. The only thing for certain is that prayer and Bible study are the minimum requirements, and I try to leave my heart and mind open to God to direct both.

This morning was one of those mornings when I got lost in the specifics of what to pray. There were some situations and individuals to pray for, but the what to pray. That was a stumbling block for me this morning. I went through each prayer each situation, each person, and every circumstance and struggled to know what to ask for regarding each person, so I left it in God’s hands. But the final part of my prayer was for me.

I prayed and asked God for help with the very thing that I struggled with this morning, and I have struggled with in the past; I asked Him for guidance to pray with more purpose.

Clearing My Head

I used to wake wide-eyed and ready to go, but that is no longer the case. After my prayer time, I needed a bit of just reading posts and email to allow the brain to warm up a bit. Sometimes it seems a bit useless as far as content is concerned other days, like today, I will find an answer to a prayer or a prompt for a prayer or study. Today it was both. Today the light shined, and a prayer was answered.

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

As I began with the steps to clear my head my prayers lingered, and I read a K-L verse from yesterday.

Hebrews 11:6

It was Hebrews 11:6 which kind of was a jolt that went well with my first few sips of coffee.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

I lingered there a bit on that verse and just thought about my faith and trust in Him and my desire to draw near. I thought of how my faith had changed over the years from an intellectual belief to a desire for a true relationship with God; Heart to heart. Thinking about the time that I realized that to have that kind of relationship required the complete surrender of my will to His. What joy comes from that realization. Nothing compares to that love.

After meditating on that for a while, I went to today’s verse. It was Romans 10:17.

Romans 10

This passage in Romans also was about faith, but it was about how we receive it.

Romans 10:17 (ESV)

¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

I was taken back to that first Sunday when God woke me from my selfishness and sleep. It was a man preaching. He was not giving advice. He was preaching out of God’s Word right at me in the basement of Ninevah Christian Church, and I was overcome.

This morning I went back and read verses 14-18 in Romans 10.

Romans 10:14-18 (ESV)

¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

¹⁸ But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed, they have, for

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”

Reflections

As I considered these passages, I realized that this was the answer to part of my prayer. It was very specific. It was focused on strengthening faith and prayers for those that preach the Gospel. But there was more to be revealed this morning. I still was not quite awake. I had only made it through about 1/2 of the first cup of coffee. I still had a couple of questions. The answers to these were in Facebook.

Facebook Post

The first was on the mission field. One right after another I saw three posts for the unreached and the need for workers and prayer. The first two lead me straight to prayer for the people that the individuals focused on in their posts. We are so blessed here, and there are so many that have limited access or understanding. So I prayed specifically for that and went to the third post, and that humbled me. It was very specific. I have likely seen it before, but this morning it came in direct response to a prayer and the Lord left me open to see it.

Specificity

The request was from a Brother in Christ that is in the mission field. His request was for specific prayer. He included a brief article by David Platt. It was “16 Ways to Pray for Missionaries from IMB President David Platt”. (I include the link in the article title.)

The prayers all came from Acts 13 and 14. I read each and was overwhelmed at the answer God had given me through my brother. These 16 prayers were just what I needed when I get stuck and am uncertain. They were for missionaries in foreign lands and those in need here as well. I was humbled and overjoyed at the same time. I was also reminded of something else as well – there is an order to everything, but I do not define it God does.

Closing Thoughts

As I considered all these things this morning, I realized that I was defining the order of things too much. I realized that in this morning time that I have with God I need to be listening to all His prompts. Rather than focusing on Tasks focus on prompts from the Holy Spirit.

There is a beginning to my morning prayer. It starts when I wake, but there is no middle or end until I go to sleep. If I get stuck listen and go to the word or go to where I am prompted today, it was three of my brothers in Christ posting on Facebook and two emails that the Holy Spirit used to answer my prayers. Each answer leads me deeper into His Word.

You know I am comfortable with that. God has a whole world to use to touch my heart. Why should I try to dictate or limit Him? That is a fool’s errand.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for opening my eyes a bit further yet again. Thank you for reminding me that you have no limits and I have no reason to limit where I might find you. Oh, Father how awesome you are. How gracious and patient you are with us. You say “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” And you are ever faithful. Forgive me for my doubts and impatience. Praise be to you Lord, in Jesus name. Thank you for the family of believers you surround me with, Amen!

For the Times they Are a Changing – But Different

October 24, 2017

Not all Will Find It

So, the last seven days I got invited to partake in a photography challenge. The criteria for the shots was simple:

Black and White only.
No People
They had to be photos from my life.
There could be no explanation.

Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? I could have pulled a bunch of old photos I have taken in the past and just made them black and white photos, but the Holy Spirit just pressed on me to do something different. The first nudge came on day 2 when Pat suggested I take a photo of my Bible. Machell, the person who challenged me, had just posted one of her Bible and you all know how important a part of my life God’s Word is to me, and it just developed from there, and each day God gave me something that revealed an opportunity to speak about His impact on my life.

There was no real order to it. But as I considered each photo I was reminded of how the Holy Spirit had affected my life in each of these symbols or memories. I am just going to try and share the thoughts from the vantage point of hindsight and the wonder of how the Holy Spirit Guided me through each day.

One Nation Under God

Unconscious Competent – Day 1

The first photo taken was at the Kentucky State Capital building. It was a statue of Abraham Lincoln. I love this country. I loved the intent of the founding fathers. My parents raised me in the church till my rebellious streak hit, but one of the many things that stuck was that this country was founded on Biblical principles and even if I was not conscious of them at the time. I loved this country and was thankful for our armed forces. I still cannot fathom why so many citizens seem to hate this nation. Men died to hold it together and defend it against ALL enemies foreign and domestic, and I feel certain that God blessed it for many years because we honored Him.

God’s Word

God’s Word – Day 2

I do not think that there is much to be said here except if you will look closely at the chapter the Bible is opened too. It

was my Grandfathers favorite, and My Dad’s favorite Psalm and now mine as well. It was read before every trip home from the farm or any major event. It is Psalm 121.

Psalms 121 (ESV) My Help Comes from the LORD

A Song of Ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

² My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

⁸ The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

It is so simple but so encouraging and such a part of my life it had to be included. It is a thread that weaves throughout God’s Word. It brings me comfort.

Strength

Simpler Things – Day 3

Day 3 is an old home. I say home because I remember the folks that lived there. It is a little worse for wear now. They had to sell it and move on because of some issues in their lives, and I still remember them sitting on the front porch. They had to downsize a bit for a simpler life.

That happened to me and Pat. God has blessed us beyond measure, and we are content in all things, but our pace has slowed. We had big plans of this and that, but God showed us he had a better plan for us. We still are who we were, but things are different. Our pace a bit slower but our love is a bit deeper. We do not do all the physical things we did, and we may look a little shaky on the outside some days, but we have a strong foundation in Christ Jesus and a love for Him and His church that knows no bounds. Our old frame is built on a rock.

Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV)

²⁴ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Tangled Gate

The Hidden Gate-Day 4

Day four had so many meanings to me. First, it was my cluttered and cloudy mind, tangled in weeds and vines unable to focus. Before I came to Christ, it was that way, but I did not notice. Then after I came to Christ and had the stroke, it was such a jungle. But God would not let me waste it He leads me through it, and he showed me that my circumstances are something everyone goes through and they are temporary. God and His plan for us are eternal, and the struggles do not match the Glory.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

God showed me that He would get me through anything if I focus on Him rather than my circumstances. That does not mean that I do not grieve it just means that even in my grief I cling to Him.

Memories

Memories – Day 5

Day 5 was a day of memories. The photo was a gift from a friend that I will meet again one day. She and her husband introduced Pat and me in 1983. In 1990, at her husband Don’s birthday, (one of my oldest and dearest friends), God put Pat and me together.

As I thought about day and all the people that God has put in our lives, to direct our path I am thankful. I had no clue most of the time what he was doing, but once and a while, and only in hindsight, I can see His hand in our lives. This memory is one of them. I am so thankful for the glimpses offered by this gift.

Pat calls those moments God winks. I like that. I use that phrase too now. I think it describes those moments pretty well.

I am thankful for how God works in our lives. I cannot help but think of a passage regarding marriage when I look at this memory.

Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV)

⁴ He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵ and said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

I give thanks to the Lord for my wife and the way God will use people to accomplish His tasks.

Crossroads

CrossRoads – Day 6

Day 6 I came upon rail crossing sign shooting some engagement photos for some friends. It was an old warning sign, and I saw it and thought of all the crossroads I had encountered in my life. Some I chose rightly some not so much, but as I looked at this crossing sign, I thought of all the times, despite myself, God had a plan for me. His patience with my wild and prodigal nature amazes me still, as does His welcome home in 2009.

I still face those crossroads every day, but now I know that I do not face them alone. The Holy Spirit helps me to make the right choice when I make each decision prayerfully and listen. I still fall short, but I am thankful for God’s gifts of repentance and grace when I do. The way God works things out for me reminds me of a verse in Romans

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I am so thankful for the truth of God’s Word.

Prayer

Prayer – Day 7

Day 7 was Praying Hands. I made this piece in art class in 7th or 8th grade. It is a tooled sheet of copper pinned to a piece of old cedar wood sanded and varnished. I made two that year. One was the praying hands, and the other had to do with motorcycles, (go figure). But I looked at that small 5×5 piece of wood with those praying hands, and that had to be my last photo of the challenge.

Prayer has become so important to me. I have my private time in the mornings. I can take anything to God. It is my private time with him while the house is quiet and we can be alone. Sometimes I will start thinking one thing and I will wander off to something else prompted by the Spirit, but always this time sets my feet on the right start for the day.

I also pray before I read or study God’s Word and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me understand the Word. Without first praying and asking for His help, I can only read words on a page, but with God’s help the words come alive in my heart, and the Holy Spirit reveals to me what only God knows I need and what I am ready to understand. What a joy it is to be lead through His Word.

I also give thanks for Paul’s counsel. I never understood how it was possible to do what he directed in this verse, but I do now.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What joy there is in prayer. It amazes me How I can ask in prayer and answers come in the Word. There are other ways as well, but the Word brings joy to my heart.

Closing Thoughts

This little photography challenge over the last seven days turned out to be a week of reflection for me. It revived old memories and reminded me of the joy I have experienced in my life. There have been hard times and bad decisions, but their impact has been “light and momentary” and their memory fleeting. The true memories are of the wonder of God. They are where I dwell. It is not the man I was, but the man that God is shaping me to be that matters to me now. I am just thankful for his patient hand and his promise!

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord!

Closing Prayer

Father, thank you for this memory. Thank you for taking me through these many things that you have shown me. Lord, I thank you for the good work you have started in me. I pray Father that this message you revealed to me might lift up others to find the good in their lives and see the work you have done in their lives. Lord, I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen!

With All My Heart

September 19, 2017

The Might and Glory of God

In the last little while, I have been struggling with a few things and not sure how to handle them. The issues have been heavy on my heart, and I probably should have asked for prayer, but instead, I chose to discuss them with my wife Pat, and we prayed about them.

They were not physical ailments they were questions and propositions I faced that troubled me and made me uncomfortable. In my mind, they were foundational questions, and I was uncertain which way to go with them, and I need to work them out with the Lord, so I prayed, and I listened.

In the last three or four days, the answers started coming from so many places. One came from a friend, and I am sure they did not realize it. One from my daughter. One talking with Pat and all were confirmed by the Word.

The last was yesterday at the Avenues for Women Banquet. Pat had one unfilled seat left and at 5:30 or so one of our guests said she was bringing an extra person with her. Now you could call that coincidence, but I have long since decided that “coincidence” is not in the Christian dictionary. There is no such word. God has a purpose for everything, and we occasionally are surprised by how they unfold, but what the world calls a coincidence is simply a “God Surprise.”

Reminder

What I was reminded by the past few weeks is that when I have these problems, and I am distracted by an issue, I need to give it to God and trust Him with all my heart. I was reminded of Philippians 4:5b-7

Philippians 4:5-7 (ESV)

The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I was praying, and I was making my concerns known to God, but there was still a part of me that was getting anxious about the issues that were troubling me.

Trusting Him

As the time went on, I am not sure if I started letting go of my concerns or if God just started giving me little glimpses of the answer in my studies or the things around me. But slowly the things that seemed so hard to see became much clearer, and I was able to get my head around it. This morning as I reflected on it I realized that it all came down to trusting God and listening to the Holy Spirit as I faced any issue and I just got hit with a few scriptures and searched for a few more.

Proverbs 3:5-8

The first that came to mind was the title of the post today, but I could not remember where it was so I did a little search on Google and found the verse, and I could not stop with only that one verse I read the whole passage.

Proverbs 3:5-8 (ESV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

⁸ It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.

I read that passage over and over, and you know I had not remembered verse 8 before. It lifted my heart as I thought of it this morning. Trusting in the Lord is healing to your flesh and refreshing to your bones.

Letting go of the stress in your life and trusting God is healing and refreshing. Just think about that for a moment and let it soak in. As I think of that, I am taken straight to Matthew.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

What strength there is in the Lord. What hope we have in Him, but I could not stop there. I went to John and then Romans and finished in Revelation.

John 14:1

I love the book of John, and this is one of the few single verses I chose. I usually go for passages, but this one just fits.

John 14:1 (ESV)

¹ “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

To believe in Him is to believe in His promises and to believe in his promises is to know that we can trust him. What more can be said? Than Romans was a single verse as well.

Romans 15:13

We have this gift of the indwelling Spirit, and with Him, we have hope on which we can rely. It fills me with a joy that is achieved no other way.

Romans 15:13 (ESV)

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

What a wonderful blessing it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the joy and peace that comes in believing if we will just allow it to happen rather than allow the adversary to convince us that we need to get in the middle of things and work them out on our own.

Our hope rests in God, and so does our peace, and our understanding, when we trust in Him.

Finally, I ended up in Revelation.

Revelation 21:3-7

Chapter 21 begins with John seeing the coming of a new heaven and a new earth. But this passage and another came up in a search I did on trust, and it just seemed the place to close.

Revelation 21:3-7 (ESV)

³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”⁵ And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ⁷ The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

As I read this passage, I thought. “If I believe this and I can trust God to deliver my salvation, why do I struggle with the small things that seem to derail me.”

Closing Thoughts

If I trust God in all these things that he has shown me in the Word, especially the promise of chapter 21 in Revelation how can I doubt that He has my back in the little things.

My prayers should house my passion about any issue. God should hear it all. I should hold back nothing from Him, but sometimes I do. It is like with our earthly friends or father or spouse; we do not want to expose our weakness to them. But God already knows, and he is patient. He knows me better than I know myself. When I finally give in, He shows me the answer. He is faithful.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your patience with me. Forgive me for being slow to let go of the things that trouble me. Father thank you for your promises and faithfulness and forgive me for my moments of doubt. I am thankful for your grace and mercy, and I pray all in Jesus name. Amen!

Prayer for all the Saints

September 14, 2017

Glory of God

You know I talk a lot about prayer and our need for prayerful study of God’s Word. Well, the last few days I have had a few issues that I have really struggled with in my prayer life and even this morning it was a struggle. I prayed for these folks and I prayed for guidance. But in it all I still was struggling.

I kind of have this order after I pray that I go through email and check out devotionals I receive and clean up the junk email and do a cursory review of a couple sites and then I get into my study. Today. That email review turned up a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Praying for all the saints. I fired up the YouTube video and I listened to it as I read some of my other study text, but before long I was listening to the sermon and following it in my Bible. It centered around Ephesians 6:18-20

As I listened I began to think about the content of chapter 6 from beginning to end. I also thought about how often God told us to put others before ourselves and this whole struggle I was beginning to change. I started with Ephesians 6:10

Ephesians 6:10-13

I read verses 10 through 13 and looked at what God was revealing through Paul. It was some pretty powerful stuff. It did not say anything about standing alone or relying on my own strength. He said, “be strong in the Lord.” I had to read the passage a few times.

Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV)

Now reading that over and over I see the use of “you” a lot and I do take this as a personal note and command but I must remember that Paul was speaking to the Church at Ephesus; one body with many members. For the Church to stand against the onslaught of the adversary each member of the body had to put on this armor of God. I read through the description of the Armor and came to verses 18-20

Ephesians 6:18-20 (ESV)

I read verses 18 through 20 and meditated on what Dr. Lloyd-Jones had said and I was struck by something I had not considered before. This passage is very powerful.

Ephesians 6:18-20 (ESV)

¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

As I read this passage I realized that this prayer was not about me, but this prayer was for strength for the body of the Church to stand against the adversary. We put on that whole armor of God and we pray, not only for ourselves but all the saints, and not only the saints, but for Paul.

Reflections

I pondered these prayers and got thinking that Paul was not a good speaker. He was kind of clumsy so he asked the Ephesians for help that he might preach the Gospel boldly, and the prayers were answered in Ephesus. In Act 20 Paul speaks of his preaching to the elders in Ephesus.

Acts 20:19-27 (ESV)

¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷ for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

In this section of Acts as he speaks to the Elders he warns that they must keep a close eye on the flock for wolves will come to destroy them and as I read this warning I was drawn back to Ephesians 6:18

Other Prayers

How could I know anything without God’s Word? Which step would I take first? Which way would I turn? But with it, the Word is a lamp to my feet. All through the Word God encourages us to pray for each other, and not only those in trials but all members of the body that they may stand strong.

I think of James

James 5:16 (ESV)

¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

I think of Daniel 9 and his prayer for Israel, a prayer of repentance and a prayer for forgiveness. It was so powerful the angel Gabriel brought his answer.

I think of John 17 when Jesus was about to be crucified and he prayed for Israel and for all of us that believe.

Closing Thoughts

One thing that has been gnawing at me as I considered this is Chapter 42 in Job. Job repents and at the direction of God, prays for his friends and they are forgiven and he is restored. The Lord revealed everyone’s needs in this chapter and the result. What an example that is.

The part that gets me is God through Paul asks us to pray for all saints, our brothers, and sisters in Christ. We do not know each one need but based on the example of Job we can see what happens when a repentant man prays for his friends, and James reminds us in James 5:16 above

I am overwhelmed as I meditate on this and see how God works through these prayers for both those that are praying and those that are prayed for. It is like a bond or strong cord uniting us with God and His purpose.

Prayer

Father, help me pray with boldness for all my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let my prayers in the Spirit be focused on your desires for the body of the Church and strengthen us all to truly stand united against the adversary.

Lord fill our preacher’s hearts with the boldness that they teach the whole Word of God leaving nothing out and please fill our hearts with the courage to do the same when we share the Gospel with others.

All this I pray in the name of your blessed Son, Jesus Christ, Amen!

Consider This

September 11, 2017

My Focus

The events of the past few weeks have forced me to consider the state of things in my life and my faith, and what I contribute to the body of the church as well as the world around me. I have looked at a lot of passages and said a lot of prayers and struggled with doubts and fears as well as joy and wonder.

This morning I was reading 1 Thessalonians. As I read the letter from Paul, I got caught up in how he seemed to feel about the Church at Thessalonica. He was concerned that they might fall victim to the adversary and he sent Timothy to check on them. He was elated when he got the good report. As I consider this first letter, I started thinking of all the letters of the new testament and why they were written.

Each carried a message that the church needed to hear. The thing that they all share is that the letter was written because the Apostle was elsewhere, and though he wanted to be with the congregation having trouble, he could not, so he wrote a letter instead, and the more I read these letters and other books the more I realize that the answers to all the questions that matter are found here in God’s Word if I will listen.

When I pray and am bewildered by whatever issue might come up, I find in time God will guide me to an answer in His Word. God’s Word is unchanging. It is constant, but the Holy Spirit reveals something new to me every time I open the Book.

Deliverance

The adversary tries to convince us we are alone and that no one has faced the trials that we have faced, and though they may be the most painful we have ever endured, we are not alone. There are others that have had that same pain and that same trial, and God has or is getting them through it.

How do I know? I turn to God’s Word for deliverance from my pain and fear. I read Psalm 18 when God delivered David from the hand of Saul. I read the 23 Psalm and take comfort in knowing that in all circumstances God is with me. I read Psalm 121 and remember from where my help comes. I read Acts two and remembered the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit that guides me and teaches me the Word of God and helps me face trials and temptations.

Temptations

I know that the enemy twist and turns the truth to deceive me into believing a lie for the truth and the truth for a lie. He tries to keep me focused on myself so that I lose sight of the things of Heaven and my Lord and Savior. But I have the Word of God to strengthen me. No temptation is so strong that I cannot overcome it.

How do I know? First Paul told me in 1 Corinthians. I think this is my favorite verse about temptation. But this is not the only place we are warned.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

¹³ 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.

Just in the new testament, the word temptation is used 14 times, and the most striking is the temptations of Christ. What gets me is what He used in His defense. What was it? He used the Word of God, and the devil left Him.

What an amazing testimony to the power of God’s Word. Jesus did not rely on His strength but the strength of God in His time of temptation and deliverance.

Being Ready

I cannot help but think of all the things that are happening in this world and not think about the importance of being ready. I instantly am reminded of the master leaving his managers in charge of his home while he was away. I looked this morning at Luke 12:35-48, Matthew 24:43-51 and Mark 13:32-37. In all passages, Jesus warned to stay awake.

There is a passage in Deuteronomy 8 that Jesus quoted while he was tempted by the adversary in the wilderness. It is Deuteronomy 8:3

Deuteronomy 8:3 (ESV)

³ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Now Jesus only quoted the second half of this verse, but as I looked at this morning, I remembered something a preacher said comparing manna to the Word.

Daily Manna

This preacher talked about how God only provided enough Manna to feed each Israelite what he would need for the day. In fact, in Exodus 16:4 God was specific as to how to gather it.

Exodus 16:4-5 (ESV)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. ⁵ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

This guy compared the Word, and our need for it, to Manna. He said you need it every day. You cannot gather enough for a week on Sunday and expect it to last. It will spoil. You need to study it every day.

Now I do not think my preacher’s sermons spoil over time, but they can fade a bit. For me, it is like the boiler on a steam engine. There is no way I can fill the fire box with enough coal to keep the train running for a week. The fire will either go out or get so hot it blows the boiler. I need to keep the fire steady. I need to stoke the fire regularly.

For those who have NO idea what I just said. I need to keep the battery in my phone charged without over charging it…

Closing Thoughts

God gave us this wonderful Bible and revealed Himself in it if we will PRAYFULLY study it daily. I ask the Holy Spirit every day to help me as I open the Word of God that I might see what I need for the day and He always opens my eyes to see. I may not grasp it at the moment, but it will be there when I need it.

I also know I am not alone in this study. I have my wife and my Church family, Preachers and Friends that I can go to if I struggle with something or just do not get it. But to ask for help, I must be willing to humble myself and ask. I love Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 because for a long time I was too proud to walk with anyone, let alone ask for help.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV)

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

God built His Church with people as the body and Christ Jesus as the head. We need God’s Word that we might know Him and we need each other to walk together toward home.

You know in the cord spoken of in Ecclesiastes one of them is always Jesus.

Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

He gives us the unstoppable strength.

Prayer

Lord, just thank you for this day and the hope that fills my heart. Father, I pray you might use me as you choose today. I know that you are our King and Lord and with you all things are possible.

Father, I pray for those in harm’s way whether it be storm or fire or battle and I ask that you be with them. I pray for those struggling with health issues. I also lift up those who love you and worship you Lord and pray you give them strength and confidence to face whatever may come and to be a voice for you in this dark world and I pray all this in Jesus name! Amen.

Remember This

August 2, 2017

The Morning Light

This morning I ended up in 2nd

Peter prompted by a K-Love verse. I guess it was only fitting since I last wrote from 1st Peter. As I am writing, I cannot remember the specific verse, but as I worked my way through the book this morning, I could not help but notice Peter’s desire for us to remember all things that he and others had taught.

2 Peter 3:1-2 (ESV) ¹ This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ² that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles

God knows how easy it is for us to lose focus and once that happens, it is easy for us to forget. Once we begin to forget the little details it is easier to be deceived and fall victim to the adversary that roams around. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t speak for everyone. I will simply say my memory is kind of weak, and I need to stay in the Word and stay focused to be sure I can remember what is important.

But that aside, I started reading chapter one from the introduction.

2 Peter 1

To be honest, in the epistles, the first couple verses in the letter are kind of boiler plate to me. The writer introduces himself and lists his credentials. I often skim over them. But this morning I could not do that. I would try to move on, and the Holy Spirit would just nudge me a bit to go back and reread that intro.

2 Peter 1:1-2 (ESV) ¹ Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: ² May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

I had to read it several times, but as thick as I was, I finally got it. Peter explained who he was but defined his audience very specifically.

“To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: ² May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

What a powerful comment to make about your audience. “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours;” and how did it happen, “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” And after that Peter explains a wonderful gift.

2 Peter 1:3-4

He reminds us of what God gave us through His divine power. It is a gift that we should always remember, but in this busy world of distractions, we can lose sight.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV) ³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Reflection

Now reading that I thought, “How could I not always remember something like that?” But as I pondered on it a while I realized that it is easy in this world of constant distractions it is easy to get caught up in things that cause our focus to shift. It does not have to be a bad thing. It could very well be a good thing where we are in service to God, but so busy we haven’t the time to talk to Him or study His Word.

I know I had gotten there when I was so intent on getting something done for the Lord I took control of the situation rather than asking Him to guide me. It had happened before I knew it and it was like God just let me go, and the Holy Spirit nudged me gently, then not so gently, and finally with enough force to get my attention at which point I was thankful for both grace and repentance. I am also thankful for the patience that God has with me, and the wisdom He shares through His Word.

2 Peter 1:5-11

I read a bit further and got to one of my favorite passages and one that I do not practice enough. Peter gives us a list of things that, because of verses 3 and 4 we need to make every effort to do these.

2 Peter 1:5-11 (ESV) ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter gives this list of actions as supplements to our faith. He lists these, and they are so important that he promises that He will remind us of them as long as he is alive.

2 Peter 1:12-15

I love how he closes this thought. In verses 12-15.

2 Peter 1:12-15 (ESV) ¹² Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴ since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

These actions were so important that Peter put it in his second letter and, knowing his time was short, he promised to remind them and us so that we will be able to recall them. They are things that we should remember. If you think about them for just a moment, you can see how important they are for us all. This passage reminds me of John 13:34-35

John 13:34-35 (ESV) ³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

I get cold chills when I think of how the Holy Spirit works in us. How He reveals that passage just when you need it. It fills my heart with joy to know the love we are to have for one another as children of God, and it takes me to the last of chapter 1.

2 Peter 1:16-18

After the encouraging and guiding words Peter explains the basis of his faith. He explains the difference between the Christian faith and other false religions.

2 Peter 1:16-18 (ESV) ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

The Apostles were eyewitnesses. They saw with their own eyes and heard with their ears all that they spoke of, and they too had the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and direct them.

Closing Thoughts

I read all this and the rest of the book, but chapter 1 just touched my heart with this need to be diligent in all things to remember what is truly important. I was taken with Peters emphasis on promising to “stir up” the believers with the actions to supplement their faith, now our faith.

The place to stir that up is in God’s Word, and in the body of the Church. As I meditated on these things I thought again of two passages; one from 1 Peter and the other from John. Both had to do with our faith versus the faith of the disciples.

1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV) ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

John 20:29 (ESV) ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

I used to think that those guys had an advantage over me because they walked with Jesus, but I do not think so anymore. Do not get me wrong, I long for the day that I can see Him face to face, but until then I have a relationship that they could not have while Jesus lived. I am reminded of John 16 when Jesus explains His leaving and the coming of the “Helper, ” and I am thankful.

I remember when Peter wrote this letter he did so with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit and he felt we needed to know how important it was to remember these things and encourage each other.

Prayer

Father, thank you for your Holy Word, Holy Spirit thank you for your guidance and insight that opens our eyes to the Holy Word of God.

I am left breathless when I meditate on these words and prayerfully study so that I might remember them always and that they may be engraved on my heart.

Thank You, Father, and it is in the name of your blessed Son Jesus Christ that I pray, Amen!

Triumph in Christ

March 28, 2017

Triumph in the Light of the Son!

I think this morning I could go on and on about the Lord and the triumph that we have in Jesus Christ. Pat is not feeling well, and that has concerned me and made it a bit tough to focus, but I have been praying for her while she is resting on the couch and looking at His Word in old Journal entries.

How wonderful is the truth in God’s Word? What wonderful peace is found simply letting go and putting focus into seeking him. Pat encouraged me just to let her rest and focus on my normal routine, so that is what I have done.

I continue to pray for Pat this morning and also for guidance and focus; turning from worry to trust in Jesus. I went through some old journal entries and stopped on one that I had done a year or so ago.

This entry was almost all in 2 Corinthians. It covers chapters 2:15-5:9, but as I read I also thought of K-Love’s verses for today from Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)

¹³ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

What comfort there is in these words. What peace I find in them. In Christ are my peace and comfort. In Him rests my hope.

2 Corinthians 2:15-3:3

Let me start with Chapter 2 verse 15 through Chapter 3 verse 3. Paul defines who we are in Jesus, and it is great comfort this morning.

¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶ to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Ministers of the New Covenant

¹ Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. ³ And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Self-Examination

I read this passage over and over again. And I thought about it and meditated on it. As I reflected on what Paul was saying and I thought; is my life a letter from Christ written with the Spirit, for those who testified to me. The ones who prayed for me and delivered the Gospel to me. Do I show that I am “a letter of Christ” delivered them? Am I sharing the message of Christ with others as they did for me in confident hope?

I continued with verses 4-6, and I remember that what Paul is saying has nothing to do with pride but with hope and love and confidence in Jesus. Do I dare to be this bold? Do I have that same confidence in Christ Jesus?

⁴ Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

I know that I am not sufficient in myself. I know that my strength comes from the Lord. Paul is writing this to the entire Church at Corinth, not just the leaders; not just the “preachers,” but everyone. As I reflect on this, I am convicted.

He goes on to discuss the Hope we have in Christ and the boldness we have because of that and the difference in who we are.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

I get caught up in thinking how much God has changed me from the inside out. How He has begun this great work in Pat and me and the freedom it has brought. My trust is in the Lord, and I am filled with thanksgiving.

And that sets up the “Therefore” in Chapter 4:1-6

The, “Therefore” – 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

¹ Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

And my favorite part…

⁵ For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

That is my desire. I do not want to be a preacher like Paul. What I want is to carry in my heart the wonderful message Paul shares. I want to carry the truth of Christ Jesus in my heart inside this fragile “Jar of Clay.”

To never forget the gifts given us regardless of our circumstances and remember the words of verse 7.

“⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

And Paul closes the chapter with these words that are my testimony. They lift me up on the darkest days. 4:16-18

Fragile Jars of Clay

¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

I cannot put into words what comfort this passage brings to me… other than to say how I know it’s truth is unwavering. For every time I have a challenge God reminds me that it is fleeting. That does not mean it does not hurt. Sometimes the pain is intense; it can be physical or emotional, but I am never alone. God is there to see me through. He uses the people around me, especially my wonderful wife, Pat.

The thing is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ fills us with a freedom that exists nowhere else. I look at Paul’s example of humility, and I pray that when I share the Gospel with others, it may be in like spirit, filled with love and patience. The Gospel is not a burden that we carry. It is a gift that the Holy Spirit shares with us if we are willing and through us, He shares it with others.

Closing Thoughts

I will close with this last passage out of chapter 5 verses 6-10

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

I give thanks to God for His Holy Word. I praise Jesus for His willingness to pay my debt and the Holy Spirit to guide my heart. What a plan God laid out for us. How awesome is He?

Prayer

Heavenly Father thank you for your Holy Word and the comfort that comes with it in all circumstances. Help me that I might share your Word with boldness and confidence, not in my strength, but in the strength, that you give through your Holy Spirit.

Father, I pray for healing for my wife Pat and all those that are struggling with illness or loss. I pray that you restore them and comfort them.

In Jesus name, I pray, Amen

Paul’s Example

March 17, 2017

Beauty in All Circumstances

This morning I had a tough time setting my mind on a study. I prayed and asked for guidance and I opened my electronic bible and my notes from my electronic journal and when I looked at the list of notes February 3, 2016, was at the top and I looked it over. In it, I found my encouragement. I was not sure where to start, but as I read it I saw the example of Paul and his faith, joy, and contentment.

These notes set my sites on Philippians 3 and 4 as well as Acts 28 and in addition to the notes I had John 3:16 on my mind since that was the date yesterday. I began with John 3:16

John 3:16-21

I looked at John 3:16 but could not stop there. I read John 3:16-21 (ESV). It is such a powerful passage.

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

How amazing this is. All of us remember verse 16… some may also know 17 by heart. But what got me this morning was 18-20 and what is in the hearts of those that do not believe.

¹⁸ … but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

How sad this is… but not just sad… angry. For those that hate the light, it is not enough to ignore it. They are compelled to try and destroy it… Why? “lest his works should be exposed” (verse 20b).

The Light

When I look at that explanation of how people have and will respond to Jesus and His plan for salvation and I am filled with a mix of emotions… First I am saddened that so many refuse to hear it. So many are angered to the point of hatred. But then I am filled with joy at the thought for those who believed enough to face all that and not share a message of doom and gloom nor threat or fear, but a message of Love and Joy. This, despite their circumstances.

Acts 28

I went to Acts 28 when Paul was imprisoned in Rome. Basically, he hits the town and he reaches out to the Jews there and tells them of his plight and they agree that they would like to hear “with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” Acts 28:22 (ESV). So, they arrange a time to meet with Paul.

Paul conveys his experience in Acts 28: 24-28

24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26 “‘Go to this people, and say,
“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

It had to be heartbreaking for him to see the responses… Certainly, he was thankful for the ones that received it. But so many did not.

We get bummed out when one person does not like what we must say. Paul stood on the Word regardless… strength by his faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 3:17-4:1

I then went to Philippians 4. Now I love this book as well as all the prison epistles that Paul wrote. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written while Paul was in prison. All the letters are filled with guidance and encouragement, love and concern for the churches. I love this transition from chapter 3 to 4

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

It is a plea to those who believe but struggle against all who hate the light. Paul is saddened to tears for the lost but he holds fast to Jesus and encourages those who believe not to give up. I love how Paul does not dwell on the challenges but pushes through to his foundation in Christ.

Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)

Verses 4-7 in Philippians 4 remind me of what my focus should be.

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul reminds me that I am not alone. God answers my prayers and with his answers comes peace that surpasses understanding and that will guard my heart and mind in Jesus…

Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)

He goes on to offer more encouragement and directs our focus to those things that will keep us focused on Christ and bring us peace.

Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV) 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

It requires focus and attention… especially in difficult times. Paul then speaks of contentment and peace.

Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)

He speaks of how many had helped him. But he wants us to know that he is not in need… but contentment.

Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV) 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I pray that I might always hold onto this secret of contentment. I am not ever alone but always with Christ Jesus, my strength.

Closing

I look at all these passages and reflect on Paul’s stand on the Word of God and I pray that I too might follow his example. My circumstances are different than his, but none the less they sometimes can be difficult… But If I keep these words in my heart and remember all that God reveals in His Word, I too can stand.

It is like Paul said in Philippians 4:9

“9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

What Joy there is in that knowledge.

Prayer

Heavenly Father strengthen me through Your Word, Guided by the Holy Spirit.
Help me to follow the example of Paul, who faced all circumstances trusting in Jesus.
Let me not lose hope and patience.
Let me not forget…

“9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me(Paul)—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Thank you, Lord,
In Jesus name, I pray, Amen