"Jesus Spoke"

For Christians, Christmas is about THE special coming to earth of Jesus Christ.  It’s a bustling and busy time!  And I would say that many who truly love Christ with the sincere desire of obedience, find it to be the hardest time of the year to stay focused on Him.  As a result of my own efforts to do this through the years since I’ve come to know Him, I still struggle with keeping my mind free of the glitter of distraction and details for a day of celebration.  And I grieve that I look more like a world without Christ in that celebration, than a people who say He is the center of their life.

With those thoughts, I share today’s post.  This year, I purposed to read John 17 in my time of morning devotions for the month of December.  John 17 is a crucial chapter in the Bible.  It’s the longest recorded prayer of God to God.  We know Jesus spent long times of prayer to His Father.  But here we have recorded a prayer that, along with the rest of the inspired Word of God, is there for our encouragement and growth.  Jesus, God in the flesh, speaks to God, the Father on behalf of those who have come to know Him and are still on earth.  We, who still live on earth should take notice of this wonderful passage of God to God conversation.  And as I share one short yet profound part of this passage in my already too wordy post, may the reader consider the importance of listening and taking heart.

As I’m also studying the Psalm, here’s a verse that correlates to the verse I will share from Jesus prayer.  Psalm 55:1  “The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken…”  Is that not something to heed, when there is proclamation of the speaking of God?  I mean even if just believers would think through “these things”, what dramatic changes we might see.  That Psalm goes on to say, “He summons the earth…He summons the heavens above…”  Can man say this?  Why we can’t even exhaust exploring the earth and have continually given up the heavens exploration as a “black hole”.  But with God, there is no black hole.  He speaks, summons and sovereignly controls everything.  Let us listen, quietly.

With that, I come to John 17: 1: “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said…”   Should we not take notice of what God has to say?  God, the Mighty One, the LORD, Jesus, He who summons the earth and heaven and He who came to earth from heaven and looked up to heaven as He spoke.  Is there not a volcano of excitement that wells up in you as to what “these things” will be that He speaks?  John says in chapter one that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  As He lived among us, He spoke among us.  God, through His Word has “explained Him.” (John 1: 18) 

“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him.  O come, let us adore Him.  O come, let us adore Him, Christ the LORD.”  Jesus was born, who knows when.  But we have set aside a day a year to celebrate that birth.  Let us consider, think, listen, heed, adore and worship.  To Him be the glory, all the glory given, That Word of the Father!

Just A Thought

Psalm 22:3 says, "Yet, You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."  Reading that verse and being a visual person, I picture God sitting on "praises".  And I couldn't help but wonder, if God were sitting on "my" praises, would He have anything on which to sit?

Yet...

Hopelessness leads to despair.  From that comes a multiple of maladies that we see played out as we are bombarded by the media.  In every outlet, be it television, web, newspaper or radio, good news is scarce.  Instead, we see the effects of hopelessness and despair.

Christians are not exempt from the effects of tragedy, but the way we handle it should be a part of our "evangelism" to a world in need of hope.  I praise God for the Bible that gives me His divine plan and purpose for us, His creatures.  Time and time again, I have been renewed in my thinking with a hope that is beyond understanding.

The Psalm is a book full of writers who loved God but had real problems.  That's what makes it such a therapeutic book.  In chapter twenty-two, David cries out in his well-read messianic Psalm, "Why have You forsaken me?"  One of the big issues in mulling over our problems is loneliness.  I am forsaken!  Notice David says, "My God".  God is personal to him.  But God is not delivering him from this problem.  He says, "I'm groaning" alone!  "You do not answer...I have no rest."

What keeps David from despair?  "YET"!  David thinks rightly!  "Yet You are holy...enthroned...
trusted...disappoint not."  Whatever happens he trusts in a God Who is in control and there is hope and stability there.  He cries out again after remembering his great God, but again he comes back to the right thinking of "Yet".  "You have been my God from my mother's womb."

At the end of that Psalm, David exults in his God-given thoughts with, "Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.  They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has performed it."  That's true, because here I am declaring to myself and to you.

Mindset

After reading the same chapter in Romans for the last three weeks, you'd think I wouldn't notice anything new!  Not so!  This has reigned true over and over again with God's word.  The depth of the treasure is mind-blowing.  Chapter eight, verse six through eight says, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able  to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

I hear the word "mindset" again and again in all kinds of conversations.  The definition, pretty self-explanatory,  from a few sources is something like this:  an attitude, disposition, mood, intention, inclination; a fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations; the established set of attitudes held by someone.  Ok, so, to put it simply, it's that in you that makes you do what you do.

So, why do you do what you do?  What is your mindset?  What internal motivator gives you the direction of your conversations and actions in all of life?  I think it's crystal clear in this chapter of Romans.  In fact, in verse five, it says: "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."  Again, pretty clear cut.

Which will it be?  Death or life and peace?  What is your "fixed mental attitude" in regard to the pattern of your life choices?  Romans gives us the direction of the two actions, "mind set on the flesh" or "mind set on the Spirit".  It gives us the destination of the two actions, "death" or "life".  And in verse eight, it tells us that we are not "even able to do so".  It seems to be a quandary, but in reality, it was taken care of before the foundation of the world.  Verse three tells us the good news: "God did"..."sent His own Son as an offering for sin."

What is your mindset?  "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you."  Don't let the flesh win the victory over your mindset.  Death, hostility, rebellion, inability to please God.  This is a heavy burden to carry and after traveling life with it, the end is even worse.  Jesus lifts the burden and destroys it.  Surrender yourself to His provision.  "The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace."

Perspective

Consider the following lines of two different songs:  "I would trade the world and it's treasures for a moment of old yesterday."  "We long for a time when all time is past."  Two songs, two world views, two perspectives; one hopeless, one hope-filled.

The line of the first song comes after the person has tried everything in life to make him happy.  To him happiness comes from some unknown place.  For a time, he tried everything money could buy, thinking the next purchase or trip would be the answer but he was not fulfilled.  Now he longs for something he can never have and says he would trade everything for that moment in the past.   If he were able to make that trade, he would find he did so for nothing.

The line from the second song comes from the person who has found the answer to the longing of his soul.  That answer is fulfillment in Jesus Christ, Who is the only way to a restored relationship with God.  To this man, who has found fulfillment, the longing left is for "His kingdom come".  For the believer, true fulfillment is found in bearing fruit now and ultimately being united with Christ in heaven.  He hopes for that time when the struggle is finally done and we rest with Christ forever.

Until that time, may all those who have found their hope in Christ be fruitful influences on those who are still looking.  The only "moment of old yesterday" that will affect anyone is that moment in time over 2000 years ago, when Jesus secured our salvation and conquered death by resurrection.  He is our only hope!

Toddler in the Traffic

I was waiting in my car for a computer store to open.  Across the parking lot from me was a van with what appeared to be a grandmother, a mother and a toddler.  I sat impatiently waiting looking from one thing to another, the clock in my car being the center of my attention (minutes are long when one waits), when all of a sudden I heard screams.  I looked up just in time to see the grandmother grab the toddler from traffic (it was one car but that is all it takes).  Both the mother and the grandmother's screams could be heard all around the shopping area.  And thankfully, the car stopped in time.

As I watched, fear shot through my body and I can only imagine how those two women felt.   Immediately, it came to my mind how passionately we should be warning those who do not know Christ.  We should be just as intense about lost souls on the brink, as these two women were about this little toddler approaching traffic.  God, give us the words to warn and Your Spirit to make it plain and effective!

Plants and Ants

My mother has created a beautiful floral paradise around her patio area.  Recently she needed me to do the watering for her while she was away.  I was walking around, with her cool hose-pipe, watering away and truly enjoying the process,  when ants began crawling on my feet and legs.  I'd knock them off, but it did not deter the all-out attack these determined little creatures had planned.  The whole entire time I was trying to save the plants, the ants were out for the kill.

I realize the Bible gives a great, positive "ant" illustration in Proverbs, but I'm using them here for a negative illustration.  (Yes, I'm bitter.)  As I watered and fought the ants, I thought, "how like the Christian walk": we pray, read the Word, place ourselves under good teaching in order to represent our Lord in this world, yet the Enemy of our souls continually tries to kill our witness, our joy in his "all-out" attack against us.  His plan is to make us quit.  But we must persevere, "keep on watering" as we moment by moment call on God to thwart the Enemy's attacks that we will grow into the image of Christ.

By the way, I did not quit watering the plants and they are still beautiful!!  Let us pray that our "watered" souls be beautiful to a needy world.

Sunday Dinner

Sunday lunches were a big deal growing up in the South.  There were two particular meals that were my favorite and to this day, I cannot eat a meal that compares with them.  One was succulent roast with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and some kind of green vegetable.  The other was almost the same but a change in meat: fried chicken!  I have not had fried chicken that good since!!  I absolutely cherish the memory of sitting down at the table with my parents and sister on Sundays after church. 

What if that were the only meal a person had all week?  Think about coming to the table starving.  You would not think about taste or the enjoyment of the meal and fellowship, but you would be ravaged by hunger.  There would not be the wonderful distinguishing factor of aroma and flavors, but only the need to fill a void crying out for health and relief from the distress of starvation.

I was thinking recently about the wonder and life-giving process afforded me by daily Bible study.  God blessed me, a non-reader, with a hunger for His word when He saved me.  And I continue to enjoy this jewel of truth even after forty years of being a believer.  I cannot imagine being a healthy or happy Christian without it.  And I also thought how like a banquet is the message God gives our pastor on Sunday mornings.  The Sunday message is a coming together of believers and seekers to a feast prepared by God.  How famished I would be had I not been daily nourished.  And what wonderful unity I find through God’s message when I’ve been in His word all week.  I can distinguish the aroma and flavor because He has been filling my void all week long with the nourishment of His word. 

Be nourished daily and come together weekly to feast at the banquet prepared by God.  And I look forward to the banquet Jesus has prepared for us in heaven.  That will be one rich and luxurious meal that will exceed my memory of juicy roast and crisp fried chicken.

Perfectly Helpless

"The cubs are born blind and helpless."  This is the sample sentence for "helpless" in the thesaurus.   Other words that can be used in place of "helpless" are incapable, powerless, impotent, and vulnerable. These words, as good a description as they are, still don't convey the completeness of this adjective.  Therefore, I also looked up "completely" in the thesaurus: totally, entirely, wholly, thoroughly, utterly, absolutely and perfectly.  I chose "perfectly" as you can't get any more complete than perfect.  But, as a person that sees more clearly using pictures, even those words as good, solid and simple as they are, cannot convey the magnitude of the point that I want to get across in this post.  I will, then, use an illustration to make it more imaginable.  For we do, indeed, need to get this.

The verse I want to illustrate is from Romans 5:6: "For while we were still helpless..."  Helpless!  Imagine a newly born infant lying on his back or stomach on a bed, the floor or whatever.  He is absolutely powerless to do even one thing to change his circumstances.  He can't turn over, get up, feed himself, take care of himself or survive at all.  He is "perfectly helpless"!  That is us apart from the power of God.  We are "perfectly helpless".  "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

Those who read this post were or are like this helpless infant.  If you are in Christ, it is not a position you powered yourself into.  And if you are an unbeliever, you have no ability of your own to accept the claims of Jesus Christ without His divine power energizing your understanding.  We are, everyone, helpless.  The people are born blind and helpless.  And I will add, born with a sin nature that will need transforming.  That transformation has been gifted us by God and God alone.  "God demonstrates His own love for us in this that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

Perfectly helpless though perfectly powered by the hand of God through Jesus Christ our Substitute and the Holy Spirit, our divine and daily Enabler!  Praise God for His unspeakable gift.

Heaven Bound Part II

Francis Schaeffer goes on to say in his book, True Spirituality, "Can't you imagine this man as he came back from heaven?  He had seen it as a propositional truth, as a brute fact.  He had been there, and looked at it, and then come back.  Would anything ever have looked the same to him again?  It is as though he had died.  It is as though he had been raised from the dead.  Just as the Mount of Transfiguration gives us a different perspective when we are in the perspective of the kingdom of God, how different this man's perspective would have been all his life.  The constant pressure to conform to the world about us, the social pressure and every other kind of pressure of our day--surely it would have been broken.  How could he conform to this, which is so marred, so broken, so caught up in revolution against God, so disgusting?  How could he, in comparison with what he had seen?  What would the praise of the world be worth when one had stood in the presence of God?  The wealth of the world, what would it look like beside the treasures of heaven?  Man longs for power.  But what is earthly power after one has seen the reality of heaven and the power of God?  All things would look different.  Sure all of this is involved in the statement that we are to live by faith now, as though we had already died, and already been raised from the dead."

So, what can be added to that??  Amen.  Let's do this!

Heaven Bound, Part I

In the disciple's prayer (Matthew 6:9-15), Jesus instructs them to pray, "thy kingdom come".  John MacArthur says in his commentary on Matthew that "our greatest desire should be to see the Lord reigning as King in His kingdom....His program and His plan should be the preoccupation of our lives and of our prayers."  He goes on to say that "sinful man could not be a part of a divine reign.  That is why we do not advance God's kingdom by trying to improve human society.  Many good and worthy causes deserve the support of Christians, but in supporting these causes we neither build the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ or bring it closer.  Even the best of such things are but holding actions that help retard the corruption that will always and inevitably characterize human societies and human kingdoms,  until the Lord returns to establish His own perfect kingdom."

In thinking about God's perfect kingdom and our purpose in prayer to call for that kingdom to come, another great writer sheds light that correlates with this kingdom subject.  What if you died and became a part of God's perfect kingdom and came back to earth.  How would that change your thinking?  Dr. Schaeffer writes, in reference to Romans 6:10-11, "by faith we are to live now as though we have already died...live by faith now...as though we had been raised already from death...in our thoughts and lives now we are to live as though we had already died, been to heaven, and come back again as risen."

For my 200th post, I do something I've never done: Part I.   I will continue another time to think a bit more of the subject of dying, being raised to heaven and coming back to earth.  This is strictly hyperbole but I believe it is very important pondering in order to evaluate our present Christian thought, words and work.  We must be wise and efficient for there will be a time, a day when all opportunity will be over.

Run With God

My husband is a runner.  He has run consistently for all our 34 years of marriage.  His first 10k was when we first started dating.  He continued with 10ks, half-marathons, whole marathons, then went on to do many 50ks.  He doesn't get to run daily because of work but he tries to run at least 2-3 times a week.  Therefore, many would call him a weekend warrior, however, even on weekends, he only does Saturdays.  But even though he doesn't get the training time that many serious runners do, he is consistent and he does continue to do advertised runs with consistency.  He has the ability to persevere over his discomfort because his desire to finish, competing only with himself, is foremost in his drive.

He is like that in his spiritual life also, although he does "train" daily, but his perseverance is amazing.  His dependence on God and God's power in him has brought him to great heights of being patient and waiting on God's timing.  God has also blessed him with a determined, patient and loving attitude toward my "glass half-empty" self.  Which brings me to the reason of this post.

I always seem to react with "knee jerk" quickness and that has often led me to regret decisions I make.  My husband may drag out a reaction and be oh so very slow to me, but at least he does think out his responses.  As I prayed one day this week, I said, "God, I feel like I've fallen behind.  Is that because I ran ahead of You?"  As I prayed this, I thought and asked Him, "Will I ever learn to slow down?"  How many times does scripture pound me with, "Be still and know that I am God."  NASB says, "Cease striving and know..."

God has blessed me richly with a wonderful man to lead me.  I am thankful!!  I must learn to calculate with God's guidance my work and my running.   I must not run ahead of God, lest I fall behind His perfect plan and path for my life.  He has all the time in the world and holy patience with me but do I really want to continue learning the same lesson over and over?  I must be about my Father's business and that won't happen unless I'm listening to His guidance for that work.  Let us "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

Prayer Requests

I've blogged lines of prayer from the great prayers of puritans from a book called Valley of Vision.  Once again, I would like to share some lines from these great prayers in hopes that it will benefit someone somewhere as to a new pattern of prayer.  That's what these great prayers do for me.  It amazes me at how far short and how shallow my prayers are in comparison.  And yet, even they, were weak, fallen saints like me.  It is a good reminder of the work that still needs to be done in us and our great need of the day is to pray like never before.

"Incline my heart to thy ways; mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay; may my lips be a well-tuned harp to sound thy praise; let those around see me living by thy Spirit, trampling the world under foot, unconformed to lying vanities, transformed by a renewed mind, clad in the entire armour of God, shining as a never-dimmed light, showing holiness in all my doings."

"O Master, who didst wash the disciples' feet, be very patient with me, be very condescending to my faults, go on with me till thy great work in me is completed.  I desire to conquer self in every respect, to overcome the body with its affections and lusts, to keep under my flesh, to guard my manhood from all grosser sins, to check the refined power of my natural mind, to live entirely to thy glory, to be deaf to unmerited censure and the praise of men.  Nothing can hurt my new-born inner man, it cannot be smitten or die; nothing can mar the dominion of thy Spirit within me; it is enough to have thy approbation and that of my conscience.  Keep me humble, dependent, supremely joyful, as calm and quiet as a sucking child, yet earnest and active.  I wish not so much to do as to be, and I long to be like Jesus."

AMEN!!

Bashed!

Christians, many times, come to the place where the life has been knocked out of them.  Every thought, every step, and every word becomes a heavy effort of will.  Psalms speak of this over and over, which is why many believers find such comfort from them, during such times.  "Your arrows have sunk deep into me, Your hand has pressed down on me, I am bent over and greatly bowed down, I go mourning all day long, there is no soundness in my flesh, I am benumbed and badly crushed, I groan because of the agitation of my heart."  That is just from ONE Psalm and really describes well the pain that can come upon a believer at any given time.  We may not even understand why...EVER.  But even though, we are bashed for whatever reason, we cannot give in to hopelessness.  We cannot!!

God, Alone, does what He pleases with us for His purpose and whether we ever know the why, we either believe Him or we don't.  There is no middle ground.  The Psalmist knew that but that did not keep him from pain.  He says, "LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am...my lifetime as nothing in Your sight...every man at his best is a mere breath."

"God gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." Romans 4:17b  Abraham was to be the father of many nations, yet he was as good as dead in an old body with a wife passed the age of childbearing.  HOW in the world can he hope to be a father of one, much less of many nations.  And yet, Romans reminds us of this Old Testament patriarch who simply believed.  And that is where we must come no matter how long it has been or how much we know already.  God may need to bring us back to the beginning to remind us of how we got there in the first place.

He is the Author of Life both physical and spiritually.  We have NOTHING of which to boast!  "Abraham believed GOD, and it was credited to him as righteousness...In hope against hope he believed so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken." (by God) "Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; YET, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform."

"And now, Lord, for what do I wait?  My hope is in You."  If you as a believer find yourself bashed, all hope seems gone, you must know that God is still the same God as when you were walking in encouragement.  The next Psalm says, "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm."  Be of great courage, hope against hope, wait on the LORD.  He has not moved.  He does not forget His promise to us.

Ministry Soapbox

I've blogged before about soapboxes.  I am on them constantly.  Maybe it's a symptom of being short.  Who knows?  But I have one that is ongoing that I need to air.  Being in ministry is really the joy, pain and reasonable service of everyone saved by grace.  I love it but it's also a struggle.  The biggest part of the struggle is not being understood and being evaluated without evidence.  No one really knows the intricate and complex problems that arise out of ministry.  And as a believer and one who rallies to the call of giving up our rights in our representing our Lord, sharing them is really counter-productive.  But I'm doing it anyway.

The bottom-line in ministry from the strictly fleshly viewpoint is commitment.  We must be committed to Jesus in all of this.  It's not about what people think, say, or how they respond to me.  However, I must be above board.  I must be all about how I respond to their rants of unknowing.  I cannot scream, "that's not fair" or "how could you say something you know nothing about?".    No, I can only, always be committed to Jesus and responding like Him.

A young person recently shared their thoughts about worship.  In those thoughts was this one statement that was gloriously simple yet profound: "The way we live our lives is a form of worship."  Yes, I know we are representatives of Jesus Christ and our lives are a witness.  But this statement takes it to another level of great responsibility and need for accountability.

My soapbox:  As a believer in the authoritative Word of God, Jesus Christ as the only way to God and the Holy Spirit as our supernatural power in this life, find a church that stands on the Word and be committed to it in every way God has gifted you to be.  You will be misjudged, wronged, talked about and more, and that by believers.  But stay committed, love committed, work committed and pray committed and unceasingly.  God is the mover of mountains.  He will give us the strength as we honor Him in this commitment.

Greatness

"God, grant me greatness without pride.  Grant me greatness without covetousness.   Grant me greatness without selfishness.  Grant me greatness in obscurity.  Grant me greatness without the desire for anything in return.  God grant me greatness out of Your greatness and for Your glory alone.  Only by Your grace, Your power, Your design and Your strength, I pray.  Amen"

"I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  [Jesus speaking to His disciples about John the Baptist in Luke 7:28.]

Doing Battle With Yourself

As I struggled with all the pressures of life that come from every direction, my thoughts jumped in to torment me, too.  You know the thoughts of pride, selfishness, covetousness,  discontent, inadequacy, and on and on I could go.  I became weak and frustrated, wondering why it all comes at once.  I began to "take my thoughts captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5).  As I did this, another verse popped into my mind: "greater is He Who is in you than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4, KJV)  I've always been encouraged by this verse when battling the enemy of our souls.  But this time, as I thought about it, I realized that "he that is in the world" is also me.

I'm still in the world.  My flesh is not yet redeemed.  My soul is... sure and sound and safe.  But we battle the flesh daily, moment by moment.  We must remember that we, too, can be our own worst enemy.  Well, that's why the other verse says to "take captive every thought".  We do battle with ourselves probably way more than we ever battle others.  Yes, it's hard, oppressing and gives us headaches.  The goal, however, is priceless: to glorify our Father, our Creator, our Savior and our Counselor.  We are going to make it!  It's not optional.  It's wrapped up in supernatural, God-given strength.  God is greater than all our lowest weaknesses and struggles.  He is greater than all oppression, depression, problems and thoughts.  And He has won the battle.  You get that?  We are fighting a battle that's already been won!

Venomous Snake Infestation

The first time I read about the bronze replica of a snake on a pole in the book of Numbers, I immediately saw the beautiful picture of Jesus.  This was many years ago in my early Christian walk.  I’ve read it many times since then.   But the wonder and excitement of that first moment has not been equaled.  That is not until recently.

In studying the book of John and using the John MacArthur commentary on the book, I was again struck with wonder.  However, this time from another angle. And I might add,  maybe I should change the word, “wonder” to “terror”.  All it took from the commentary is the word “infest”.  Yes, I definitely took new notice as I read that word.  Actually, it’s more like six words, six words in one sentence from one chapter: “venomous snakes to infest their camp”. (Chapter 9, pg. 114, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, John 1-11)  Think about it: INFESTED.  Snakes were everywhere. 

There is a place at my house that I have decided snakes reside.  To cap it, last year I found a snakeskin lying in the area.  Evidence in place, I now look with great caution in the whole area I’ve come to call, “the snake highway".  And this from just a feeling and one snakeskin.  In fact, the term, “snake in the grass” has new meaning for me as the area also has tall grass.  I get anxious and dread fills me just from the shear expectation of the possibility of a snake.  And this from one snakeskin!

But this moment in the history of the Old Testament, we’re talking about you don’t have to guess if the snakes are there.  They are everywhere, biting and killing people with their deadly venom.  Five short verses record this incident but the impact on the people was huge.  And by all means, the impact of this incident and it’s foreshadowing must reign huge in our minds.  (Numbers 21:5-9)

With the fall in the garden, everyone since has been born “infested” with sin.   Just like the Israelites were infested with venomous snakes in the camp in the wilderness wandering, we are infested with the blight of deadly sin from which there is no human cure.  By faith, the Israelites “looked” at a snake on a pole.  By faith, we must look to the God/Man on a cross, Jesus Christ. 

God gives us the cure.  God gives us the faith to look.  God is Sovereign, Supreme and Supplier for all parts of our healing.  God alone.  I love the simplicity and power of those words: God Alone!  May we experience daily the wonder and terror of our God.  

"Perfected in Unity"

On my exercise walk recently, a black flash caught my attention, and I looked up.  There above me was a giant crow.   It was almost as big as a hawk.  He was traveling pretty fast which is probably why I noticed; they are a bit large for fast flight.  At his tail, chirping loudly, were two very small birds (at least they were small in comparison to the crow).  These very small birds were chasing the black bird and he was fleeing.  I thought it humorous but also it was one of those moments you want to shout, “Hooray!” as the underdog had the upper hand.

Immediately, my thoughts turned to our walk as Christians and the importance of having brothers and/or sisters in Christ to help us stay the course.  We need each other to chase away the big black bird of sin.  I do not say that lightly nor do I mean it to be humorous.  It is very serious.  Do we have someone to whom we can turn for accountability?  I would say first, the Word needs to be administered daily like the needed food it is.  But we also need camaraderie.  John 17:23 says “that they may be perfected in unity.”  Why?  That the world may know that God sent Jesus and loves us as He loves Him.  (paraphrased from same passage)

Those little birds were boldly keeping their family safe and in tact by chasing off the predator.  Let us be faithful in our commitment to chase off our predator on a daily basis.

Powerless Efforts

Recently I was helping with a clean-up project.  I had volunteered to vacuum, something I'm very capable of doing!  So vacuum, I did.  I worked hard on this little room, vacuuming every little nook and cranny, window frames, baseboards, and even the closet.  It started off a bit hard, as I was using a vacuum I had never used and it was a shop-vac, which was a bit heavy.  But I wasn't to be deterred by a little extra effort and I became engrossed in my work.  The more I did the easier it became.  However, upon completion, I turned toward to vacuum to flip the switch to off and found to my embarrassed dismay that my hose had been disconnected.  I wasn't even aware when it happened.  Probably when it became "easy", I should have done some checking up on it.  I looked around to see if anyone was watching.  Thankfully, no one!  But I tell on myself today to make a point, a point I immediately realized as I looked at that hose I had carried around the room without any power!

How often do we as believers charge full speed ahead in our own energy to do a work we say is for the Lord?  For myself and my almost forty years of living for God, I would have to say, "way too many times".  Let us never charge ahead without bowing our heads in adoration to and complete dependence upon God.  I meant to write this many weeks ago, but busyness had disabled my posting.  However, I was reminded of it this morning when I read the following from "Valley Of Vision":  "I have laboured too much for spiritual life, peace of conscience, progressive holiness, in my own strength."

May we commit our work to the Lord, as we also ask Him for the strength and ability to accomplish that work.

Joy in The Moments of Now

I'd like to combine thoughts from two articles into one very important truth for us as believers.  Both articles are from the little magazine "Table Talk" put out by Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul.  One of the articles is by Sproul called, "Dream a Little Dream".  And the other article is authored by Gloria Furman called, "Glorifying God in the Routines".  The first is premised by John Knox's prayer, "Give me Scotland or I die."  The second is about not discounting the mundanes as mundanes.

"We live in the mundane, and life-altering, dramatic moments are, by definition, extraordinary.  Whatever your normal is, I think we can all agree that that's where we live.  Even so, we long for significant work, unique callings, and uncommon opportunities.  It's tempting to view everyday life as a monotonous cycle of making your bed only to lie in it again.  Our perspective on the everyday business of our lives is important because when we forget about God's activity in the world, we become functionally hopeless.  What's the point of anything if "all is vanity"?  We hear Paul's instruction of "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" and we wonder how that squares with the "have-to's" of our everyday lives." (Furman)

"Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, warned us against worrying about the petty things of this world, the very things that tend to hold our attention--what we will eat, what we will wear.  We are inveterate worriers and insatiable spenders, which together mean that we tend to fret over funds.  Jesus calls us, however, not to worry over such things.  Our Father in heaven knows what we need, and He provides for us.  What we ought to be focused on is the kingdom of God, and His righteousness....  [In focusing on His righteousness, John Knox desired this focus for the citizens of Scotland to the point of his, "Give me Scotland or I die" statement.  This brings Sproul to the point of "dreaming big".]  We would be wise to learn to discern the difference between the brightness of our King's glory and the brightness of the spotlight.  There is a very thing line, one I suspect we all are tempted to dance along, between wanting to do great things for the kingdom and wanting to be great in the kingdom." (Sproul) [Dr. Sproul goes on to say that we go so far as to wondering if God would be pleased to use me the way He used Knox and believers five hundred years from now commemorating my life, and carving my likeness in marble?  He also reminds us of even Jesus own disciples arguing over their greatness in His kingdom.]

So, how do I bring these two articles together.  I believe it is the Christian's dilemma of balance and warfare with the righteousness of Christ living in them and their old sin nature and the Enemy of their souls.  We think our little lives of no consequence in the cause of Christ.  We worry over everything, both big and small, important and unimportant.  We always look for a future great work for God and neglect the joy of His working out every little detail in the moments of now.

Jesus is as much glorified in victory over the silent residual sin in our lives as He is in using us in the righteous conquest of a country.  It is, after all, the power of God in both situations.  Let us bask in that power, in that greatness with worship.  Whether or not one other person or the masses ever know of the victory, God has ordained it and it is good.  It is very good!!

Making Up Our Minds!

I love how I learn when I study to teach!  What a joy it continues to be for me, and what excitement it brings to my heart when God drives new thoughts home!  As I have many times before, I taught my little preschoolers this morning about Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  It was the story of their refusal to eat the king's choice food and how God blessed them for their obedience.

What I loved today, as I taught, was this simple phrase, "Daniel made up his mind...".  He made up his mind!  Oh, how we need to learn that truth on so many levels.  Just make up your mind.  I know we have to have our blessed Spirit to guide us and give us strength.  I know Jesus draws us to Himself.  I know God is The Power to do it.  And it is because I know these things that I must make up my mind not to sin.  I must make up my mind to follow Him, live for Him, speak about Him and think about Him all the time.  I must make up my mind daily, moment by moment.  May we all rejoice in this liberating thought!

Resolved

 As I read God's Word today, it welled up in me a determination, a passion that moves me to action even when I don't feel like acting.  God hasn't answered a prayer, a most earnest and desperate prayer.   Do I lay down and cry out (or scream out) "WHY?  Why are You so long in hearing me?"  No, I keep asking, pleading, waiting and watching.  And in the meantime, I am resolved to live for Christ moment by moment.  My living for Him is not conditional on His answering my every prayer.  "I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world's delights; things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight.  I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free.  Jesus, Greatest, Highest, I will come to Thee."  That song has spoken to me in different ways in different seasons of my walk with Jesus.  And now, as I labor over unanswered prayer, I am still resolved to continue coming to Jesus, living for Him, and bringing glory to Him in every detail of my being.  Amen and Amen!!

Boat of Reason

Watched a bit of a documentary about Stephen Hawking this week.  His kind of intelligence gives me a headache.  I am so very small in my thinking compared to him, yet, by God's grace, I know where the credit goes.  I respect and admire Stephen's ability and while admired by an academic world, he completely misses the big picture.

He says, while promoting the "Big Bang Theory", that alas, there is no need for thoughts of God at the beginning of such a theory.  Apparently, the release of that spiritual connection brings him some kind of happiness, maybe freedom.  In reality, he only digs deeper into the prison of unbelief, which is no freedom at all and devoid of all hope for eternity.

As I think about this with great sadness, I have also come to the conclusion that unbelievers are not the only ones who are guilty of this great blight of unbelief.  We, as believers, do this on a daily basis as we angst over life situations that are out of our control.  Things do not go the way we plan, we hit bumps in the road, we allow life to weigh us down and this with too much regularity.  While reading the Valley of Vision this morning, these lines from a few different prayers struck me: "I believe, help me experience it to the full.  Help me to make use of it [Christ's righteousness] by faith as the ground of my peace.  It is not feeling the Spirit that proves my saved state but the truth of what Christ did perfectly for me.  It is not inner sensation that makes Christ's death mine for that may be delusion... I rejoice to think that all things are at Thy disposal, and I love to leave them there.  Let me lament for forgetting daily to come to Thee, and cleanse me from the deceit of bringing my heart to a duty because the act pleased me or appealed to reason."

Reason!  It is to what the Stephen Hawkings of the world flock.  That is their great delusion!  For reason has nothing to do with the supernatural work of the God of the Universe.  It is a faith that is completely given as a gift.  And as I prayed to our great God this morning, I thought of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus.  And I asked our Father to help me on a daily basis step out of the boat of reason, keeping my eyes on Him and my feet on His path.  He alone gives us this ability and strength and it must be our earnest prayer!!

Mighty Works

The following is taken from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening:

"Do not be content with forming schemes and talking of them.  One good deed is worth a thousand theories.  Let us not wait for large opportunities or for a different kind of work, but do the things we find to do day by day.  We have no other time in which to live;  past is gone, future not arrived.  We never have any time but the present.

Serve God!  Do it with all your might.  Do it promptly.  Do not fritter away your life in thinking what you intend to do tomorrow as if that would recompense for the idleness of today.  No man served God by doing things tomorrow.  Do it today with heart, soul and strength.

And remember, your might is not in yourself.  NO, you are perfect weakness.  Your might is in the Lord of hosts.  Seed His help.  Then wait in prayer and faith for His blessing.  Only then will what we do be well done and not fail in its effect."

And adding to this, I recently went to the funeral of a young man and this was said of him:  It was not a big work that he did, but it was the everyday details of life lived well that made him great.  One man wrote of him: "he did not seek to impress but by his very life that is exactly what he did."  

Refuge in the Name

"But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the LORD."  Zephaniah 3:12

Prayers of the Puritans are humbling at best.  I've been reading "Valley of Vision" in my devotion time recently and have written down some excerpts that go along with the above passage:

"No comfort in anything apart from enjoying thee and being engaged in thy service.  I rejoice to think that all things are at thy disposal and it delights me to leave them there."

"When thou art present, evil cannot abide; in thy fellowship is fullness of joy, beneath thy smile is peace of conscience, by thy side no fears disturb, no apprehensions banish rest of mind."

"Thou art all good in times of peace, my only support in days of trouble, my one sufficiency when life shall end."

Let us take refuge in the name of the LORD.

Christian Contest

Sometimes I fear, we as believers forget about Jesus and begin competing for a holiness we have learned but forgot why.  Daily,  and I do mean daily, we MUST meditate on Jesus.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith.  We would not even understand the Bible apart from Him.  Don't think you have any holiness to boast of that He has not put there.  We are not in a contest, a Christian competition!  We are in love with a Savior who has bought us with His own blood, has called us by His own grace and will keep us by His own power.  If we don't love Him, then back we must go to the beginning to seek Him.

Spurgeon said, "He did not shed His precious blood to make you a hypocrite."  "You will seek Him and find Him when you seek Him with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Perform the Word

I thought the following verses would be a good start to 2014.  They are from 2 Chronicles written about King Josiah, who became king at the age of eight.  I know there are a multiplicity of scriptures to use to start off a new year but this just happens to be what I'm teaching this week.

"He did right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of this father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left."  Several years later, God said this about him, "Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you."  And last but not least, "Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book."

So, in a nutshell: Do right in God's sight.  Stay the course.  Be tender-hearted and humble.  Weep over sin.  Walk hard after God to keep His Word with all your heart and soul.  Perform the words.  [I really like that: "PERFORM THE WORDS" (34:31)]

Happy New Year!  May we grow in love with our Savior.  May He become more and we become less.  May we be fruitful, may we bear much fruit.