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.