Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas. I wish you sunshine along with the rain. I wish you peace, and I wish you joy.

Reflection

The majority of what you see in the photograph is a reflection. Nothing seen on the surface of the water is really there except for a few floating leaves. Yet there is beauty in the water because of the combination of circumstances that led up to the day and time of this photograph. I had nothing to do with any of the circumstances other than being in a particular location at a particular time - with a camera.

The creek channel was formed by floods over many years. One tree at the edge of the channel has grown in this location for decades, and others for only a short time. I have walked along this creek for over fifty years and yet it is different this year.

Beavers have returned to these streams. They have cut trees and moved mud, causing the water level to be higher than it has ever been in my memory. The water was calm and still, allowing the surface to reflect a true picture of the scene above. Winter has arrived and the leaves are no longer on most of the trees, clearing the view of the blue sky above. The position of the sun played a part in capturing this image. I was in this same location four days earlier at an earlier time of day and the image in the water did not begin to show the vivid blue of the sky. Had I forgotten to bring my camera it is likely that I would not have focused my attention on the beauty of the reflection.

Circumstances of life shape the image we reflect to others. The storms of live can wash us away in despair or can deepen the channel of our soul. The busy beavers that come to live near us can be viewed as a nuisance or as an agent of change. The winters that come can be viewed as drab or as time of rest and revitalization. I can, should and do question the timing of events that take place and may never understand them. Rather than be in turmoil, I can find peace and quietness of soul by reflecting the love that can be seen in the life of Jesus Christ, God's only Son whose birth we celebrate tomorrow.

The water in the picture only reflects its surroundings. May our surroundings be such that what we reflect is the image of the Savior we worship. The beginning words of the song Here I am to Worship say we see what is lovely only because of Him.

Light of the world,

You stepped down into darkness.

Opened my eyes, let me see.

Beauty that made this heart adore you

Hope of a life spent with you

And here I am to worship,

here I am to bow down,

here I am to say that you're my God

You're altogether lovely,

altogether worthy,

altogether wonderful to me."

Here's a link to the complete song if you wish to hear it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zUXTynJtn1M

Turf or Truth

Following the death of Lazarus, Jesus performed a miracle, restoring the physical life of his friend. What ensued after the miracle is a sad testimony to the desire of mankind to protect the familiar, comfortable turf we feel belongs to us.

John 11:45-48 (New English Translation) “Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, ‘What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.’”

The physical temple in Jerusalem and the nation (organization) to which the Jewish leaders belonged were priority turf to certain members of the Jewish leadership. The words and miraculous deeds of Jesus were viewed as a threat rather than as the ultimate truth.

For the Jews of Jesus day, their spiritual scotoma (blind or dark spot in the visual field) related to religious practices. Failure to follow truth led to spiritual loss and within a few years the loss of their temple and their nation – the loss of both turf and truth.

What turf am I trying to protect? How can my blinders be removed? Could it be that proper placement of priorities on pursuit of God’s will instead of my own is the answer?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, 31-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? … So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”

Fasting – More than Missing a Meal

A significant number of references to the word “fast” or the word “fasting” in scripture are connected to the concept of humbling oneself before God. How then do I humble myself? Is it by giving up my priorities and agenda for what God deems to be important?

What then is important to the God of the universe? Are any of the following on the list of God’s priorities?
• Doing something about injustice?
• Working against exploitation of people?
• Freedom for oppressed people?
• Helping people to break out of the downward cycle of spiraling debt?
• Finding ways to feed the hungry?
• Should one go so far as to invite a homeless person to stay the night?
• Finding clothing for those who have need?
• Giving priority to one’s family?
• Stopping the gossip and malicious talk about others?
• Giving time rather than just financing to help those who have real needs?

Could it be that fasting involves more than the giving up of some sort of nourishment for the body? Could fasting also involve the giving up of my priorities and pride to serve those less fortunate than myself? Could it be that getting out of my personal comfort zone in order to serve others may be the better way for me to humble myself before God - a fast not of food, but of personal comfort?

Why should I even consider such a path? Realistically I need to understand why this is something I should do – what’s in this for me?

In Isaiah 58: 6-11, the Lord declares the kind of fast that is acceptable to Him – that we prioritize the needs of those less fortunate as well as the needs of those He has given us as family. This passage provides promises for those who undertake the proper fast -
• The light of understanding will turn on.
• Serving others will help to heal the hurts we have.
• Our right standing with God will help to pave the path we are to follow.
• Prayers will be answered.
• God will be with us, helping us to see what we need to see about living life.
• Even in the tough places of life, God will give the strength to be resource to help others.

Are these not the actions and results of a man called Jesus? How about Mother Teresa? How about a lady named Daisy Cox who has devoted her life to the care of those who are very ill? Daisy was caring for my Dad about this time last year in his last few days on this earth. Having read the passage below from Isaiah, I now have a better understanding of how she was able physically, mentally and spiritually to do what she so capably does.

Isaiah 58:6-11 NIV
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

The Key to God's Treasure

Isaiah 30 (NIV)
15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
"In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength."
But you were not willing,…
18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you
For the LORD is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

Isaiah 32
17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

Isaiah 33
5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.

• God is waiting to have compassion on us and He longs to be gracious to us. 30:18
• To hear from God, we must fear and reverence God and call on Him in repentance. 30:15
• Our key to God’s treasure is the fear of God. 33:6
• He answers after we call on Him. 30:19
• Our salvation comes through repentance and rest in Him. 30:15
• God is the only secure foundation for our time here on earth. 33:6
• People are blessed who long for God. 30:18
• Our strength comes to us in quietness before God and through our trust in Him. 30:15
• The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. 32:17
• May it not be said of us as was said of Israel “But you were not willing” 30:15

Fear Factor

A Gallup Poll conducted in 2005 reveals the most common fears of teenagers in the United States. The top 10 list goes like this: Terrorist attacks, Spiders, Death, Failure, War, Heights, Crime/Violence, Being alone, The future, and Nuclear war. Other common fears include public speaking, going to the dentist, pain, cancer and snakes.

Most of the items listed above have to do with lack of control; however, the word failure brings to mind the fear of not being good enough – not meeting others expectations or our own expectations.

The Message (MSG) Isaiah 8:11-15 “God spoke strongly to me, grabbed me with both hands and warned me not to go along with this people. He said: ‘Don't be like this people, always afraid somebody is plotting against them. Don't fear what they fear. Don't take on their worries. If you're going to worry, worry about The Holy, Fear God-of-the-Angel-Armies. The Holy can be either a Hiding Place or a Boulder blocking your way, The Rock standing in the willful way of both houses of Israel, A barbed-wire Fence preventing trespass to the citizens of Jerusalem. Many of them are going to run into that Rock and get their bones broken, Get tangled up in that barbed wire and not get free of it.’"

If one chooses to define failure as the inability to meet the expectations other people, fear of failure is guaranteed to be a constant worry – a worry that is characteristic of the most everyone. If instead my fear, worry and awe are focused on God, He becomes a place of safety in the turmoil of life. The writer of Ecclesiastes indicated that he had tried about everything there was to try in this life and his conclusion as to what was the essence of life could be summed up as follows: Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV) “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

If fear of failure is based upon meeting personal expectations, one can put himself in the position of looking back in time, regretting the poor choices made and blaming others for plotting against him. Another peril of personal expectation is to define goals in life that may seem to be great achievement, work diligently to achieve the goals, and fall just short of what was defined as “success.”

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians indicates that knowing Christ personally as Master is the true definition of success in this life. We will never totally achieve in this life, but we can be assured that the one who perfects our faith is here for us.

Philippians (3: 7-16 The Message) “The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.”

The cure for fear is a well-formed, totally committed love of God.

1 John 4:17-18 (The Message)
“God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”

Lord, help us to love as You love us.

Faith Journey

I've been reading Reaching for the Invisible God: what can we expect to find? by Philip Yancey. The author states in chapter 6 "A record of God's faithfulness in the past combines with hope of a better future for one end: to equip us for the present."


Hebrews 11:1-2 The Message (MSG)
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.


The writer of Hebrews then cites examples of faith through the history of God's people, concluding with verses 39-40 "Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours."


These verses are a reminder that my actions in the present (today) have the potential to become a part of the faith legacy of generations, but only if I place my complete trust in God and live my life on His terms. The difficulty is in the application of the concept.

For some things, the Bible speaks very clearly with regard to a specific course of action I am to take - I am to worship God only and love people. I don't have a problem loving people in general, but there are some specific persons who call themselves Christian that test me in the specifif call to patience and longsuffering. It takes an act of faith to deal with these folks as God would have me do, because I may never see any change in them - but maybe, it's me that God is trying to change!

When people I love experience pain, my natural reaction is to ask God to solve the problem for them. Sometimes He does, but many times the problem does not go away. "If only they could see - if only I could see - how differently God views the earth...God never commissioned us to remove all bad things from the world, to undo the Fall; God calls us to redeem the bad, transforming it into something good." (Reaching for the Invisible God: what can we expect to find? by Philip Yancey)

Wind Chasing

When one stops to reflect on the questions: "Why am I here? What is my purpose?", it is easy to get caught up in the details of life and think that somehow life's purpose is defined by what one accomplishes in life. But when life pulls us up short and we are forced to reflect on life's accomplishments, we may come to the same conclusion as the writer of Ecclesiastes - one's accomplishments are but a chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 1
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

So what is my purpose in life? The same writer says in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

Jesus summed up our responsibility in a similar manner - Love God and love my neighbor. He went on to define neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan as the one who has mercy, concluding with the words "Go and do likewise."

Purpose is found therefore by relationships - a right relationship with God and a right relationship with all the lovable and unlovable humans God created. Can my relationships with others be a reflection of my relationship to God? That's a scary thought!

A Worthy Response

A very dear friend reminded me yesterday that I had been silent lately. Since that time I have been searching for what to say in response to the current state of affairs.
- Getting past the loss of some dear friends and family - trying to understand God's perspective rather than my own
- Praying for what seems to be a growing list of close friends who are undergoing very serious illnesses
- Thankful for the blessings of a dear family and wonderful friends
- Praying for those who are undergoing what could be called undue persecution
- Praying for God's will to be done in the lives of family and friends
- Being reminded through a study of Job that it is okay to question the province of God, but in the final analysis, I must embrace the sovereignty of God.

I have been led today to a passage from Romans (The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

9 -10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11 -13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

14 -16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

17 -19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

20 -21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Eighteen Days of Questions – One Afternoon of Praise

Eighteen days ago I was asking a question related to a couple of Russian orphans. Here’s what I said then:
“What is my role in seeing that these precious teenagers aren’t condemned to potential death on the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia in a few years when they are too old to remain at the orphanage? I know I can pray and I can tell others about them, but what else should I be doing? Please pray for God to help Dima and Kristina to be adopted and for those God has in mind to be their parents to hear and heed His call.”

I read Psalm 121 tonight and was reminded that God is the source of the help we all need and that He watches over our lives.

Psalm 121:1-4, 7-8 (NIV)
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Some answers to my questions eighteen days ago were answered today. Praise God for answered prayers! To see how God has worked, check out the following:

http://theheinrichhome.blogspot.com/2007/04/praise-god.html

Continuing to Pray for God's Help

Psalm 108 (NIV)
A song. A psalm of David.
1 My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
3 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.
6 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

When I have done all that I can to help make something happen, what is the next step?

This brings to mind another passage of scripture (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)
" 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Amen! So let it be.

The Prayer of My Heart Today

Psalm 102: 17-20 “He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea. Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: ‘The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.’”

I have been working my way through the Psalms this year. This morning I began reading some verses in Psalm 102 when I received an edition of Buckner e-News Now. One of the articles in this was entitled: “Families Urgently Needed to Adopt Russian Orphans.” The link to this is ( http://www.buckner.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIHM_russianorphans ). When I opened the link, I found the pictures of some beautiful children, two of whom I met when I was in St. Petersburg on a Buckner trip in 2005. Dima is 14 and his sister, Kristina, is 13. They have been separated in the orphanage because of their ages.

I’ve had these two on my heart since 2005 and seeing this article combined with the scripture above has hit me with the question, “What is my role in seeing that these precious teenagers aren’t condemned to potential death on the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia in a few years when they are too old to remain at the orphanage?” I know I can pray and I can tell others about them, but what else should I be doing?

Please pray for God to help Dima and Kristina to be adopted and for those God has in mind to be their parents to hear and heed His call.

Crucifixion Day - A Prelude to Victory

On the Friday before Easter each year, we remember the tremendous sacrifice that Jesus made for each and every person who has ever lived or who will ever live. The sacrifice was for me, for my sin. Yet this sacrifice made possible the victory over sin and death for all of us!

How am I to respond to Jesus for what He did for me? Today the words from Psalm 96 seem to say what I would like to say were I as eloquent a writer as the one who wrote these words. Note all of the verbs in the excerpts of verses from Psalm 96 [New Living Translation (NLT)];

“Sing a new song to the Lord!...praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does…He is most worthy of praise!...He is to be feared above all gods…O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong…Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!...Bring your offering and come into his courts…Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor…Let all the earth tremble before him…Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”…He will judge all peoples fairly…He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice and the nations with his truth.”

As I prepare to celebrate the Resurrection this Sunday, I need to be ready to participate in worship as instructed in these verses.

Lord, may You be glorified as only You are worthy. Amen! So be it!

The Easter Story from the Perspective of the Apostle Peter

After denying Jesus on Friday, Peter and the other ten disciples were in a state of bereavement and bewilderment. Even a report from some women that the tomb was empty was not sufficient evidence of anything more than a case of a missing body. It was crazy to believe that Jesus had arisen, even though He had said this would happen. Seeing the empty tomb, Peter went away wondering what had happened.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples later on Sunday, “They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost” John 21:37 (NIV). After hearing Jesus speak and seeing his hands and feet, “…they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement…” John 21:43 (NIV).

At this point, one might assume that the three years Jesus had invested in the disciples was not producing the results He intended; yet, His time with them in the last 40 days plus the indwelling of the Holy Spirit brought forth a commitment to Him that has been used to change the lives of so many.

The bewildered denier, Peter, became a bold declarer in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost where three thousand became believers.

Peter wrote the following in the book of 1 Peter (NIV): “3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

How can I become one whose faith will result in praise when Jesus Christ is revealed? Could it be that I need to claim the promise that I am behind the shield of God’s power and boldly go about doing what He has called us to do – to be a witness unto Him?

The Purpose of Easter – To Provide a Light in the Darkness

John 3 (MSG)
16 -18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

34 -36"The One that God sent speaks God's words. And don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that."

I love the way The Message describes why God sent his Son into the world. It was not “to point an accusing finger”, but “to help, to put the world right again.”

This raises a question in my mind. Are we who have accepted God’s gift of live to spend our time accusing the lost world of sin (“telling the world how bad it” is), or should we be to be busy sharing what God has done for us? Are we to shine a light into the darkness or share with one in the darkness how dark the darkness is?

In the past several years I have been privileged to travel to Latvia and to Russia. In both places I have seen magnificent buildings that were erected as churches, yet today they seem to function primarily as museums. How did this happen? Could it be that the focus of the church was on itself, in isolating itself from the darkness, or in telling the world how bad it was, rather than shining light into the darkness?

Jesus answered these questions himself in Matthew 5:14 -16 (MSG) "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”

We are to turn on our lights!

Scriptures from The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Praise be to the Lord God

I praise God for his healing for our grandson, Eli, who had emergency surgery one week ago. As the verses below indicate, God “alone does marvelous deeds.”

Psalm 72:17-19*
17 May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
*New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

These verses reminded me of the lyrics of this song:

How Great is Our God
Artist: Chris TomlinAlbum: ArrivingTrack: How Great is Our God
”The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

he Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing

How great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God”

Written by:Chris TomlinEd CashJesse ReevesCopyright 2004 worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Music/ASCAP (adm. by EMI CMG Publishing)/ Alletrop Music/BMI All rights reserved. Used by permission.

How great is our God, my God!

Burdened?

Psalm 68
3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds his name is the LORD—and rejoice before him.
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.
35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

When the burdens of life seem to become more than we can bear, what are we to do? We can give in and give up; we can assign blame; we can seek to drown the burden in substances or in activity; or we can share the burden with someone. Why do we hesitate to share our burdens – is it pride?

Psalm 68:19 indicates that God “daily bears our burdens.” How many times do we seek to retake the burden away from God and carry it again for ourselves? The selected verses from Psalm 68 mention the burdens of being an orphan, a widow, lonely, or a prisoner. All of these people can easily focus on what they are missing, but in reality missing the ministry of God in our lives is a significantly bigger problem.

What happens when we fail to release our burdens to God? We become a prisoner of the burden we bear. Our approach to the difficulties of life is so much a matter of attitude. For example, we may be more than happy to exercise to prepare for a hiking trip or a race; yet, we would be severely unhappy to have to walk the same distance because our car was out of gas. Last summer I saw a group of people working in the heat and sleeping in a hot un-air-conditioned hotel and enjoying what they were doing because they were serving a group of orphans in Latvia. Serving God by serving others brings joy, not a burden. In like physical circumstances, I can let the problems of life become a burden if my focus is self-directed. Verse 6 indicates that my rebellion can put me in a “sun-scorched land”

My focus must be on the magnificence of God rather than upon the magnitude of the problems at hand. God’s infinite resource is always adequate whereas my limited resource is more than likely depleted. I must remember the promise of verse 35 “the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!”

The Secret of a Full and Powerful Life

My maternal grandfather was a farmer. Even during the 1950’s when he was in his 60’s he insisted on farming using a horse or mule rather than a tractor. He was successful in rearing a family on a farm of about 75 acres in East Texas because he worked hard and he knew the secrets of the farming life. One of the things he did in planting his crops was to ensure that the soil was properly prepared each year.

He also knew the secret of a full life. My Papa was what I would call the strong silent type. His example of life was a strong influence because he lived his faith. When he spoke, his words were honest and consistent. He loved and cared for others. Even though he was not rich as measured in dollars, he was rich in the wisdom of his words and his strong faith in God. He accomplished, in my mind, what God intended for him to do. He knew the secret revealed in these verses.

Ephesians 3 (NLT)

14 When I think the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17 And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. 21 May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.

Scripture quotation taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

The secret of a full and powerful life is not in the wealth of this world, but in knowing and experiencing the love of Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Having Christ in my heart is a necessary first step to achieving the life God has for us, but there is a difference in having Christ in my heart and experiencing Christ’s love in my life. I can go to Colorado, buy a lift ticket at a ski resort, ride the lift and then ski to the closest warming hut and spend my day. I could then say I have been skiing. Or I can spend my entire day experiencing all of the runs I am physically capable of handling, and maybe a few I am not capable of handling. There’s a difference in dipping my toe in the water and diving headlong into the water.

I believe that we are called to experience the full understanding of God’s love by putting ourselves in the place where we can see God “accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.” I confess that I’m not there yet, but I have seen someone I know very well come very close to the challenge of these verses. I count it a privilege of calling him my friend. May others rise to the challenge you put before us.

A Mighty Fortress

Psalm 59:16-17 *
16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
17 O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.
*New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

These words describing God as “my fortress” are a reminder of some of the words written by Martin Luther, entitled “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”

In the second verse and a portion of the third, Luther writes, (Italics added for emphasis)
“Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing;
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us;

The hymn ends with the following:
“The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Though Him who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom us forever.”

Thank goodness for the place of refuge, for the strength, and for the assurance we have from the One who has already won the victory, our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Tribute to David

A very good guy, David Crowson, went jogging this morning. Before he made it back to his home on earth, he was summoned to his home in heaven. I've known David for a long time. He was a man who was committed to his Lord and to his family. I just had to add this picture of him to what I had to say about him, because it so typifies his life. This picture was taken during a mission trip to Latvia in 2004. His involvement in the lives of young people goes back as far as I have known him, and I'm sure even further. Countless young people have been influenced by the strong witness of this man of faith.

To his wife, Jane Ann, and to his children, Luke, Drew and Cara, as well as the others of his family, we pray God's comfort at your time of great loss.

We are all the benefactors of having the privilege of knowing David Crowson.

Can Fasting Involve Something Other Than Food?

Isaiah 58:5-11*
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Since I have no claim as a scholar, what I have to say about my understanding of the verses above may not agree with the scholars; however, there seems to be room for interpretation of these verses from Isaiah that fasting may involve something other than going without food. There seems to be an indication that God wants our fasting to include self-denial that involves a ministry to those less fortunate than us.

How I treat the poor, the oppressed, the hungry; how I treat my own family; what I have to say about others; all of these things involve some level of self-sacrifice. My level of commitment to God is being measured by my level of concern for others. In James 2:17* are the words “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” So if I am to attempt to measure my faith, I must use a yardstick that includes a measure of my action.

Am I being asked to do anything more than what Jesus did for those He encountered during his time on earth? Definitely not! If the son of God was willing to do these things, should I also follow his example? My gratitude for God’s love should compel me to do as He has done. God’s blessing for my obedience include: God will hear my prayers; He will be my guide; He will satisfy my needs (note this isn’t my wants); and God’s glory will guard my backside. I become the blessed for blessing others.

*New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Spirit - Steadfast or Wavering?

Psalm 51:10 (NASB) “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” According to the Amplified Bible, this verse is rendered, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.”

Is a right spirit based on proper alignment of external circumstances or inward renewal of a right relationship with God? If I depend on external circumstances for renewal, I might as well give up; therefore, the answer has to involve my relationship with God. If self-help were the answer to renewal, then I am ignoring the relationship component.

Can my understanding of a steadfast spirit be correct if I believe this is a goal to be aspired to rather than a destination where I am to reside? To ask God to renew the steadfast spirit would indicate to me that the writer has possessed the steadfast spirit in the past and is asking that it be renewed, as if he had lost it and needed it to be renewed, so it must be God’s ideal for us. As a sinner, I may not attain, but I should aspire for a steadfast spirit.

Romans 8:6 (NIV) “The mind of sinful man [Or mind set on the flesh] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;”

When I am troubled in spirit and not at peace, I must seek to let go of whatever is troubling, reducing my control, and allow the Spirit to be in control. I understand this in principle, but am still struggling with the practice.

A review of the statements about faith by Jesus in the Gospels reveals an interesting contrast. To those He healed, the statements made about faith were a commendation for the faith exhibited by the person or persons being healed or the faith exhibited by those advocating for those needing to be healed. By contrast, many pronouncements by Jesus to his disciples and followers contained a statement regarding the “little faith” exhibited by these individuals.

In Hebrews 11:6, the writer makes the statement “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

How do we acquire the level of faith pleasing to God? Paul, writing in Romans 10:17, says “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 14:23 also indicates “…whatever is not from faith is sin.”

We may do well to review the verses below to see what Jesus had to say about true faith.

Faith Statements of Jesus to those He healed:

1.Centurion - "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.
2.Paralytic - And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven."
3.Bleeding woman - "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well."
4.Two blind men - "It shall be done to you according to your faith."
5.Demon possessed daughter - "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.
6.Blind Bartimaeus - "Go; your faith has made you well."
7.Sinful woman who anointed Jesus feet - “Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
8.One of ten lepers - "Stand up and go; your faith [has saved you] has made you well."
9.Blind beggar - "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

Faith Statements of Jesus to his disciples and followers:

1.Matthew 6:30(preceded by statements to store treasures in heaven and not to worry) "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
2.Matthew 8:26 (disciples in boat in storm) He said to them, "Why are you afraid, m you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
3.Matthew 14:31 (Jesus walks on water, Peter’s attempt) - Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
4.Matthew 16:8 (disciples) But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?
5.Matthew 17:20 (disciples could not heal boy with demon) And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
6.Matthew 21:21 (withered fig) And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.
7.Mark 4:40 (Jesus calms storm) - And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
8.Luke 12:28 (Jesus addressing his disciples) - "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!
9.Luke 17:5-6 (apostles) - The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.
10.Luke 18:8 (parable of the persistent widow) "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
11.Luke 22:32 (Jesus remarks to Simon before Simon betrayed Jesus) – “…but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Scripture quotations from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Awesome God

Psalm 47 (NIV)
1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

When I read this Psalm, the words of the tune "Awesome God" by Michael W. Smith (Album: Worship Track: Awesome God) come to mind.

"When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just puttin' on the Ritz
(our God is an Awesome God)
There is thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
(our God is an Awesome God)
Well the Lord He wasn't jokin'
when He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason that He shed His blood
His return is very close and so you better be believin'
That our God is an Awesome God

REFRAIN
Our God (our god) is an Awesome God
He Reigns (he reigns) from heaven above
With Wisdom (with wisdom) pow'r and love
Our God is an Awesome God

When the sky was starless in the void of the night
(our god is an awesome god)
He spoke into the darkness and created the light
(our god is an awesome god)
Judgment and wrath He poured out the Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an Awesome God"

Rules or Relationships

The kinds of people who get rewarded in the workplace are typically those who work hard, who do the right things. There’s nothing wrong about this in a system based on merit and what a person can do for the organization.

Aren’t we tempted at times to conclude that what is good for an organization and what brings “success’ is therefore the same characteristics that God is seeking in us? We transfer our organizational mindset to our relationship with God and conclude that I am to be busy doing for God, being religious and pious.

What happens in any relationship when the relationship is based on merit and what a person can do or earn from the other? Someone in the relationship is always behind in doing for the other and feeling the obligation to “earn” the other’s favor.

If our salvation were based on earning it, then we would need to be doing something for God, being religious and pious; however, the writer of Psalm 40:6 indicates that God does not want this from us. - “Doing something for you, bringing something to you—that's not what you're after. Being religious, acting pious—that's not what you're asking for. You've opened my ears so I can listen.”(1) God did not provide a salvation by merit and based on what I can do for God. Rather, it is a salvation based on what He did for us and it is a gift from Him.

When one accepts this free gift of salvation, then what is it that God expects of us? The writer of Micah 6:8 says, “But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.”(1)
This list seems to indicate that God is highly interested in my relationships with people.
- Am I fair and just?
- Am I compassionate and loyal in my love? (Do I really care?)
- Am I more serious about my relationship with God than I am in my own self-image?

Rules tend to stifle and hem things in as well as being impossible to follow in every situation. Relationships are definitely more amorphous and organic than religions based on a set of rigid rules. Change is a part of relationship – there’s always room to grow.

(1) The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Troubled? – Could it be testing from God?

After the Super Bowl victory, winning Coach Tony Dungy said, “The Lord doesn't always take you in a straight line. He tests you sometimes.”

Genesis 22: 1-2 (NIV) specifically states that God tested Abraham. “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Abraham did not skip the test and run. He did what God had told him to do. When God saw that Abraham was faithful, he spared Isaac and blessed Abraham as promised.

God allowed Satan to test Job and when Job proved faithful, God blessed him.

When is the trouble we face a testing from God? How do we know? How do we respond?

When the people of Israel did not follow God’s leading into the Promised Land, He tested them in the desert for forty years. Could it be that my lack of faith in one matter creates the need for God to bring me back to himself through further testing? When we fail to follow God, we are in a sense testing Him, something we are told not to do except for testing Him with the tithe (Malachi 3:10).

In Paul’s writings, he urged the Christians to test themselves as to their faith. James said that the testing of our faith develops perseverance.

God listens even when we question or accuse Him, as David did in Psalm 39:12-13 (NIV) "Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were. Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more." It seems to me that our questioning of God, when done in an attempt to learn the source of our trouble, is part of the process of becoming what God intends us to be.

Souce of Hope

No Hope without God – Ephesians 2:11-12* “Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Planned Hope - Jeremiah 29:11 “'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”
Hope in God - Psalm 38:15 (NASB) “For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.”

Holy Spirit-powered Hope - Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Hope of Glory - Colossians 1:27 “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Living Hope - 1Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

Hope for Grace - 1Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

*Quotations are from NASB

A Recipe - The Way to Get What You Desire

Now that it is nearing Valentines Day, the advertisements for chocolate candies are everywhere. Chocolate candy is one of my favorites and there’s nothing better to me than homemade chocolate candy. To satisfy the desires of a chocoholic, the cook must have the proper recipe.

So what is the recipe for getting what our heart desires out of life? In Psalm 37:1-8, we are given a recipe as to what to do to get the desires of our heart. There are about ten ingredients:
Don’t fret
Don’t envy
Refrain from anger
Turn from wrath
Trust in the Lord
Do good
Delight in the LORD
Commit your way to the LORD
Be still before the LORD
Wait patiently for him


Will following this recipe allow me to have anything my heart desires – to change God’s will?

Or will this recipe, when followed in submission to God, change my heart to desire the things that are in conformance with God’s will?

Note that the first four ingredients involve things I must not do and the last six are things I must do.

The last two ingredients, be still and wait patiently, remind me of how difficult it is to wait for the chocolate fudge to cool and harden. If I don’t, I end up with a mess trying to eat it early.

Isn’t that the problem when we try to shortcut the recipe for life?

Tribute to Tony Dungy

Hearing what Tony Dungy said last night after his team had won the Super Bowl reminded me of the verse 1 Peter 3:15 (NASB) "...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;..."

He said "I'm proud to be the first African-American coach to win this. But again, more than anything, Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord's way. We're more proud of that."

It's wonderful to see a man testify to his faith before an audience of the world. Tony's demeanor was one of humility at the very apex of what could be perceived as the ultimate in football achievement.

A Good Day

What defines a “good day”? Is it a day I get whatever I want, a day when nothing goes wrong? How can I increase the odds of having a “good day”?

Psalm 34:12-14 (NIV) “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

David indicates that we must watch our speech and our actions if we want to have a good day. Proactive pursuit of peace seems to be an untypical habit. Maybe we need to pursue the peace described by the Prince of Peace in John 14:27 (NASB) "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Am I Under Control or Being Controlled?

Psalm 32:9-11 (NIV) “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

I have learned a great deal about horses over the last few years, and one thing that amazes me is the power that resides within the body of a horse. Yet a horse can be controlled with a bit and bridle (most of the time). My horse gets a bucket of feed each morning, but before I feed him, I put a bridle on him so I can lead him where he needs to go when he finishes eating. That small bridle makes a significant difference in the horse’s attitude regarding who’s in charge. The bridle is necessary because he has no understanding of where he is to go.

I think the writer of these verses makes a good point that we are to be submissive to God’s control without the necessity of some sort of restraint. A horse is much happier if he is unrestrained within the fences than he is on a rope tied to a restraint. When the writer refers to “the LORD's unfailing love” surrounding “the man who trusts in him” it reminds me that I am fenced in by the love of God. It is much better to be free within God’s fences than to be bridled with no understanding of what life is supposed to be.

My Time is Not My Own

Psalm 31: 14-17a
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

"14But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, "You are my God." 15My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. 16Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness. 17Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You;…"

While my times are in God’s hand, what I do with my time is a choice God leaves up to me. Life is so full of choices. I can choose to sit and watch, or I can choose to play in the game.

I picked up a book today entitled, THE JOURNEY FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE by John C. Maxwell. The book is full of quotes. One that is worthy of note is the following quote by Gail Sheehy: “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean a giving up of familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, relationships that have lost their meaning. As Dostoevsky put it, ‘Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what people fear most.’ The real fear should be the opposite.”

When the psalmist prayed “deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me” he was probably referring to those who wanted to kill him physically. Our prayer today may need to be that God protect us from the enemies that steal our time, and therefore our abilities to use the time, that God has given us to be significant in the life of someone else.

Am I willing to take a new step or utter a new word, placing my trust in God, rather than hiding behind my fears?

The Dawn of a New Day

Psalm 30 (NIV)
1 I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.
4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

What is it about the dawn of a new day that brings hope when life is throwing us a curve? Living in a rural area, we have a great view of the eastern sky. When I do get up early, I walk to the road to pick up the newspaper. On many days the combination of sun and clouds create some magnificent reminders of the artistic talents of the God of Creation. And if I think about it, no one but me has the exact view that I do. Somehow a beautiful sunrise can help clarify my perspective on life.

There were times at work when the chemical plants for which I was responsible had problems and they seemed to pick the nights to do this. Going to work in the middle of the night, half asleep, was never fun. No matter how bad the problems might be, I was, in most cases, happy to see the light of day.

When life is in a “night” phase, we have difficulty imagining that “day” will come, so, how am I to act when the “day” arrives? David suggests in these verses that we sing, praise God’s name, and rejoice. This sounds like true worship if we are careful to give God the proper credit.

The Voice of God

Psalm 29 (NIV)
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Reading these verses brings to memory the privilege our family had to spend about 2 weeks in the mountains of Colorado for several summers. One of the things we enjoyed was sitting in our rented cabin and listening to the thunder roll through the mountains. It was not quite as enjoyable to be on a hiking trail when a storm arose and the lightening began to strike nearby. Twisted oaks and fallen trees reflect the forces generated by wind and water through hurricanes and tornadoes.

The forces of nature are a reminder of the power of Almighty God. The voice of God can be mighty. It can also be a gentle whisper as it was when God spoke to Elijah. We are to hear it in whatever form it comes.

More Thoughts on Waiting for God

Lamentations 3: 19-33 - The Message (MSG)
"19 -21 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22 -24 God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.
25 -27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.
28 -30 When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst.
31 -33 Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way:..."

Note what is said in these verses about waiting for God:
1. God is faithful
2. “God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.”
3. It is a good thing to hope quietly for God through the hard times
4. Pray and wait for hope to appear
5. Don’t run from trouble
6. God’s love for us renews itself every day
7. “…the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return.”

How long should I wait? How about until the Lord returns?
James 5:7-8 (NASB) “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Being patient and waiting for God obviously requires that I begin to view my life from a perspective not my own. I must begin to view life and its issues from a God perspective and that is something I can't do on my own.

Why is Waiting So Hard?

Psalm 27:1, 14 (NASB)1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?
14Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.

I find it interesting that David begins this psalm with the bold statement that he has nothing to fear because he has God as his light, salvation and defense, and he ends the psalm with a reminder that we are to be strong and take courage as we wait for God to act on our behalf. His reminder to “take courage” is an admission that waiting on God rather than acting on one’s own behalf involves an act of faith.

I must admit that my personality type is one that wants to analyze a situation, state the problem, develop alternatives to solve the problem, decide on a best course of action, and then act on that decision. In some situations, there’s nothing wrong with this; however, there are times when one alternative is to wait and see how God wants to deal with a situation.

What do we do then in the intervening time between the realization that God is acting in a matter and we realize the results of God’s action? We could do as Abram and Sarai did in the case of the birth of an heir to Abram – figure out our solution to God’s promise with the result being family problems that persist to today. Or, we can take God’s promise to act in his time, meaning we wait for God’s leadership.

I wish there were some easy answers to this, but I am convinced that God allows us to be in these situations to learn more about Him and ourselves. A passage from Colossians 1:9-11 (NIV) has something to add to this, I believe. “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience…”

God wants us to learn endurance and patience so we can become more like He wants us to be. To be more like him, we must begin to understand the patience and endurance He is exhibiting toward us. If we ever think we have overcome the issue of impatience, isn’t it interesting how God can subtly remind us that we still have more to learn?

God's Way to Do Things

Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.”

Micah 6:8 (NASB) “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

When I begin to think about the ways of God, it occurs to me to look at what Jesus did during his time here on earth. Using the Gospel of Luke as a reminder of Jesus’ life what do I see Jesus doing?
- Healing of the sick
- Teaching and training of those who would carry on his ministry
- Giving advice for living such as
* loving my enemies,
* blessing those who curse me,
* praying for those who mistreat me.
- Feeding the hungry
- Sending out his followers to share his message
- Giving warning and encouragement
- Spending time in prayer and communion with his Father in Heaven
- Loving on children
- Associating with the non-religious
- Warning those who were religious for the wrong reasons
- Sacrificing himself for us

Am I Qualified for a Blessing from God?

Psalm 24:3-5 (NIV)
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.

Based on Psalm 24, those with clean hands, a pure heart, true worship and truthful lips qualify for God’s blessing.

I’m really not qualified to comment on this passage, so I will provide another passage for contemplation.

The Message (MSG) by Eugene H. Peterson
Matthew 5:3-12
3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
6"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
7"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
8"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
10"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
11 -12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

Jesus’ definitions certainly don’t fit what I typically think of as blessings. Being blessed seems to be a bit “messy.” It seems to be more of an “attitude within the circumstances” rather than “altitude above the circumstances.”

Who or What is Following You?

Have you ever felt like you were being followed? One night when I was in high school, I was driving home after summer band practice in my family’s second car – a 1953 Plymouth. It seems like no one else had a car like this – a greenish exterior and a blue interior. It had a 6-cylinder engine and overdrive – definitely a family car.

About half way from town to our house, I noticed that there was a car following me. I was driving below the speed limit and expected that whoever was behind me would pass, but they didn’t. I decided to slow down a little to let them by, and they slowed down. I speeded up and they did the same. I was beginning to wonder who and why I was being followed. Finally, the car passed me and I learned who was following. It was my Dad! Then I began to wonder why he was following me.

It turned out that he had been called back to work and was on his way home when he came up behind me. He had planned to follow me home, but then realized when I started changing speeds, he was causing me concern. You can imagine how relieved I felt when we got home and I found out the whole story. I was so glad I did not get caught speeding or doing something else crazy!

Reading Psalm 23 today, I was reminded of this tale from my past when I read the last verse “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” In The Message, this verse reads “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.”

Isn’t it good to know that God’s goodness and lovingkindness are pursuing us? Isn’t it sad to think that we are sometimes in such a hurry that we don’t slow down long enough to partake of what God has for us? Maybe we need to take a look behind us occasionally and see what we may be missing.

Who's in Charge?

If you want to get some information about the details of your wireless phone bill, good luck! I spent over an hour this morning trying to learn why my Federal Universal Service charge on my wireless bill had increased since last month. I also wanted to find out why the charge for the first phone on my plan was at a lower percentage of my bill than the two other phones on my plan. The answer was given that “they” dictate what the phone company charges. “Who are they?” I asked. “The government” was the reply. “Who in the government dictates the amount?” “The FCC” was the answer. This story could go on, but I’ll spare you the rest.

Isn’t it interesting that our society always has an answer for a problem and many times the answer becomes a “passing of the buck” rather than a straight-forward answer? The chaos of our day may make is wonder at times if there is any rhyme or reason for what’s happening. We may reach the point of wanting to cry out to God and ask the question, “Who’s in charge here?” Today Psalm 22:28 (NASB) reminded me of a truth I need to always remember: “For the kingdom is the LORD'S and He rules over the nations.”

God’s methodology of rule is not what my methodology of rule would be. I am reminded of the verse in Isaiah 55: 8 (NASB) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.” So, when I get frustrated with things, what am I to do?

I must stop and listen to what the Master had to say about life.
Matthew 6:31-34 (NASB) "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

What's in a Name?

What’s in a name? How important can it be? To what length do corporations go to protect a name, even the way the name is printed? When the names of Stalin or Hitler are mentioned, an immediate mental response is likely – one that is not positive. However, for some of old enough to remember the disease poliomyelitis and its terrible effects, the name “Joseph Salk” was imprinted in our minds because of the vaccine he invented to prevent the disease.

When David wrote in Psalm 20: 1 (NIV) “May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you,” he indicated that the name of the God of Jacob possessed the power necessary to provide protection.

When we think of the ultimate in protection, the possession of eternal life, we are led to the name of the one who provided, provides and will provide that life. That name is the name “Jesus.” Paul, writing to the Philippians, (2:5-11) (NIV) stated “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The “name above every name,” the name “Jesus” is the most wonderful name we can know. Yet it’s interesting how that name causes men both to praise and also to curse. The NIV translation indicates that “every knee should bow” while the NASB translation reads, “EVERY KNEE WILL BOW.” We should and we will all bow to the name.

As a Christian, we are witnesses and representatives of the “name”. What we say and what we do is a reflection on the “name.” We are eager to call on the “name” for protection, but are we willing to become “nothing” and “servant”, humbling ourselves in obedience to what we are called to be? Doing this won’t get our names on the Hollywood walk of fame, but it will get our names in the “Lambs Book of Life.” Where else do we need our name written?

Psalm 19, written by David, contains several descriptors of God’s Word.
- His Word is “perfect, restoring the soul”
- It is “sure, making wise the simple”
- It is “right, rejoicing the heart”
- It is “pure. enlightening the eyes”
- It provides warning

The keeping of God’s Word provides “great reward.”

David closes this psalm with verse 14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Note the reference to God as a “rock” as was also in Psalm 18.)

I believe there is a significant link between the results of being in God’s Word (a restored soul, wisdom, rejoicing heart, and enlightened eyes) and the prayer that “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight.” Could there also be a progression from acceptable words to acceptable heart meditation, in the sense that it may be easier to say the right things than to control where the thought process takes us? James 1:26 (NIV)- “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” James 3 contains several verses dealing with how the tongue can get us into trouble.

It is also necessary for both the tongue and the mind to be under control before we are “acceptable” in God’s sight on a relational basis. If our tongues and our minds are under God’s control we may be more able to follow the advice of 1 John 3: 18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” This verse supports some of the thoughts expressed by my dear friend, Ken Hall, over these past few days in his blog at the follo0wing address http://www.bucknerprez.typepad.com/

The Rock

There is a place in central Texas called Enchanted Rock. This rock rises about 450 feet above the surrounding area and is part of an underground mass of 90 square miles. While this rock may not offer many places to hide, it does provide a visual understanding of how big a rock can be. Comparison of my size to the size of that rock makes me realize how small I am in comparison to the size of a portion of God’s creation. Another beautiful place that comes to mind when I think of the term “rock” is the area of the Grand Teton Mountains, those massive structures rising more than a mile above the surrounding area.

David, the writer of Psalm 18 describes God as his “rock.”
Psalm 18 (NASB)
"I love You, O LORD, my strength."
2The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.
46The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation
49Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O LORD, And I will sing praises to Your name.

Praise God for the beauty he created, for in it we begin to see the beauty of the Creator Himself.

What does David mean when he says, “I will give thanks to You among the nations”? Could it be that we are to witness to others who do not know our God through our verbal praise? Could it be that this praise is to be voiced in places other than within the walls of our homes and our churches? Maybe someone else is looking for a "rock".

What Brings "Complete" Satisfaction?

Psalm 17:1-3, 6, 15 (NASB)
“Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Let my judgment come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity. You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.”

“I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.”

“As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.”

What in this world brings “complete” satisfaction? If the word “complete” implies something that is sufficient, never requiring anything else, I fear the answer for most of us is “nothing in this world.” The thing that brings joy today may become a liability tomorrow, or at best is replaced by something we decide is better.

I remember during my childhood days thinking about how much better life would be when I no longer had to go to school. By the time I reached the teenage years, the target had moved to the timeframe of “after graduation with a degree in chemical engineering and marriage.” At the job, the satisfaction level to be achieved became a promotion to a higher position. Obviously, this saga continued and then one day retirement came – something most people seek. It seems the search continues even then.

What we need to learn at some point of life is to seek the true source of satisfaction, one that is altogether sufficient. We need meaning and purpose, a sense of doing something of eternal value. Note what the psalmist, David, states in Psalm 17:15, “I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.”

What is God’s likeness? Could it be the model of life we saw in God’s Son that He calls on us to live – that majestic life referred to in Chapter 16? Does the crucifixion of “self” and the servitude to the “Master” bring us as close to complete satisfaction as is possible in this life? I’ve come to the conclusion that each of us must answer this question for ourselves. We are each accountable to God not only for our actions, but also for our attitudes – our “satisfaction index.”

The Majestic Ones

Psalm 16:1-3 (NASB) "Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. I said to the LORD, 'You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.' As for the saints who are in the earth. They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight."

I have the enviable position of knowing some of the saints who are and have been on the earth. I am privileged to call several of them “friend” or “family.” Some of the family members have gone on to a better place, and so have several of the “friends.” Others are still involved with this adventure we call life.

I have a wonderful wife, two beautiful daughters, two sons-in-law, and five wonderful grandchildren for whom the phrase “in whom is all my delight” definitely applies. It is so true that we have nothing good that does not come from our Lord. I have also been blessed by knowing some of God’s faithful servants, both men and women, whose faith has allowed them to do wondrous works for our Lord. I am truly inspired by the ways I have seen you allow God to use you in his work. I will not call you by name, but if you happen to be one of those to whom I sent a note about this blog, you are a part of the circle of friends to whom I refer.

Thank you for allowing God to mold you into one of his “majestic ones.”

The Ever-Present Love of God

In Psalm 13, David questions God as to how long he must endure the trials he is facing. Then David relays his trust in God. Psalm 13:5-6 (NASB) “But I have trusted in Your loving kindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”

God’s loving kindness, according to the Holman Bible Dictionary, is “The Old Testament’s highest expression for love…It is a love which remains constant regardless of the circumstances.” We have the promise of Jesus (recorded in Matthew 28:19-20 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.") that emphasizes that He is always with us.

Thank you, Lord, for your love and presence, even when we don’t recognize it.

Refined Silver

Psalm 12:6 “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.”

Refining of ores containing silver can be accomplished by heating the material to high temperatures in the presence of oxygen or air. Most metals at high temperature are oxidized; however, gold and silver are non-oxidizing metals. If the ore containing silver is placed into a furnace built of clay, the oxidizing metals are absorbed into the clay, leaving a more pure silver residue. Repetition of this process further refines the silver as more of the impurities are absorbed at each step of oxidation, a process is called cupellation.

High purity silver is a valued product, today as well as in the times when David was writing the Psalms. Of much more value than pure silver are the flawless words of God that we find in the scriptures. Whereas the value of silver floats in the marketplace, depending on the current or perceived supply-demand situation, the Word of God is always of infinite value.
When we hear God speak, the smart thing to do is listen and follow what He says.

Reunion Scheduled!

Who in the annuals of history would you like to see face-to-face?
- Heroes of the faith from the Bible
- Martyrs from years ago
- Historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo
- Great men and women from American history
- Family members we never knew or met, especially those who for one reason or another died soon after birth, such as my brother, or as a result of a miscarriage, both children and grandchildren.

Won’t heaven be the greatest family reunion ever?

But most of all, what will it be like to see Jesus, the Son of God, one day? Psalm 11:7 (NIV) states “For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.”

Who Hears an Orphan's Cry?

Psalm 10:17-18 (NIV) “You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”

According to some information I read on the Voice of the Orphan website www.voiceoftheorphan.com, the United Nations counts 143 million kids around the world as orphans.

That’s an amazing statistic. God hears their cry. Do we?

God's Justice

Equitable justice involves punishment of the guilty as well as vindication of those who have been oppressed and unjustly wronged. Individuals as well as nations are subject to the Heavenly judicial system. God judges nations for their wrongdoing. All of us as individuals are accountable to God for what we have done and have failed to do.

In Psalm 9 (NASB), David declares the following concerning God’s justice:
“The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed”
“You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.“
”He does not forget the cry of the afflicted”
“For the needy will not always be forgotten, Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.”

What level of responsibility might we as believers have in alleviating the problems faced by the oppressed, the afflicted, or the needy of this world? Matthew 25:40 (NASB) states, “The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'”

In Praise of the Majesty of God

I ended the blog yesterday with the question, “How big is your God?” When we contemplate the greatness, the majesty, of God, where do we begin? One way to begin to fathom the magnificence of God is to take a look at His physical creation. A trip to the mountains brings reminders of the greatness of God’s creation; but a night view of the heavens from the top of a mountain puts the size of God relative to everything else into even more perspective. In the verses from Psalm 8 noted below, David, upon considering God’s creation, asks the question, “… what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

Psalm 8 (NIV) “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

How much does God care for us? When God ordains praise from the lips of the little ones of the earth, how much more should those of us who are adults praise him for his majesty and glory? Why would God honor man with the responsibility of ruling over his creation? Love can be the only answer, because God is love.

Who is My Shield?

When men go into battle, there is always a need to ensure that the necessary defensive covering for the body is available. At the time the Bible was written, one of the major items of defense was the shield. In Psalm 7:9-10, the psalmist declares “God Most High” to be his shield from “the violence of the wicked.”

The passage of scripture we studied this morning was from 1 Peter 1. Verses 3-5 (NIV) read as follows: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Peter indicates that through faith we are shielded by God’s power. The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians (6:10-12), encouraged them to “put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” One piece of that armor was the shield of faith.

I have two choices in facing the challenges of live. I can stand directly in the line of fire and handle the situation on my own, or I can choose by faith to stand behind my shield, the Lord Most High. Note that God does not always choose to remove us from the battle for our safety. He may choose to allow us to remain within the struggle in order to strengthen our shield of faith. It seems to me that those who have trusted in their shield in the past are more prepared to handle the next struggle that will come.

I have heard people ask the question, “How big is your God?” Maybe that’s how big my shield is also.