Reflections for June 2017

He is the God who seeks the doubters and those who are overwhelmed with their failures. He is the God who pursues the one who is wandering on the mountain side. Yet, He is the God who waits patiently for the prodigal to "come to his senses" and return to His love and provision.
He is the God whose love will never let go.

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History's Last Chapter:
"The earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Today's History:
"The Lord is on His throne: let all the world be silent before Him."

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Be at peace:  He knows

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Be at peace:  With all His heart, He cares.

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His eye is on the sparrow.

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"Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails; heaven and earth may pass away, but Jesus never fails."

Counting Blessings

These are a few of my favorite things: (No, there's no music)

My family
Being at a baseball game (combining those Saturday!)
Country living--even the noise is serene
Expository teaching--and the old hymns
Teenagers--it's a disease I have
Reading and writing and . . . more reading and writing (not that other stuff--I'm a Christian)
Soft rains
Watching thunderstorms at night in the darkness
Walking at night in a heavy, wet snowfall
Duck dinner for a holiday--well, for any day
Gentleness
The beauty of The Acres
Surprises at The Acres--get some every year (though the biggest so far has to be the goldfish in the pond)
Dead rodents
Sitting in silence with a friend for whom just each other's presence is enough
Art galleries
Giving secretly
Students who demonstrate scholarship
Cars that run
Alarm clocks that purr
A Reuben sandwich--but not on rye--and with a cold Pepsi
Simple elegance
The words, "I love you."--spoken to others and received from others (One of the many things God started.)
Puns--the groanier the better
Iris
The Old Testament prophets: "Thus, says the Lord!"

Hmmmmmmm. I guess that's more than a few. Hard to stop once you start! I think that it's going to take all of eternity to list each blessing. And we'll probably run out of time.

Lessons

There's a lesson in the book of Daniel that we often overlook. When Daniel stood before Belshazzar to reveal to him the meaning of the writing on the wall, he made a sobering comment, "you have not humbled your heart even though you knew all this." What did the king know that he had ignored? The lesson God had taught Nebuchadnezzar about humility and the source of all power--God Himself. First, that's a lesson it would do well for all politicians to meditate on. Their position of authority was God-given, and He, consequently, expects them at act on His behalf--to do what He would do. If God decided to write on the office walls of our leaders, could make for some sobering reading.
But there's another important lesson here; the one we seem to gloss over. When God "teaches someone else a lesson," He expects me to learn from it as well. Not only expects, He holds me accountable to have learned the lesson and to have applied it to my behavior. Second-hand learning is a part of God's lesson plans--for everyone, not just His people. Paying attention?

Disciples

The passion--the deepest desire of the heart of every disciple--is to be more like the--like his--Master. It is his prayer that in his spontaneous interactions with all the people in his life, and in his spontaneous response to every situation, and in his spontaneous reactions each day to all things that the only possible explanation will be, "he has been with Jesus." If that is not my prayer, if I am holding on to any vestige of myself, I have not yet embraced discipleship. If my heart's murmur is, I will allow Him to transform me as He desires unless it costs me earthly security. . . unless it costs me the approval of men . . . unless it costs me my "dream" of success. . . unless it costs me. . . than I am still demanding of Him that He share the throne as Lord of my life. As if such a thing is even remotely possible.
And discipleship begins with--not actions, though actions will follow--but with a way of thinking--a commitment to have the mind of Christ. "Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus." And that is not "mind" as in intellectual prowess, but "mind" as in a deep humility to surrender all rights to oneself in order to be the servant of all: to set aside all reputation and to take on the form of a servant, and to be obedient unto death. The true disciple pours himself out for others, becomes a spontaneous servant, and remains devoted to doing both until death--knowing that it is only then--joyously then--that the transformation into His likeness will be complete. "When I see Him, I will be like Him."
It is through His Spirit's transforming me into His image that I can touch the lives of others and encourage them to embrace genuine discipleship--the journey of lifelong transformation. No other way will do. All my heart, soul, mind, and strength will be wasted unless I love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. All. For then, and only then, I will find myself capable though the life of the Spirit within me of loving others as the Triune God loves them. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."

"Greater love has no man than this to lay down His life."

"The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

"O to be like Thee blessed Redeemer, this is my constant longing and prayer; gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art! Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness, stamp Thine own image deep on my heart"

"Go into all the world and make disciples."

A Life of Trust

For those who have placed their trust in Him:

"The Lord willing" is the bedrock on which they build all their plans--confidently.
Sorrow--but not as those who have no hope.
Home, Hope, and Heaven are synonyms for the catalyst that deepens their loving obedience to Him in the present tense.
Pray about everything--everything "big" or "small"--with the patient expectation that His answer will deepen their understanding of His love and His wisdom.
Are always busy counting their blessings. Too busy counting to murmur or complain.
All that they have belongs unequivocally to Him and the furtherance of His kingdom--everything: their time, their resources, their possessions, their children. All to Jesus they surrender--all. Freely.
Pray for opportunities to give as secretly as possible to those in need--whatever they need.
When they see the world broken, hurting, violent, disillusioned, searching for meaning in stuff and the esteem of others, lost, rebellious, they respond with broken-hearts of love and compassion--with weeping intercession.
The word "duty" in their dictionary has been replaced with the word "joy."
Love the fellowship of other believers--other "trusters."
Sit under the Word expecting to hear the Spirit's voice--lean not on their own understanding.

"I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus--trusting only Thee"

To Make a Difference

To make a difference:

Listen more than you speak.
Don't let your "bad day" become everyone else's "bad day."
Say, "Thank you."
Answer softly.
Accept His forgiveness
Don't try to do the things only God can do. Or tell Him how to do them. Or when.
Think Scripture.
Be sure those who disappoint you know above all else how deeply you love them.
Spend time alone.
Knowing He has numbered your days, make this day count for Him.
Realize that when you get weary in doing well, it's because you're relying on your own strength and not His.
Esteem every one higher than you esteem yourself

God Most High

When God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, He revealed Himself as God Most High. He, of course, was not suggesting that of all the gods, He was at the top, but that He was The God, The Most High. His message--"I humble the proud." Always. Who are the proud? Those who look over what they have accomplished and exclaim: "I did this. Not God. Me. Am I great, or what?" Woe, to the man or woman or nation that believes that. If plans are not made according to God's leading and in agreement with God's definition of truth and justice, those plans will fail. If a nation thinks that its military power and prowess make it invincible, God can destroy it in a day. He has in the past. When a people believe that they have the right to declare their own morality, they are on the slippery slope to hedonism--and the destruction of all things good. We need to pray for leaders that make their plans and decide on the solutions to our problems on their knees. We need to pray that our leaders will understand our vulnerability to defeat and destruction when we trust in our chariots and horses and not in Him. We need to pray for leaders who embrace God as the only source of truth and justice. And, even more importantly, we need to make our plans and approach our struggles on our knees. We need to quit trusting in our horses and chariots to give us the victory. We need to live by His definition of truth and justice. 

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee."

Promises

Some of the promises of God are beyond my human comprehension. Of course, at the ripe old age of 71, I have had many of His promises proven to me through my experiences, through my walking daily with Him. Many of those promises He has proven to me over and over again. Oh me, of little faith! I have found Him faithful--always. And patient. The ways He has transformed me so that I don't even recognize myself at times is amazing. Unbelievable. Such a Potter!
One promise beyond my understanding--I'm sure I've mentioned it before--is His promise to transform me for eternity into someone who will not even want to--be capable of--sinning. How can that be? knowing myself the way I do--impossible. Yet, I know that He is the omnipotent God who created the universe just by speaking it into existence. I know that He has destroyed the power of sin and death over His redeemed ones. I know that He can save sinners to the uttermost. And I know that He has promised it will be so--sworn on His character as God--the God who cannot lie--that it will be so. He will make me immortal and incorruptible, joint heir with His Son--my Savior. I can't "see" it happening, but I believe it. His omnipotence is unquestionable. I have found His faithfulness unconditional. I have found His Word always trustworthy.
I also struggle with His promise to wipe away all my tears--and even more incomprehensible--the sorrow beneath them. As an example, as it stands today--in my earthy vision--many of the people I have loved in my past, and many of the people I love now, love the most deeply and profoundly, appear to be headed to a Christ-less eternity. How can He wipe away that sorrow? An eternity without them--I can't imagine. But then, I remember Him--the man of sorrows--standing on a hill overlooking Jerusalem weeping for those He had sought over and over and over again to come and rest under His wings of love. And they had refused. They would within hours shout for Him to be crucified knowing He was innocent. They would walk by the foot of His cross and mock Him. Yet, He, in a sorrow deeper than mine could ever be--who has a heart of love like God's heart?--wept for them--and prayed for them that they would find forgiveness for what they had done. And I will never know the sorrow He felt on the cross: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" There is no sorrow to compare with that broken heart. And, so, though I do not understand, I know His heart, His love, His tears--and I believe that my broken-hearted Savior of eternal love will do all things well--wipe away my tears and sorrows with His eternal presence.
I do not understand. I cannot comprehend. But Him I know. Him I love above all others. Him I trust in all things. So, by His grace, I will today and every tomorrow that He gives me, and in the eternity to come be found--again only by His grace--"standing on the promises of Christ my King." The promises of the Omnipotent King of Eternal Love.

The Gospel

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes"

"Now I made known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you were saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"

"But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed."

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."

"Saved by grace alone! This is all my plea: Jesus died for all mankind, and Jesus died for me."