The Lord

As the psalmist reminds us:

The Lord is our strength. We need not--dare not--rely on our own. We have received the power of the Spirit to enable us to do all things through Him. He has never called us to do anything without granting us the strength we need to fulfill the calling.

The Lord is our shield. Our faith in His protecting presence enables us to resist the darts of the evil one. We are promised that if we resist the enemy armored up, that he will flee. Greater is He who is in us.

The Lord is our love. He is the One--the Love of our life--who calls us to obedience, to rest in His inescapable love for us.

The Lord is our help. Our help comes from the Lord in every situation. The mountains in our path, the giants looming before us have no chance against our "very present help in time of trouble."

The Lord is our joy. In the deepest sorrow, His joy that endured the cross is ours so that we can exult His name in every situation. And our joyous exultation builds within in us the power of endurance and perseverance so vital to our daily walk with Him.

The Lord is our song. The sacrifice of praise speaks to our hearts, to the hearts of those around us, and even to His heart our King and Redeemer--our Strength, our Shield, our Love, our Help, our Joy.

Foundations

David cried out in hopelessness: "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
Then, the Spirit reminded him, "The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven."
It's never hopeless. He Lives! He Reigns!


Remember the old hymn?


How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, to you, who for refuge to Jesus hath fled? To you, who for refuge to Jesus hath fled?
"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am Thy God, I will still give thee aid; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause you to stand, upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand, upheld by My gracious omnipotent hand.
"When t...hro' the deep waters I call thee to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; for I will be with thee thy trials to bless, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
"When thro' fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be they supply, the flames shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine, thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine."


The Foundation that can't be destroyed:

The Word of God:


Restores the soul
Makes wise the simple
Rejoices the heart
Enlightens the eyes
Warns
Rewards
Keeps from presumptuous sins

In need of any of those? Find your Bible, open it, read it.

Armed

God gives each of us different weapons in our battle with the world. Some are armed with the gift of encouragement. Some are armed with the gift of creativity. Some are armed with the gift of listening. Some are armed with the gift of graciousness. Some are armed with resources to invest in His kingdom. Some are armed with the treasure of little children to raise up to serve Him. Some are armed with patience. Some are armed with the gift of comforting that comes only ...with the gift of suffering. Some are armed with the witness that they are waiting confidently for the good that is coming. Some are armed with the beauty of caring for others who are in need of great care and love. Some are armed with a servant's heart that tirelessly works behind the scenes content without a word of recognition. But it takes each of us using our "weapons" in His strength to make Him---and all that He is--visible to a seeking world.

The Attaining of Patience

"strengthened with all power . . . for the attaining of patience."

 It takes total reliance on the power of God to become a patient disciple--to let patience have its perfecting work in our lives. What are the characteristics of a patient saint? Consistency--not letting the circumstances of life or the behavior of others change who I am--is certainly one. If I let events or people keep me from being a kind, loving, compassionate Christian, I am lacking patience. If I "jump... to conclusions" about others and their motives, I am lacking in patience. If circumstances or people undermine that other fruit of the Spirit--self-control, I am lacking in patience. i believe it all comes down to that first descriptor of a true disciple--"If anyone will be my disciple, let him deny himself." The impatient saint is the self-centered saint, the saint who has put himself and what he wants, above others. He thinks only about his own needs and desires. Never, ever will he put the needs and desires of others above his own. And, of course, it takes the Spirit's power to "chip away" at my natural self-centeredness.
We need to pray for patience. Patience leaves room for spiritual growth in others. Patience empowers me to wait confidently on the good work God is doing in my life and others. Patience allows God to mold me into one who is faithful no matter what comes into my life--to be one of His faithful remnant in the worst of times. Patience enables me to be a listener, someone who people can come to for acceptance, loving advice, and encouragement. We have need of patience to become a mature disciple of Christ in whatever ministry God calls us to. Pray for patience.

Who You Are

This is how God sees you:

His friend
His beloved child
His adopted, chosen child
A joint-heir with His Son
One of the sheep of His pasture
His letter to the world perfumed with the sense of His presence
Saint--Set apart one--holy one
More than conqueror
Overcomer of the world
The inner sanctuary of His temple where the Holy Spirit dwells
A member of the royal priesthood
His light in the dark world
A vessel He has molded into exactly what He needs and then filled with His glory to perform His sacred purpose at this time and in this place
His workmanship of grace--His masterpiece--His poem
A Majestic one
A tree planted by the rivers of water
A branch abiding in Him, bearing fruit for His glory
His own eternal possession

And if He sees you that way . . . Guess what you are?

Self-examination

Self-examination is essential for the disciple. As I heard a pastor say once, "Keep in touch with your depravity." Now, the purpose of that exam is not so that you will throw a huge pity party, or question God's ability to use you, or be overwhelmed by your struggle toward Christ-likeness. (The struggle is dynamic prove of discipleship. He is working in your life!) The purposes for self-examination are diverse but powerful. The more I see myself as He sees me the more amazed I am at His grace and love. He saved me by His grace. He now sustains me by His grace. Understanding the deep love of God for me as I am motivates me to serve Him through the love of my obedience. How can I not respond to His love but by being obedient?! Sel-examination also enables me to love others as He does--as they are on their own journey to Christ-likeness. It quickly enlightens me to my own weaknesses and removes any thoughts of judging the weaknesses of others. We are on this journey together--and the end is promised: when we see Him we will be like Him. There is great humility to be found in self-examination. Self-examination also reminds me of my dependence on Him for spiritual growth--I cannot maufacture spiritulality--only the Spirit can transform me. I am the clay pot. He is the power and the treasure in the vessel that makes it fit for the Master's use--as He sees fit. Self-examination as a catalyst for my amazement at His great love, as a lesson in humility in my interactions with the rest of His children, and as a reminder of my total dependence on His power is vital to my walk and growth.

Uh-ohs

It's early. Perhaps when the routine of school sets in, I'll settle into a somewhat normal sleep pattern. Perhaps.
I've been sitting in the chair by the front doorwindow looking into the darkness of the morningnight. Unfortunately, my mind became distracted by my Uh-ohs.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings, and I still have four flower beds I need to re-do. And it's supposed to rain every day until the middle of next week. I hate the uh-ohs of unfulfilled goals.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings, and when I look at the piles of books I had hoped to read this summer in the pursuit of the next "soul book," there are least twenty I didn't get to. (Maybe if I had quit ordering more . . . Three are in the mail now.) I hate the uh-ohs of missed opportunities.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings begin, and I just found out yesterday afternoon that the number of students I have in AP English has risen from 23 to 31. You would think after all these years I would know to wait to order copies from Wes (WCS will have to shut down if we ever lose Wes) until all the schedule changes were in. But did I? Nope. Hey, I've only been at this now for about fifty years. But now, I'll need to go in to school and run off more copies. (Actually, I shouldn't complain. That's kinda a partial answer to my prayers. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone, but I was praying all summer that they wouldn't be able to find a teacher for the College Credit Plus class. I confess, I am a jealous egotist. I don't like the idea of any seniors graduating without my having a chance to touch their lives with my favorite soul books and a deeper understanding of the Lover of their Souls. Jealousy! Spiritual Pride! Guilty as charged.) Anyway, now I have to run off some more copies. I hate the frustration of messing up my own plans.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. The frustration of goals unreached, opportunities missed, plans gone awry. Such noise in my brain though I sit in the dark stillness of a morningnight.

But wait. Sitting in the darkness, one of my favorite poems by Wendell Berry slipped in among the Uh-ohs.

"Best of any song
is bird song
in the quiet, but first
you must have the quiet."

I have the quiet! I am sitting in the hush of the morningnight this very moment. Ah, stillness. Any minute now the Morrow County Tabernacle Choir will begin its oratorio. Meditating on that wonder easily dispels the noise of all the Uh-ohs in my brain. And I think I can imagine how it will begin. The "sweet, sweet, sweet" of the cardinals nestled into the quiet background cooing of the mourning doves. Shhh. Any moment it will begin--in the quiet. Bird song.

If you're up in time, I hope you're listening. I hope you don't let your Uh-ohs--goals not reached, opportunities missed, plans gone awry--mess up the soul-quieting joy of the concert. It will be magnificent. Listen. (No wonder His eye is on each sparrow--beautiful members of His early morning choir.)

Sh. Listen.

Sorry. You're frustration with your Uh-ohs is ruining the quiet. I'm going to leave you. Bye. It's symphony time.

Sweet, sweet--cooooooo. Sweet-cooooo-sweet. Coo-sweet-ooo.

A Teacher's Prayer List

One week from today I will be standing in my classroom ready to start another year of teaching. If the Lord brings me to your mind once in awhile, here's what you can pray for:

Physical health and strength. I need it.
I am continuing to meditate upon a question I encountered in my reading: "What is the soul meaning of education?" Important question to consider, don't you think? As the Spirit teaches me what is required to "educate" the souls of my students, pray that He will empower me to do so even if/even when it conflicts with education as we practice it today.
As always, pray that whenever a student thinks, "I have Mr. Iten's class next," that they will feel that there, in that place, they will be safe academically, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. (Even if they haven't done their work. =))
That each day He will make me sensitive to the needs of each student.
That each day I will rely on the Spirit's power and insights and not my own. That my agenda will never interfere with His.

Thanks

Seeds

In the soil of a sorrowing heart two things can grow: joy or bitterness. The fruit of joy is spiritual strength and perseverance, a sensitive heart to the sorrow of others, faithful discipleship. The fruit of bitterness is tears with no comfort, a contagious discontent, a loss of the sense of His presence. The water that brings forth bitterness is self-pity, a denial of God's goodness. Bitterness produces a sorrow that brings forth death. The water that brings forth joy is a heart of submission to His will, a confidence in His goodness, a focus on the needs of others. Your choice.

Do

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." What if we actually lived that admonition? Me. You. Enemies. Political leaders. Governments? Immigrants? Widows? Orphans?Those of a different political persuasion? When I reacted to my students? When I tipped my waitress? When someone I know needs help? Comfort? What would my day be like then--if? What would our nation be like? What would the world be like? I can't make my neighbor, my friends, my family, my enemies live that way. But I can choose to live so.

Complacency

The best way to battle spiritual complacency--to not "forget" how much He did for me--is to remember. How often do you read the gospel story of His sacrifice on your behalf? How often do you wander through the crowd as they shout "Crucify Him! We have no king but Caesar!" How often do you mingle with those who mock Him as He hangs on the cross? You were there. I was there. Remember. Daily. For you, He died. "For me, to live is Christ."

Communion

Every moment of every day He is with you--you are in His presence. It's not that He's watching you, but with you! His very Spirit lives within you. You are the clay pot filled with His glory. How many of those moments then are holy? Sacred? Shouldn't each day of our lives--each moment--be a sabbath day of worship, a feast day, a day of celebration? Shouldn't the joy of His presence be seen in my every action, every reaction, every encounter with others, every richly mundane task we do together? Whatever He has called me to do, is it not a sacred, holy calling? The Christian life is a daily walk with Him. The Christian life is a daily dance with Him. "There is nothing more extraordinary then the ordinary." Live lives of Holy purpose, Holy joy, holy celebration. Live a life of communion with Him

Despair

Someone has said that "despair is the greatest sin." Despair denies the love of God, the faithfulness of God, the promise of God--"I am at work doing good, doing good for you, even in the evil." We must plead with God each day to give us a sense of His presence. Then, like Joseph, in a pit, as a slave, apparently forgotten in a prison, we can continue to live a faithful life. "God means it for good" will be our constant testimony--the focus of our prayers and thoughts. And we will be heart-broken when those perpetrators of evil don't understand that He desires to do good in their lives as well. Joseph's brothers and their families were delivered from the famine because God used their evil to save them all. Such a realization should have produced a thankful joy not fear--a broken-heart of repentance. God died for us. God loves us because He wants to not because He has to--we are precious to Him. The storm is not a reason to despair. The storm is the catalyst for the beauty of the rainbows He spreads across our life over and over and over again.

"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations brings about patient endurance, and patient endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Reflections from July 2018

The longer I live the one truth that amazes me more and more--the truth that stirs my heart and takes my breath away--is this: He died for me. For me. He didn't have to--He chose to.
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Remember!  Never forget!  You are His child.  He delights in you.
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Plead with Him to give you the vision to see all the people you encounter each day as He sees them.  Then, you can respond to each of them each day as He would respond.
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The focus of our prayers must always be that the answer to our prayers bring glory to Him alone.
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Remembering His past faithfulness with thankful praise strengthens me in the midst of today's warfare.
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Being obedient while waiting on God is the evidence to the watching world of my faith in His loyal love, wisdom, and goodness.
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"Young man--
Young man--
Your arm's too short to box with God."  (James Weldon Johnson)
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"In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus."  In His will today?
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His return is one day nearer,  Faithfully serve Him, urgently seek the lost, use your calling to reflect His love, kindness, and goodness.  Live lives of expectancy.
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A soldier doesn't put on his armor in the midst of the battle.  He puts it on before the battle begins.  Do you begin each day armored up--on your knees?
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Remember the Christian life:  you are either in a storm or one's coming.  Your only hope to withstand the storm is daily obedience.
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Spiritual prosperity begins with a humble heart.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit."
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He's coming again.  And no one will doubt His arrival.
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Remember His words:  "Without Me, you can do nothing."  Nothing.
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Start each day at the foot of the cross so that you can live each day in the power and the promise of the empty tomb.
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The peace of God can be accessed in only one way. "Be anxious for nothing, but my prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which is beyond human understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." There is a direct correlation between God's peace in our lives day by day, moment by moment, and our obedience to the command, "Pray without ceasing."
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Each and every day I must surrender my life to Him--each moment must be His, each interaction with others must be His, each choice must be His. "Moment by moment I'm kept in His love." Moment by moment I must lavish that love on others. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."