A Year to Remember

Psalm 90:10 says, “The length of our days is seventy years---or eighty if we are strong.” But it seems more people now celebrate centennial birthdays.

A friend enjoys updating me on these events since I once commented that I’d prefer not to live to be a hundred. But then, nineteen years ago, people wondered if I’d even live this long! I was challenged by Stage 3 Breast Cancer and IBS (Inflammatory Breast Cancer).

Psalm 118 reminds me of several reasons to give God thanks. He is good; His loving devotion endures forever (Psalm 118:1).

1. I was diagnosed with cancer, but then learned my insurance was canceled. Even my agent didn’t know the company had gone under.
2. She finally obtained coverage, but all services were in Phoenix, Arizona, two hours from where I lived.
3. I was away for nine months (chemo, surgery, and radiation), but God had me covered. We had previously purchased a 2 BD/1BA co-op in Phoenix for a fun little getaway.

In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered . . . I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:5-6).   

1. While living alone, I studied God’s word daily. It gave me hope and strength, for which I am still grateful.
2. I considered God my Great Physician and the medical personnel His helpers. I committed every appointment, test, and treatment to God, praying they would “see, say, and do only His will for me.”
3. I asked God to give me a life scripture to cling to. One day, Psalm 118:17 stood out to me and wouldn’t go away: I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done. I try to do that any way I can. 

You are my God, and I will give You thanks . . . and exult You (Psalm 118:28). 

1. As I was alone day after day, I felt the Comforting Presence of God.
2. I am thankful for a caring congregation that gave my husband permission to be with me as often as possible.
3. I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and God’s goodness and mercy continue to follow me (Psalm 23:4,6; Lamentations 3:22-25).

ALL PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY TO ALMIGHTY GOD!

Pixabay: Silhouette of a joyful woman with raised arms at an orange sunset over the sea; geralt.

What Keeps Us From God's Blessings?

Would you rather read the Psalms or Revelation? I’d rather read the Psalms, but I’ve also been reading Revelation. Did you know it opens with two promised blessings? One is to those who read this book aloud, and the other is to those who hear and obey what they read (Revelation 1:3).

I am seeing clarity in some things, but I was surprised that Psalm 95 came to mind when reading Revelation 9:20-21.

Great destruction had come upon the earth as seven seals were broken and six trumpets sounded (Revelation 6-9). Earth, sky, sea, and all that were in them had suffered death and great loss. You would think people would be calling to God for mercy.

Instead, we read that people still did not repent of the works of their hands, worship of demons and idols, murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft (Revelation 9:20-21). In Ephesians 5:3-12, Paul also says God’s wrath comes upon such disobedience.

There’s the answer. What keeps us from God’s blessings? Disobedience. In the Bible we read God’s will, yet many harden their hearts against it. Not many would call God a liar to His face, but John says, “Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar” (I John 5:10).

The promise of eternal life in God’s Presence (heaven) is given to us through Jesus, God’s Son (John 3:16-18; I John 5:11-12). But the clincher is having faith, choosing to believe God’s good news (Hebrews 4:1-2). Hell is a real place, too, and hardened hearts are labeled “wicked” (Hebrews 3:12). 

Psalm 95 says there are three things we can do to be blessed of God. By faith (trust), we:

• Enter His Presence with thanksgiving and joyful song (v. 2)
• Humble ourselves to worship Him (v.6; Isaiah 66:2b).
• Do not harden our hearts when we hear His voice (v. 8)

The opposite of these keeps us from God’s blessings. By unbelief (mistrust), we:

• Have ungrateful hearts
• Choose not to worship or submit to Him
• Harden our hearts against His truth

Which category applies to you? If you are in category two, you can move to category one by asking God for fresh hope and a fresh start, as David did in Psalm 51:10-12. 

Where you will spend eternity is a personal choice.

   

How Do You Connect With People?

You can be part of a group and still be alone. When we worked with a senior group called 55 +/-, I noticed that those who declared people were unfriendly also came late to class and left early. Neither did they sign up for any of our extra activities.

Daily life is full of small opportunities. Sometimes we’re on the giving end. We invite someone to lunch, bring a treat to the office, or phone our “Happy Birthday” to someone far away. At other times, we’re on the receiving end. How do we respond?

Last week I encouraged you to join a group that could help bring some good into the world. I’m thankful for every group that helps people with medical needs, housing, food, rehab options, and more. They wouldn’t exist without members.

I’ve been enjoying the Book of Romans. In Chapter One, Paul said he prayed for the people and longed to see them (Romans 1:9-11). He said he was ready to preach the gospel, but (since he wasn’t there), he wrote it for them.

His closing, in Chapter 16, caught my interest. Paul greeted 27 specific individuals, but he also greeted 6 groups of people. Read this chapter for yourself! It’s well worth your time.

Have you ever had someone say, “Tell (someone) hello for me when you talk to them.” Have you said, “I will,” then crossed it off as unimportant? People like to be remembered, and such greetings help build a bond of unity, no matter the distance.

In the days of the Jesus Movement, Kurt Kaiser wrote a song called *Pass It On. The refrain says: “It only takes a spark to get a fire going. And soon all those around will warm up to its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it; you spread the love to everyone; you want to pass it on.”

This week, how will you connect with people? Don’t discount tiny sparks of joy, kindness, faith, or love. Pass them on!

Pixabay: Light, Calls, Fire; MULTIMEDIOSDS.

Pass It On, Kurt Kaiser, C 1969. Check it out on Hymnary.org or other online sources.

 

Do You Belong to a Group?

Have you heard of a gaggle of geese? When it comes to people, it’s called a group, and groups come in various forms.

The first group is an organized assemblage, or body of people, as opposed to a crowd, which can be a mass, a mob, or a swarm of human beings. The second group is a family, tribe, or race.

The first group is by choice; the second is by chance.

Our lives are made up of both kinds. For example, you may have attended an elementary school based on the community where you lived. Then in school, you were assigned a grade level; however, within that grade you chose personal friends, or they chose you.

Either way, there’s something satisfying about being part of a group that shares common goals and a unified purpose.

That stands in great contrast to a crowd that can assemble on a whim. You see it daily; mobs wreaking havoc and creating hardship for whatever group or ideology the leaders have decided to attack.

Here’s some good advice: Do not follow a crowd in wrongdoing (Exodus 23:2). Can you imagine such ancient wisdom still being true for us moderns?

Isaiah pictures crowd violence as a troubled sea, churning up mire and muck (Isaiah 57:20). Paul throws out a couple of questions for you, too: (1) How can righteousness partner with wickedness, and (2) What fellowship does light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14).

The Old Testament asks, “Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?” (Amos 3:3). And the New Testament reminds us to pursue faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).

Choices are an important part of life. Whatever our choice, it should be reflected in the group(s) we choose.

There are many ways to belong to a group, in person or on social media. So, go ahead; make a choice. Live life to the full. Set yourself free from isolation and loneliness and help bring some good into this world.

Pixabay: Geese, Wild Geese, Waterfowl; Alexas_Fotos.  

Ten Ways to Avoid Being a Fool

No one wants to be called a fool, yet they’re all around us. We all make personal choices. A fool is someone who lacks good sense, makes stupid decisions, and deals with their life in a thoughtless, careless, and irresponsible way. Both men and women can act like fools.

Hopefully you won’t see yourself anywhere on this list:  

1. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1)*
2. A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless. (Proverbs 14:16)
3. It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel. (Proverbs 20:3)
4. A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back. (Proverbs 29:11)
5. Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. (Proverbs 14:1)
6. He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20)
7. The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 27:12)
8. A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray. (Proverbs 12:26)
9. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of a fool spouts folly. (Proverbs 15:2)
10. The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse. (Proverbs 10:32)

Here are three things you can do if you don’t want to be a fool:

• Start being wise; have a respectful fear of God (Proverbs 9:10)
• Be willing to listen to good counsel (Proverbs 12:15)
• Read the Scriptures for yourself to be wise (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

Wise people use good judgment and common sense. They carefully consider their ways. You will not find them in the careless “eat, drink, and be merry” crowd because they thoughtfully consider the results of their decisions.  

If you fit any of the foolish categories, make a wise decision now to change your ways. If you sincerely want to change, God will help you. Call upon Him, as David did in Psalm 51:17: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 

*Scriptures are from: The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB. Copyright 2022 by Bible Hub. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Pixbay: Question, Thinking; Mohamed_hassan.

Who Will You Trust?

Before Johnny Carson became host of The Tonight Show, he hosted a game show called “Who Do You Trust?” Contestants were couples. The host would announce the question's category, the husband would choose whether to trust himself or his wife to answer, and then the question was given.

The game is long gone, but the basic question of trust still exists. Jesus acknowledged life’s troubles; however, He also offered us hope and peace in Him (John 16:33).

When things go well, we’re on the mountain top. Things down in the valley look so small. But down in the valley, those little things loom over us like dark shadows. Negative thoughts and feelings fill us with despair.

I’m not talking about deep clinical depression, which can last for weeks or months. It completely disrupts daily life and needs medical help to recover.

I’m talking about a temporary emotional reaction to stress and hard life events. You continue to function while acknowledging negative emotions and engaging in some self-talk for improvement.

In Psalm 42, the psalmist sets the example. First, he asks, “Why am I downcast and inwardly disturbed?” (v. 5, 11). Then he shares what he intends to do:

• Look up and remember good things God has done (v. 4, 6)
• Give God praise (v. 5, 11)
• Pray; God is still with me (v. 8)
• Hope in God (v. 5, 11)

He chooses to capture his thoughts. The New Testament advises this, too (2 Corinthians 10:4). You’re the captain of your own ship when it comes to your thoughts.

Are you stuck in a negative cycle of fear, unsettling or anxious thoughts? Do you desire a change?

Start by putting your trust in God. Here are three good reasons: (1) He will never lie (Numbers 23:19), (2) Jesus intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:14-16), and (3) God will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Hebrews 13:5b).

Who will you trust? Make your choice and get started.

Say, “I will yet praise Him and pour out my soul” (Psalm 42:5, 11, 4). “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19).

You need not live in despair. 

Pixabay: Success, Man, Mountain; Tumisu.

Believe It Or Not, Part Two

Whenever someone says, “I’m a person of faith,” what do they mean? Faith and works create balance in our spiritual life, but have you heard this expression?  Don’t get the cart before the horse.

Let’s label the cart “works” and the horse “faith.” Good works can never save us. Ephesians 2:8-10 clearly teaches we are saved by faith, not by works. Good works are to follow faith and bring glory to God.  So, for Godly progress to be made, the horse (faith) has to come first, then the cart (works).

Our goal should be he same as Paul’s. Knowing his death was near, he wrote: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Faith is the source of many blessings in our present life. Let’s look at a few examples:

• Salvation (John 3:16-19)
• Healing (Mark 10:46-52)
• Wisdom (James 1:5-8)
• Spiritual Armor (Ephesians 6:10-17)
• Eternal Reward (Revelation 20:11-15)

Paul often prayed for believers. He asked God to: (1) help them live worthy of God’s calling, (2) give them power to do the good things their faith prompted them to do, and (3) that God would be honored by the way they lived (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). 

These things are still important.

As a believer, how committed are you? Do you follow these scriptural guidelines? Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

What About These Three Important Words?

1. Effort: That requires an output of energy; no sitting around wishing we knew the Scriptures better
2. Workman: Workers are not rewarded for non-effort; unashamed workmen report to work regularly
3. Handles: That means a personal reading of your Bible every day; Asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand its truth

Maybe you’ve heard this song: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus . . . No Turning Back. Jesus said, “The one who perseveres to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

Believe it (endure and persevere), or not!

Pixabay: Search, Find, News; mohamed_hassen.