The Weight of Waiting

In our modern times, not many of us are open to waiting. In those times, we can feel weighed down. That’s to say we feel burdened, pressed, or even depressed.

I’ve experienced times of waiting for answered prayers. One was during nine months of treatments for cancer, away from my husband due to insurance availability. Another was the day-by-day strength and wisdom needed to be a family caregiver.

I found a way to endure the weight of waiting.

It began with a daily reading of the Psalms. I had previously kind of passed them by as records of sorrow and crying out to God. This time I read them all, and found many uplifting psalms of praise and good reports.

While being treated for Stage Three Breast Cancer in 2007, Psalm 40 became a favorite. Like David, I poured out my heart to the LORD. His Presence was very real as He lifted me out of despair and gave me a song of praise (Psalm 40:1-3).  

I knew he heard my prayers, but I had to wait for His answers.  Years later, a neighbor said, “I’m sure you’re always waiting for the next shoe to drop.” I said, “No, not at all. God heard my prayers and gave me a good report, so by His grace I keep moving on.”

David knew about the pit of despair. But he also knew the way out was to trust in the LORD (v.2,4-5). Have you ever tried to walk in miry soil?  

Mud, of course, is soil mixed with water. While we may be glad for the rain, at times it may bring unexpected challenges.

David did not allow himself to get bogged down by circumstances. Not only did he have a new song to sing, but it was a delight to do God’s will while enjoying God’s mercy, loving devotion, and faithfulness (v 3, 8, 11).

The weight of waiting is a fact of life. David prayed honestly, “Hurry to help me, LORD. Don’t delay” (v. 13, 17). Meanwhile, he waited; he didn’t give up!  

Pixabay:

 

 

Shut In On Purpose

Usually, “shut-in” makes us think of someone who’s ill or has limited mobility. But did you notice the title lacked a dash? Today, I’m talking about being shut in by choice.

During devotional time, hymns or choruses often come to mind. Today, it was a chorus led by my dad. He had a good voice and would often lead the congregation in a chorus before preaching. No music needed.

I learned “Shut in with God” as a chorus. I didn’t know it was a song with three verses until I did a web search today. I found no record of who wrote it or when, but I’m retired and my memory of this song goes back about fifty years.

Let’s look at it closely:

Shut in with God in a secret place,

There in the Spirit beholding His face,

Gaining new power to run in the race.

I long to be shut in with God.

It came to mind today when I shut off my cell phone so I could concentrate on prayer.

Corporate prayers have their place, but private prayer is not to be neglected. Jesus often went by himself to pray (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35, for example).

In *Matthew 6:6, Jesus taught that we, too, should have a time of private prayer. He said, “Go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your heavenly Father. He will see your secret private prayer and reward you openly.”

Prayer is a healthy spiritual choice. Jude says we are to keep ourselves in God’s love and build ourselves up in our holy faith by prayer. (Jude 20-21).

It’s great to go to the gym and make healthy food choices for our physical bodies. But we need to apply the same care to our spiritual lives. The truth is that we make time for things that are important to us.

Do you make it a point to be shut in on purpose? Yes? Great! You know what a blessing it is.

No? Why not? It’s an important spiritual decision. Plan to make a change today!

Pixabay: Window/Door; AILes.

*Based on this scripture, the Kendrick Brothers created a popular movie called “War Room.” If you haven’t seen it, check it out online. It’s well worth your time.

  

How to Kill Off Stupidity

When and where did you learn life principles? Or, did you? When I was growing up, I not only learned such things at home, but also in church and at school.

I hear people complain that our culture is short on moral principles today. But my question is, “Who is teaching them?”

Reading Proverbs is not THE answer. But I think it’s ONE small step in the right direction for ALL mankind.

I have met many people who read a chapter of Proverbs a day. Some have done it for a lifetime. It’s thirty-one chapters, imagine that!

When you tire of reading it in one translation, why not try reading it in another? *It’s not hard to do these days.

Are you familiar with 2 Peter 1:1-10? It says by faith we receive the righteousness of God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are blessed with grace and peace, but there’s more!

Peter lays it out clearly in verses five through eight: Make every effort to add to your Faith.  As we mature in our Christian life, we should see growth in these areas: (1) Virtue, (2) Knowledge, (3) Self-control, (4) Perseverance, (5) Godliness, (6) Brotherly kindness, and (7) love.   

The Book of Proverbs has some things to teach us in the above areas. 1 Kings 4:29-34 says Solomon’s wisdom was known worldwide. Kings weren’t the only ones who sent envoys to listen to his wisdom.

The Queen of Sheba came to test him with hard questions, too. You can read all about it in 1 Kings 10:1-13.

The **Book of Proverbs is known as wisdom literature.

I believe we can kill off stupidity, but the best advice, even from the wisest man in the world, will do you no good just by reading.

The real value comes when you put it into action!

Pixabay: Puzzle, Sense, Non-Sense; geralt.

*I have the YouVersion Bible app on my phone, but there are others.

 **The majority of The Book of Proverbs is written by Solomon, but in later chapters, credit is given to two others.

  

I'm Not You

I’m not you, and you’re not me. Thank God we are not all alike. What a boring world that would be!

You would not want me to be your tailor! Neither would you want me to cut and style your hair, or bake your wedding cake! But if you’d like someone to read out loud to your kids, or teach them how to read, I’m your gal. I had teacher training.

God’s wisdom and creativity brought variety into this world. We enjoy it not only in the animal and plant kingdoms, but in humans as well.

We have different temperaments, gifts, abilities, mental capacities, and interests. Some of these are genetic, others develop from the families or even the countries into which we are born.

For example, France is known for its culinary schools, Australia for its sheep, and Argentina for its beef. So, we might see more chefs, sheep shearers, and ranchers in those places.

One person is no better than the other. Each of us has a place to fulfill, and we should appreciate and enjoy one another’s skills.

Don’t discount what you can do. A lady in one of our churches was known as “the cake lady.” She brought joy by remembering people’s birthdays with a cake. Another retired lady enjoyed taking to appointments those who could no longer drive. A woodworker created small crosses with JESUS beautifully carved in them.

In his wisdom, Solomon recognized a need for various skills. While requesting cedar and cypress logs from Lebanon to build the temple, he told King Hiram he would pay wages. Why? He said no one in Israel was as skilled in logging as the Sidonians. (I Kings 5:6).

Later, King Solomon built a fleet of ships. Once again, Hiram helped by sending seamen who knew the sea to help Solomon’s servants. (I Kings 9:26-27)

Have you thanked God for variety? Take a moment now to think of the interests, abilities, and skills you enjoy in your family and friends.

The old saying is, “Variety is the spice of life.” I, for one, say, "Thank God for that!"

 Pixabay:

 

Make Up Your Mind

Would you believe we are as happy as we make up our minds to be? When I was fighting breast cancer in 2007, I learned an important lesson: You can’t be both positive and negative at the same time.

Jesus said in the world we would have tribulation, but that in Him we could have peace, take courage, and overcome the world (John 16:33).

We can overcome in several ways. But one way is by carefully choosing what we let into our minds. To “let” means to allow something to happen. Thoughts, whether positive or negative, are what we choose to allow, tolerate, consent to, or even put up with at any given moment.

Here are three important overcomer guidelines:

1.    Don’t be anxious, pray to God about your concerns (Philippians 4:6)

2.    Let the peace of God rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:15)

3.    Let the word of Christ richly dwell in you (Colossians 3:16)

Question: How can the word of Christ dwell in you richly unless you know Scripture well? We can’t get by with only Sunday sermons and small group studies. Have you ever thanked God for a Bible in your language? Have you shown your appreciation by reading it daily?

We can get frustrated when non-godly thoughts, emotions, and attitudes seem to grip us.

But, we can also: 1) acknowledge our thoughts, 2) know God’s word, 3) ask the Holy Spirit to guide us to truth, and 4) speak appropriate scriptures out loud to rebuke Satan.

That’s what Jesus did in Matthew 4:1-11.

Joshua advised the people to: First, choose whom they would serve, then choose to serve Him in sincerity and truth (Joshua 24:14-15).

It’s not a one-and-done decision . . . it’s moment-by-moment…day-by-day.

Pixabay: Choice, Select, Decide; geralt. 

Inside Out

We don’t go around wearing our clothes inside out. Why not? I’d say it's because they were not made to be worn that way.

The inside is where seams, darts, hems, and thread marks exist. The outside only looks good because of the work done on the inside. That concept is well expressed in Psalm 51:10-12.

After his sin with Bathsheba, David was confronted by the prophet Nathan. Then he humbled himself before God with a prayer of repentance and several requests:

·         Create in me a clean heart, O God

·         Renew a right spirit within me

·         Cast me not away from Your Presence

·         Take not Your Holy Spirit from me

·         Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

·         Sustain me with a willing spirit

 

David looked good on the outside. After his sin, he still walked around in his kingly clothes, and people continued to give him honor. But scripture says, "Man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

God’s word speaks of sins which separate us from Him in a lake of fire instead of heaven for all eternity. One example is Revelation 21:9.

When we repent of our sins and ask God to give us a clean heart, He does not just alter and make spiritual things fit better.

David had it right when he asked God for a clean heart and a right spirit. Paul declared, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God sees us from the inside out.  Jesus said we’re to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). And Paul told Timothy that our love is to come from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5).

Are you feeling a little unsettled spiritually? Something inside is starting to make you uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s time to review David’s prayer. 

If anything strikes a chord, sincerely make his words yours. Let God give you a clean start.

Pixabay: Shirt, Clothes, Fashion; IdeaTivas-TLM.

  

Keep On Walking

Don’t lose momentum! Serious walkers and runners stay focused. Standing or sitting around does nothing to enhance their consistent daily discipline to achieve their goal.

Psalm One talks about the gradual decline of momentum from walking to standing to sitting, but let’s look at the context.

Things worth pursuing require some kind of effort. Paul not only encouraged us to fight the good fight of faith, but at the end of his life, declared that he had also done it (1 Timothy 6:13; 2 Timothy 4:7).  

Psalm One, in only six verses, contrasts the godly and godless. Consider some of the differences:

The Godly are Blessed as They: (Verses 1, 2, 3, and 6)

• ·         Do not walk in the counsel, plans, or purposes of the ungodly.
• ·         Do not stand submissively or inactively in paths where the ungodly walk
• ·         Do not sit down to rest and relax with the ungodly who mock and scorn morality and spirituality
• ·         Desire God’s word, studying and meditating on it, keeping it in mind day and night
• ·         Prosper spiritually and are blessed as a healthy, maturing, fruit-bearing tree
• ·         Are fully known by God in all their ways, judged righteous before God

 The Godless, Wicked, or Morally Evil Are: (Verses 1, 4, 5, and 6)

• ·         Capable of doing great damage morally and spiritually
• ·         Disobedient, living without any consideration of God
• ·         Like chaff, worthless, no substance, easily blown about
• ·         Will not be able to stand before God’s righteous judgment
• ·         They and their ways will perish

Do you desire to be blessed by God?

Remember: Spiritual momentum is never lost all at once. It’s a gradual decline.

We let our choices get lax in things like Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, Christian fellowship, or moral purity.

To be blessed:

• ·         Choose wisely and keep on walking in God’s ways.
• ·         Choose to stand after you’ve fought a good fight of faith, wearing the armor God has provided (Ephesians 6:10-18).
• ·         When you choose to sit, remember to be careful about your choices of relaxation---where you go, what you see, hear, or do.

Pixabay: Walkway, Sidewalk; Openicons.

 

The Choice Lives On

To me, archeology is fascinating. When I see photos of ancient finds, I know what Solomon said was true: “What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  

We have another thing in common with the ancients: The question of truth. Jesus answered Pilate’s questions, but when He said He was born to testify to the truth, and “everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice,” Pilate cut Him off with a satirical response. “What is truth?” (John 18:33-39).

The truth is not necessarily complicated. Even a simple plumb line of string with a weight at the bottom will help someone build a straight wall.

We live in a day when people seem bent on living by personal truth, meaning “your truth and my truth” are both right, different though they may be.

Like Solomon said, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” Isaiah 59:14-15 reads like today’s news: So, justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil becomes prey.

We have a moral and spiritual plumbline: Jesus and God’s Word (John 14:6, 17:17). But from Genesis to Revelation, God has always given us freedom of choice. We are free to believe or not. We are free to:

·         Exchange God’s truth for a lie (Rom. 1:25)

·         Wander away from the truth (2 Timothy 2:15-18)

·         Oppose the truth (2 Timothy 3:8)

·         Deceive ourselves with no truth in us (1 John 1:8)

 

But God’s truth has eternal consequences. John 3:16-18 says God loved the world so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, as the one-and-only acceptable sacrifice for sin. We can choose to accept Jesus as our Savior and have eternal life, or choose not to believe and be condemned eternally. 

It’s just a matter of time. Whose truth do you choose to live by? Your truth, my truth, or God’s truth?

 

Choose carefully, because one day we will all appear before Christ. Why? To be judged for our choices here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10).

 

Pixabay: Pharoah, Archeology; fotshot.

 

Get a Grip

Have you ever felt life was so overwhelming that you were losing control? A well-meaning friend may have said, “Get a grip!” 

It’s a way of saying, “Come back to your senses, don’t give up, make a decision, and move on!” Remember, life is a marathon, not a sprint, a race of spiritual endurance over the long haul.                             

This Endurance Race has guidelines. Hebrews 12:1-3 lists three things we need to do:

1.    Throw off anything that would hinder us

2.    Fix our eyes on Jesus

3.    Don’t grow weary and give up 

Jesus, in verse 2, is our example. It says He endured the cross while:

1.    Keeping in mind the joy awaiting Him,

2.    Despising the shame, and

3.    Disregarding hostility from sinful people 

When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me,” it was an invitation to deny ourselves and do His will moment by moment (Mark 8:34-38). It’s another way we can say, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”. 

Let’s consider ice skaters and football players. Do you think they enjoy hours and hours of physical hardship and repeated practice to build up their endurance? Hebrews 12:11 says no discipline is enjoyable while it’s happening. It’s painful! 

But consistent discipline will pay off. They will be tested, and winners will be rewarded with a title, a trophy, a medal, or an honorary ring. 

It’s hard to imagine that winners in Roman games were rewarded with a laurel crown. You’ve probably seen pictures of that. At the time of presentation, it was a nice ring of beautiful green leaves. While it was green, their honor was visible, but it would not stay green forever. 

Our reward, however, is eternal. It’s worth enduring hardships and discipline because it will last forever. Paul believed that. Here’s his testimony in his latter days (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

·         I have fought the good fight

·         I have finished the race

·         I have kept the faith

·         I’ll receive a crown of righteousness

·         From the Lord, the Righteous Judge 

So, get a grip! Do not become weary in well doing; keep pressing on (Galatians 6:9). Look to Jesus for help. He’s the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Pixabay: Excess, Weary, Enough; geralt.  

What Love Is (Part 2 of 2)

As promised, this week we’re looking at what love is NOT! We’re still comparing 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 in the **New Living Translation (NLT) and ***The Message(MSG).

 WHAT LOVE IS NOT!

1. Jealous: doesn't want what it doesn't have
2. Boastful or proud: doesn't strut; doesn't have a swollen head
3. Rude: doesn't force itself on others
4. Does not demand its own way: isn't always "me first"
5. Irritable: doesn't fly off the handle (in anger)
6. Keeps no record of being wronged: doesn't keep score on sins of others
7. Doesn't rejoice about injustice: doesn't revel when others grovel

Did anything pop out for your special consideration? It’s good to take a personal inventory from time to time.

The Bible says LOVE will last forever. 

That’s why it’s worthy of your serious consideration and application in all your relationships.

TWO CLOSING THOUGHTS:

(1)  Remember, you can do an easy comparison of various translations if you have a Bible App. I recommend reading I Corinthians 13:4-8 in the Amplified Version of the Bible. (There are several Bible apps; I use YouVersion.)

(2)  Each week, I share a Featured Post, something I’ve previously written on the same topic. Look to the right of the website email version. Cell phone readers can go to the bottom and click on “See Web Version.”

**Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible New Living Translation; copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

***Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE; Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by Permission of NavPress Publishers Group.

 Pixabay: Love, Heart, Paper; stux. 

What Love Is (Part 1 of 2)

Songs can be meaningful and long-lasting. Burt Bacharach wrote meaningful lyrics to a song in 1965 that was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. It starts this way:

 *What the world needs now Is love sweet love

It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of 

It goes on to say this love is not just for some but for everyone. I love this upbeat song, but what kind of love are we talking about?

If it’s for everyone, we’re not just talking about romantic love, but something basic to all relationships.

I think that love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This week, let’s consider what love is by comparing the **New Living Translation (NLT) and ***The Message:

LOVE IS:       1.  Patient; never gives up

                    2.  Kind; cares more for others than self

                    3.  Rejoices whenever truth wins out; takes pleasure in the                                       flowering of truth

                    4.  Love never gives up; puts up with anything

                    5.  Never loses faith; trusts God always

                    6.  Is always hopeful; always looks for the best

                    7.  Endures through every circumstance; never looks back

I also enjoyed reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 in the Amplified Bible, but it was too much to share here.

You can do an easy comparison of various translations if you have a Bible App on your phone. There are several. (I use the YouVersion.)

This week keep in mind what love IS! Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. Are there areas where you need to be more loving?

Next week we’ll share what love IS NOT!   

*Lyrics: What the World Needs Now; Google, Ai mode.

**Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible New Living Translation; copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by Permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

***Scriptures taken from THE MESSAGE; Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by Permission of NavPress Publishers Group.

*Pixabay:  Love, Romantic, Couple: Pepitasandpepit...

Some Things Never Change

I don't particularly enjoy using a cane, but I never leave home without it. It has its place, and I'm very glad I no longer require a walker.

It blew me away recently to learn I’m part of an ancient tradition. Older translations of a Hebrew scripture say: Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age (Zechariah 8:4). More modern translations say “cane," but I had a good laugh when I read that because everywhere I go, I see people with canes.  

Modern scholars still study ancient cultures (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or Biblical, to name a few). Latin and Greek are still important to people going into the medical field.

I’m glad to know that in our ever-changing world, some things never change. The psalmist, David, for example, said God’s Word gave him hope, revived him, and comforted him in times of trouble (Psalm 119:49-50).

In Psalm 23:3 he said, “(God) restores my soul; He guides me in paths of righteousness.”  No matter how you look at it, God’s word is a positive source of life.

How familiar are you with these ancient and wise words? 1) The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37); 2) the “Golden Rule” (Mark 12:31; Matthew 19:19); or 3) the Book of Proverbs with its wisdom regarding relationships, debt, character traits, and more.

Wherever we go, we can have God’s word with us. Have you memorized any scripture (Psalm 119:11)? Do you know any scripturally-based songs, hymns, or spiritual songs by heart (Ephesians 5:19-20)? Do you have a *Bible app on your cell phone that you can easily tap into?

Don’t be one of those people who give lip service to God’s word, but reject it by having no intention of obeying it (Matthew 15:8-9).

It’s good that some things never change. Like David, I not only want to read ancient scriptures, but I also want to apply them to my life (Psalm 119:56).

What is your choice?  

*The Bible app I use is the YouVersion.

Pixabay: Bridge, Alcantara, Roman; MemoryCatcher.

The Puzzle of Life

I was never into puzzles. My mom, on the other hand, enjoyed every kind of puzzle that came her way.

I’d have probably avoided puzzles forever had not my sister-in-law urged me to try “just one.” What took her a few hours, took me days, but once completed I had to admit I liked the challenge and the sense of accomplishment.

Thanks to her, I now have a closet full of jigsaw puzzles. She kindly sticks to my request for 300 pieces only, but here’s the best part. She works them first to make sure all the pieces are there. I like that!

Life often seems like a puzzle. Looking forward, I don’t know what pieces I’m missing. Looking backward, I can see how God has fitted all my pieces together, so far.

I’m facing some unexpected challenges and have been encouraging myself in the Lord. First, I asked myself, as David did, “Why am I downcast? Why am I uneasy?”  

It’s good to take time for self-reflection. But then what? I chose to follow David’s example. He said he would continue to put His hope in God and praise Him for the salvation of His presence.” (Psalm 42:5).  

It’s impossible to be both positive and negative at the same time. John 14:27 tells me, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Letting something happen means we permit it, tolerate it, or allow it to happen.   

The opposite would be to “stop” it ---shut it down, terminate it, or, as some would say, “knock it off!” The thing is, it’s personal, and no one can do that for you but you!

I’m choosing to calm my heart and mind by focusing on Romans 8:28 and Philippians 4:6. Not only do I believe God can work all things together for my good, I believe I can pour out my heartfelt needs to Him. I also find joy in thanking Him for things He has already done!

My life may be a puzzle, but the One who gave it to me knows what the missing pieces are, where they need to go, and when. I’m choosing to hope and wait on Him.

Pixabay: Jigsaw Puzzle Game; OpenClipart-Vectors.