6 Ways To Be Blessed

Some people think that being blessed means being happy, but it’s more than that. To be blessed is to be part of God’s Kingdom. He loves to see believers acting on, or obeying, His word. God is aware of what we do, and we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-10).

Desiring to please God, we bring glory to His name by doing right. The first step is to fear Him. That means to respect and revere His authority.

Psalm 112 lists some ways we can be blessed:

1.  Delight in God's Commands (v.1)
2.  Be gracious and compassionate (v.4)
3.   Be generous and lend freely (v.5)
4.  Conduct your affairs justly (v.5)
5.  Be steadfast, trusting in the LORD (v.7)
6.  Give to the poor (v.9)

 In contrast, here are some worldly viewpoints that lack respect for God’s authority:

• My truth is more important than God’s
• I see no reason to be compassionate
• I’ll make a personal loan, but charge a hefty fee
• It's not important to judge impartially
• There’s no need to trust in God; I can make my own way
• I give to the poor when I feel like it, Christmas for sure

As Christians, it’s a constant choice between MY will and THY will. Jesus set the example for us, even at an early age (Luke 2:41-52). Later, He overcame Satan’s temptations (Luke 4:1-13). Later still, He agonized in prayer over the Father’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46).

While suffering on the cross, He was obedient to the end and declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:28-30). Then God tore the veil before the Holy of Holies in the temple from top to bottom (Luke 23:44-46; Mark 15:37-39). Jesus’ sacrifice was now the only acceptable way to be cleansed from sin.

It’s not always easy to do the right thing, but in addition to His example of prayer and knowing the Scripture, Jesus gave us two directives. We are to: (1) Take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23), and (2) Show our love to Him by obedience to His commands (John 14:15).

Be blessed!

Pixabay: Rock, Sunrise, Morning Image; TomMarc

  

The Value of Tenacity

A vineyard full of grapes ready to harvest is a beautiful thing. It’s amazing how one vine can support many branches full of fruit. Living in central California gave me a special appreciation of this.

Grapes have been valued since ancient times. They are tasty fresh off the vine, dried in the sun for raisins, or pressed into juice and made into wine.  

Jesus used this valuable resource to illustrate a Biblical principle. It is found in John 15:1-11. I hope you take time to read those verses. But He starts by saying God is the keeper of the vineyard, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches (v. 1, 5).  

We must cling to Him if we want to bear good fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing of spiritual value (v. 5).

We cling to the vine in various ways. First, by faith we believe He is the Son of God. Then we continue in faith to receive Him as our Savior (John 3:16-18).

By faith, we then show our love to Jesus by commitment to obeying His commands and lovingly relating to other believers (v. 10, 12). In Him, we are fruitful in good works which glorify God (v. 8).

Abiding in Christ can keep us level-headed. In times of hardship or trial, we need not despair. When we’re down and our joy seems gone, abiding in Christ will give us the victory. Paul said, “We live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). It’s also wise not to live by our fluctuating emotions.

To abide in Christ is to trust in Him. We submit to Him, follow His ways, and pursue a lasting relationship with Him.

"Tenacity" is a valuable character trait. Somebody who is tenacious keeps a firm hold on something they don’t want to lose.   

When God prunes us by allowing challenging or hard times into our lives, tenacious people hang on by faith. Careless, unproductive followers fall away and become worthless branches good only for fire (v. 6)

Don’t be a worthless branch! Be tenacious and enjoy a fruitful, eternal relationship with The Vine!  

Pixabay: Purple, grapes, grapevine; MARINOPHUC.

  

The Orange Illustration

Orange is a color, but also a fruit. Growing up in the Midwest, oranges were not plentiful. But when I lived in California, my in-laws had some of the best orange trees ever!

I’m no longer there, so I have to go to my favorite produce store. Before my Goddaughter came to visit, I had gotten some delightfully sweet ones.

On the second day of her visit, I said, “Let’s have one of these oranges. They’re the best ones ever.” I handed her one, only to have her turn it over and hand it back to me. The underside was black.

It was not only surprising but disappointing. We knew the heart of this orange would be no better, so I threw it in the trash.

Once again, a godly principle made an impact. When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a king, he saw seven possible candidates. But God said, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.” (I Samuel 16:1-12)

Perplexed, Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse said, “The youngest one is out tending sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him. We’ll wait.” When David arrived, “God said, “Anoint him, he’s the one.”

The most famous verse in this story is 1 Samuel 16:7 . . . the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.

This is a principle from which God never varies. Jesus taught about people as fruit trees. He said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:20).

Read further and you see that Jesus refers to fruit as actions (Matthew 7:21-23). If you have asked Jesus to be your Savior, that’s good. But how are you living out your faith?

On judgment day, we’ll be called into accountability for both our actions and our words (Matthew 7:21-23, 12:33-37).

We are to be fruit inspectors. First, we must inspect our own lives. Who knows us best? We do!

Next, we need to inspect the lives of those we choose as best friends. Are they bearing good fruit and encouraging us to do the same?

Today's challenge: Aim to be the good fruit-bearing tree, in both actions and words.

Pixabay: Oranges, Fruits, Grove; Hans. 

 

Something We All Need

We’ve been talking a lot about our will. Today is no exception. In Psalm 101, David said multiple times, “I will” do this or that, but why?

It’s only eight short verses, but they focus on something we all need: Integrity. We don’t hear much about it these days, but it’s still an important character trait.

What does it mean to live with integrity? It means doing the right thing even when no one is looking (no one but God, that is).

People with moral and ethical principles are honest and consistent, in contrast to being dishonest and shifty. They are respectful of others, carry out responsibility well, and don’t mind being held accountable.

When I think of integrity, I think of self-control. Why? Because integrity doesn’t just happen. We live with integrity on purpose, by the choices we make.

Integrity can start at home. David said he would set no worthless thing before his eyes (V. 3). In our day, visual temptations and evil choices abound 24/7 . . . on our cell phones, in movies, books, and on TV.   

He expanded his integrity by choosing to: (1) Silence slanderers, (2) not endure the proud, (3) cut off evildoers, and (4) remove the wicked from the land (V. 5-8).

David wanted to surround himself with people of integrity Even his workers were those who could be counted on to be faithful, not to speak lies, or deceive him in any way. (V. 5-7).

By ferreting out evil in our homes and businesses, it should affect the city where we live in good ways.

There’s a similar thought in Proverbs 14:34: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

Where do you line up on the integrity quotient? Fully engaged? Partially in? Could care less?

People who choose to live with integrity don’t have to wobble on their choices. They know where they stand and can be at peace.

Pixabay: Balance, Ethics, Values; Mohamed_hassan.  

Don't Be a Fool

People-watching is more interesting to me than birds. But each has identifying characteristics. For people, it’s actions and words. Let’s look at four human identifiers.

(1)    Fools reject discipline and unwisely refuse to heed correction. The “terrible two’s” are no joke. Even at young ages, children need to be guided with loving correction. A good guideline for parents is this: Avoid empty threats: Don’t say it unless you mean it. It will stand you in good stead for all your parenting years. (Proverbs 15:5, BSB)

(2)    A fool is quarrelsome and vents all his anger. Fools have no self-control. They are self-centered and short-sighted, not interested in resolving disputes or making amends. (Prov. 29:11; 20:3; 14:9)

(3)    A fool’s mouth invites a beating.  Guarding his mouth would protect his life. But that’s not all . . . by opening his lips a fool can bring strife, snare his soul, and ruin his life. (Prov. 18:6-7; 13:3)

(4)    Fools detest turning from evil. Their folly (foolishness and stupidity) deceives them. The prudent, or wise, see danger and take cover, but not fools. They keep going and pay the penalty.  (Prov. 13:19, 14:8 27:12)

Fools can be male or female, young or old. The good thing is that being a fool is not permanent.

Wisdom begins with a willingness to acknowledge there is a God Almighty. Proverbs 1:7 says that respect for God (the fear of the LORD) is “the beginning of wisdom.”  

It’s a good start, but St. Peter said we should grow in the “grace and knowledge” of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). An easy way to grow in Jesus is to read His words in a red-letter edition of the Bible. (Without that, just read the gospels and mark Jesus’ words your way.)

We need to “people-watch ourselves,” not just others. Don't be a fool. If any of the 4 items apply to you, ask God for forgiveness. Pray like David: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10). Then go, and grow!

What's New?

That’s an interesting question. I think the answer is “not much.” I’m basing that on words by wise King Solomon in his Book of Ecclesiastes, which is dated close to his death in 931 B.C.

Have you ever heard “There’s nothing new under the sun?” Did you know that was written by Solomon? I find Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 quite interesting (BSB):

What has been will be again,

And what has been done will be done again;

There is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a case where one can say,

“Look, this is new?”

It has already existed in the ages before us.

Mankind has certainly created, or invented, some marvelous things since Solomon’s time. But when you think of people and their basic human characteristics, not much has changed.

That’s why, to me, the Ten Commandments make so much sense. Can you believe living out only ten good things can create a desirable society? Review the ten for yourself in Exodus 20.

It doesn’t take much Bible reading to discover man’s historic tendency toward evil. The flood in Noah’s day came about for that very reason (Genesis 6:5-7). And, according to Matthew 15:18-19, mankind hadn’t changed much in Jesus’ time.

But this week I came across a scripture that could have been written for today’s news. I Peter 3:14 had a cross-reference to Isaiah 8:12 (BSB): Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.

There’s nothing new in the fact that people have always conspired secretly, creating plans and schemes that suit their agenda. But today we hear a lot of conspiracy theories. That puts a different twist on it because theories are things yet to be proved.

I’ve heard Joyce Meyer say, “FEAR is false evidence appearing real.” She didn’t know who coined the phrase and neither do I, but it makes sense. And we do have a choice: will we walk by fear or faith?

I want to live by faith. That’s why I try to read God’s word daily. Make your choice today . . . then live by it.

Illustration: Detective, Searching Man by GraphicMama-Team on Pixabay.

4 Ways to be Happy

Yes, I know there are more than four ways to be happy. But my inspirational blogs are short, so I’m sharing four that caught my attention today.

The first way to be happy is to rejoice. That sounds simple enough. It’s easy to be joyful when we’re happy. But wait . . . the Apostle Paul named something specific in which to rejoice. Philippians 4:4 (BSB): “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

He repeated it for emphasis, so if we’re to rejoice in the Lord, let’s bring Jesus into the picture.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). That’s a great reason to rejoice!

The second way to be happy is not to worry. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6). Prayers can be short or long. Just speak to God from your heart.

The third way is to be choosy about your thoughts. When I was fighting cancer, I became quite aware that I was not able to think positively and negatively at the same time. I pursued Proverbs 17:22, a joyful heart as good medicine, and focused on positive, true, honorable, and praiseworthy things (Philippians 4:8). This included books, movies, and conversations.

The fourth way to happiness is to practice doing the right thing. Paul encouraged the Philippian Christians to put into practice both his teachings and his life example (Philippians 4:9).

He was even more specific in his letter to the Corinthians: You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). That’s a clear word for today, as well. I’m thankful for the example of sincere pastors, teachers, and mentors, but I must also know and follow God’s teachings for myself.

You can’t do four things at once. Just pick something and get started on it this week:

 Rejoice in the Lord

Pray instead of worrying

Be choosy about your thoughts

 Practice doing the right thing 

BSB: Berean Standard Bible, see Sources

Emoji from Pixabay

Skip to the Bottom Line

Have you ever sat through a long-winded meeting wishing they’d cut to the chase, or skip to the bottom line? It always reminds me of the old Dragnet show where detective Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.”

The Apostle Paul did a good job of doing just that when he wrote Romans 13:8-10. Instead of lingering over the “do nots” he cut to the chase or the bottom line with one “do.”

It doesn’t matter which Bible translation you read, the don’ts are things that intrude on another’s space or do them harm. For example, sleeping with someone’s spouse, taking their life, stealing from them, or wanting something they have that you don’t. I’m sure you can think up your own list of hurtful things.

The way to avoid the negative is to live in the positive: Love others as you love yourself. This week on Turning Point, I heard Dr. David Jeremiah say, “People like to deceive, but I’ve never met anyone who wanted to BE deceived.”

Would you like to simplify your life? Then skip to the bottom line in relationships: Love others as you love yourself. Such love does not harm self or others.

Jesus skipped to the bottom line when He declared that all the Law and the Prophets hung on two commandments: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).

Martin Buber, a twentieth-century philosopher, makes a good point about this bottom-line principle: “. . . There is no one who knows your many faults better than you! But you love yourself notwithstanding. And so you must love your neighbor, no matter how many faults you see in him.”*

He skipped to the bottom line. Now all we have to do is take it to heart. That means we think before we speak or act. Would I want someone to speak or act like this toward me? No? OK, then I won’t do it to them either.      

*Martin Buber, azquotes.com, Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Quotes.

Stock meeting image by Pixabay.

 

The All-Inclusive Word

Today was quiet and restorative. I felt like a sheep near still waters. Last week was productive, but extremely busy. A friend introduced me to an awesome writer’s conference where the biggest challenge, in my opinion, was keeping up with the three-hour time difference.

What a privilege to meet a variety of authors in different genres. My three-ring binder of handouts and personal notes is about two inches thick. It took quite a while to decide on categories for my divider pages.

It took me days to recover from hours and hours of Zoom classes. That’s why I enjoyed quiet time today by meditating and making notes on Psalm 145, verse by verse. Now and then I relaxed with things I had recorded on my DVR.

Talk about being relaxed! I nearly forgot I had a blog to write, so I decided why not share *Psalm 145:9-20? These verses intrigued me because of the word "all."

Here's a list of some of God's characteristics. In reviewing these, I see many good reasons to trust the LORD God with our lives:

He is good to all

He has compassion on all He has made

His dominion endures through all generations

He is trustworthy in all His promises

He is faithful in all He does

He upholds all who fall

He lifts up all who are bowed down

He is righteous in all His ways

He is near to all who call on Him in truth

He watches over all who love Him

He will destroy all the wicked

Have you ever experienced God's compassion, fulfilled promises, or

lifting up when life has you overloaded and bowed down? 

I have. What a wonderful God we serve.

Take time to review God’s characteristics with your own life in mind. Or simply read Psalm 145 for yourself. David packed a lot of information about God into twenty-one short verses.

*This inspirational blog is from Psalm 145 in the NIV, 2011 edition, by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

  

You Can Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward was a PG-13 movie that stuck with me. If you think one person can't make a difference, this movie will prove you wrong.

The premise is this: A social studies teacher challenges his junior high students to *pay it forward. The movie follows one student’s efforts to fulfill the assignment.

The unexpected result was that it blossomed into a national phenomenon. The basic idea is to do something for someone they can’t do for themselves. Then, instead of paying you back, they are to pay it forward.

Did you know there’s also a spiritual way to pay it forward? It’s found in Ephesians 4:32 NIV: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

One of my favorite books is by Zondervan Publishing called **Sometimes the Stones Are Very Lively. The stone reference can be found in 1 Peter 2:5, and the subtitle of this humorous little paperback is “The Visible Church Develops Christian Grace.”

Jean Shaw’s humorous book was written long before “pay it forward” became a slogan. Having been in church all my life, I found her stories delightful. I’ve lived through some of them. This little 121-page book now sits on my shelf held together with a rubber band.

People, in church and out, need to give each other grace. Very simply that would mean “unmerited favor.” You can’t earn it; it’s given out of the goodness of the giver’s heart.

Think about this: Be kind---and compassionate---to one another---forgiving each other---just as in Christ---God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).

We could never repay God for His loving, forgiving grace toward us, but, rest assured, He’s happy to see us pay it forward.

*If you want to know the basic rules of the “Pay It Forward” movement, check it out on Wikipedia under the movie title.

**Sometimes the Stones Are Very Lively: The Visible Church Develops Christian Grace; Jean Shaw; Zondervan Publishing, 1976; can be found as a used book online.

Opinions and Criticisms

We live in a strange world today. It seems filled with what could be considered malicious opinions and criticisms. There may be other terms for this phenomenon, but people seem determined to tear each other down rather than build up.

Social media makes it easy to hit and run. You are a faceless entity to a majority of readers, and you don’t even have to use your real name if you don’t want to.

Certain character traits produce negative communication. People full of bitterness, anger, a fighting spirit, or slanderous thoughts find it nearly impossible to say or write something positive. Ephesians 4:31 speaks clearly to these traits---get rid of them!

Ephesians 4:29 NIV gives three guidelines for positive communication:

Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth (or in print)

Speak (or write) only what is helpful to build others up according to their needs

Your words should benefit those who listen (or read) 

These guidelines are easy to grasp. But people aren’t looking for Godly guidelines. Why bother when our society declares we can each decide our own truth?

Here’s a daily scenario: Someone reads something someone has written. They may have never written an article, but that doesn’t mean they can’t give their opinion. Opinions and criticisms float around like bubbles without substance.

It’s easy to be an armchair critic. Such opinions lack respect for the amount of work it takes to be a writer, the skill to be a baseball player, the education to be a lawyer, or the self-discipline to run a business.

It’s a wanton disregard and lack of appreciation for the rights or accomplishments of others.

It’s happening so much now that people are getting tired of it. Many are realizing it’s useless to fight back. The best thing is to let it go. Why? Because people bent on tearing others down will not accept correction.

After all, it’s only your truth, not theirs.

 

Our Lives Matter

Someone asked Dr. Jeremiah recently if he thought people in heaven could see what we do on Earth. He said, “Well, let’s think about that a minute. If they could, would it really be heaven?”

The questioning party referred to “the great cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. As I pondered their question, I decided to reread that verse, which meant I also needed to read Hebrews 11. Why? Because the first word in Hebrews 12 is “therefore.”

You can't plow on through this wordy warning sign. For true meaning, you must know what came before it.  

Hebrews Chapter 11 is often called “The Hall of Faith.” Many famous Old Testament people are mentioned by name and their reasons for being listed.

For example, by faith, Cain offered God a more acceptable sacrifice than Abel. God took note of it, and Hebrews 11:4 says his testimony lives on, though Cain is dead.

Another famous hero is Moses of “The Exodus” fame, and Hebrews 11:12-29 lists several acts of his faith. When he was born, Hebrew babies were not supposed to be allowed to survive, but his mother created a waterproof basket and hid him among reeds along a river.

Pharaoh’s daughter found him and Moses was raised in the palace as her son, yet when he became an adult, he chose not to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but chose to suffer affliction with the people of God. 

Many more reasons for becoming a hero of the faith are listed in verses 35-40. These seem to fit the New Testament Christians, who were tortured for their faith, even as brothers and sisters in today's world.

Role models of faith do not just come from Bible times. James 2:14-18 points out a couple of simple facts: (1) faith without works is dead, and (2) your faith is shown by your works. In the vernacular, we might say, “Put your money where your mouth is.”

I have been encouraged by the lives of many modern heroes of the faith; therefore, I believe the great cloud of witnesses is not only for ancient times, but continues to build through all generations. 

Mom's Secret to Peace

Mom died many years ago. There are many things I wish I could ask her now, but one thing she shared with me has always remained.

She was a faithful daily Bible reader, starting with the King James Version. Then, as other translations came out, she read them, also.

One day I asked, “Mom, what is your favorite verse?” She didn’t just pop one out; she gave it some thought.

I pressed on, “Do you have one?”

She replied, “I have several.”

“OK, what is your absolute favorite?”

She quoted the King James Version of Psalm 119:165: Great peace have they which love thy law: And nothing shall offend them.

When I mentioned it to one of her parishioners after mom died, the woman said, “Yes, I once asked your mom that question, and her answer to me was the same.”

The word “offend” has always stuck out to me. Offended people can be angry, exasperated, short-tempered, or impatient with people, but I never saw Mom react to parishioners in any of those ways. As a minister’s wife of fifty years, there must have been plenty of opportunities to be offended.

I have compared that verse in many translations, but the KJV remains my favorite. The New King James Version, the Amplified, the New Living Translation, and the English Standard Version each indicate that nothing causes them to “stumble.”

God sets the example through His personal “steadfast love and faithfulness.” Those two qualities are listed in tandem over and over in the Psalms

Once again, my prayer is this: “Thank you, God, for Mom’s example of a Christian life well-lived.”  

 

A Basis for Friendship

It’s been fun connecting with friends this week. No two conversations or meeting places were alike. One friend was in a rehab center, another brought me a bag of vegetables and other goodies, and one I hadn’t heard from in several weeks called to catch up.

I have a lot of enjoyable acquaintances, but there’s nothing like a friend who understands and appreciates my approach to life. We may not agree on every issue, but we respectfully agree to disagree, and our friendship remains intact.

Amos 3:3 (NLT) asks a simple question: Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? It would be foolish to answer, “Yes.”

God made a way for us to enter His heaven through the sacrifice made by Jesus, His Son (John 3:16-21 NIV). Not only that, He gave us a spiritual playbook, The Bible.

I’ve never played football, but I heard Tony Dungy say recently, “The playbook is crucial to the game. If a player loses his playbook, he’ll pay a big fine.” Too many of us have God’s playbook and simply choose to ignore it.

Psalm 15 is five short verses, but those who want to walk with God right on into heaven should consider them:  

The Message Bible puts it in simplest terms:

Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.

Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor;

Despise the despicable.

Keep your word even when it costs you,

Make an honest living, never take a bribe.

Read it in any translation; 

the bottom line is the same. 

These character qualities are a good basis 

for friendship with both God and man. 

How do you measure up?

God is always willing to help you make changes. It only deepens your relationship as you pour out your heart to Him.

  

Learning by Repetition

Part of parental training includes repetition. Every parent can probably identify with these reminders: "Don't dash into the street without looking . . . no, do not hit people . . . or, please don't slam the door when you go outside." 

It might have taken some hard knocks to convince us of some things, but overall, we improved our lives by taking instructions to heart.

It’s discouraging to see how we moderns treat one another. Road rage is one thing, but even more damaging is cutting off one another’s communication. There’s a complete lack of mercy in today’s cancel culture; however, canceling others with a critical attitude is nothing new.

In reading Matthew this week, I noticed Jesus repeated a phrase to the Pharisees which we might do well to consider.

In Matthew 9:9-13 (ESV), the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. They knew the Old Testament Laws very well, but he said to them, “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”

Then in Matthew 12:1-8 (ESV), Jesus and his disciples were walking through grain fields one Sabbath and the disciples plucked and ate some grain. The Pharisees pointed out that the disciples were breaking Sabbath law. Once again Jesus said, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” 

Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7 (ESV). Comforting words, aren’t they? 

Less comforting are these: Judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13 (ESV).  

Most people have heard of the Golden Rule (treat others as you want to be treated), but we can also be kind to ourselves.

It will help to remember this:  . . . with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:1-2 (ESV).  

 

A Steadfast Love

A STEADFAST LOVE

In an ever-changing world, it’s nice to have some steadfast things. These things are firm, fixed, or settled and affect our thoughts, decisions, and relationships. Would you agree that reliable, trustworthy, and dependable love is the only kind worth having?

I’ve been focusing on The Book of Psalms. While reviewing chapter headings, I noticed that David often referred to God’s steadfast love. I wondered how many times does he mention that in the Psalms themselves?

When I read a Psalm, I mark it off in my Bible. Some chapters are very long, so I’m flexible, but I’m keeping a list of David’s descriptions of steadfast love.

I started this quest with Psalms 106 through 109. So far, I’ve read that God’s steadfast love:

Is good

Saves me

Is great

Endures forever

Does wondrous works

Is abundant

Relents against destruction

Hears cries of distress

I’m looking forward to learning more! David certainly has the right to speak about this. He loved and served God as a shepherd boy, a warrior, a leader, and a king even in old age.

He learned of God’s steadfast love when he sinned against Him by sleeping with Bathsheba, then tried to cover up the adultery by having her husband killed in battle. God didn’t let him get by with that. He sent a prophet to confront David.

David was wise enough to repent before God, and Psalm 51:10-11 (NKJV) is his famous prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Not only is God to be steadfast, we are, too. Psalm 51 is not long, but it’s packed with David’s deep desire for God. I encourage you to read it.  

Ask yourself some questions:  How steadfast am I in my faith? Am I living a life pleasing to God? When I’m convicted, do I repent of my sin?  

You can ask God for mercy. Rest assured, He will never despise a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:1, 17).

  

Love and Let Live

I enjoyed The Jesus Revolution movie. Would I have texted “don’t miss this” to forty-nine people, one at a time, if I hadn’t?

The movie was special to me for a couple of reasons: (1) I was in college in Costa Mesa, CA when barefooted long-haired hippies started packing out Chuck Smith’s small church, and (2) I saw the power of the Jesus movement at work even in the San Diego area.

My husband and I had the privilege of working at a church in La Mesa, CA where the pastor not only welcomed these young hippies, he prepared the congregation to accept them. In my mind, his wise advice boiled down to this: These kids are coming and they will not look like you, dress like you, or act the way you think they should. Your job is to accept them, and if they need correction, I will do it.

I’m happy to say, “We did, and he did.” Our church grew from about two hundred to the point of needing a new church which seated about fifteen hundred.

It hurts me to have Christians pick the movie apart. I got another text this morning trying to explain Lonnie Frisbee and his part in the historical Jesus Revolution. People who knew him well explain that he was born with a club foot, had a hard family life, and was abused sexually. He raised his hands and cried out to God, while high on drugs, “If you are real, prove it to me!” God heard his cry, saved him, and filled his heart with a great love to be used by God.

Considering how much time and money it takes to make a movie, let alone the challenges regarding distribution, I believe we should be thanking God for the overall impact of this production.

Let’s accept the grace of God---He chooses to use flawed people, ministers, and lay people alike. I’m not perfect, Are you? OK then, let’s LOVE as advised in I Peter 4:8, ESV: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

And, let’s LET LIVE as further advised in I Peter 4:10-11, ESV: As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies---in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I never met Lonnie, but from the movie, I believe that’s the way he lived his life. Peter’s spiritual advice still rings true, so let’s be doers of the word and not hearers only.

 

A Different Kind of Fruit

In the midwest where I grew up, fruits seemed scarce. When I moved to California, my fruit options expanded. Kiwi was new to me, but I couldn’t resist trying them when a commercial grower brought a big box to share at church.

One summer, on an extended family vacation, we picked long-stem cherries in Idaho. I grew to love those dark beauties; I still do.

Are you familiar with Spiritual Fruit? Nine desirable character traits are produced in us by the Holy Spirit. Listed in Galatians 5:22, they are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

But in studying the words of Jesus today, I ran across a completely different type of fruit. Yes, we can tell a tree by its fruit, but the fruit he mentioned here set forth a new challenge.

Do you ever stop to think that what comes out of our mouths comes from our hearts? Based on this premise, Jesus explained that a good man brings good things out of the treasure of his heart, and an evil man brings forth evil (Matthew 12:33-37 NKJV).

But his real clincher is this: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.” I have often thought about my words being positive or negative, but today I looked at them in a new light.

Paul's teaching is the same. Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise---the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”

He further emphasizes the importance of words in Ephesians 4:29 (NIV): Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  

In The Message, Eugene Peterson refers to Jesus’ teaching by saying, “It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. Words are powerful; take them seriously.”