WORDprints

watchmen

2009-04-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;

they will never be silent day or night.

You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,

and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem."

Isaiah 62:6

I have mentioned this verse previously (July, 2006) in connection with prayer, but was reminded of it again in reading this section from Wrestling With Angels by Carolyn Arends...

A couple of summers ago I was asked to perform in Ohio. A converted barn had become the concert venue for a very successful folk music series. It was rumored to be a rare haven for singer/songwriters, and I was excited and nervous in equal parts. My duo partner Spencer was to meet me at the Canton airport - his work on violin, mandolin, and guitar was my secret weapon. We looked forward to the show for a very long time.
Spencer never arrived. An unpleasant encounter with some United States Customs and Immigration officers forced him to miss his flight. I was already unpacking at the farmhouse next to the barn/concert hall when I got his call. His voice was thick with disappointment, and even as I made a halfhearted attempt to console him, panic was setting in. How was I going to go on alone? "I'm so sorry," Spencer said. "I can't believe I'm missing it. And who's going to pray with you before the show?"
This was an odd thing for Spencer to say. We had discovered early on that praying together before our performances was as critical as tuning our instruments, but we never discussed it much. We just did it. Spencer's faith is deep and abiding, but he hates pious talk and religiosity with a particular passion. Besides, I could pray by myself. Still, his comment revealed a concern for me that gave me what my friend Bernie calls an AWFATH (an Actual Warm Feeling Around The Heart) - and I was glad he was my friend.
I hung up the phone and started tuning the guitars by myself. I was miserable, overwhelmed at having to engage a sold-out audience for two hours with no support. I tried to pray but I couldn't focus. The opening act began to play and set a clock ticking ominously in my head. Twenty minutes till show time. Feeling claustrophobic, I headed for the front porch. If I was going to hyperventilate, I may as well do it in the fresh country air.
I had only been fighting off the mosquitoes a few minutes when a woman got up from a folding chair at the back of the barn and started walking hesitantly toward me. I stiffened. I didn't want to sign any autographs while the first singer was performing. I would hate to become a distraction from his show, and I needed to be alone and collect my thoughts. But the lady kept coming. I worked up the most sincere smile I could manage while scanning the area for security personnel. "Excuse me," she said, barely above a whisper, "I am so sorry to bother you. I feel foolish. But sitting over there watching the show, I got the strangest sense I was supposed to come pray with you." I swallowed hard and managed an eloquent response along the line of "Oh." She prayed a short and sweet and inspired prayer - asking God to be with me through my performance - and then she left.
As she headed back to the barn she stepped out of the way of another woman who was moving unmistakably in my direction. "Excuse me," whispered the new stranger, "I hope you won't think this is weird, but I just felt I should come pray with you. Is that OK?" I told her it was.
By the time I took the stage, four women I had never met before had prayed with me. And God had spoken.

remember

2009-02-15T23:10:00.000-08:00

You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharoah and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out.

Deuteronomy 7:17-19

do not be afraid;

remember...

holy living

2009-02-07T23:48:00.000-08:00

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

Deuteronomy 4:5-8

This seems such a contrast to many churches today which push just the opposite - the "unholying down" of our Christianity in order to be able to better relate with and appeal to unbelievers. Consider this as well from the New Testament...

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say NO to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Titus 2:11-14

in chains

2009-02-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

"And pray for us, too,

that God may open a door for our message,

so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ,

for which I am in chains."

Colossians 4:3

A prayer,

not for a change of his own circumstances,

but that the gospel may go out,

even through his circumstances.

"Thy kingdom come..."

if my people

2009-02-03T23:50:00.000-08:00

"If my people

which are called by my name,

will humble themselves

and pray

and seek my face

and turn from their wicked ways,

then

will I hear from heaven

and will forgive their sin

and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14

Too often I think,

at best,

the only part of this we do,

is to pray for the healing of our land.

praying for others

2009-02-01T23:11:00.000-08:00

an examle:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheriatnce of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Colossians 1:9-14

Worth memorizing, to pray as God brings people to mind.

Abba, Father

2009-01-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

...but you received the Spirit of sonship.

and by him we cry,

"Abba, Father."

Romans 8:15

Because you are sons,

God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

the Spirit who calls out,

"Abba, Father."

Galatians 4:6

Abba, Father...

this seems to me the very heart of prayer...

of longing for His presence...

Abba, Father

the peace of resting in His presence...

Abba, Father

when feeling overwhelmed...

Abba, Father

when joyful...

Abba, Father

peace

2009-01-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

I am God

2008-12-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

Remember the former things,

those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say: My purposes will stand,

and I will do all that I please.

Isaiah 46:9,10

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

But when the time had fully come,

God sent his Son,

born of a woman...

Galatians 4:4

ruler of the kings

2008-11-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

Grace and peace to you from him who is,

and who was,

and who is to come,

and from the seven spirits before his throne,

and from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

the firstborn from the dead,

and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us

and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

and has made us to be a kingdom and priests

to serve his God and Father -

to him be glory and power for ever and ever!

Amen.

Revelation 1:4-6

pray

2008-11-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

"May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls

and security within your citadels."

For the sake of my brothers and friends,

I will say, "Peace be within you."

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

I will seek your prosperity.

Psalm 122:6-9

I have posted this text before, but it seems a needed prayer once again as we head into what will most likely be a major shift away from our alliance with Israel, and towards what seems to be a setting of the stage for the fulfillment of end-times prophecy. Please pray and be ready and alert.

the way

2008-03-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.

Revelation 21:21

A pearl....... the only precious stone to come to us through pain, suffering, and death.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

whose blessing?

2008-03-16T23:14:00.000-07:00

"Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Crator of heaven and earth. And blessed by God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.'
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
The king of Sodom said to Abram, 'Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.' But Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.''" Genesis 14:18-23.

Whose blessing am I seeking? Does the way I live my life, publicly and privately, internally and externally, reflect my answer to the first question?

an undivided heart

2007-12-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

"Teach me your way, O LORD,

and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name."

Psalm 86:11

An undivided heart...... this is something that I would like to have as a new year's resolution, but I know that leaving it at that, as something up to me, that it would get nowhere. So instead I will leave it, as David did, as a prayer........ teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

favor

2007-12-25T22:33:00.000-08:00

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor"

Isaiah 61:1,2a

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men

on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

tender mercy

2007-12-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

"...because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun

will come to us from heaven

to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet

into the path of peace."

Luke 1:78, 79

Some beautiful words,

beautiful imagery,

and an even more beautiful reality.

Thankyou Jesus!

He restores my soul

2007-12-04T23:24:00.000-08:00

The LORD is my shepherd;
he restores my soul.
I shall not be in want;
he restores my soul.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he restores my soul.
He leads me beside quiet waters;
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his nake's sake;
he restores my soul.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death;
he restores my soul.
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
he restores my soul.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me;
he restores my soul.
You prepare a table before me,
in the presence of my enemies;
he restores my soul.
You anoint my head with oil,
my cup overflows;
he restores my soul.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life;
he restores my soul.
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever;
he restores my soul.

He restores my soul.

I've been thinking about that phrase lately in connection with prayer, and it seems like restoring my soul is a big part of what God does as I rest before him in prayer at the end of the day. Throughout the day perspective is gradually lost in all of the busyness, worries, guilt, and just plain sin. But as I come before God in prayer, I am restored once again in knowing the reality of each of the other lines in this Psalm. That the LORD is my shepherd. That he goes with me; even preparing the way before me and supplying my needs. That his goodness and mercy will go with me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

He restores my soul.

hungry

2007-09-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

"How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth."

Psalm 119:103

A while back I purchased a copy of Jon Courson's Application Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2: Psalm - Malachi. I wanted to study through the prophets and thought it would be beneficial to have a trusted teacher guide me through them. And it has been good. Right now I am in the book of Daniel and it has been fascinating reading through his prophetic visions with Jon Courson showing in detail how the various details have been fulfulled, as well as those that are waiting ultimate fulfillment.

Yet, in reading through the prophets under Jon Courson's guidance, I have come to realize that I have been missing something. What I have been missing is those times when God seems to be speaking directly to me... to my life. Times when verses stick in my head for days as I wrestle with them and often as I turn them into prayer. These are the times when verses often make it to this blog........ where I can look back and read through and remember and be reminded of lessons (hopefully) learned. Times when, as in the verse above, I have tasted and savored the words of God.

This is not saying that commentaries and teachers cannot be beneficial. They can be very beneficial and I have been blessed by what I have learned there. But I am seeing that they are a poor replacement for time spent in the word of God alone....... waiting on God..... listening to His voice....... tasting and seeing that the LORD is good.

place

2007-07-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

A place of shelter and rest,

now,

and through eternity.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

(from Psalm 91:1)

joy

2007-05-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

"Bring joy to your servant,

for to you, O Lord,

I lift up my soul."

Psalm 86:4

In reading/praying this Psalm last night it struck me that my joy is something that I am often in danger of losing.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Hebrews12:12:2,3

And it struck me that the times I most lose my joy are those times that I take my eyes off of Jesus and starting focusing on other things.

Bring joy to your servant,

for to you, O Lord,

I lift up my soul.

Help me to keep my eyes

fixed on Jesus.

In His name,

amen

looking heavenward

2007-04-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

"How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you. Selah
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;

listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah
Look upon our shield, O God;

look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.
O LORD Almighty,

blessed is the man who trusts in you."

Psalm 84

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Hebrews 11:13-16

God with us

2007-04-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

from the time of the conquest of Canaan...

"The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: 'Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.'"

Deuteronomy 31:23

to the time of the prophets....

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

Isaiah 43:2

and the time of Christ...

"All this took place to fulfill what the LORD had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' - which means 'God with us.'"

Matthew 1:22,23

and yet today...

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:20

weeping

2007-04-22T23:13:00.000-07:00

"A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more."

Matthew 2:18

In memory of those killed at Virginia Tech.

Jesus,

we mourn with those who mourn.....

at His word

2007-04-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

"This is the one I esteem:

he who...

trembles at my word."

Isaiah 66:2

LORD

help me to always

tremble at your word.

prayer

2007-03-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

Holy Holy Holy
Lord God Almighty
*

these words:

both
my prayer

and
the answer
*
Holy Holy Holy
Lord God Almighty

the throne of grace

2007-02-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Hebrews 4:16

The "throne of grace", a term I've read over many times without really stopping to consider. What a beautiful term! And much more than just a term; this is the reality of what we are approaching when we come to God in prayer. We are approaching the throne where GRACE is administered. What an awesome thing!

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

house of prayer

2007-01-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

"My house will be called a house of prayer"
Matthew 21:13

"But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple."
Psalm 5:7

faithful

2007-01-07T22:45:00.000-08:00

"If we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself."
2 Timothy 2:13

"Simon, Simon,
Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
But I have prayed for you, Simon,
that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back,
strengthen your brothers."
Luke 22:31,32

"Christ Jesus, who died -
more than that,who was raised to life -
is at the right hand of God
and is also interceding for us."
Romans 8:34

word

2006-12-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
John 1:14

"...and in his word I put my hope."
Psalm 130:5

joy in your presence

2006-11-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

"you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Acts 2:28

I realize that this is taking the above passage out of context, but it struck me in reading this phrase how this can also describe our experience in prayer. That no matter what is going one, we can just come before God and rest in his presence, and know joy in that presence.

This also reminded me of some lines from Sara Groves' song, Every Minute. Again, I am taking this out of her intended context (sorry about that), but just read these lines and think on them in connection with prayer and of being filled with the joy of God's presence...

I am long on staying
I am slow to leave
Especially when it comes to you my friend
Your have taught me to slow down
And to prop up my feet
It's the fine art of being who I am
And I can't figure out
Why you want me around
I'm not the smartest person I have ever met
But somehow that doesn't matter
No it never really mattered to you at all
And at the risk of wearing out my welcome
At the risk of self-discovery
I'll take every moment
And every minute that you'll give me

for a time

2006-10-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

........ a time to weep
........ a time to mourn
Ecclesiastes 3:4

I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
Psalm 6:6

Jesus wept.
John 11:35

Lord, thank you for showing me that at times tears are an acceptable response to a fallen world. And thank you even more for not leaving us there...

Weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men,
and he will live with them.
They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.
Revelation 21:3,4

not alone

2006-10-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

"The LORD himself goes before you
and will be with you;
he will never leave you
nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged."
Deuteronomy 31:8

known

2006-10-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

When we are hurting, usually it is only those who have experienced a similar hurt who are most able to help us. They are the ones who can begin to know us; to know how we feel.

This is one reason why it is so wonderful that Jesus came as Immanuel, God with us. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15,16.

Similarly, this is also how we are able to comfort others. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3,4.

And maybe in the same way, if we turn this around, it was Paul's desire to truly know Jesus that prompted this prayer.... "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10,11.

faith & prayer

2006-10-06T23:07:00.000-07:00

"These were all commended for their faith,

yet none of them received what had been promised.

God had planned something better for us

so that only together with us would they be made perfect."
Hebrews 11:39,40

Thinking on this in connection with prayer.......

and (seemingly) unanswered prayer.

They were commended for their faith,

yet did not received what had been promised....

God had planned something better.

coming to Jesus

2006-09-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
John 5:39,40

I wonder if in my studying Scriptures, too often my purpose is other than coming to Jesus.

delight

2006-09-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;
the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147:10,11

above all else

2006-08-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

Above all else,
guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Jerusalem

2006-07-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.
Psalm 122:6-9

devoted, watchful, thankful

2006-07-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
Colossians 4:2

a couple thoughts:

1) devote yourselves to prayer - I'm afraid we rarely take prayer to that level.

2) being watchful - An interesting term to use and one I have been wondering what it means as applied to prayer. A couple scriptures that seem to fit this term though are Psalm 130:6 "My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning." And Isaiah 62:6 "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem."

grace & godliness

2006-06-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
Titus 2:11-14
*
An interesting mix of grace and godliness in this passage. In fact, in these verses it is grace which teaches and enables us to pursue godliness.

words

2006-05-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

from Luke 7:36-50...

"Your sins are forgiven.
Your faith has saved you;
go in peace."

These were the words that Jesus spoke to the woman at the home of Simon the Pharisee. They can still be Jesus words for us today...

"Your sins are forgiven.
Your faith has saved you;
go in peace."

reliance

2006-04-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
2 Corinthians 1:8-11

even there

2006-04-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

" ... even there
your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast."
Psalm 139:10
*
... even there
*
whatever the there
... even there
*
whenever the there
... even there
*
wherever the there
... even there
*
when I am feeling overwhelmed
... even there
*
when I have nothing left to stand on
but your mercy and grace
... even there
*
when there is nothing left in my self
... even there
your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

seeking

2006-02-17T23:41:00.000-08:00

I've had a couple posts about seeking........ first about seeking God's face, and more recently on seeking the ancient paths. Seeking is an active thing. Yet, even though we desire these things, we tend to treat them passively rather than actively pursueing them...... and then wonder why we do not find them. When scripture says seek......... it means seek.

Also, maybe part of the blessing of these things lies in the act of seeking them....... we are blessed by the seeking in itself.

LORD, when I say I want to seek you, seek your face, seek the ancient paths........ help this not to be just words....... but help me to seek with my whole heart and will and actions.

manifold

2006-02-15T22:37:00.000-08:00

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations"
1 Peter 1:6

"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
1 Peter 4:10

Sorry, but I had to switch to the King James Version for this one. Our pastor talked about this on Sunday. He said that the word manifold had connections with color and that so what it really means here is more like spectrum. So in the first verse, the trials and temptations that come to us cover an entire spectrum of varieties. But then the only other place that Peter uses that word is in the second verse above. And just as our trials cover an entire spectrum, it is balanced by God's grace also covering an entire spectrum.

"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

and this is love

2006-02-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

"This is love:
not that we loved God,

but that he loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
1 John 4:10

"For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish
but have eternal life."
John 3:16

"Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"Dear friends,
since God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but if we love one another,
God lives in us
and his love is made complete in us."
1 John 4:11,12

known

2006-02-06T22:26:00.000-08:00

"But the man who loves God
is known by God."
1 Corinthians 8:3

... a verse I read last night.

How do I know that I really love God?

... thoughts today.

an explanation

2006-02-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

A couple of my previous posts have had "graphics" in them, and current plans are that there will be several more of these. I originally intended for these to be mini-posters to put up in my workshop, without any explanation to go with them. But somehow they are finding their way here....... along with some thoughts and verses on why I find them significant.

ancient paths

2006-02-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is,
and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls."
Jeremiah 6:16

Reading through the scriptures, paths are a recurring theme.

Literal paths like those of Abraham...
"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 ( I love that verse and have been wanting to get to use it in a blog entry)

Paths of law and of obedience...
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Isaiah 2:3

or again......
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set me heart free." Psalm 119:32

But...... obedience is not the only path we can choose.....

"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Deuteronomy 30:15-20

The history of Israel is one of straying from those ancient paths....... and of God's sending the prophets to point out their errors and to try to guide them back..... and of their disobedience eventually leading to another path.... a literal path into exile. Their paths of disobedience are also a reminder for us.... "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." 1 Corinthians 10:11

Yet woven throughout the history of Israel, is also the path of God's working to bring redemption for his people. Even in the doom and gloom of the prophets, there are also the beautiful passages pointing to Christ.

Eventually we come to the gospels which are full of paths....... the path of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem where Jesus would be born........ many paths of Jesus leading, and the disciples and others following........ paths that culminated in Jesus' path to the cross....... a pathway of suffering, of obedience to His Father, and of love for his children.

Ancient paths........
also the paths of promise and of blessing......

"You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Acts 2:28

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4,5

of power

2006-02-02T23:41:00.000-08:00

"For the kingdom of God
is not a matter of talk,
but of power."
1 Corinthians 4:20

On the same evening that I was reading these words, my youngest daughter had one of her frequent bad dreams. And as I went in to her and put my hand on her to comfort her and to pray for her..... the reality of these words struck me. My prayer for her was not just words, it was God's power at work, right there in that room. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. What we read in the scriptures is not just words on a page..... what we read there is reality. Too often scipture is reduced to just a story, or some good moral lessons, or as the source for endless theological debates. These are all missing out on the truth. The kingdom of God is a matter of changed lives, of changed eternal destinies, of changed hearts, of changed actions....... of power.

in the beginning

2006-02-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

from Genesis 1:1
*
In the prologue to his book titled Living With Fred, Brad Whittington writes...
"In the early nineties when I first wrote what later became Welcome To Fred, I viewed it as the story of a kid finding his way through a sticky patch of adolescence rendered more difficult by the multiple complications of culture shock and PKness. Then last night I realized I was wrong ... It wasn't the story about a kid. It never was. It was a story about a father."

We also tend to think that our stories, our lives, are about ourselves. We are wrong. They never were. Our lives take place in the much greater story of our heavenly Father. A story that begins with ... In the beginning, God
*
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

our example

2006-01-16T23:29:00.000-08:00

Our pastor on Sunday rearranged these verses from Philippians 2 to show how each of the requirements in verses 3 and 4, are then exampled in Christ Jesus in verses 6 through 8. Verses 6 through 8 are italicized...

"Do nothing our of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!"

And then the following verses....... just because they're so beautiful....

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus evey knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and evey tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father."

I know

2006-01-08T23:31:00.000-08:00

a scripture passage from church this morning...

"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Job 19:25-27

by night

2006-01-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

"I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work."

Nehemiah 2:11-16

By night...... then, as now, that seems the time for examining the deep things of cities.... the walls.... the gates......... as well as a time for examining the deep things of our lives. Maybe the dark obscures the details that so often bog us down.... leaving us more free to see the bigger picture. And maybe in the quiet of the night, we can better hear God's voice..... leading, guiding, and encouraging.

Happy Birthday

2005-12-24T22:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Jesus!

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men

on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

all night

2005-12-23T23:24:00.000-08:00

"Samuel was troubled,

and he cried out to the LORD all that night."

1 Samuel 15:11

When troubled..... he spent all night in prayer.

I just thought was noteworthy.

have mercy

2005-12-22T23:45:00.001-08:00

A verse/prayer that has stuck in my head the last several days.

From Matthew 18:13...

God,

have mercy on me,

a sinner.

blessed by exile

2005-11-28T22:37:00.000-08:00

Furthermore, tell the people,

"This is what the LORD says:

'See,

I am setting before you the way of life

and the way of death.

Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.

But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live;

he will escape with his life.'"

Jeremiah 21:8,9

The the word of the LORD came to me:

"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:

'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah,

whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.

My eyes will watch over them for their good,

and I will bring them back to this land.

I will build them up and not tear them down;

I will plant them and not uproot them.

I will give them a heart to know me,

that I am the LORD.

They will be my people,

and I will be their God,

for they will return to me

with all their heart.'"

Jeremiah 24:4-7

"For I know the plans I have for you,"

declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me

when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,"

declares the LORD,

"and will bring you back from captivity."

Jeremiah 29:11-14

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on him

because he cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion

looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

because you know that your brothers throughout the world

and undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace,

who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

after you have suffered a little while,

will himself restore you and make you strong,

firm and steadfast.

To him be the power for ever and ever.

Amen

1 Peter 5:5-11

Jeremiah's fire

2005-11-24T23:31:00.001-08:00

"But if I say,

'I will not mention him

or speak any more in his name,'

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

indeed, I cannot."

Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah tell me about the fire

That burns up in your bones

I want to know

I want to know more now

The burning of ambition and desire

It never could come close

To that fire

I was looking to myself

And I forgot the power of God

I was standing with a sparkler in my hand

While I stood so proud and profound

You came and burned this whole place down

Now that's a fire

I was caught up in this vice

And its power to entice

I was dwelling on my hopelessness and doubt

With the slightest invitation

You came with total detonation

Now that's a fire

I was warming my hands by this little light of mine

but now I know it's time

to come in from the cold

Fight fire with fire

fan the flame

come stir up these coals in my soul, in my soul

till it burns out of control

(Jeremiah by Sara Groves,

from her The Other Side Of Something CD,

INO Records)

honor

2005-11-24T23:22:00.000-08:00

"The LORD Almighty, who planted you,

has decreed disaster for you,

because the house of Israel

and the house of Judah

have done evil and provoked me to anger

by burning incense to Baal."

Jeremiah 11:17

Burning incense to Baal...

showing honor to something standing in opposition to God...

LORD

search my heart

my life

and show me if there is something which I still hold to;

which by my actions or desires show honor to,

in opposition to you

your will...

for yours alone is the honor

and the power

and the glory forever

amen

and Lord

I think my biggest problem here

is in my desire for honor for myself.

Please forgive me,

and help me to learn humility,

for Jesus sake

amen

made real

2005-11-21T23:11:00.000-08:00

"My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you."

Job 42:5

Somehow through Job's ordeal, God went from being something heard of, to being something something seen. The same is true of us. So often God is just something we have heard of, and we do believe in. But when things fall apart, and our faith is all we have left to stand on, then we see that our faith, that our God, is real.

When we speak of faith, too often we are just speaking of a set of beliefs. But that isn't enough. As James says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17) Our actions prove whether our faith is not just something we believe in, but also something we trust in. Maybe the opposite argument makes this clearer - if we aren't willing to trust in something, then we obviously don't believe in it.

Peter also speaks of this, "though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6,7)

LORD, help my faith to be proved genuine

through my trust in you.....

wherever you may be leading.....

to your praise, glory and honor,

amen

led astray

2005-11-03T22:55:00.000-08:00

from 1 Kings 13...

13 So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.
15 So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."
16 The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.' "
18 The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD : 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.' "

To understand what is happening here one really needs to read the entire chapter. Even then it seems rather a strange story. Yet, there are some things here that still really apply today...

1) God still speaks to us through the Scriptures and gives us clear guidance in how we are to live.

2) Others will come to try to lead us off of the path of obedience;

- offering what we are desiring (in this case, food and drink)

- in the disguise of trustworthyness (here, a prophet with the word of the Lord as delivered by an angel)

3) We are to examine all teachings against God's Word

4) Disobedience has consequences.

provided for

2005-11-02T23:23:00.000-08:00

"So Abraham clled that place The LORD will Provide.

And to this day it is said,

'On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'"

Genesis 22:14

I was reading this whole story of Abraham testing last night, and the whole thing just struck me so very powerfully. The first way was in reading this and seeing just how closely it foreshadows God's one day providing his only Son as the sacrifice for our sins. And just how prophetic it was that the people said "on the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." It just shows how very intricately God has woven all of history together.

The other thing that really struck me was in Abraham's needing to let go in trust. Abraham needed to be willing to let go of this son that God had promised to him and given to him.... "your only son, Isaac, whom you love". And I wonder if there are things that I am clinging to too tightly, when God may be leading me away from them. Am I trusting in these things rather than on God? I need to learn to be willing to let go as well..... trusting that "on the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

rest

2005-10-27T00:20:00.000-07:00

gentle breezes rustling past
gulls meandering overhead
waves chasing eachother along...

roaming
circling
seeking...

rest

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone...

my hope

my rock

my fortress

my salvation

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.

(Psalm 62:5-6)

humility

2005-10-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others..

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!

Therefore God exlated him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:1-11

It is so easy to read this and see where others are really failing in living this out. Right now two people I know very well and care deeply about, are going through a business partnership split. This is due, at least from my perpective, to these verses not being lived out. And the results are painful, and will probably leave scars through families and our church for a long time. And I think, if only they....

But then I realize.... by my accusing, I stand accused of the very same thing. Right now I am the one reading these verses..... they are God's words speaking to my heart, and I know that I certainly need them as well.

LORD, I confess that I do much out of selfish ambition and vain conceit, and that I rarely look to the interests of others as being more important than my own. Help me to look to the attitude and example and obedience of Christ Jesus. This isn't easy for me LORD.... please help me in this.

In John 3:30, John the Baptist says of Jesus... "He must become greater; I must become less." The same must become true in each of our lives when we meet Jesus... He must become greater; we must become less.

LORD, help me to make you greater in my life.

and myself..... less.

alliances

2005-10-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

"Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, 'Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.' The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade."

2 Chronicles 20:35-37

"But a man of God came to him and said, 'O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel - not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.'

Amaziah asked the man of God, 'But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?'

The man of God replied, 'The LORD can give you much more than that.'"

2 Chronicles 25:7-9

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial (satan)? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'Iwill live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.' Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the LORD. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

It was just interesting noting how the reqirements of the Corinthian passage are exemplified in the Chronicles passages. The challenge for us is how to live this out as Christians in a predominantly non-Christian culture. It is tempting to say that it was probably easier for the Israelites who were supposed to be an entire people set apart. Yet by the time Corinthians was written that was certainly no longer the case. And so the challenge remains.....

LORD, please give us the wisdom, the discernment, the strength, and the grace needed to live these things out today.

seeking God's face

2005-10-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"

Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Psalm 27:8

This is a verse that I've been thinking on for quite some time. But, how exactly, does one seek God's face? It seems to me that there are several things involved in seeking God's face....... scripture reading, prayer, obedience, worship, etc. Primarily though, I think we seek God's face when we seek Jesus. A few misc. verses on the topic:

"Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart."

Psalm 119:2

(note how seeking is connected with obedience)

"Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob."

Psalm 24:3-6

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced..."

Psalm 104:1-5

(connected with worship/praise)

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14

(interesting in this one, while seeking is connected with obedience and praying,

yet it is a distinct and separate action)

"If you seek him, he will be found by you."

2 Chronicles 15:2

(a recurring promise)

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, becasue anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Hebrews 11:6

Lord, teach me to seek your face.

And the promise of ultimate fulfillment...

"They will see his face"

Revelation 22:4

thorns

2005-10-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

"Cursed is the ground because of you...

it will produce thorns and thistles for you."

Genesis 3:17,18

"The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns

and put it on his head."

John 19:2

A friend passed along the connection between these verses, and it just really struck me.... how Jesus wearing the crown of thorns is such a vivid portrayal of how he took upon himself our curse...... my curse.

"Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered him stricken by God,

smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:4-6

when overwhelmed

2005-09-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

a prayer of Asa, King of Judah...

"Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you."

2 Chronicles 14:11

and another...... of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah...

"For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

2 Chronicles 20:12

And in both cases, God delivered them...

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth

to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."

2 Chronicles 16:9

another prayer when overwhelmed,

this one in a song by Kim McMechan...

Could I just sit here a while

Know that there's nothing that I need to say

Safe in the knowledge that You know my ways

Love me completely, no need to hide a thing

Could I just stay here a while

Letting You melt away all of my fears

I feel Your comfort when You are so near

I'll hide myself in the shelter You've made for me

Could I

Could I just kneel here a while

Doing what I was created to do

Bowing in reverence, I long to adore You

Willingly giving all that I can surrender

Could I just rest here a while

Letting You whisper my burdens away

In all of my journeys there's no other place

Where I find refuge, strength for my weary heart.

(from the CD All I Need Vineyard Music Canada)

Show me...

2005-09-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

verses from my reading last night.....

"Show me your ways, O LORD,

teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long."

Psalm 25:4,5

encamped around

2005-07-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them."

Psalm 34:7

A year ago God stuck this verse in my mind as I was headed into major surgery, and it was there even as I drifted under anesthesia. The first 24 hours after surgery were spent in ICU and I can remember very little of that time, which my wife tells me is good as it was really rough getting meds to where they were working in balance. One thing that I do remember of that time, is of my pastor comeing and of he, my wife, and the ICU nurse praying for me around my bed. And in their doing that I made the connection back to this verse; that their encircling me with prayer was God giving me a visible reminder of the reality of what the verse was saying. I was being encamped around, both by those physically surrounding me, as well as by a loving God and His holy angels.

The surgery was to remove my thymus gland, with the hopes that this would eventually send the disease I had been struggling with (myasthenia gravis) into remission. A little over a month ago, it began to seem that this was actually going to happen. I was able to start lowering my meds and began to start feeling better, and then a week ago I was able to go off of my meds entirely. While I still notice some symptoms of the disease, it is much better than it has been, and it is wonderful to begin to feel my energy returning.

Thanks to those of you reading this who know me and have been praying for me and my family through this. Especially, thanks to God for carrying us through this, for the lessons he has taught us, and for the comfort in knowing that he will continue to go with us into the future that he has prepared for us.

"To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

(Jude 25)

a person of prayer

2005-07-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none."

Ezekiel 22:30

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth."

Isaiah 62:6,7

In reading several of the books by Robert Whitlow recently, what most struck me is some of the powerful people of prayer that he portrays in his stories. That is what I would really like to be. Yet I really hesitate to come out and say that because I know just how far short I continually fall. It is kind of like the prayer in Mark 9:24... "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Only in this case my prayer is...

Lord,

I want to be somebody that you can use to stand in the gap in prayer. Please do what it takes to mold me into such a person. You know my weaknesses. Help me to be faithful. Help me to recognize your voice and to follow you. Give me a heart after yours.

For Jesus sake, amen

one pure and holy passion

2005-04-24T23:37:00.000-07:00

Give me one pure and holy passion.

Give me one magnificent obsession.

Give me one glorious ambition for my life,

to know and follow hard after You.

To know and follow hard after You.

To grow as Your disciple in the truth.

This world is empty, pale and poor

compared to knowing You my Lord;

Lead me on, and I will run after You.

I have sang and prayed that song many times, and I believe meant it from my heart, and yet never really considered what it would take for God to answer that prayer. How can God answer that prayer except by the removal of things which stand in the way of it? And then how do I respond to God's answer? Do I immediately ask God to give those things back which he removed? It's not so hard when the things removed are things which we know are not good. But what about when they are things which are good? What if it is things like my love of woodworking..... a skill God has given me and I have been blessed to be able to use to help support my family.... now mostly sidelined by weakness and exhaustion. Or my joy in kayaking and the wonderful times I have been able to share with my girls on our kayak trips together.... and my ability to be able to do that being very questionable. These are good things, but do they somehow get in the way of better things? I don't know for sure, but God does, and I just have to entrust him with the answer. And still I have to keep praying, even when the answer He gives feels painful.

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him." Philippians 3:7-9

These verses mirror the song I started with, but what really stands out is the following verses where Paul continues in the same thought... "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (v. 10-11)

The fellowship of sharing in his sufferings..... that doesn't seem like something we would like to pray for, but maybe that is part of what it takes to know Christ. And so when these things come, it could be an answer to our own prayers.... "a severe mercy." (a C.S. Lewis phrase I believe)

The next verses in the chapter (3:12-14) can be turned into our prayer along the way...

Lord,

I have not already abtained all this, and I have certainly not already been made perfect, but help me to press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Let this be the one thing I do: to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, and to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. In His name, amen.

from strength to strength

2005-04-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7

They go from strength to strength...... this caught my eye in writing my previous entry. It sounds neat, but I really didn't know what it meant, and so it has just been roaming my mind since then. Probably the main interpretation of this phrase is that it refers to God's renewing our strength. But tonight while out walking another thought that came to mind was that it could also mean shifting from relying on my own strength, to relying on God's strength.

Lord, help me to find my strength only in you. Help me to set my heart not on the here and now, but on pilgrimage. As I pass through this valley, please make it a place of springs..... springs of living water, found only in you. And as my strength fades, please be my strength, until I appear before you in Zion. In Jesus name, amen.

"He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:29-31

in a dry land

2005-04-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

The second son he named Ephraim and said,

"It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

Genesis 41:52

O God, you are my God.

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you,

my body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

These verses came to mind in connection with the passage about the vine and the branches in John 15. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (v. 5) It takes those times when everything other than Christ becomes dry land, for us to truly learn to seek after and become rooted in Christ alone; and it is only when we become firmly rooted in Christ alone that we can really bear fruit.

Lord, the last few days I have lost sight of that. I have started to resent the loss of some of the other things I was rooted in; particularly, my own (literal) strength and abilities. Help me not to long for the things I have lost, but to long only for you. Help me to become rooted only in you. Help me not to become resentful or discouraged when you are working to make this prayer true in my life, and forgive me for the many times I do. In Jesus name, amen.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.

Psalm 84:5-7

the Shepherd's voice

2005-03-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

"The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."

John 10:2-4

"At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

'Woman,' he said, 'why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'

Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'

She turned toware him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher.).

John 20:14-16

Maybe this is part of why Scripture speaks to our hearts in a way that nothing else can. Because in it, we are hearing our Shepherd's voice, calling us by name and leading us.

"Speak, for your servant is listening."

1 Samuel 3:10

grace & truth 2

2005-03-20T23:59:00.000-08:00

"Let my teaching fall like rain

and my words descend like dew,

like showers on new grass,

like abundant rain on tender plants."

Deuteronomy 32:2

grace & truth

2005-03-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

"... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

John 1:17

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. (grace)

"Go now and leave your life of sin." (truth)

John 8:11

Grace and truth..... Lord I struggle with this. I tend to show one or the other. Please give me the wisdom to be able to show both, in love. In Jesus name, amen

perspective

2005-02-23T00:14:00.000-08:00

from Psalm 102:23-28

"In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days."

I came upon that last night and it jumped out at me....... that is me! Reading on...

"So I said: 'Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days;"

And I have prayed that, and similar things, many times. But what happens next, is that in this prayer as he shifts his focus away from himself toward God, God gives him perspective, and maybe that perspective is his answer....

"...your years go on through all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."

And I especially love the last verse. The hardest part of going through this is the concern for my wife and girls; and here God answers that as well....

"The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."

Thankyou Lord

influences

2005-02-21T23:57:00.000-08:00

"I will walk in my house with blameless heart.
I will set before my eyes no vile thing.
The deeds of faithless men I hate;

they will not cling to me.
Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;

I will have nothing to do with evil.
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,

that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.
No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;

no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence."

Psalm 101 misc. verses

In making my meandering way through the Psalms, I came across this Psalm at the same time that I was reading The Ishbane Conspiracy by Randy Alcorn. One of the things the book does is expose some of the doorways, or footholds which we often allow satan and his demons to have into our lives and homes. That is where the book meets this Psalm. What am I setting before my eyes? Am I allowing the deeds of faithless men to cling to me by allowing them to live in my home...... either in books or music or videos? Nothing to do with evil? Or do I allow a bit in for whatever reason? Do I allow those who practice deceit or speak falsely to dwell in my house or stand in my presence..... again, in books, music, videos? Instead, do I allow only the faithful to dwell with me, and those who are blameless to minister to me?

crouching

2005-01-22T01:11:00.000-08:00

"... sin is crouching at your door;

it desires to have you,

but you must master it."

Genesis 4:7

Lord, you know me; you know my heart. And you know that too often I open that door, thinking that I can safely play around the edges of sin and not get caught or hurt. But that doesn't work. Sin seeks to devour us; to devour me. Help me to remember this. There are areas in my life where it seems I have to learn this over and over again, and I get so frustrated with myself. Create in me a pure heart O Lord, and renew a steadfast spirit with me. Please strengthen me, by the power of your Holy Spirit within me. Help me to recognize sin and satan's deceptions and lies and lures....... and recognizing them to reject them. Thank you for your love, patience, correction, mercy, and forgiveness. In Jesus name, amen.

Deuteronomy 33:27

2005-01-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

Just a verse that I have held in my mind the last few nights as I've fallen asleep...

"The eternal God is your refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Immanuel

2004-12-25T01:15:00.000-08:00

" ...and they will call him Immanuel -

which means,

God with us."

Matthew 1:23

"Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,"

Isaiah 53:4

It would have been an amazing enough act of grace for God to send Jesus to pay for our sins. But he did even more. He sent Jesus to live here among us. To experience all of the consequences of sin - to take up our infirmities and carry our sorrows.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses... Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Hebrews5:15,16

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men

on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

a shaped vessel

2004-12-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

"And we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who love him,

who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:27

At first reading this sounds somewhat like a christian version of "and they lived happily ever after" - in the end God works it all out for good. But just what is "for the good"? And just what is "his purpose"? Next verse......

"For those God foreknew

he also predestined

to be conformed to the image of his Son,"

In other words, he so orders our lives, that all things are for the purpose shaping us to the image of his Son. Just what does that take? Jesus himself "although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) If Jesus who was perfect learned in this way, how can we, who are very far from perfect, expect to learn while living lives of ease? I know I am a slow learner in the easy times.

Yet, when things start going wrong in our lives, and we start worrying that everything is spinning out of control, we pray "God, quick fix this problem!" Maybe, what most needs fixing, is not "the problem", but we ourselves. God sees our lives as a whole, and these circumstances are just tools in his hands as he shapes us to better reflect Jesus Christ. Our lives........ "drawn (shaped) with living-kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3) That is why we can, and need to, give thanks in all circumstances.... even in the difficult ones, because that is when God is most shaping us. And yes, we still pray, but we pray as Jesus prayed - "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

"Therefore we do not lose heart.

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles

are achieving for us an eternal glory

that far outweighs them all.

So we fix our eyes

not on what is seen,

but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Dear Lord, only you know my heart and my ways, and just what it will take to shape me to the image of your Son. Help me to remember that you are the potter, and I am the clay. Help me to trust in you, and make me willing to be shaped by you, for your purposes. Help me to give thanks, even when the shaping is painful. Thank you for shaping me with such loving-kindness. May your will be done, amen.

daily

2004-12-05T01:13:00.000-08:00

It seems that God made a point of deliberately teaching the Israelites to have to daily trust in him. They were daily provided their food, manna. They were led daily - with the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." 1 Corinthians 10:11

God wants us to learn these same lessons. We pray "give us today our daily bread." So then maybe we need to learn to be satisfied when that is what God provides - just enough so that we have to keep trusting in him.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6:34 (the Message)

Dear Lord, you have already set out my paths in front of me. And like with the Israelites, you go before me, daily leading and providing. Forgive me for not trusting you more. Thank you for providing anyway. Help me to learn these lessons in daily trusting in you, daily following, daily obedience, daily feeding on your Word, daily talking this all out with you in prayer. In Jesus name, amen.

"Great faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It's simply taking God at His word and taking the next step." - Joni Eareckson Tada

in all things at all times

2004-12-04T01:15:00.000-08:00

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you,

so that in all things at all times,

having all that you need,

you will abound in every good work."

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able

(not me)

to make all grace abound to you

(grace: not deserved, or earned, or even worried into being)

so that in all things at all times

(yes, even in my particular circumstances)

having all that you need

(maybe not what I think I need, and not the whims of my wants)

you will abound in every good work

Lord,

help me to keep my focus off of my self,

my limitations, my worries.

Instead,

in all things

at all times

may your will be done in me

for your kingdom

and your glory

Amen

Jeremiah 17:7-8

2004-11-28T23:51:00.000-08:00

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

Dear Jesus, help me to be so firmly planted in you, and drawing my nourishment from you, and so trusting in you...... that I may not only make it through the difficult circumstances, but that I may even bear fruit for others during them.

thanks (update)

2004-11-28T23:46:00.000-08:00

So, a few days after posting the words to Gratitude, here I was, at 1:00 this morning, scrambling around outside in the cold and dark, scrounging up the things I needed to get a portable heater going in our house, as our furnace had decided to blow only ccccccold air. And the words of the song came back to me...

Wrap us up
And warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to you
With gratitude....

And I'm wondering, is God testing me on this? That these are not just words that sound good...... but they are something that I actually live out in my daily life....... broken furnaces and all?

thanks

2004-11-25T01:09:00.000-08:00

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:16-18

Lord, again you know how far I am from doing this. How, too often, I allow circumstances to steal my joy; and I only give thanks in circumstances in which I am comfortable. Please forgive me. Help me to see past the temporary frustrations of these refining times, to your eternal purposes. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18) Thank you for what you are doing in my life. Even though it is painful, I trust in You, and in your purposes. Thankyou for walking alongside, for your Word as the solid thing to hold on to, and for listening to my jumbled prayers as we go through this - together. Thanks for family and friends and church family to care for me, encourage me, and carry me in prayer as well. I know I am truly blessed. Thankyou Jesus, amen

A song which has been a good reminder of this as well, is Gratitude, by Nichole Nordeman...

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up
And warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starrry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if you never grant us peace

But Jesus, would you please...

(from her CD titled woven & spun 2002 Sparrow Records)

1 John 1:9

2004-11-23T01:40:00.000-08:00

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

What an incredible thing. At least forgiveness we can somewhat understand, and occasionally we even see it modeled. The problem with the forgiveness that we see is that, even though the offense may have been forgiven, it is still there - a big ugly blot. God goes beyond that and purifies us from all unrighteousness. Purified......... no lingering ugly sin stains or odors. That is truly amazing. Thank you Jesus!

1 Peter 5:6-11

2004-11-19T01:29:00.000-08:00

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Father, help me to humble myself under your hand. You know I get impatient and start to complain and squirm. Your timing is perfect, and your purposes are always good. Help me to trust you, and then to rest in that trust.

Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.

You know how hard this is for me. I give my anxieties to you, but then, rather than leaving them there, I take them back up on myself again. You are so much bigger and stronger than I - help me to leave them with you where they belong. Thank you for caring for me.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

Help me to be alert to the schemes of satan, and recognizing them, give me the self-control to resist them. Too often instead, I flirt around the edges of them. Help me to find repulsive, the things which you find repulsive.

because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Help me not to get so caught up in my SELF. Instead, help me to learn how to share the burdens of others, whether through prayer, or however else I am able.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,

Help me to remember that, as Paul said, these problems are light and momentary in comparison to the eternal glory we have been promised through the grace of Christ Jesus.

will HIMSELF restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

You know my tendency is to try to fix things myself, often resulting in making an even bigger muddle of things. Please restore me, in your time, making me strong, firm, and steadfast.

To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen

Amen

WORDprints

2004-11-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

WORDprints..... places where God's Word has touched my life and left it's impression.

These two verses are my prayer as I start this.

May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord,

my Rock

and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Sanctify them (me) by your Truth;

your Word is Truth.

John 17:17