Thursday, July 29, 2021

Just Jesus

It's true - we are life-long learners. I suggest we are [also] life-long un-learners! Just think about the things we've had to un-learn in order to take advantage of new and more efficient ways of doing things: shopping, cooking, banking, traveling, etc.  As children we grew to learn and assume our independence from our parents - that's a good thing. What is not good, however, is how Believers often indiscriminately shrug-off their dependence on God. Oswald Chambers notes how in Scripture clouds are often associated with God. For example, "Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne." (Psalm 97:2) and "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7). Respectively, we often attempt to face life's storm clouds independently of The One Who surrounds Himself as such. How do we un-learn this I-can-do-this-on-my-own mentality? "Looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only." (Mark 9:8). Perhaps the storms in our lives aren't meant to teach us as much as they are designed that we may un-learn dependence on anything or anyone except God! Embracing newer and more efficient ways of living isn't all bad, but may we never-ever grow into an independence of The Father. When we look into the clouds, always see ... just Jesus.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Friendly Life

It is common when guests visit, they knock and wait to be asked in, to have a seat, and maybe share a glass of sweet tea. This is not the way of Trouble: she comes in unannounced and without invitation. At the visit from this unwelcome guest, friends are important. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” In 2005 when Mister Bill had cancer, never was the wealth of friends more real to us: they filled the waiting room during his surgery, their cards packed our mailbox, they handed us cash, they called and emailed us, they cried and prayed with us, they filled our kitchen with food. Those whom we had not heard from in ages reached out to encourage and strengthen us. At times we were [quite simply] astonished at the outpouring of love and care. Christ is the Truest Brother and Friend the Believer will ever know, and because of Him we are to extend His kind of love and care to others. It is good and right we extend God’s mercy but it also has benefits: “A man that
hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24). Solomon recommends friendship; contract and cultivate friendship by showing ourselves friendly. Friendliness is a wise investment. In the final scene of the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a myriad of George Bailey's friends came to help him in his crisis, and Little Harry Bailey paid tribute: “To my big brother George, the richest man in town!” The measure of a friendly life could mean friends who knock at your door, call your number, fill your mailbox and refrigerator when Trouble comes a’callin’. Oh, and be sure Trouble will come but so will the full-measure of friends because of your ... friendly life!

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Blog Break

 MWB will resume Thursday 08-01-2021

Stay in The Word!

Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Know The Truth!

The childhood rhyme "liar, liar, pants on fire" may sound cute but lies are no chuckling matter! I suggest the most tragic thing about lies is that we do not recognize them. Lies come to us disguised in every shape, form, color imaginable ... and some unimaginable. It was a lie that made Eve (the first woman) doubt the Truth given by The Creator: "From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17). Simple enough; that is, until God's Truth was challenged with Satan's lie: "You surely will not die!" (Genesis 3:4). As blatant as that was, Satan sweetened the deal with another lie: "God knows ... when you eat from it ... you'll be like God" (V.5). Soon enough, Eve allowed her feelings to get involved: she "saw the tree was good for food ... a delight to the eyes ... desirable to make one wise." (V.6). Satan doesn't play fair - never has, never will. Scripture warns us about him: John 8:44 - he has nothing to do with The Truth, there is no Truth in him, he is a liar and the father of lies. The great tragedy is too many Believers [also] do not have The Truth in them;  if we don't know The Truth, we'll never recognize a lie. "Thy Word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11). From the heart's treasury of Truth, The Holy Spirit helps identify and defend against Satan's lies that threaten to ruin us emotionally and spiritually! Can you spot a lie? You can if you know The Truth ... Read-Study-Memorize God's words ... Know The Truth!

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Proven Place

Years ago, my yard guy (aka Mister Bill) rooted and planted cuttings from my Papa's bush. Unsure of its heartiness, Mister Bill planted several cuttings; surprising [to me], they all survived and made beautiful bushes. Of course, Mister Bill was certain it was because of a Master Gardener. Summer heat can be tough, causing stress on creation; well, so can life's intensity to our spirits! Struggles can easily and quickly make us feel a bit crisp around the edges. Oh, how we need reminding of the protection and provision found in The Shadow of The Almighty. Psalm 17:8 "Hide me in The Shadow of Your wings." Psalm 57:1 "I will take refuge in The Shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed." Psalm 63:7 "Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings." Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in The Shelter of The Most High will rest in The Shadow of The Almighty." Oh, my, what a place to be -- safely away from the heat of life, drawing from His intense Love, savoring His Protection and Provision. It's not only THE perfect way to recover, it's also the only place to remain. It's the place God beckons us ... come, draw near ... come and rest ... come and remain. The Shadow of The Almighty - it's the Proven Place!

Monday, July 19, 2021

The Constant Unchangeable

Constant things can be good ... or bad. Constant dog-barking or ringing in the ears can be annoying; on the flip-side, a constant morning or bedtime routine can be quite assuring. How very foolish when we fail to see and acknowledge The Most Constant of all: "“For I the LORD do not change." (Malachi 3:6). You've heard it, too - change is the one thing that is constant - that's just not true! God is constant - His Word is constant ... because they do not change. Count on it. Depend on it. Rejoice in it. Honestly, one of God's many-wonderful attributes that brings me greatest comfort is that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. As I wake every morning and consider what my day "looks like," I know with all confidence God is unchanged from the day before AND He's equally as steadfast as He's ever been and ever will be. Things [even people] come-and-go but God remains. I rest and delight in The Constant Unchangeable!

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Be His!

Have you ever played the game, “King of the Hill”? Object of the game is to stay on-top [of whatever] as long as you can. The most common way you lost kingship status is being shoved or pushed off. That, I observed, was prelude to the next game – wrestling. Who owns you? This may seem like a strange question but the world screams at us “be your own person” with countless books-magazines-seminars to help us do just that. Interestingly, ownership was also a familiar topic in the Apostle Paul’s day, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of The Holy Spirit Who is in you, Whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Far too long and intensely, Believers have struggled against God’s Spirit within, pushin’ and shovin’ and [yes] wrestlin’ Christ from His rightful place in the heart.
Declaring ourselves self-kings, we make home [provision] for the deceitful works of Satan – anger, bitterness, anxiety, hostility, pride, selfishness and such. Christ declared our ownership in Himself as He prayed to The Father, “I have manifested Your Name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world. Yours they were, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your Word.” (John 17:6). I urge you, as Believers, don't be deceived: victory in this life will not come by being king of your own life. No! it comes only by surrender to One Lordship -- Jesus Christ. Thus, “he who is joined to The Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Christ gave up Himself for you [at Calvary] - are you willing to give up yourself to Him? Be His!

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Love With It All



Restraints – tied, bound, gagged, locked in or out sounds like terror to me but to little boys ... well, it must have been big fun! O. S. Hawkins writes, “We are to hold nothing back when we love God.” In other words, love Him with no restraint! Typically, we try to limit ourselves from spending frivolously and practice living frugally. Jesus’ words, “love … with all your heart … soul … strength … mind” in Luke 10:27 don’t translate into hold-back or control yourself! What thought, action, behavior, activity, or effort is exempt from Christ’s command? Perhaps we are guilty of “lip service” as described in Matthew 15:8 – “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” What part of the person is missing from the heart-soul-strength-mind? That covers it all – the entire person; it’s all there, no parts missing! To love with no restraint is total abandon, no considering or debate [consciously or unconsciously] whether to love or not. Love with the whole person – give that love all you've got, all the time, in all circumstances, to all people. The gears of the heart-soul-strength-mind are greased and engaged. turned by a passionate love for Almighty God! Good gracious, how do we do this in this imperfect world of evil and injustice? “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Aha! By His grace, we are able to live up to and honor the Name of Christ – it’s how we … love without restraints … love with it all!

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Reflect Mercy

A good mirror can be a useful tool! The key word in that statement is "good" - not broken or warped. Believers are to reflect God's Nature; and, among His characteristics is mercy. Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." (Matthew 5:7). You know, it hurts when we're treated without mercy! One mistake, albeit unintentional, can bring on the harshest treatment. What if God treated us in such a way - one sin and we're toast! James echoes Jesus' words: "Cursed at those who are not merciful, for they will not be shown mercy." (James 5:7). It's tiring and difficult to stay angry, being merciless to others. Furthermore, for all the tiresome work - that is, being unmerciful - God says that's exactly what we've got coming! Oh, I want to be found among the merciful - the ones who understand well the compassionate mercy God has shown to me and continues to show me. The kinder, gentler and more forgiving I can be toward others, the more and better I will reflect the nature of Christ. Like a good mirror, reflect Mercy!

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Heavenly Feast

There is an person who seems to rule too much of my life; that person is … me. Feeding on me is a pretty slim diet leading to spiritual famine. Scripture says, “And He rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.” (Psalm 78:24). The Hebrews called it manna “like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (Exodus 16:31). Consider for a moment: the nutrition in bread from heaven. Feeding upon Jesus in this life is good yet imperfect but, oh, the feast to come in Heaven! Here, “’tis but a taste,” but there we will know just how good and gracious He is. It’s been three years since my Mom left us, but she now knows the fullness of life as I cannot yet know. This one truth alone chases away a great sadness that threatens when I think of her. This is what God is teaching me: stop the steady diet of self – feed instead on Christ and His riches. What shame when Believers starve ourselves from lack of The True Bread! “This is the Bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of It and not die.” (John 6:50). The heavenly diet is both plenteous and satisfying, fulfilling all needs of soul and spirit. Don’t starve yourself; submit to a continual feast on Him. Begin to enjoy your Heavenly Feast now.

Monday, July 12, 2021

Live Blessed




Words matter! Even punctuation matters: add an exclamation mark at the end to intensify the word or sentence. Words really do matter! Psalm 1 begins with “Blessed is the man …” The word “blessed” is closest translated as ... happy. The writer actually used the plural form to exclaim-emphasize his thought. This phrase has even been interpreted, “oh, the happiness of!” This deep emotional expression should make the reader want to know – must know, gotta know – what can bring about such magnificent joy? Verses 1-3 render it is the righteous (born-again, saved, Believer) who is blessed in such an extraordinary way. God laid out His plan for man to experience His Kingdom beauty when He said, “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate (sanctify) yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am Holy.” (Leviticus 11:44). Only those who set themselves apart by living a Spirit-filled life unto righteousness will experience genuine lasting blessedness. Be holy and live blessed!

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Observe His Goodness

We all have our favorite spots - north, south, east or west we travel to enjoy places of extraordinary beauty. One of my favorite spots in Scripture is Hebrews 11, often referred to as the "Hall of Faith." The writer leads us on a walk through ancient spiritual faithfulness: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and others. The accounts of their wanderings, afflictions, temptations and persecutions recorded to remind us they all "obtained a good report through faith" (Hebrews 11:39). Oh, and there are others throughout the world's and our country's histories that stand tall in their faithful perseverance! How encouraging it is to read ... and be reminded God's past Goodness isn't confined to the past! "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." (Psalm 103:2). No one knows the fullest extent of God's Goodness upon their lives; visible blessings are relatively easy to count - the invisible blessings, however, we can only count by knowing God's assurance to those who love and honor Him. Spurgeon wrote, "We do our Lord an injustice when we suppose that He performed all of His mighty acts in the past but doesn’t roll up His sleeves and go to work for His saints who are now living on the earth." I fondly recall - even anticipate - the loveliness of my favorite places but the beauty I enjoy sitting on my own front porch is breathtaking. Let's remember God's eternal Good Nature all the time as we faithfully observe His Goodness in every moment of our lives! Observe His Goodness!

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Blog Break

 


MWB will be back Monday 08-12
Stay in The Word
Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Nothing Tops That

Of all the places I've ever been, one place I never care to visit again is under the house! I can only imagine the crawly things that hang out there! I don't even like looking at the opening to the crawlspace in our basement! Have you ever been “under” your circumstances? Being in the midst of circumstances is bad, but to be under them -- that’s a crisis indeed! In Psalm 142, David describes his circumstances like this: “my spirit faints within me … they have hidden a trap for me … I am brought very low … [my persecutors] are too strong for me.” (Psalm 142). If you think about it, circumstances alone wield no power – their fury comes only from how we respond to them. Kicking and screaming into-through them are common responses but produce no good results! David knew all about being under circumstances, and also knew just how to shake 'em off in-trade for peace and deliverance: “I cry to You, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my Refuge, my Portion in the land of the living.” There are lots of needy [life-sucking] things that hang out in the land-of-the-living but when we know Christ as our full and perfect Portion, circumstances become opportunities and the terribles that threaten us don’t survive to overtake us. Thankfully, Mister Bill isn't spooked by crawly things ... most of the time. Even better, God is Mightiest and Christ satisfies completely! Absolutely nothing tops that!

Monday, July 5, 2021

Non-Independence

It's said "tools are cool," and I suppose that's highly under-stated! Mister Bill has tools I can't identify, spell nor pronounce. When he needs assistance loosening or tightening, removing or installing, dismantling or repairing, measuring or calculating ... he depends on them. In his book, New Morning Mercies, Paul David Tripp describes a persistent problem for Believers: "Our problem is not our weakness; God's grace is up to the task. Our problem is our delusions of strength that keep us from seeking the grace that strengthens us in our weakness." Too many Believers have declared independence from The Creator: listened to the world's ideologies, followed its encouragement and embraced the lies they are intelligent enough, strong and able to handle anything that comes their way.  The reality is, however, we are unwise, weak and unable! Paul wrote, "God said to me, 'My grace is Sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the Power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9). It really matters little how many tools Mister Bill has in his arsenal unless he recognizes his need, his dependence on them, then uses them respectively. As we've just celebrated Independence Day as Americans, let us never! never! never! declare independence from God. His Grace is Power - real and abundantly available to all Believers who declare their non-independance of Him. Depend on God!

Sunday, July 4, 2021

Claim To Fame

No one knows for certain who made the first official American flag, but Betsy Ross has traditionally held that "claim to fame."  God is Sole Author of His Salvation for man. The only "claim to fame" we will ever know is "sinner saved by grace."  The pursuit of fame continues: become so educated a single line will not hold all the titles and degrees; accumulate masses amounts of wealth and power; become a household word; join the ranks of the jet-set elites and travel to every corner of the globe; never, however, will any person rise above wretched-made-alive, broken-made-whole, poor-made-rich, worthless-made-worthy except by God through His Son Jesus Christ.  That is, and ever will be, our only claim to fame and reason to boast: saved, redeemed, re-born ... yes, truly, a sinner saved by God's amazing and matchless Grace. What a claim to fame!

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Greatest Worship

Food textures - now, that's a topic! Admittedly, there are certain foods on my no-no list based mostly on how it feels to my palate. For example, I love the crunch of cereal but when it becomes soggy in the milk - my palate says "nope, friend, not today." The psalmist wrote, "Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD [and worships Him with obedience], who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments." (Psalm 128:1, AMP). Worship is an appropriate response of those who genuinely fear (respect and honor) The Creator God. Furthermore, a consistently obedient life is evidence of that respect and honor! Did you know that texture is an index of a food's quality? The texture of food can change over time if stored improperly or too long or exposed to outside influences: an apple becomes rubbery, bread becomes hard ... cereal becomes soggy. There is, however, visual evidence in the Believer's life who consistently refuses to "walk in the counsel of the ungodly ... stand in the path of sinners ... sit in the seat of scoffers" but [rather] chooses to "delight in the instruction of the LORD ... meditate on it day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2). Yes, there's an eternal beauty to consistent obedience to God: "He will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; it's leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers." (Psalm 1:3). There is spiritual texture - character and quality - to the Believer who make consistent obedience to God a way of life. Let's worship Him with obedience ... our greatest worship.