In The Garden

It has been said, "a friend is someone who knows you well and still likes you."  Well, it's not just my friends but my family.  No one knows my uh-ohs and oh-nos better than my husband and children: they eat my "burnt offerings," they see me without makeup, they don't comment on my morning hair, and they know me before the day's first shot of caffeine.  Have you ever thought about the hard things that happened in gardens?  Man's worst revolt came about in a garden, and Jesus prayed one of His toughest prayers in the garden: "Father, let this cup pass from me."  Jesus asked if He [really] must face the horrors of death but it was [indeed] the Will of The Father.  For me, Christ surrendered His own will ... for me.  God already knew my faith would be shallow and weak; that there would be times when the world [and my family] would look at me and wonder what difference God really made in my life. Yes, He knew all that and more! But, something happened in the garden: obedience reigned!  "For even Christ pleased not Himself." (Romans 15:3); "It pleased The LORD to bruise Him." (Isaiah 53:10a).  Nothing mattered except that "love grew where blood spilled," and a way be made clear for His child to return to the beautiful Garden where The Father is waiting.  Oh, what a Savior!

Detour to Kindness

A honey bee, with its travels checked by the United States Department of Agriculture, will ordinarily travel some 300,000 miles to collect one pound of honey! Have you ever noticed how some people travel far out of their way just to be ... rude or mean!  I once missed a deadline and humbly asked for a little grace; I got the grace but it was expensive -- extended with such harshness I wished I had not asked!  I wondered when I hung up the phone what self-gratification could there possibly be in making another person feel horrible!  One of the first verses I learned, I learned as a child: "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32).  Why is it so hard for us to be kind?  Perhaps it's because we haven't put away all  "bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking" as instructed in Ephesians 4:31. Furthermore, in Verse 29 we are told to "let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth" and that the words we speak "impart grace to the hearers. "While the sting of her words were still fresh, I wonder who I had stung with my own unkind words. The road to unkindness is clearly the road more traveled, but for Believers, we best obediently make our path the ... detour to kindness!

Fumble-Free

This may come as no surprise but ... it's football season! The proper handling of a football is as fundamental as it comes to this popular fall sport.  In play action, all the bumping, knocking, and tackling, losing the handle on the football is not-so-uncommon! Fumbling our faith is also not so uncommon.  In the game of life, there is much bumping, knocking, and tackling.  Such attacks to what we believe take many forms; Satan is real good at those plays that cause us to stumble and even fall. It seems I am hit hardest when I've neglected Bible study and prayer. In Philippians 2, Paul commended his fellow Believers of Philippi on their faithfulness and encouraged them to continue to "shine brightly" in their faith. Yeah, that "shining" part's often tricky, so he wrote, "Hold firmly the message of life." (V.2)  Just like holding that football securely is important so it is that we hold tightly to what is good and honorable. There's little room to fumble, stutter, or side-step in our obedience to Christ because those searching souls in our circle of influence [our mission field] depend on it. Ask God today to give you all the Grace you need to be fumble-free with His Message of Life.

Unshakable

Although we know it is moving, few of us have actually felt the earth move. Mister Bill tells of being in an earthquake in Pakistan and being mortified when his mother grabbed him from the bathtub and ran outside ... him and his nakedness! The very idea of "unshakable" is just that - an idea, something unimaginable. Believers know this: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). This amazing assurance is based on hope; that Greek word "hope" means "confident expectation." Confident expectation - this Assurance isn't like tossing a penny into a wishing well; no! it's confidence perfectly rooted in God [through Jesus Christ] Who is Unshakable ... certain, steady, unchangeable, constant, secure, fixed. This Assurance changes everything, and particularly, who we are and how we live our lives: both short- and long-term choices we make, unceasing joy that goes with us everywhere, peace that blankets every circumstance. Are you living in The Shadow of The Unshakable One? Oh, how He loves you and wants you to live ... unshakable.

Take Him With You

 There will always be times of change - a new job, a new church, a new school, a new home. Change may be constant but there's a Constant Who does not change: "I the LORD do not change" (Malachi 3:6). Short and simple: God doesn't change. When we take this to heart - make it real and personal, what is unsettled is settled, we find rest in restlessness. The soul is ever searching for that which does not seek to evade; no, God longs to be found and loved as much as He loves. Let me encourage you to cease searching foolishly and in vain; seek Him, find Him then rejoice, "I have found Whom my soul loves" (Song of Solomon 3:4). He is The Love Who never changes, Who never fails and Who loves intensely forever. He is The Love of life Who you can take with you everywhere and all day long!

Stay Seated

Too many years ago to count at Universal Studios in Florida, Dennis and I got up close and personal with the mechanical shark from the movie "Jaws." That may have been the last time Dennis sat in his Mama's lap! With God, there is no reason for fear. It's our flesh that has trouble believing it.  Dennis & I both knew that shark wasn't real - that the whole thing was staged to scare us silly but [even] that didn't keep us in our seats! Putting feet to our faith is the big challenge in our lives. Psalm 56:4 says, "In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?" David wrote this when he was in some fearful circumstances; he was a Philistine captive! There are many scary things in our lives; they come unexpectedly and with little mercy, causing us to leave our seats and run for cover. God's Strength is perfect - perfectly and completely sufficient and trustworthy! Yeah, Dennis and I felt pretty silly [indeed] at our fear of that not-real shark; when we actually act-out our trust in God, we find the scary isn't nearly as scary as it seem. Trust The One most Trustworthy, and ... stay seated!

It's Today!

Our twin boys, Dennis & Dustin, each had a school assignment [years ago] to prepare a personal timeline. The assignments became a family project - going through pictures, books, scrapbooks, albums, etc. We all hoped for a good grade! Life is a series of precious moments, and God desires us to embrace them all.  Abraham Lincoln once listened to the pleas of the mother of a soldier who'd been sentenced to hang for treason. She begged the President to grant a pardon. Lincoln agreed. Yet, he's reported to have left the lady with the following words: ''Still, I wish we could teach him a lesson. I wish we could give him just a little bit of hangin'."  Opportunities lost are familiar to all of us, and we know the sting of that "little bit of hangin'."  Oh, if life had those wonderful "rewind" and "replay" buttons! Well, it doesn't -- life has no rehearsals!  It is [rightly called] wisdom when we see wealth in the moments at hand.  Children grow up, neighbors and friends move away, the sun rises and sets, and death makes its unannounced call, to which we frequently respond with sighs and regrets.  I don't know what circumstance prompted David to write these words, but how profoundly they speak to busy people such as us: "As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of The Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him." (Psalm 103:15-17). There are riches and great wisdom in seizing today, pressing it for God's Best. George in "Stuart Little" runs from his bedroom exclaiming, "It's today, it's today!" His mother reminds him "it's always today."  His reply is brilliant: "I know, but this is today!"  Charge today as if it will never be again ... as it won't. Don't miss God's blessings and opportunities.  It's today! It's today!

Heart-Satisfaction

A deadline or an end-date is bout all I need to get me going, moving ... in-gear! 'Tis the season - you football fans - to anticipate the upcoming game: calendar cleared, flags a'flyin, tailgating time set, game menu planned. What do we do, however, toward soul-satisfaction? The psalmist gives us how we are to press-on toward genuine satisfaction: "The humble will eat and be satisfied; those who seek The LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!" (Psalm 22:26). Key move of those who want true satisfaction is to "seek The LORD." Now, before you say, "Oh, I do that," consider the condition of those who seek Him: humility. It's the humble - the one who recognizes he is incapable of truly satisfying his desires-longings. Proverbs 22:4 says "The reward for humility and fear of The Lord is riches and honor and life." There is indeed honor and riches for the humble, and among countless other things is ... heart-satisfaction! Yay, of course, for momentary things that satisfy; let us not be deceived, however, temporary pleasures are just that - temporary. Only The Father gives ... heart-satisfaction.

Enough

It's not uncommon to hear these words, "Enough already" or "I've heard enough." While we understand the meaning of these exclamations, their literal meaning is silly. When was the last time your ear was filled with hearing; or, your eye was filled with seeing? The most powerful, respected and wise ruler of his day, King Solomon examined his life and wrote, "All things are wearisome; man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing,nor is the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:8). He considered his great achievements of power, of wealth, of wisdom, and the finest most luxurious things of earth and concluded: the eye cannot satisfy the heart! Whether in the past or present times of "living the life," we all should be able to understand and/or identify with King Solomon's conclusion that nothing on earth gives complete, lasting, genuine satisfaction. "Delight yourself in The LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4). The Believer who is spiritually single-focused on Christ is the one who finds satisfaction beyond any thing or any one. There, in God's Presence, we find the path of life, fullness of joy and eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11). And, be sure of this: there is the only place we'll ever find ... enough.

Pass Through With Grace

Have you ever stayed somewhere longer than you meant to? That's what happened to Mister Bill and I years ago as we were en route to a family reunion: car trouble stranded us in Nashville. Our "passing through" didn't come to pass! Hallelujah and amen - this world is not home for Believers! When you consider all the hard times in this life, "passing through" sounds pretty good. It's hard to imagine difficult situations of life work for our good, but that's exactly what Romans 8:28 tells us: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I suspect Paul had little patience with whining. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Someone once said some of God's greatest gifts make our hands bleed when opening the boxes. Remember, God never wastes an opportunity to grow us, and you're not stranded - you're just passing through. Trust God in everything and ... pass through with grace!

Salvation of The LORD

As a child, I don't recall imagined fears of "monsters" underneath the bed but this older-me can be quickly paralyzed by present realities. That was quite possibly King David's mindset as he fled [for his life] from his son, Absalom, who wanted the throne for himself. Hear it as he writes, "O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God." (Psalm 3:1-2). In these threatening days of hostility and terror as well as shrinking freedoms for American Believers, we can easily fall prey to Satan's weapon of fear for ourselves, our families, communities and nation. My own tossing-and-turning during the night is at times indicative of the helplessness I feel to console myself and those I love. Hear the peace David finds in God: "I cried aloud to the LORD, and He answered me from His Holy Hill. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me, I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around ... Salvation belongs to the LORD ... You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory and The Lifter of my head. (V.4-6, 8, 3). The [perceived] monsters of may have changed but the certain deliverance of those who trust The LORD remains steadfast and effective. Whether you're active in the day's duties or resting your head upon a pillow, find your rest in The Salvation of The LORD!

Joyful Hearts

Sleepless nights come in many flavors - restless babies, sickness ... uh, a full moon. Some such nights, however, are self-prescribed - too much caffeine, fear or worry. In Psalm 4, David speaks words that [when applied] put every troublesome night to an end; "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:7-8). No doubt, like us, David struggled against the enemies' threats, those joy-stealers: anger, bitterness, anxiety, discouragement, worry, fear, etc. Ultimately, he acknowledges the joy God gives so freely to the welcoming heart is far superior than all threats. God confirms "a joyful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22). That blessed joyfulness brings peace and rest to our days and nights! We are wise to open our hearts for a healthy dose of God's Joy - it's good for the heart!

Great Almighty Things

When was the last time you cleaned underneath your refrigerator? While you just might find a missing thing or two, it's not a pretty thought - that is, the floor underneath!  To the Believer who pursues Him, God promises: "I will answer you, and show you great almighty things which you know not." (Jeremiah 33:3). As absolutely wonderful this promise is, there is an implied condition; "I will answer thee" indicates there is a pursuit, a question, a request, a plea to God. I cringe and shudder at the many times and things of God I have missed simply because I did not ask or I did not seek The Father. In the life of Believers, there are countless moments we enjoy [as part of The Family of Faith] but [sadly] few who ascend to a deeper level of intimacy with God. These spiritual experiences come only through times of prayer, study and fellowship with Christ. Spurgeon writes, "Gaze with the eye of faith through the window of prayer ... When you open the window on your side, it will not be bolted on the other." Oh, how so many Believers never approach or even look through that window. If your spiritual life is limping or lacking, or you feel somewhat disconnected from the power of God in your present circumstances, I suggest you take God's Word and position yourself quietly by that [spiritual] window in prayer; then, expect God to draw near and present Himself real and effective. The Great Almighty delivers only ... great almighty things.

MWB Blog Break

  

MWB will resume Wed 09-15-2021
Stay in The Word
Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Surrender

There was a time when every man carried a white handkerchief; both of my grandfathers did, and my Dad still does! I've seen men pull those white cloths from their pockets and use them as a flag or signal. We know in battle, a white flag signals surrender. Giving up isn't an easy thing; whether we're setting aside a bad habit or negotiating a compromise, it involves some degree of self-denial. "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10). I suggest our nature leans heavily toward hoarding rather than sharing. As is God's Nature, so Believers' nature should be to give freely and generously of our [God-given] gifts to and for the good of others. Such obedience to Christ's command demands a denying-of-self - a waving of the white flag in giving up my rights to the benefit of another. Perhaps we should all carry a white handkerchief to remind us we are called to a daily humble surrender to others as unto Christ Jesus. Let's live under that ... that ... flag of surrender.

Elevate Others

Do you remember your first ride on an elevator? Oh, I do. Mom would take us to our dentist who was several floors up in a tall downtown building. I also remember it was the only good part of going to the dentist! Paul wrote, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself." (Philippians 2:3). Think about why God gave Paul these words: because He knew human nature, which is to elevate ourselves over others. In his book, A Little Book on the Christian Life, John Calvin writes, "our self-love ruins us ... to such a degree that we not only swell up but almost burst with pride." Yes, of course, we are to have a healthy view of who we are - "See what kind of love The Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1). We are, however, [as God commands] to put the good of others ahead of ourselves. Don't know about you but several people easily come to my mind as I consider their lifestyle of "others first." What a testimony they are and what a challenge to us all to elevate others in obedience to Christ. Perhaps the next time you step onto an elevator, we'll be reminded it's others who are to take that ride!

Live Wisely

Have you ever been part of an exercise in futility - something you largely doubted was worth your time and effort? When this older-me has such thought, I lie down till the thought quietly goes away! The world stage is "slap-full" (a good Southern term) of actors engaged in useless frivolity. "The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together, against The LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.'" (Psalm 2:2-3). One reality I've experienced is a stand taken against righteousness is utterly foolish. "He Who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision." (V.4). Oh, yes, I've been amused at my ridiculous efforts to be king-of-me; nonetheless, most humbling is The King [of all kings] laughing at my foolishness. While we pray kings and leaders [turn and] rule in righteousness, the only thing I can bring to pass is to personally choose to bow my head and heart to The Almighty King: "Be wise ... Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling ... Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." (V.10, 11, 12). Stand with The King of Ages ... live wisely.

Alert! Attentive! Watchful!

It seems a good hunter knows how to attract his prey: he uses a duck call and duck decoys, for crows he employs a crow call and crow decoy, and for coyotes he uses sounds of a wounded animal. Hanging around Mister Bill, I have learned these things. Believers must be aware of Satan's tricks as well. "Let no one deceive you by any means." (2 Thessalonian 2:3). Our human weakness and Satan's tricks is a terrible combination! And here we are: "In latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies." (1 Timothy 4:1). Oh, how easily we fall for the fashionable, the popular, and the entertaining giving credence to Satan's lures, diverting us from what is true and honorable. A good hunter is alert, attentive, and watchful. That's what we must be --  alert, attentive, and watchful, lest we be deceived.  Keep an eye out!  Do not be fooled by Satan's decoys!

Bear His Fruit

On one of Mister Bill's hunting club leases was [what they called] a "dry ditch." Reminds me of a motel we booked once; we were eager to be in our swimmies to enjoy the beautiful pool - well, it had no water in it! Believers who are out of fellowship with Christ are much like that dry ditch, no longer a natural flowing water source; its banks are barren of foliage, and only a reminder to what once was. Psalm 1:3 is a beautiful description of how our lives should flourish spiritually: "He [the Believer] shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." We've all at times lost our fruitfulness because we become "dried up." By our own willful and sinful choice, we allow other things to claim our time, replacing prayer and God's Word, as well as faithful worship and fellowship with other Believers in the Body of Christ [His Church]. Know this: living a productive and fruitful Spirit-filled life demands diligence; it doesn't just happen. It is a result of making Jesus THE priority in all things: Christianity is not a way of doing certain things - it is a certain way of doing all things! How horrible it is to belong to God but have little to show for it. Stay near the Living Water Source to flourish ... then bear His fruit!