BLOG BREAK

 Break extended by one day 😁
MWB resumes Wed 10-02
Stay in The Word!
Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Blog Break

 Morning with Beverly
will resume Tuesday 10-01-2024

Stay in The Word

Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Well-Tended Garden

A gardener, I am not! The best I can manage is some potted plants; and without Mister Bill's "garden" maintenance, I don't even manage that very well! Believers are wise to consider how well we tend our spiritual gardens. The spiritual we are called to yield is often that of a garden neglected and ignored! "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB). Doesn't that stand of fruit sound like a garden that has had serious attention? Although we do depend on God's soil and sunshine, those potted blooms rely heavily on the tender and faithful care of the gardener. Spiritual fruit, however, will always be The miraculous work of The Holy Spirit: "If we live by The Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." (V.25, NASB). To "live by" The Holy Spirit demands a setting aside of ourselves, making room for and giving control to Him. When we do this, we flourish spiritually and display to the world ... a well-tended garden.

In-Focus Living

Wouldn't you like to live without distractions? Oh, I don't mean those sweet unexpected and unplanned opportunities to bless others; rather, those otherwise silly things that divert our focus from living with God in full focus. Jesus said, "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:26, ESV). Wouldn't it be great if we could stay focused on that kind of living! Perhaps the greatest hindrance to living in-focus is that too many just don't know (or have forgotten) why we're here on earth - our true purpose gets lost in all the busy-ness of life! The first of Spurgeon's catechisms is: "What is the chief end of man?" God's answer for us is we are here for these reasons alone: whatever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and besides God, there's nothing on earth we should desire - though all else fails, God is the strength of our heart and our portion forever (Psalm 73:25-26). Spurgeon sums it up: "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Now, there's certain purpose in these words - truths that will help us live disciplined and intentional lives ... in-focus living.

On Track

Things that run on tracks are exciting to little boys!  With three boys, believe me - I've seen lots of tracks: short and long ones, wide and thin ones, curvy and loopy ones.  Some of them actually were pretty entertaining! How easily Believers forget our spiritual purpose!  In other areas of life, we are purpose-driven:  pick up batteries for the smoke alarm, call insurance agent, schedule hair appointment, budget for vacation, sit in porch swing, etc.  Isaiah 49:5 reminds us of God’s design for us from the womb, “to be his servant.”  I like how Oswald Chambers writes we are “created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  There was one reoccurring problem with all the boys’ tracks: we were constantly having to put the vehicle back on the track.  Goodness, how sin causes us to jump track, altering God’s purpose and design for our lives.   We are honored in the eyes of the LORD (Isaiah 49:5) and  Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He may give it to you.” (John 15:16)  We were created at the pleasure of Almighty God, to delight in Him, and serve His creative and fulfilling purpose. A train or car off-track is no fun but what delight [to us all] when it stays on track.  Likewise, immense joy is ours when we live in the center of God’s purpose.   Really, there’s just nothing like being … on track!

No Obliviousness

Are you prone to obliviousness? Oblivious - lack of conscious awareness, an unmindful-ness. Our bodies do things we are often unmindful of: for example, when was the last time you had to remind yourself to breathe! Something within us reminds us when we're hungry or thirsty so we seek-out food and water; Psalm 42 says, "As the deer pants [longingly] for the water brooks, so my soul pants [longingly] for You, O God. My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see the face of God?" (Psalm 42:1-2, AMP). I deeply doubt the person who says, "I don't need God ... I can live without worship ... I do just fine all by myself." Scripture speaks this great truth: God has planted eternity in the heart of each person (Ecclesiastes 3:11) - a sense of divine purpose, a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God. Because every person is made in the "image of God," we have this inborn desire for Him. Oh sure, we can plod right along in our obliviousness - and we do - but why? Why would we choose to do that when the LORD commands His lovingkindness toward us in the daytime and His song is with us in the night (Psalm 42:8). He loves and cares for us that much! God is zealous for us to long for Him, to pant-after and thirst for Him just so He can satisfy us with His Goodness. Give up your obliviousness - consciously and mindfully pursue The Lord with your soul!

Come And Stay!

The question "where do you live?" is a pretty personal one. Because of clear-and-present dangers, it's information we're wise to keep fairly confidential! God says the one who "dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1, AMP). This Hebrew word "dwell" isn't referring to a brief sit-down or short-stay; no, it's remaining or abiding - an extended even continual stay. In our earthly houses, we feel a sense of comfort and security ... we feel at-home and rightly so. The child of God should long for the secret place - not a physical place but a place of spiritual at-home-ness found only in the Presence of The Most High. There in His Presence, God says there is security and rest in His "shadow." The metaphor of "shadow" should enlighten and encourage us: just like our own shadow is ever with us, the Shadow of The Almighty is ever over-shadowing the Believer's life. Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20) ... His protection, His power, His presence always with us. God invites His children, welcomes us to dwell in the secret place of His Presence ... come and stay!

Places You'll Go

Waiting at the airport for the flight to Istanbul years ago, I had little idea of what awaited me.  Although Mr. Bill had shared what it was like growing up near the city as a boy, I did not imagine the thrill of sailing the Bosporus and seeing Ottoman Empire walls, gazing at the architectural wonders of St. Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and the archaeological discoveries of the City of Ephesus.  It was a memorable trip indeed! What did Abraham imagine when God told him to “go to a land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1).  A command to go – no address, no directions, no destination, no roadmap, no atlas, no GPS.  How many of us would leave home with so little to go on?  Surely the journey sounded ominous but think about what Abraham would have missed except for his faith and obedience!  While Dr. Seuss’s words may inspire us, they well describe the hindrance to simple faith in God:  “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decides where to go.”  (Oh! The Places You’ll Go!)  The Wisdom of Proverbs 16:9 is quite different, however: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”  The Hebrew word for “land” in Genesis 12:1 refers to a country or territory, but let me suggest the “land of joy” we experience when completely surrendered to Almighty God is beyond compare!   The promise God gave Abraham far exceeded mere geography; we know it today in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Inheritance and Hope of Glory! (Colossians 1:12-14)  The more we trust and obey, the sweeter the journey.  Want to go places?  Make each step one of simple faith in God, and oh the places you’ll go!

Face The Son

How do you prefer your eggs? It's a tall order for the cook when preparing eggs for multiple guys with varying tastes. I do recall serving more than a few [intended] over-easy with a smile, a disclaimer, and an "oops, sorry." Remaining joyful in the oops-sorry times of life is a challenge. Truth is, life-stuff just isn't always to our liking (aka joyful). Any given day or circumstance or relationship can turn south-or-sour, like an over-easy egg spreads throughout the skillet. How do we regain lost joy?  James writes, "Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]." (James 1:2-3, AMP). The mastery of life here on this earth depends on how well we  learn to persevere in all the days of our lives - joyfully sunny or dismally gray. I like this saying, "Keep your face to the Son, and you cannot see the shadows."  What great words to endure with joy ... face The Son!

Act Like It!

Do you remember receiving notes like these: "Do you like me?  Check yes or no."  or "Are you mad at me?  Mark yes or no." or "Will you be my friend? Yes or no." How simple and directly to the point! The Believer's walk is just as simple: "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." (1 John 3:10-11, NASB).  How much more simple can it be: God's Children (those who bear His Name) very simply should ... act like it!  We refrai from saying unkind things, we don't participate in unholy conversations and behavor and activities; we carefully choose what we watch and listen to and read; we do not practice dishonesty nor do we lack integrity; most importantly we don't neglect time spent with The Father nor reading His Word. So that others will know the Father and His Son, Believers are faithfully serious about how we represent Jesus; our lives will be starkly different than the world's.  Do I love God? Does my life mirror the life of Christ?  If the answer is "yes," ... act like it!

Show the Love

Mister Bill and I enjoy a good clean movie with [what we call] whizz-bangs.  These movies must, however, be viewed on the big-screen; you just don’t get the full effect sitting in the living room! How does one person show love and compassion to another person?  Of course, the feelings must be displayed in an audible, visual, verbal, or physical way.  If they’re not revealed in some fashion, they’re a mute point.  One of my favorite thoughts on this subject is, “silence is deafening.”  When we see someone in need and don’t express care or concern, it can be perceived as unconcerned, disinterested, uncaring.  Hurting people don’t “feel the love” perhaps because we don’t separate a person’s circumstances from a person’s heart.  I recall years ago showing a bit of personal hurt to a fellow-Christian and was literally shrugged off as if what I felt was no big deal -- no audible, verbal, visional or physical expression of kindness, no care, no compassion, no comfort, no love.  The New Testament records several occasions when Jesus was “moved with compassion” for people.  His eyes were drawn to their hearts, not their situations or circumstances. If we are to practice love as John described in word, deed, and truth (1 John 3:18), we need to understand something.  When we encounter a troubled soul then we ignore the hurt, turn from the sorrow, walk away from the grief, we “ain’t showing the love” to people. We are called to be effective instruments of His healing, comfort, compassion, reconciliation, and restoration.  It’s how we … show the love.

Nothing But Christ

Perhaps we all know the thrill of paying the balance on a car or a home then receiving that precious title that says "I own it" ... finally! How is it [then] we miss the delight of knowing ... Christ as our own? Oh how we struggle to declare with our very lives "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 6:3). Truth is, we stake our claim to all things except Christ Who willingly and joyfully staked His claim on us through His suffering, death and resurrection. What and how much more could He make rightful claim to our hearts! The Puritan prayed, "I can say, 'My Lord and my God,' and that is enough. I thankfully give up my claim to everything else. I will never again say, 'My house is mine,' or 'My wealth is mine.' I myself am not my own." (Richard Alleine, Piercing Heaven). The ideology of this world is to gathers rather than to gives-up, which is contrary to Jesus' life and teaching. When will we learn "the way down is the way up - to be low is to be high - to have nothing is to possess all - to give is to receive" ("The Valley of Vision" prayer). As God's own, we should acknowledge the great exchange: Jesus has given Himself for us - it is an "infinite sum, for myself, a mere nothing." There remains no greater joy than to know and claim ... nothing but Christ.

Uncommon Living

Perhaps what is common and what is uncommon depends on to whom you're talking. My boys blurred the lines of common and uncommon a long time ago:  jumping on the trampoline in the dark, whiffle ball games by flood lights, tossing the baseball at 11:30 PM, the ding of the microwave at 2:00 AM, and camouflage year round! As followers of Jesus, we are called to ... uncommon living.  Consider how zip-lipped we are and how we side-step Truth instead of speaking it plainly.  It’s uncommon to find one today who speaks with such boldness. We read in Acts 28, "Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance" (V.31). If we’re really serious about making the Truth of God known in our world, we’ll do and say the uncommon: speak when others are silent, show self-control when the situation is uncontrollable, love the unlovable, and extend grace when it isn’t practical. Only God knows the blessings that await us when we speak and live unhindered Truth in boldness and love, and only He knows the lives to be changed by His Truth lived-out in us with courage and compassion. People need to know God's uncommon love and truth in these uncommon times.  We are called to ... uncommon living!

Let Him Sleep

Although I don't recall seeing it, I found the movie title intriguing: Grumpy Old Men. We often joke about the bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous nature of people, which may or may not be associated with seniors. King Solomon wrote, "Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble." (Proverbs 21:23). Sometimes it's not just words though; it can be our faces that convey our grumpiness. James warns us that "the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (1:20). Shedding an irritable spirit isn't so easy so how is it possible?  There is a simply formula:  HE>I … "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30). A simple formula but it is not easy yet more-of-Him and less-of-me improves everything!  As God's "chosen ones, holy and beloved," we are to surrender this sinful nature and put-on His Nature: "compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." (Colossians 3:12). Hearts full of this spiritual fruit keeps us out of trouble!  I recall a backdoor sign that read, "Sometimes I wake up grumpy and sometimes I let him sleep."  In the life Jesus' followers, there's no place for a bad temperament - only a bubbling-over of a Godly heart, one fixed and centered Christ.  The next time grumpy threatens, in the power of Jesus Christ ... let him sleep!

Rest Well

The older-me knows that sleep doesn't always come as quickly and sweetly as it once did. Thank goodness my Nanny taught me the value of a good afternoon nap! The psalmist writes in Chapter 4 some wonderful reasons to "both lie down and sleep" soundly: (V1) "You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress" ... (V3) "The LORD has set apart for Himself the godly man" - "The LORD hears and responds when I call to Him" ... (V7) "You have put joy in my heart" ... (V8) "You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety and confident trust." We know from 1 Samuel that David is identified as a man after God's own heart. To have such a heart - a heart after God - should be blessedness of every Believer - rest for the soul day-after-day and night-after-night. Thank You, Lord, for seeing to it always that we ... rest well.

One Friend

Without any doubt, friends are important. I feel extremely blessed to have so many wonderful friends, some who have been my friend longer than I can remember! According to my social media account, I have 956 friends ... uh, I'm not sure I can even think of 956 names! God's Word has much to say about the riches of a friend, however, here is the greatest treasure in a friend: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, ESV). This is a beautiful reference to the greatest act of the greatest friend: Jesus and the laying-down of His life for those who love Him and those He calls friend. My pastor shared a stunning statistic today that many of the younger generations have "unfriended" Jesus - they believe less and less in and of Him. When most all ages would agree "friends are important," how sad so many refuse the greatest friendship! My office holds treasures given to me by friends, my scrapbooks and boxes are filled with notes and cards from friends, my calendar tells of coffee-lunch-dinner dates with dear friends and my mind holds fondly times spent in close-friend conversations. As cherished as these things are, no friendship compares to The One Friend that matters most: Jesus ... One Friend.

It's Today

Our twin boys, year ago each had a school assignment 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!

Know Things

Perhaps one reason we’ve lost our sense of wonder today is because answers no longer elude us: if you have an electronic device, you have answers!  Then, of course, there’s Mister Bill who responds to my how-do-you-know-that questions with a confident, “I know things.”  Psalm 23 begins with a statement of five words that should be enough: “The LORD is my shepherd.” Although gentle and fluffy, sheep aren’t known for their intelligence. Nonetheless, they know things about their shepherd. They knowingly trust the shepherd to care for their every need. A shepherd himself, David knew the characteristics of God as Shepherd! He understood by following (being led by) The Shepherd, he would be completely cared for; rest, peace, restoration, righteousness, protection, courage, preservation, provision, healing, joy, goodness and mercy were his “all the days” of life (from Verses 1-6). David knew things! Do you confidently know these things? Know The Shepherd and you too will … know things.

Thirsty Hearts

Why is sleep at times so evasive? There are countless home prescriptions to invite and deliver a restful night's sleep. Just when you find one and are convinced this is it ... along comes another restless night. Renowned Christian theologian August said, "Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee." Perhaps there's no other word to describe modern-day rioting, protests and public disturbances than ... unrest or restlessness. When the heart of man is dissatisfied, there is an inherent tendency to seek-out satisfaction. Jesus said, "Blessed [joyful, nourished by God's goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied." (Matthew 5:6, AMP). Tozer refers to these persons so blessed as those who have been taught "in secret by the wisdom of God." When we are physically thirst, we know exactly where to go and what to reach for; how is it then as Believers we are ever searching-and-reaching for any and all that fails to completely satisfy? Jesus continues, "First and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right - the attitude and character of God]" (Matthew 6:33, AMP) then those things that seem so out-of-reach - physical, emotional and especially spiritual - will be ours! Fully and completely satisfied are the spiritually ... thirsty hearts.

Faith Teaches

We've heard it said, "experience is the best teacher." Oh, can we even count the things we have learned by experience! Spiritually speaking, I suggest experience is the "only" teacher. Sixteen years ago this week, my grandfather (Daddy Bill, we called him) went to his eternal home. I cannot imagine a kinder, more gentler and God-fearing man than Daddy Bill. I cherish many memories of time spent with him; so many wonderful things I learned by watching and listening to him. One thing, however, I could not inherit from this great man: his faith. Had he tried to gather it all and carefully put it into one of his amazing wooden creations, then personally hand it to me, he could not do so. Ephesians 2:8 plainly says, "by grace you have been saved through faith."  Yes, amazing is God's grace yet it is to the person who believes - yes, one individual - it is to him or her that God gifts His great salvation. To put it bluntly ... God has no grandchildren - only children. In that very moment, when faith becomes personally real - when exercised and nurtured - that faith becomes [what is called] ... experiential faith: a faith that teaches us to "walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). You see, it is faith-through-experience that teaches us to trust Him more and more. Faith teaches!

Right Words

It's almost funny how casually we use words: we say we "love" chocolate and cooler weather; we say we "hate" rhubarb and long lines; we describe sunsets and long-weekends as "awesome." Psalm 96 says, "the LORD is great" (V.4). The Hebrew word "great" means large in magnitude, extent, intensity, in sound and age and importance. Really now, to how many things are we able to rightly apply greatness - without any reservation - according to its truest meaning! The rest of Verse 4 says, "and greatly to be praised." Not only is God great in magnitude, intensity, sound, age and importance but we are to praise Him greatly - with magnitude, intensity, sound, age and importance! It's a tall order yet a command it is! I suggest we will never do so without a heart that is humbled to the lowestdegree of creature bowed to Creator. As a Child of God and as a worship leader, heart-worship is ever before me. I imagine we all agree that words matter, and they do! Let us give God the glory and honor due His Holy Name. Use words and use the ... right words!