Our Expectation

Perhaps you've heard this response to a courteous how-do-you-do ... "bout as well as can be expected." The optimist expects good things while the pessimist does not. If we truly believe what God says in Psalm 18:24 - "this is the day that the LORD has made" - what do we expect of each day? None of us can know what is coming our way but we can with comfort and joy trust The One Who does. We have great and grand expectation in our God! Mister Bill calls himself neither optimist nor pessimist; he claims to be a "realist" - each day will be what each day will be. You know, he's right! God declares "the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose'" (Isaiah 46:10, ESV). Before the day begins God knows and holds all events within His control and wise counsel. Because of who He is, we can expect our Great God to bring all things together for our good and His glory. Indeed, this is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in Him all the day long. This is ... our expectation!

Live The Word

It wasn't always fun being the preacher's kid (PK).  For one thing, from the pulpit Dad had a bird's eye view of where I sat, if I was paying attention, and if I "might" be holding hands with one certain young man. Paul gave Timothy an emphatic directive, "Preach the word!" (1 Timothy 4:2).  At the front of most churches, there's a raised area on which stands a pulpit from which is proclaimed the Name of Christ. I doubt Paul was instructing young Timothy (or us) to drag a pulpit around, but his instruction is very relevant to Christians today.  While words are often necessary to share Christ, actions are also crucial to the message.  True followers of Christ understand their behavior, speech, choices, and attitudes reveal the deeper parts of who we are.  To live in contrast to Christ shames and disclaims Him as Lord of our lives. Literally, our lives are God's – displaying Him either in honor or disgrace.  Oswald Chambers wrote, "He does not turn us into spiritual agents but into spiritual messengers, and the message must be a part of us."  The idea is we are so rooted in Christ, He is first-nature (not second-nature) in all we say and do, all we choose, all we decide, all we are!  If you claim Christ, your pulpit is established and your preaching is in progress  – live the Word!

You Are Mine

The desire to "belong" is uniquely ours. We join clubs and organizations, sign-up to be part of teams, pay money for memberships - yes, we take joy in the feeling of ... belonging. Hear what God says in Isaiah 43:1 (NASB): "But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, ... He who formed you ... 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!'" The joy of belonging could be no dearer to Believers' hearts than knowing with all confidence God calls us His own! In all our weakness and frailty, we are courageous and fearless because The Creator makes us so. The psalmist wrote, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm34:4). The benefits of any physical belonging cannot rightly be compared to the confidence we have in our belonging to God. Jesus Who sustains all things - "upholds the universe by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3) - is the same One Who holds us together through the thick-and-thin of these days of our lives. There is no greater benefit we can know than that belonging to Him. Do not forget what He says ... "you are Mine!"

Breathe Easy

A few days ago, Mister Bill scared me ... and I scared him right back! He came up behind me unaware; my reaction was so severe, when I screamed so did he. It was seriously one of those moments neither one of us recovered from too quickly. Doesn't life do that to us at times? One moment we're breathing normally and the next we're gasping for breath. Jesus speaks things to us in Scripture that in Him we "might have peace ... In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33). We are not to - in times of peace - be lulled into assuming all our times will be peaceful! Jesus continues, "... but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." While on earth, He face it all and overcame it all; it is by His victories over all non-peaceful moments, we can rest and find sufficiency in living. Mister Bill and I did catch our breath and finally found the moment to laugh about such goings-on. Is life hard right now - Jesus did the hard things and overcame them all so you and I don't have to bear anything alone. Know peace in Him and ... breathe easy.

Occupy Yourself

We are generally preoccupied with many things - not necessarily bad things; actually, often it's really good things! Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, suffered from a "preoccupation" with things. You will recall after Jesus' arrest Peter was preoccupied with keeping quiet his identity and relationship to Jesus; a few hours earlier, Peter was preoccupied with refusing Jesus' attempt to wash his feet! Peter's attentiveness to the visible and present circumstances overcame him, and he missed Jesus' in-the-moment. Before any of us think too harshly of Peter, let's consider how we some of our own preoccupations. Paul wrote, "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV). If we are honest, we too are particularly attentive to what is temporal and fading while negligent of what is lasting and eternal. This older-me is reminded every day of how my physical strength is diminishing; in His wisdom, God says "set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2, ESV). The focus of our days here should be preoccupied with that which endures long beyond these earthly moments. "Things above" - a good way to begin every day ... occupy yourself.

Blog Break

 Morning with Beverly will resume
Monday 02-24-2025
STAY IN THE WORD
Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Quarry Us

Years ago, from a window I watched a couple of our Grands dig holes. PopC had supplied the shovels and they were quite serious about digging. A Puritan prayer reads, "Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water" (The Valley of Vision). The word "quarry" is usually thought of as a place of a large, deep pit; here, however, the word is used as a verb - an action word - to cut into or extract. The condition of man's heart demands a mining of, an extraction of great sinfulness. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, ESV). It is Christ Who forgives us, cleansing (extracting) all our sin. He then fills us with the joy of His Salvation and restores us to sweet fellowship with Himself. Interestingly, the Grands were just digging holes with no intended purpose except ... to dig holes. Aren't we glad that God's forgiveness don't leave us empty or longing except for more and more of Christ! Perhaps we all need to be quarried more often to enjoy the refreshing filling of Himself. Yes, Lord ... quarry us!

All The Sweeter

If you've ever been in any kind of relationship, you know the break-up is bitter but the make-up is sweet.  The psalmist affirms this principle in Psalm 119: "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes" (V.71, NASB). Because of this Godly truth and the wealth of struggles we encounter, we should all be wiser than we behave! It seems, however, we'd rather grumble and complain through the misery - yes, that's what we do. We foolishly forget, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28, NASB). And what is the "good" God is working in the struggle? Verse 29 says "to become conformed to the image of His Son." Through the struggle, God is working to spiritually reshape us into something else - into the likeness of Jesus. The reshaping hurts sometimes; at times it is sheer misery but though He "causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness" (Lamentations 3:32, NASB). "And yet these days of dreariness are sent us from above - They do not come in anger, but in faithfulness and love - They come to teach us lessons which bright ones could not yield - And to leave us blest and thankful when their purpose is fulfilled" (From Daily Strength for Daily Needs, author unknown). Are you in the midst of some misery right now? Trust God's promise of faithfulness and Jesus' promise of presence. His compassion is ... all the sweeter.

We Boast

There's been [more than] a few times in my life when I've felt ... very small. It usually followed a look-at-me moment, an instance of unspoken boastfulness. It was none other than God Himself who said "when pride comes, disgrace follows" (Proverbs 11:2). Those look-at-me moments should be rightly followed by woe-is-me moments! You may recall Isaiah experienced one of the most humbling times in his life as he "saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up" (Isaiah 6:1, ESV). What he witnessed was stunning - God's robe filling the temple, seraphim above the throne worshiping, a shaking of the temple's foundations, the unmistakable voice of the LORD, the smoke (V.1-4). Nonetheless, what was it that caused Isaiah to say in Verse 5 ... "woe is me?" It is that which God's children today fail to recognize ... the Holiness of Almighty God. In that one moment, Isaiah realized his lowliness, his unworthiness, his sinful state. That is what The Presence of The Holy does: it makes clear who I am in light of who He is! While we should tremble in reverent awe at The Presence, we must never be scared-away; rather, we should be drawn to approach Him because of what Jesus has done. For those who believe, we can with confidently and boldly approach clothed in the Righteousness of Christ, and along with the psalmist say, "in God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to Your Name forever." In Jesus, we boast!

No Change

Did you know that change ... changes? That is, pocket change. One such change is the 1913 buffalo nickel, which showed a bison standing on a mound. The hill was later leveled to make room for the words “five cents.” Don’t blink at the faithfulness of Jehovah! Change, even the fear of change, can be paralyzing. Poor bison didn’t have an option – sometimes neither do we. How refreshing that God is ... unchangeable: "For I am the Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6) Octavius Winslow describes everything outside of God as mutable. These here-on-earth things in which we foolishly take root and therewith bind ourselves are often gone with a wink and a blink. Oh, that we just remember how faithful God was in the last crisis, is in the current situation and circumstance. That buffalo wasn’t near as minted as he thought but, know this: The father is! His character is unchangeable because He Himself is unchangeable. He is the God of … no change.

Breathe After Him

How important is breathing to you? I'm pretty confident it ranks high on everyone's list of priorities. Breathing powers our bodies! Thomas Watson wrote, "Christians should above all things breathe after heart purity." Oh, we "breathe after" many things; that is, we pursue and follow-after an endless list of otherwise good things. What we breathe-after will always tell-the-tale of the heart's greatest passions and appetites. Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33) - that sure sounds like what should top every Child of God's list of priorities. How do we do this?  I suggest a good place to begin is in "whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord" (Colossians 3:22). There is no task too lowly, no word irrelevant, no moment too casual, no person insignificant - everything we do has potential to be lived in the righteousness of Christ, a glorifying opportunity to God's call on our lives. Directed by the truth of God's Word and enabled by the power of The Holy Spirit, can live-out The Gospel. It's one way we can obediently ... breathe after Him.

Never Dry

When’s the last time you had dry-mouth? Some medications can leave the mouth dry. I’ve heard it called cotton-mouth ... now, that’s dry! We’ve known drought - when rainfall is so scarce gardens wither and fail. I have an idea, however, when David wrote Psalm 63:1 he was thinking about more than the lack of water in the Judean wilderness. ". . . my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." I've visited that part of Israel and seen the scarcity of water. As a caretaker of sheep, water was a daily concern for David. He also knew times of spiritual drought, that deep soul-thirst. Have you ever drank from a metal dipper? Wow, that water tastes good but soon the dipper is empty and needs refilling. The satisfying filling God offers our souls is different; it fully satisfies and is all-sustaining. Matthew Henry wrote this: "The true believer is convinced, that nothing in this sinful world can satisfy the wants and desires of his immortal soul; he expects his happiness from God, as his portion. When faith and hope are most in exercise, the world appears a weary desert ..." Can you imagine facing each new day with a soul that is never thirsty A life so filled with the Truth of Living Water, Eternal Hope (confident expectation) the soul is never empty – parched – longing for more? The life soaked in the beauty and richness of Jesus Christ is such a life. Hence, we can proclaim with David, “Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy Name. My soul shall be satisfied ... my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips.” (63:4-5) The lips of the righteous are never dry or empty of praise because the soul is never parched ... never dry.

Right Place

One of my favorite subjects in school was "Georgia History," an 8th grade subject. As eighth graders, my boys also studied the history of our state even though the name had changed to "Georgia Studies." Unsurprising, however, the facts of history had not changed! Truly one of the greatest challenges for Believers [certainly at the top of my list] is Philippians 4:11, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  The place we find peace and contentment is of much greater value to God than the "state" in which we settle ourselves; that is, unless they are one and the same! People wondered about the blind girl as she played so happily, but little Fanny Crosby seemed to be more joyful than anyone. Blind from a young age, Fanny's mother grieved to think of the dark world her little girl would know; to this, Fanny said "Don't waste sympathy on me -- I'm the happiest person alive!" She married a blind Methodist minister, and they had a child who died as an infant.  All her sorrow and victory was poured into music. During her life she wrote thousands of hymns which have been sung all over the world. Having completely accepted her blindness, she often said "the first time I see, I want to see my Savior’s face."  Don’t you see -- Fanny was in the ... right place.

Recall and Repeat

Our grandchildren love to hear tales of their fathers' childhood antics. It's been amusing to watch the children repeat a few of those pranks on their parents! I've discovered amid the sorrows of this life, recalling and repeating fond memories of the past is a sweet balm - an ointment, a soothing salve for the soul. We read in the Old Testament of Mount Zion, the holy and beloved City of God, Jerusalem. Jeremiah said, "Come,let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God" (31:12). What does this mean for you and I as New Testament Believers? God tells us, "see, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6). That One is Jesus in Whom we trust and is our Righteousness. Mount Zion [figuratively] represents God's spiritual kingdom to which we belong! The psalmist writes, "Walk about Zion and go around her ... Count her towers ... Consider her ramparts ... Go through her palaces ... That you may tell it to the next generation ... For such is God, our God forever and ever ... He will guide us until death" (Psalm 48:12-14,  NASB). The call is to gather near to God, learn of Him, grow to know Him in every way, enjoy His very Presence! Furthermore, let us speak of Him and His kingdom to one another - from one generation to the next. Yes, we are to tell of His Greatness and His Goodness, me to you, you to me, us to them ... recall and repeat!

Greatest Treasure

If you've ever moved from one place to another, you probably amazed yourself at how much stuff - treasure or junk - you accumulated over time. A close friend has long been in the storage unit business - oh, the stories she can tell! Let us hear the counsel of God: "Even those who trust in and rely on their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches ... none of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him - for the ransom of his soul is too costly." (Psalm 49:6-9, AMP). There's certainly nothing wrong with a well-tending of what God has entrusted to us - even saving for a "rainy day." There is, however, a terrible misgiving - a failing of confidence - when we trust in ourselves and our means (wealth and wisdom). Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36, ESV). The psalm solemnly gives stern warning to us all that when man "dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not descend after him." (Psalm 49:17, AMP). It is good for us to know, however, in this life our greatest trust in and gain will be Jesus Christ! Hear these well spoken wise words of martyred missionary Jim Elliott: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." When we lose ourselves into the willful gain of Christ, we find Treasure that supersedes all treasures. Jesus ... greatest treasure.

As We Go

How do you begin your day? I suspect we all have a routine; many even have it down to a measure of minutes and tasks. In the rush or the hush of the day, there's a right approach: it is with humility and praise. "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth." (Psalm 47:1-2, KJV). Happy-clappy people have been wrongly criticized - those who love the Lord should be happy and clappy! Why not rightly begin each day, giving credit to He Who ordains and sustains every moment of our lives. "He shall subdue the people ... He shall choose our inheritance for us ... For God is the King of all the earth ... God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness ... The shields of the earth belong unto God" (Verses 3, 4, 8, 9). Let our lives reflect what we say we believe: in every rushed and hushed moment, confidently rest and as we go "sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises" (V.6). This is how God's children begin their day and continue ... as we go!

Stunned By Sin

Stunning pictures are just that ... stunning pictures. It's an altogether different kind of "stunning" to see things up-close-and-personal: to stand on cliffs overlooking the Caribbean, to be awed by the magnificence of the Grand Canyon as you look across it. Gratefully and forever redeemed by God's amazing grace, do we fail to see the besetting - waylaying, besieging, habitual - sins as God sees them? I can only answer for myself, of course, and I would have to answer ... no, I do not always see nor am I moved by them. Those sins casually dismissed ... yet still sin. Let the forgiven soul never forget nor lessen thoughts about Jesus "Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24, KJV). Our memories often dull and diminish with time; in some cases, that is a blessing but never in what has been done for us by the substitutionary death of Jesus. I suspect few of us truly mourn, even cry, over our sin; why not, we should ask since sin grieves The Father. Let us consider the stunning effect of sin in our lives then remember how eternally we have been forgiven and rescued by The Father's love and The Savior's great sacrifice. Perhaps the more we are stunned by our sin, the deeper we will rejoice over so great a salvation!

Truly Ecstatic!

TRULY ECSTATIC. What makes you ecstatic - delightful beyond measure, blissfully joyful? Might it be something as extravagant as lying on a beach bed, gazing at Caribbean waters while a beach butler delivers an ice cold soft drink ... or something as simple as a child's hug? One Puritan wrote of the approach of the heavenly rest, "oh, ecstatic thought" (Octavius Winslow, "Morning Thoughts"). We mere mortals fail to truly feel the joy of the journey with this life's hardships. What a promise, however, is ours: "There remains, then, a rest for the people of God" (Hebrews 4:9). All who have given their heart's devotion to Jesus can weep not, grieve not, fear not, tremble not because the ship we're on is headed into one designated port and it is our eternal home! These old failing bones, joints, tissues, nerves and such ... well, they ain't home to the heart that loves Jesus. If that's not the best news you've had lately, you're reading the wrong material. Child of God, stay true to The One Who designed your journey, Who walks with you, Who is leading you to the journey's marvelous end. This should make us all ... truly ecstatic! Miles of Smiles, Beverly

Believe It Or Not

Have you ever been to one of those believe-it-or-not attractions?  I suggest they are well-named because some of the things presented are truly unbelievable! Interestingly, the truth remains true regardless of whether we believe it or not. Whether we believe it or not ... gravity is real ... the surface of the sun is hot ... the ocean is salty. Yes, truth is unaffected by whether it is accepted or not. Consider this bold statement: God's Word is true. Oh, it has been denied, rejected, and many have tried to discredit it and even destroy it. Yet, it remains true in every way. Jesus prayed to The Father, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth." (John 17:17, ESV). The truth of God's word is unaltered by anything, and remains so whether we believe it or not! Oh, but when we believe the words of eternal truth, it is you and I who are continually influenced, moved, changed by that truth. "The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). The totally believable truth of God is the lamp and light for holy living (Psalm 119:105). This truth remains - John 14:6, Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life - this truth ... believe it or not.