Adrift

The summer heat usually takes me back to a sweet time of floating on the lake! While Mister Bill fished from the dock, I floated occupied a float nearby. At some point, I heard Mister Bill's voice, "You're drifting out too far." There is a great danger in spiritual drifting! The disciplined life of the Believer demands mindfulness, attentiveness, consciousness, watchfulness with regard to the pursuit of holiness. The apostle Peter warned Jesus' followers of false teachings that quickly creep in without spiritual diligence to God's "exceeding great and precious promises." (2 Peter 1:4). When we nod-off spiritually, imitators of Truth begin to chip away at the foundation of Truth we have in Christ and; imitations such as mere morality, good deeds and do-it-yourself strengths. There is, of course, an anti-toxin, a counter-agent to the enemies' deceits – “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control endurance; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love." (v.5-7). There is significant difference in drifting and rowing steadily toward something; and, when we drift, we never drift in the right direction!  Are you living according to The Truth of God's Word? Is it your foundation and guide? What are you doing to remain true-to-truth? It is paramount as a child of God, we are faithful to Truth, or else we will find ourselves spiritually ... adrift. 

Best View

The twins had never flown so Mister Bill planned a surprise flight from DC to home. Instantly, we recognized the apprehension on Dennis’s face! We boarded the plane – Dennis announced he would not sit next to the window, demanded the shade be pulled, refused anything to eat, then buried his head in a book. With twenty-five minutes left in flight, he settled down and even asked to sit next to the window. His final analysis was that flying was pretty cool! Besides God Himself, what do you suppose inspired the psalmist's words, “So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory.” (Psalm 63:2). As we flew above the clouds, looking down on them [rather than up], I considered our limited view of life here. The struggles often make us see and focus on the underside, shading and distorting the view. Almighty God, however, sees us and the design of our lives, knowing each one’s potential and purpose. Oh, that we beheld ourselves in His view, surrendering completely to His sovereignty in all our circumstances, and how He plans to use them as runways for our growth. Oh, to embrace such a view of life! We were happy to have feet-on-the-ground, and feet-on-the-ground is our calling until Christ returns. While we shouldn't live with our head-in-the-clouds, hope in Jesus gives us an unwavering and steadfast other-world (Kingdom) view. That is always the ... best view!

Preach To You

Not everyone aspires to nor is called to be a preacher. My Dad planned to be a journalist and that was his pursuit when he left home for college. God, of course, had other plans for him! May I suggest, however, we are all called to ... preach. Although a shepherd then a king, hear David preach in Psalm 3: "You, O LORD, are a shield for me ... Salvation belongs to the LORD." (from Verses 3 and 8). David's circumstances were dire and the skeptics mocked him for his trust in God; what a temptation for fear and doubt to creep in. What does David do? He preaches ... to himself the great truths about the God he loves. On previous occasions God had heard his cry for help (V.4) ... had struck and shattered the power of his enemies (V.7). I suspect most of us have not entertained any notion of preaching to ourself but clearly David made it a practice! Paul David Tripp writes: "If you’re going to live in a culture of skeptics, you have to constantly preach to yourself the truths of the gospel of who God is, and what he does." Nothing disarms the enemy and brings deliverance for the child of God like truth as given by God in His Word. Make yourself an audience of one ... one that preaches and practices truth. Preach truth to yourself!

Powerless Troubles

My Nanny used an expression that still makes me giggle: whenever someone would get all riled up about something, she would say that person was "in the stew." Nanny was known for her delicious stew (or hash as we called it). I can't even remember all the ground-up things she put into it but it was a family favorite! Life's situations, circumstances, relationships, uncertainties are hard to navigate; the enemy uses these things to overwhelm us and put us ... in the stew. Jesus' time on earth drew near; as He spoke of coming events, His disciples were confused and troubled. Jesus comforted and encouraged them with these words: "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1 NASB). As Jesus said to His closest of friends, He says to us today: don't let things of this life with all its moving parts cause you inward commotion, to take away your calmness of mind, to disturb and disquiet you, to make your spirit restless or stir you up within, to strike you with fear or dread, to render you anxious and distressed, to perplex your mind and lead you into doubt. With tender assurance, Jesus adds, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27 NASB). This peace he promises is beyond understanding and comprehension - it's a calm of soul and spirit when calmness seems unlikely; it's confident hope rather the wringing of hands; a trust in something beyond the moment's chaos; a rest in the most restless moment. Trouble needs no invitation into our days - it comes boldly and does its best to takeover, settle in and make itself right at home. Give your troubles to Jesus and they quickly become ... powerless troubles.

Rest In Him

Have you ever watched a toddler move from one interest to the next - what intrigues him one moment soon becomes a thing of the past as he moves on to the next thing. We laugh at the things that catch his eye, i.e. the toy's box rather than the toy. It would be funny if it weren't so true of our adult nature as well! Genesis 3:6 tells us how Eve "saw that the tree was good for food ... it was a delight to the eyes ... the tree was desirable," which led her to disobey God. The decision [to eat from the tree] changed everything for her and for all of mankind thereafter. Genesis 3:7 describes the result: their (woman and man) eyes were opened. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth writes of Eve's choice: "Instead of promised rewards, she found herself with a mouthful of worms - shame, guilt, and fear, alienated from her husband and from her God." This inherent sin-nature is the driving force for our ever-seeking wandering heart - not much removed from that toddler. It has been said every person has a "God-shaped hole" - an innate longing of the heart for something outside of itself . Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us God has "put eternity into man's heart."  We are made by The Creator to be in fellowship with Him, within us a desire to connect with Him. The searching leads us to many things yet there is and ever will be only One Who perfectly fills and satisfies that "God-shaped hole." Those whose searching hearts wisely conclude Christ as all-sufficient, find a rest and contentment from the incessant wandering from one thing to another. Jean Sophia Pigott's 1876 hymn has become one of my favorite in recent years: Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art - I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart." Do you find yourself longing for more in this soul-searching world? There is satisfaction, fulfillment, peace and rest ... found in only in the The All-Sufficient Savior ... rest in Him.

Precious Delight

The word "overflow" is not typically associated with anything good! The overflowing of a toilet or a glass or a room at capacity sends us into immediate action or an alternative plan. God tells us in His Word: "Delight yourself in the LORD" (Psalm 97:4). Oh, how I need to preach these words to myself as I often allow circumstances to bring-on anxiety, confusion and fear! Charles Spurgeon writes, "The teaching of these words must seem very surprising to those who are strangers to godliness, but to the sincere believer it is only the statement of obvious truth." (Morning and Evening). Those who have not made it a habit to sit quietly at the feet of The Savior and savor His Presence cannot know know the overflowing and sustaining delight found only in Him. In those moments with Him, a tethering takes place - an attachment, a fastening - of God to His child. The delight of those moments unite me to Him in a way that cannot be explained, only personally experienced. Psalm 34:8 says we must personally "taste and see" His goodness. Overflow is a result of that "taste and see" and it is a ... precious delight.

BLOG BREAK

Enjoying a week with the family  

MWB will resume Monday 06-15
Stay in The Word!
Miles of Smiles, Beverly 

 

Read The Book

It's not uncommon for places to have a "Lost and Found." Our Dustin kept his school's "Lost and Found" in business! During the reign of King Josiah, a discovery was made: "Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.' And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it. ... Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.' And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king." (2 Kings 22:8, 10, NASB). We must not miss the tragedy in spite of such a tremendous discovery: the Book of the Law (God's Word) had been lost! I fear this sounds too much like today. The psalmist wrote, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word." (Psalm 119:9, ESV). Purity of heart comes with continual meditation on the pure and perfect words of God. Let's me clear on this matter: the Word of God is never lost. Rather, as a nation, a church and individuals, we have given priority to other things instead of that which is The Lamp to our feet and The Light to our path (Psalm 119:105). The neglect of God's Word always shows itself in our lives. Today - yes, right now - is the perfect time to open His Word and let It re-prioritize our lives. Do not delay - today ... read the Book!

All But Christ

Two-sided tape has its good use and proper place but it's tricky to work with! Once unfurled, its double-sided stickiness makes it stick to everything! Oh, the foolishness of mankind when he attempts to cast off all rule except his own. David wrote of those who say, "let us break apart their [divine] bands [of restraint] and cast away their cords [of control] from us." (Psalm 2:3 AMP). In other words, there were (and are) those who say, "let me just do my own thing." Perhaps you've heard someone say, "the Lord helps those who help themselves." Those who take the reins of their own lives are surely bound to end up "stuck" where they never intended to be ... stuck! God's response when we are so determined to live as we please, "He Who sits [enthroned] in the heavens laughs [at their rebellion]; the [Sovereign] Lord scoffs at them [and in supreme contempt He mocks them]." (Verse 4). I'm amazed at my own self-confidence as I plow-on in fool-hearted sufficiency; amazed because I most assuredly end up in the same sticky place as on previous occasions. God graciously and kindly warns us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5 ESV). You see, God has appointed and firmly installed a King - He is Jesus, the One Who rules and gives us rest. Why do we put ourselves in such a state of distress time and time again when we have an almighty and perfect King! In the face of so many other rulers of the wandering heart, cast-off ... all but Christ.

Your King

You could be one whose mailbox has exploded with campaign materials; if you are not, you must not t have a mailbox! I regret to remind us all, there are many months yet to go before election season is past. Psalm 2 says, "Why are the nations in an uproar and the people devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed." (Verses 1-2) NASB). Most likely, David was referring to the nations of his day that confronted him as God's appointed king of Israel. The line of Davidic kings came about because the people said to God: "give us a king to judge us" (1 Samuel 8:6). In Verses 11-18, God warned His people that an earthly king would make demands of the people - taking, taking, taking from them to the point that the people would ultimately become servants to the king who ruled over them. The saddest truth is what God said of His people, and a sad truth even today: "they have rejected Me from being king over them" (1 Samuel 8:7 NASB). How easily we forget that every time we disobey, we reject God as king! We, of course, have elected leaders and it is our civic duty to have a voice in electing them, let us remember there is a King Who rules perfectly in truth and justice. Should we expect those we support to lead in the same way - absolutely, yes we should! More importantly, we should ask ourselves: who is ruling my heart and defining how I live? Those who profess to know and love The Lord understand we submit to a higher authority. Who is ... your king?

His Presence

Have you ever overlooked something? You were so intently focused on one particular thing, you totally missed something else. I suggest this happens more than we care to admit as followers of Jesus. Hear David's words in Psalm 16: "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." (Verse 11 AMP). Country music artist Johnny Lee sang of looking in all the wrong places, and I suggest at times we all miss what is lasting because we're searching among what is temporal. Isaiah 40:8 speaks a tremendously profound truth: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." When God speaks, He speaks from eternity past to eternity future with unwavering truth! There is nothing casual about what He says. Peter echoed God's words given to David, "You will fill me (infusing my soul) with joy with Your presence." (Acts: 2:28 AMP). It should be a mystery that God's beloved children move through life indecisive where genuine joy and satisfaction are found. My Dad used to say, "God said it and that settles it." Do you find yourself drifting about in wonder hoping to determine your place in this life? David knew, Peter knew and we know ... we are best suited and at great peace in the presence of The One Who loves and provides perfectly. He has made know to us where fullness of joy and forevermore pleasures are found ... His Presence.