Broken Bow – Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy

Reality

October 16, 2020 Jeff4 Comments

Today is Friday, October 16, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,863

41 days until Thanksgiving

Today is the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Roman Catholic Visitation nun, who said, during her anointing, ““I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.”

The reason I am late getting this done, today, is that C and I decided to go ahead and go vote. We started out at the closest early voting location, but there was a very long line outside the building, and a reported 45-minute wait. I’m thinking it was probably longer than that. So we drove south to Haltom City, to the neighborhood center/library, where we got it done in less than ten minutes. A line was starting to form in the hallway when we left, but it still wasn’t very long. So we have voted. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

We had a nice trip home, yesterday, pretty much without incident. We stopped and got fuel, at one point. We had just barely enough, according to the instrument panel, to get home. But we weren’t going straight home, as we decided to order ahead and stop by Applebee’s to pick up our evening meal.

It was a great week! The only thing that could have made it better were if 1) the hot tub had worked, and 2) if the cabin were a non-smoking cabin. However, it was not advertised as a non-smoking cabin, so we can’t really complain, and the smell was not overpowering. We only noticed it for a minute when we first walked in, and then any time we went out and came back, it was evident for a minute or two.

The weather was perfect, and we were able to relax quite a bit. We pretty much did everything that we set out to do, I think, so we were very pleased with the whole experience.

All that being said, I’m not sure we will go back to Broken Bow on future trips. Truth is, our favorite cabins in Glen Rose are just as good, and a lot closer to home. But it was a great experience, and there are no regrets. We don’t even regret eating the Chocolate Eruption cake!

Today, we have already done everything that we planned to do (voting). I am starting to search for a new computer for the study, as there have been some minor issues with the current one. It is a little outdated, having originally had Windows 8 on it, and being upgraded to Windows 10. But every time there is a new update, it fails multiple times before finally being successful. This morning, when I tried to let it do an update, the computer completely froze in the process, so I had to do a hard reboot, which worried me. I’ve never had it freeze in the middle of an update before. So we are looking for a new one. I will provide further updates when they become available.

Oh, and I stepped on the scale, this morning. I’ve lost almost three pounds since Sunday morning!! Take that, vacation trip! I can’t wait to talk about that in tomorrow’s WW workshop.

One more thing. The U.S. had 66,000+ new cases of Coronavirus yesterday. 5559 in Texas, where we live.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.
Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.
Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.
So shall I turn to You and be healed."
(Traditional)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
(Psalms 34:8 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For the most wonderful vacation trip we were blessed to have
That we were able to get the voting done, this morning
That You are my rock of safety, where I can always hide (Psalm 71:3)
For the words “But God” in Scripture
That because of Your actions in history and in my life, I have nothing to fear

Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
(Psalms 71:3 NLT)

But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
(Psalms 88:13 ESV)

God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.
(Psalms 7:11 ESV)

What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
(Luke 6:26 NLT)

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
(Psalms 70:1 ESV)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
(Ephesians 2:19 NLT)

The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
(Psalms 27:1 NLT)

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
(Ephesians 1:5 NLT)

But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Let them know that it is your hand, that you, LORD, have done it.
While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
(Psalms 109:21-29 NIV)

Two of the most beautiful words in the Bible are, “But God.” I just found thirteen occurrences of that phrase in Paul’s letters (ESV). I won’t quote them all here, but they include:

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 ESV)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)

The passage from Psalm 109, above, includes the words, “But You,” in a prayer to God. I’m sure I could find even more occurrences of “but You” in Scripture.

My point is that this is a game-changer. Whenever Scripture says, “But God,” or “But You,” a turning point has occurred.

For example, in the Ephesians passage, what came before the “But God,” was this:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
(Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)

You were dead . . . BUT GOD!!!!

We were in a certain condition or circumstance, BUT GOD acted, and our condition/circumstance changed! A turning point occurred.

One of the results of that turning point is highlighted in the other passages before Psalm 109, above.

We are no longer “strangers and foreigners.” The reality is that we are now “citizens,” members of God’s family!

Because of “but God,” the Lord is now my light and my salvation, the stronghold of my life, and I have nothing to fear!

The reality is that we have been adopted into His family.

God’s reality changes everything. It changes what we perceive as reality. I say “perceive,” because, so often, what we perceive is not, in fact, true reality.

Reality is God and His Kingdom. Jesus affirmed this in His life and teachings. And, because of Him, we are now part of that reality.

Therefore, as Psalm 27 affirms, I have nothing to fear.

Father, I praise You for those two words, “But God!” My life, our lives, would not be the same without those words. Had You left everything alone, we would be completely lost, without hope in this world. But You acted. You did what You did because it pleased You! I thank You for adopting me into the reality of Your Kingdom and Your family. I pray for the Spirit to continue to work in me to change those things that do not line up with Your Kingdom and with the teachings of Jesus.

I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Train me, GOD, to walk straight; then I’ll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear. From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to.
(Psalms 86:11-12 MSG)

Grace and peace, friends.

How A Follower of Christ Should Dress

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
(Colossians 3:12-14 NLT)

October 14, 2020 Jeff2 Comments

Today is Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,861

43 days until Thanksgiving

We had another wonderful day, yesterday. After having a late breakfast at the cabin, we set out to visit the rescue center/petting zoo. Unfortunately, we couldn’t even get a parking place, it was so crowded. So we went ahead and headed over to the Choctaw Casino, which was to be our second stop of the day.

After acquiring our “rewards cards,” we set out to find a slot machine that looked promising (as if any of them do). C and I both found machines that looked interesting or fun. I put a twenty in mine and started playing. Within minutes, I won $82. I kept playing, and did quite well. At one point, I was up to $203. I wound up cashing out with $100. All of this on an original $20 bet. So I actually won $80 yesterday! C didn’t do quite so well.

After the casino, we headed over to Beaver’s Bend State Park. We stopped at the visitor center/gift shop, where we got a map of trails (that we wound up not really using), paid for a day parking pass (only $10), and then started driving toward Broken Bow Lake. We stopped a several spots along the way, where we had some nice views of the lake, and then wound up at the spillway, which was a really cool place. Coming out of the spillway is a large stream, in a very serene and picturesque setting.

That’s C walking across there.

We also got some nice photos of the lake.

We walked along that dirt path that you can see in the third picture. It was a nice, level, peaceful walk. The weather was pretty much perfect.

After that, we started looking for a place to have our afternoon meal. We started at a place in the state park, called Foggy Bottom’s. But most of their menu was fried, and we just didn’t want to chance going down that road.

We wound up at a charming steakhouse in Broken Bow, called Oaks Steakhouse. The service was friendly and rather down-homey. The food was delicious, and the place just felt good. So good that we plan to go back there for lunch today. And, we plan to splurge on our WW points and split a piece of “Chocolate Explosion” cake. Or something like that. Price-wise, it’s about like a normal steakhouse. The small rib eye (8-9 oz) was $21 and some change. It included a trip to the salad bar and one side. We were extremely satisfied with the entire experience.

Today, as noted, we are going back to Oaks for lunch, and then, either back to the casino or try the petting zoo again. We haven’t decided, yet, but we might try to rent a boat. Depends on how adventurous we feel, and whether you have to have a boat license to rent one. We can rent a pontoon boat for a little over $200 for a couple hours.

Oh. I almost forgot. Update on the hot tub. It is, as it turns out, completely fried. We finally got some information from the Broken Bow Cabin Lodging folks (who have been extremely nice this whole time, by the way), and one of their maintenance guys even showed up at the cabin right before we headed out, yesterday, to let us know. They had to order an entire new mother board for the tub, around $800! They even tried hooking up two new control panels, but the faulty board fried both of them! When I talked to the office, they said they would refund $50 a night because of the broken tub! We are more than satisfied with that result, although, we would rather have had the hot tub to relax in.

Once again, though, I will strongly emphasize how friendly and courteous these folks have been. We are pleased with them and would gladly rent from them again.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.
Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.
Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.
So shall I turn to You and be healed."
(Traditional)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises.
Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
(Psalms 66:8-9 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

The beauty of the area in which we are in, and how it displays Your majesty and glory
That we still have a couple more days here
That You have been with me, even from before my birth
For the easy yoke of Jesus Christ
For the “clothing” that we are to put on as followers of Christ (Colossians 3)

But as for me, I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O LORD, do not delay.
(Psalms 70:5 NLT)

O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O LORD, from childhood.
Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!
(Psalms 71:5-6 NLT)

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
(Psalms 46:10 NLT)

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
(Mark 10:23-27 NLT)

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!
Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!”
For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.
You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered.
We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury.
You spread out our sins before you—our secret sins—and you see them all.
(Psalms 90:1-8 NLT)

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
(Psalms 90:12 NLT)

Lord, have mercy on us;
Christ, have mercy on us;
Lord, have mercy on us.

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
(Colossians 3:5-16 NLT)

“Scripture reminds us that members of the church are designed to work together and watch out for each other like a team.” It matters how we interact with each other (see verses 13-14). One person’s actions can have a drastic impact on the entire community. “When we all embrace opportunities to serve each other, fully devoted to unity and peace, the church flourishes (v. 15).”

Verse 16 encourages/admonishes/instructs us to “let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill [our] lives.” We can, by obeying this teaching, “inspire and protect one another through loving and honest relationships obeying and praising God with grateful hearts – thriving together.”
(Xochitl Dixon, Our Daily Bread)

Father, as I find myself doing so often in this forum, I pray for Your Church. I pray that we would all heed the warnings and instructions given to us in Your Word; that we would clothe ourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, and that we would cover all of those with the outer garment of love. Your love. Let it saturate our beings, Father! And then, help us to live in peace with one another, not divided by such petty things as politics and legalism. May the message of Christ dwell in me, in all of its richness!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(Irish Blessing)

Grace and peace, friends.

Don’t Be Afraid

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

October 13, 2020 Jeff4 Comments

Today is Tuesday, October 13, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,860

44 days until Thanksgiving!

Today is the Feast of St Edward the Confessor, the only King of England to be canonized.

We had a marvelous day, yesterday! “Marvelous” is even too weak a word for it. After breakfast and blogging, we started our trip to Mena for the day. It was a nice drive, interrupted only by stopping to fuel up somewhere northwest of Broken Bow. It was an interesting fuel station, as there was only one type of fuel in each pump, rather than several choices, as we are used to. We initially stopped at a pump that only had diesel! Fortunately, we recognized that and moved. But they only had “regular” unleaded, no medium or premium grades.

The weather was pretty much perfect for our trip. The drive to Mena was gorgeous, with several spots to pull off and take in the beautiful, majestic views. We arrived at the Queen Wilhelmina lodge at around 1:00PM, visited the restrooms, and then got our names on the list for the restaurant. Arkansas, unlike Oklahoma, seems to be enforcing mask regulations and social distancing, so there were tables spaced around the edges of the dining room, and masks were required until food or drink was served.

We had a lovely lunch, reasonably priced, much better than the over-priced food from Shuck Me in Broken Bow. I had grilled catfish with sautéed green beans and a side salad, and C had grilled chicken with broccoli and side salad.

I’ve seen less-than-favorable reviews for the restaurant, but what people fail to realize, it seems, is that this is a state park restaurant, run by state park employees. It’s not a gourmet restaurant, and has never claimed to be. Simple fare, with reasonable prices, and friendly service. And an absolutely gorgeous view!

After lunch, we stopped at the gift shop, where we bought a couple shirts, then set out to find a walking trail. We elected to walk the Lover’s Leap trail, which was said to be “medium to strenuous.” Now this is something that there is no way I could have done six or seven months (and 78 pounds) ago. As it was, I was pretty winded and tired by the time we were done. The trail claims to be one mile, all the way around. I’m not sure they are using American measurements. Hahaha.

We took some pictures along the way.

That last one was a view from the actual Lover’s Leap. We probably had to walk another third of a mile from there to get back to the lodge. My legs were tired, and I was breathing hard. However, my Fitbit never registered a heart rate over 108. So, there’s that. LOL!

On the drive back to Broken Bow, we went down the mountain the long, windy way, so we could drive through Mena. We got back to the cabin shortly after 7:00PM. Since we had had a nice, somewhat late, lunch, we just snacked for dinner, and relaxed to read for a while.

Today, we plan to visit an animal rescue/petting zoo in Broken Bow, as well as the local Choctaw casino. Not sure what else the day will hold.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.
Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.
Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.
So shall I turn to You and be healed."
(Traditional)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
(Psalms 95:1-2 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

For another day to be in this peaceful setting
For the marvelous day we had yesterday
For Your unfailing love, in which I trust
That we have no reason to fear, as You are pleased to give us Your Kingdom (Luke 12:32)
That we have no reason to fear, because You are with us, You are our God, and You are holding us up (Isaiah 41:10)

I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.
(Psalms 119:147 NLT)

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
(Psalms 13:5 NLT)

The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
(Psalms 89:11 NLT)

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”
(Luke 12:32 NLT)

Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.
I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future.
The LORD rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.
The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.
(Psalms 37:34-40 NLT)

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

“Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.
“Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind. He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground. Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”
The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war. The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!” The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.
“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
(Isaiah 41:1-10 NLT)

“No matter how many years we’re given, life’s hardships will come knocking at our door. A troubled marriage. A child abandoning the family. Terrifying news from the doctor. Even persecution. However, our God reaches out to us and holds us firmly. He gathers us and holds us in His strong, tender hand.”
(Winn Collier, Our Daily Bread)

Isaiah 41:10 has been a favorite verse of mine for several years, now. It is right up there with my “life verse,” which is Psalm 86:11.

Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.
(Psalms 86:11 NLT)

“Don’t be afraid,” or “fear not,” or any other version of that admonition, is repeated literally d

Dozens of times in the Bible.

I think our Father might be trying to tell us something.

We fear so many things. Some of them are rational, and some of them are totally irrational. I fear being first in line when the train derails.

Seriously! There would be nowhere to go! You’re doomed!

But God admonishes/encourages us in telling us that we have no reason to fear. First of all, up there in the Divine Hours readings, we are told that it has pleased Him to give us the Kingdom. If we have the Kingdom of God, there is no reason to fear. What can men do to us?

But then, in Isaiah, He tells us another reason to not fear.

He is with us.

He is our God.

He holds us up.

What more do I need?

Truthfully, nothing more. Therefore, I will not fear. When fear threatens me, I will remember these truths.

I confess that there have been some fears, lately. I am fearful for this country in which I live. It seems to be headed toward self-destruction, more divided than I have ever seen it, with extremists on both sides fueling the division.

But here’s the thing. In the grand scheme of things, I couldn’t care less about a country or nation, or any other political entity. They are all irrelevant. I am a follower of Christ, not a “patriot.” My allegiance is with the Kingdom of God, not the USA. And nothing will ever change that. Therefore, once again, I will not fear, because, ultimately, there is nothing that man can do to me.

Father, while my allegiance is not with a geographical or political entity, I will still pray for the nation in which I live. But that prayer will consist of a desire to see the people of this nation follow You. We do not have, nor can we have, a “Christian” nation. I do not believe such a thing can even exist. Only people can follow Christ. So I pray for the people of this nation to follow Christ. I pray for those who call themselves “Christian” to follow Christ and not a politician. We need a revolution, Lord. I pray that You would bring revival to our land, to this world. But let it be a true revival, one of people really following Jesus, keeping his commands to love one another.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
(Job 5:8-9 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

rEVOLution

October 12, 2020 Jeff

Today is Monday, October 12, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,859

Today is our 35th wedding anniversary! As already posted on Facebook, It was probably around this time of morning that we were trying to get C checked out of the hospital, as she has spent at least one night there with a bad case of endometriosis (if you don’t know what that is, you’re probably a man). If you are a woman, and you have suffered from this, you have my sympathy.

Anyway, the wedding happened that afternoon, I think it was 2:00 PM, but hopefully, C won’t get upset if I get the time wrong. She is probably happy that I remember the date. I’m not sure that she actually even remembers that there was a wedding. But we have the wedding dress to prove it.

We spent that night at the DFW Hilton in Grapevine, and then traveled to Arkansas the next day to spend the rest of our week at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge in Mena.

Today, we are driving back to that lodge to commemorate the event. Hopefully, we will be able to have lunch at the restaurant there.

Anyway, happy 35 years to my wonderful, beautiful wife. God has blessed me far beyond my wildest imagination, and I love you more than words can say. Wishing for another 35 years, but that might be pushing it. I would love for us to be that cute ninety-something year old couple dancing at the party.

We arrived safely at our cabin in Broken Bow, yesterday evening, just a few minutes after 5:00 PM, which was the earliest we could have checked in. The cabin is beautiful, both inside and outside. It’s only about a hundred yards from the next cabin, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. We can’t see the cabin from our back deck.

We had a little problem with the hot tub, last night. It was 105 degrees, which is a little warm for us, and we couldn’t figure out how to lower the temp. The “down” button didn’t seem to be functioning at all. This morning, in the daylight, I went out and took another look at it. I think I’ve got it lowering, as the “down” button just needs to be pressed hard to get it to register. The last time I checked, it had gone down a degree. We’ll let it sit all day and check it after we get back from Mena tonight.

We tried to eat at Grateful Head Pizza, last night, but after we parked and got out, we observed multiple signs that said “Sold out.” That’s curious. And it was barely 6:00 PM. How does a pizza joint sell out?

There was a neighboring restaurant called “The Blue Rooster,” so we checked it out. Everything on the menu was fried. I mean, the salad, wasn’t, but the chicken in the salad was. Fortunately, they had a menu posted outside, so we didn’t even go in.

We landed at a place called “Shuck Me,” for which we saw signs, earlier. A shrimp, oyster, fish restaurant, it sounded promising. We checked out the menu online, and it had many grilled options. So we went there and were able to get in, order, and sit down. Interestingly, it was not a “sit-down” style restaurant. But it has sit-down restaurant prices! Ah, well. It’s vacation, right?

So I ordered the grilled red snapper, with green beans and grilled zucchini. (I just had to spell check zucchini . . . tricky word.) It was delicious. C ordered the grilled chicken with the zucchini and corn on the cob. Her chicken was pretty awful. It was a tiny piece, to begin with, and it was way overcooked. Not burned, but so dry that she almost couldn’t cut it with a knife! I encouraged her to send it back, so she did. They allowed her to switch to grilled shrimp (and didn’t charge her more), and it turned out to be delicious.

Another observation . . . apparently, Oklahoma doesn’t have a mask mandate, as there are very few masks being worn up here. We wore ours, though. Even the restaurant staff was not wearing masks.

After a good night’s sleep, we got up, made coffee, and I cooked eggs and toast for breakfast. And now, here I am, blogging. Along with an overly friendly mosquito buzzing about.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"Father, I abandon myself
into your hands.
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you.
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me
and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul.
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands
without reserve
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father."
Charles de Foucauld

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
(Psa 103:20-22 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For this beautiful place, set in the midst of Your awesome creation
For the safe trip up here, yesterday
For 35 years of marriage to this amazing woman
That Your Word is trustworthy, and forever true (Psalm 111)
For Your Spirit’s work in my life

May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
(Psa 70:4 ESV)

O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
(Psa 30:2-3 NLT)

May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(Psalms 115:15 NLT)

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
(Luke 1:1-4 NLT)

Praise the LORD! I will thank the LORD with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our LORD!
He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.
All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!
(Psalms 111:1-10 NLT)

"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.
Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.
Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.
So shall I turn to You and be healed."
(Traditional)

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or volume. Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry materials or liquids must be accurate. I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. “You must be careful to keep all of my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice. I am the LORD.”
(Leviticus 19:33-37 NLT)

I don’t think any commentary is necessary on these verses. Especially that bit about loving foreigners as we love ourselves.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14 NLT)

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
(Psalms 51:10-12 NLT)

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
(John 13:34-35 NLT)

No commentary, this morning, just prayer.

Father, I first ask that You might continue to enable me, by the power of Your Spirit, to love all people as You have loved me. May I never treat the “foreigner” as less than a citizen or attempt to take advantage of them. I pray for the souls of those who would do so.

Next, I pray for the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart to be pleasing in Your sight. So often my mouth speaks words that are not pleasing to You. This has gotten better in recent years, thanks to Your grace and Your Holy Spirit. I pray that it will continue to improve. The “meditations” of my heart, however, exceed what comes out of my mouth. I pray that more frequent meditation on Your Word will help that.

Keep my heart clean and keep the joy of Your salvation alive within me. I think of joy as a pervasive sense of well-being, and I certainly have been granted that gift by You! I do believe that things are okay, and that, in Your kingdom, things are far better than I could ever imagine!

I close this, going full circle, back to the thought of loving others as You have loved me. Father, let’s start a love revolution!

I’m serious.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:37-40 NLT)

Grace and peace, friends.

My Heart Is Steadfast

October 11, 2020October 11, 2020 Jeff2 Comments

Today is Sunday, October 11, 2020, beginning the 28th week of Ordinary Time. Peace be with you!

Day 22,858

Today is Broken Bow day!!

Tomorrow is our 35th wedding anniversary!!

The air is full of excitement and anticipation as we ready ourselves for today’s trip. We got some groceries for the trip, yesterday, and will just need to pick up a bag of ice for the ice chest before we hit the road.

The hardest part, now, just like Tom Petty sang, is the waiting. You see, we can’t check in at our house/cabin until 5:00 PM today. It appears to be a roughly three-hour trip from here to Broken Bow, so we definitely don’t need to leave before noon.

We plan to grab a couple of Subway sandwiches (footlong) for S before we head out, which will give her four meals for the week. Then the freezer is packed with enough frozen dinners for her to make it the rest of the week. Plus there are boxes of WW snacks that we picked up at yesterday’s workshop.

Speaking of which, my weekly report is that I lost another 2.4 pounds last week, for a total, now, of 78.8 pounds lost since the beginning of February. With two-and-a-half months left in the year, I feel confident that I can hit the 100 pound mark by the end of the year.

We plan to get in a lot of walking while in Oklahoma, and we also plan to eat healthy (or at least semi-healthy) foods most of the time. We are packing eggs, bread, and turkey smoked sausage for breakfast, along with some of the WW snacks that we got. We also have a couple bags of grapes to take along. I’m not sure what else we will have while up there. C says she located a steak place that also has grilled chicken on the menu, so we might try that one evening.

The cabin is supposed to have Wi-Fi, so I will be carrying my laptop along, which means that my daily blogging should continue. We are also taking a camera along, so we can take pictures on something other than our phones. I will say that phone cameras are pretty high quality, these days, but our digital camera has a much better zoom capability. We’re going to take the tripod, too, so we can get some pictures of us together that aren’t “selfies.” Because I’m terrible at taking selfies.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Creator,
as I prepare to go into the world,
help me to see the sacrament
in the wearing of this cloth -
let it be "an outward sign
of an inward grace" -
a tangible and visible way of living love for my neighbours, as I love myself.
Christ,
since my lips will be covered,
uncover my heart,
that people would see my smile
in the crinkles around my eyes.
Since my voice may be muffled,
help me to speak clearly,
not only with my words,
but with my actions.
Holy Spirit,
As the elastic touches my ears,
remind me to listen carefully -
and full of care -
to all those I meet.
May this simple piece of cloth
be shield and banner,
and each breath that it holds,
be filled with your love.
In your Name and
in that love,
I pray.
May it be so.
May it be so.
(A Prayer As I Put on My Mask, by Richard Bott)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
(Psalms 30:4-5 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For the upcoming four nights in a cabin at Broken Bow
For rest, relaxation, and recharging
For anticipated times of spiritual refreshment
That, through this pandemic, my heart has remained steadfast and my confidence in You has, if anything, increased
For Your steadfast love that is higher than the heavens (Psalm 108)

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
(Psalms 142:5 ESV)

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
You take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
(Gloria in Excelsis)

At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
(Psalms 75:2 ESV)

“Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
(John 8:56-58 ESV)

Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,
when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
(Psalms 102:18-22 ESV)

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

"Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father,
you have brought me in safety to this new day:
Preserve me with your mighty power,
that I may not fall into sin,
nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose;
through Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Concluding Prayer of the Church)

My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
(Psalms 108:1-4 NIV)

It is interesting to note that this psalm takes the second halves of Psalm 57 and 60, “both of which were desperate laments.”

The effect of this combination is, according to Tim and Kathy Keller, “drastically different.”

In this psalm, we get the expression of a steadfast heart (verse 1), a heart with great courage. Keller calls this an “aggressive joy.” And, even in the darkest of times, the song of the psalmist will “awaken the dawn” (verse 2).

“This is not a naïve optimism but a confidence in God, literally pieced together out of former experiences of great vulnerability and need.” The Bible often talks about “strength coming out of weakness.” When we are in desperate times, and we see God bring us through, we gain peace and courage for the times ahead.

I believe this is why I have been able to forge through this pandemic as I have. The failures of the world’s systems has become so apparent and obvious (not to everyone, unfortunately, as many continue to desperately hang on to some kind of political fantasy), but my confidence in God has only increased.

Just like the psalmist, my heart is steadfast, and I will sing and make music that brings light out of darkness.

“Lord, I praise You for strengthening me not just in spite of my weakness but through it. As enormous pressure turns coal into diamonds, and fire turns ore into gold; let my experiences of suffering make me like Your Son. Amen.”

Father, I am so grateful to You for showing us (we should not have needed to be shown, truly) how horribly this world’s systems have failed us. I pray that You will continue to hold up my heart and my faith and confidence in You, going forward. May I not slip into depending on some political fantasy that any man is going to save this world or this country. My confidence is in You, and You alone! I pray that You will create new songs in my heart; songs that will bring on the light, awaken the dawn, and chase away the darkness.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
(Job 5:8-9 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Everything About Everything

October 10, 2020 Jeff

Today is Saturday, October 10, 2020. 10/10/20. Peace be with you!

Day 22,857

We leave for Broken Bow tomorrow!

Our 35th wedding anniversary is Monday!

COVID-19 cases appear to be on the rise again, as the U.S. had over 60,000 new cases yesterday. As we drove home from Mineral Wells, yesterday, we passed through Weatherford, and observed probably at least a hundred people milling around and seated outside a restaurant/bar, probably having two or three mask in the whole crowd.

I really don’t know what it’s going to take for this country to take this stuff seriously. Last night, a friend of our house church hosts passed away from it.

Speaking of Mineral Wells, we had a most wonderful time with my mother, yesterday. The chicken recipe was a hit, and there were several pieces left over, which we left at her house. At least a couple more meals for her. We also left a copy of the recipe.

We have our WW workshop this morning at 10:30. At least I do. I’m not sure if C is going this morning. But I figure at least one of us has to go, because we’re almost out of a number of the snacks that we like.

C also plans a trip to the library, this afternoon, to pick up a few books to read during the week. Oh, and there will be a grocery run, as we figure out what we are doing for food for the week. We plan to pack an ice chest and take most of our food with us. I feel confident that breakfast, at least, will be cooked in the cabin each day. There is a Subway near by, so we might get a couple meals there. There is also a grill outside, so we might cook something on that.

As previously noted, we will not be having our church gathering tomorrow. Seriously, though, our “family” has a lot going on. The couple who celebrate 24 years of marriage on the same day that we celebrate 35 years (October 12) have had his father go under the knife for, I believe, a triple bypass, early this week, and then it was reported yesterday that her mother had gone in the hospital with BP issues and a possible light stroke! The couple that hosts our gathering has issues going on in their lives. She is a teacher, and is totally stressed out right now from the pandemic situation and the effects it is having on her job. He is about to have shoulder surgery. And then they had their friend pass away last night.

Have mercy, Father!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know you, and desire nothing save 
only you. 
Let me hate myself and love you. 
Let me do everything for the sake of you. 
Let me humble myself and exalt you. 
Let me think of nothing except you. 
Let me die to myself and live in you. 
Let me accept whatever happens as from you. 
Let me banish self and follow you, and ever desire to follow you. 
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in you that I may deserve 
to be defended by you. 
Let me fear for myself, let me fear you, and let me be among 
those who are chosen by you. 
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in you. 
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of you. 
Let me cling to nothing save only to you, and let me be poor 
because of you. 
Look upon me, that I may love you. 
Call me that I may see you, and forever enjoy you. 
Amen.
(Prayer to Forsake Myself for Jesus, by St. Augustine of Hippo)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Let us praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for us.
For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
(Psalms 107:8-9 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

For a wonderful visit with Mama yesterday, and safe travel to and from her home
That I am alive and breathing
That You possess all knowledge and wisdom about everything
That I am able to trust You in all things because of Your complete knowledge
For the peace that these truths give me

O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.
(Psalms 5:1 NLT)

Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
(Psalms 8:2 ESV)

I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments.
(Psalms 119:141 NLT)

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
(Matthew 18:1-4 NLT)

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

“Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?”
(Job 11:7 NLT)

“For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?”
(Job 9:4 NLT)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
(Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT)

What do you know?

Sometimes I think I know a lot. I mean, I do know quite a bit about certain subjects. I am considered a “SME” (Subject Matter Expert) on the subject of unreceivable material at my job.

There are also things about which I am utterly ignorant.

“Ignorance,” by the way, is not a bad thing, necessarily. It simply means that you don’t know something about something. There are pieces of the software package we use at work that I am totally ignorant about. And that’s okay, because it’s not my job to know those things. And some of them I don’t even have access to.

What does God know?

God knows everything. About everything. Dallas Willard (sorry) once made the statement that Jesus was the smartest person who ever lived. The Bible doesn’t necessarily say that, but it has to be true, doesn’t it? If Jesus is God and God knows everything, then Jesus knows everything.

Except for that one weird bit about not knowing when He’s coming back. But that’s a subject for another day.

The point is, God knows everything. He possesses all the knowledge and wisdom of the universe. And, as expressed in Job, above, no one has ever challenged Him successfully. You won’t win an argument with God.

To some, this might be troubling. To me, it is comforting. I look at these truths about God, and it directly leads me to the verses in Proverbs 3. I don’t want to trust my own understanding, because it is extremely limited. To be truthful, even my understanding about things on which I am allegedly an “expert” is limited.

But God’s understanding is complete. He knows everything about everything. Which means that He knows everything about me!

He knows more about me than I know about me! And I am glad about that. Because it enables me to trust Him in all things.

And that, my friends, is what gives me peace in the midst of life’s storms.

Father, I praise You for Your omniscience. And I am most grateful for the resulting peace that comes from this knowledge. Thank You for creating me in such a way that I have accepted these truths and believed in You. I praise You for Your Spirit that resides within me and leads me to these truths and to the path upon which I should walk. All glory to You, Lord!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Anger, Wisdom, and Humility

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
(James 1:19-20 NLT)

October 9, 2020 Jeff1 Comment

Today is Friday, October 9, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,856

TWO DAYS until we head to Broken Bow, OK!

Three days until our 35th wedding anniversary!

And, we have begun our six days of PTO (Paid Time Off, what they call “vacation” now; actually, it also includes “sick leave,” at least in Texas).

I actually slept until almost 8:00 this morning! So I’m feeling pretty well-rested, this morning. According to my Fitbit, I got seven hours and six minutes of sleep with a sleep score of 90. The “sleep score” is “a daily snapshot of your sleep quality and duration.”

It includes “Time Asleep,” “Deep and REM,” and “Restoration.” For “Time Asleep,” I got 46/50 points. I was sleep for 7 hours, 6 minutes, awake 53 minutes over the course of the night. This measurement includes a cool graph that displays the times I was awake. The longest awake times were around the times I had to get up to use the bathroom. The others are times when I probably wouldn’t even recognize that I was awake.

For “Deep and REM,” I got 21/25 points. I had 1 hour and 36 minutes of deep sleep, and 2 hours and 16 minutes of REM sleep. The value of these, according to the Fitbit app, is that “during deep sleep your muscles relax and repair themselves, blood pressure drops and energy is restored. REM is when you’re likely dreaming, which is key for memory and mood.”

One interesting tip that is given is to avoid alcohol three hours before bedtime, as it can suppress REM sleep.

In “Restoration,” I got 23/25 points. In this category, it measures my sleeping heart rate. For 95% of the night, my sleeping heart rate was lower than my resting heart rate. My average sleeping heart rate was 63 bpm. My average resting heart rate is usually around 70 bpm. I only had 5% of the night where my sleeping heart rate was over my resting heart rate, and that bit is tagged as “restless.’

They recommend meditation or breathing exercises before going to sleep, which I did attempt last night. I fell asleep during the exercise.

All of this is courtesy of “Fitbit Premium,” which I got free for a year with my new Fitbit Inspire 2.

Don’t worry. I won’t bore you with this every morning. For one thing, during the work week, I wouldn’t have time. It is fascinating information, though. I never knew how much healing goes on during sleep. Even WW has been teaching us these facts, when the workshop weekly topic deals with sleep.

So. Today, we plan to go to Mineral Wells and have lunch with my mother. We are taking the ingredients (and a pan) for our Pecan-Crusted Buttermilk Chicken, and are going to cook that for her. Oh. That reminds me. I need to print a copy of that recipe to take with us.

Okay. Did that.

I also plan to take a quick side trip to the Crazy Water store and grab a couple cases of Crazy Water #4. I still have almost two full cases, but any time I’m in town, I’m going to buy some.

Tomorrow, we’ll be making last minute preparations for our trip to Broken Bow. A brief grocery run might be necessary. Especially if C eats all the grapes before then. Hahaha!

Lord my God, I believe in you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
Insofar as I can, insofar as you have given me the power, 
I have sought you. 
I became weary and I labored. 
O Lord my God, my sole hope, help me to believe and 
never to cease seeking you. 
Grant that I may always and ardently seek out your countenance.
 Give me the strength to seek you, 
for you help me to find you and you have more and more 
given me the hope of finding you. 
Here I am before you with my firmness and my infirmity. 
Preserve the first and heal the second. 
Here I am before you with my strength and my ignorance. 
Where you have opened the door to me, 
welcome me at the entrance; 
where you have closed the door to me, 
open to my cry; 
enable me to remember you, 
to understand you, 
and to love you. 
Amen.
(Prayer to Seek God Continually, St. Augustine of Hippo)

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
(Psalms 98:1 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For time off from work
For the promise that, if we delight ourselves in You, You will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37)
For the promise that we will find You when we seek You
For the admonition to not be angry, but to be filled with humility
For the book of James, which I don’t like to read

Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.
(Psalms 119:76-77 ESV)

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
(Psalms 108:3-4 ESV)

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
(Psalms 90:12 ESV)

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'”
(Luke 17:7-10 ESV)

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.
For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
(Psalms 37:3-9 NLT)

Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
(Isaiah 55:6 NLT)

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
(Proverbs 15:1-2 NLT)

A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.
(Proverbs 15:18 NLT)

If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.
(Proverbs 15:31-33 NLT)

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
(James 1:19-20 NLT)

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
(Romans 12:16 NLT)

How do you handle criticism?

I’ll confess right away that I do not handle it very well. Especially depending on from whom it comes.

But I have two different kinds of anger when confronted with criticism.

If I am told that I made a mistake, and it is proven to be true (I’ve never claimed to be perfect), I become angry at myself, because I loathe making mistakes. I WANT to be perfect! At least when it comes to my job responsibilities. The other day, I was shown a mistake that I had made. I was picking a part, and I went to the location, and there was a large crate. The lid was loose, so I pulled the crate, strapped the lid down, and sent it out.

Turns out there were five pieces in that crate, not one. I didn’t check the putaway label, or the inventory count. I assumed that the crate held one piece. It all worked out okay, because the reason the mistake came up was that the customer had submitted an order for the other four pieces. When the picker went to get them, the location was, of course, empty.

I was very angry with myself. My friend who pointed out the error tried to soothe me by telling me that that whoever did the putaway should have taken the top of the crate completely away, so that it was evident that there were multiple parts in there. Nevertheless, the fault is mine because I didn’t verify the stock.

But another way that I react is with anger toward the person doing the criticizing. One time, I went to a person to apologize for something I said, or at least in the manner that it was said. That person then spent the next fifteen minutes telling me why I was wrong, and so on. That didn’t set well with me. Frankly, that’s not, in my opinion, the way to accept an apology. And that person tends to think he’s right about everything.

I would say that, in both cases, the anger is out of order. I make mistakes. No, I don’t like to make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean that I should get so angry with myself when I make them. I should simply accept the facts, learn from them, and move on, taking whatever action is necessary to make sure that I don’t repeat that mistake.

In the second instance, people are going to be who they are. My anger in that situation didn’t help anything. And, of course, I, being who I am, did not express that anger. Well, I may have expressed it to my wife, later.

Look back up there at those verses from my least favorite book of the Bible, James. (Yes, I would rather read Leviticus than James. Why? Because Leviticus doesn’t constantly punch me in the gut. I would rather be bored than convicted.)

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

Period.

Dallas Willard said (“there he goes again with that Dallas Willard guy”), “There is nothing that can be done in anger that cannot be done better without it.” On a related note, he also said, “The person who has the most power in your life is the person you have not forgiven.”

So how do we prevent anger? Proverbs gives us answers. A gentle answer; wisdom that “makes knowledge appealing.” In these tumultuous pre-election times, anger is not going to change anyone’s mind. But gentle words might at least get someone to listen to your point of view. And the concept of “How can anyone who calls themselves a Christian vote for . . .” should just be thrown out with yesterday’s garbage.

I am easily angered, it’s true. I don’t always express it, but my wife can tell. And some days, I just wake up mad at the world, for no apparent reason.

Wisdom and fear of the Lord are two good resolutions. Another verse up there from Proverbs says, “Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.“

Ooh. Humility. Another gut-punch. And not even from James!

Father, I hesitate to pray for humility, because I know what kind of trials that can bring. Tests that produce humility are, well, humiliating. But that’s the point, isn’t it? So I need more humility in my life. And I need less anger. I confess . . . I get angry over silly things. The Internet doesn’t work right; some technology doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. Someone at work asks a question that I feel like they should already know the answer to, or maybe I have even already provided the answer. Humility and wisdom would not allow anger in those situations. So, I pray that Your Holy Spirit would produce more humility in me. Calm my soul and help me to always have a gentle answer.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Considerate in All We Do

October 8, 2020 Jeff

Today is Thursday (but it’s our Friday!), October 8, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,855

THREE DAYS until we head to Broken Bow!!

Four days until our 35th wedding anniversary (and a side trip to Queen Wilhelmina)!

We made another plan for tomorrow. We decided that we would take ingredients with us and cook our new favorite dish for tomorrow’s lunch. If you remember, we made plans to travel to Mineral Wells for a visit with my mother before we head out to Broken Bow on Sunday.

Due to other circumstances and a number of people being out, we have also elected to not have our church gathering on Sunday morning. The host and his family have decided to take a much-needed camping trip, as the wife/mother is experiencing severe stress/anxiety in her now-almost-impossible job as a teacher.

Listen, folks. Pray for those teachers. What they are going through right now is almost inhumane.

In other news, I got a new Fitbit, yesterday. I wasn’t expecting it until next week, but it arrived early. I upgraded from the Alta to the Inspire 2. It has a few more features, and the purchase came with a free year of Fitbit Premium, which also has more features than the normally free app. I have a year to decide if I like it enough to pay for it after that.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

God, my Father,
You have promised to remain forever with those
who do what is just and right.
Help me to live in Your presence.
The loving plan of Your Wisdom was made known when
Jesus, your Son, became man like us.
I want to obey His commandment of love
and bring Your peace and joy to others.
Keep before me the wisdom and love
You have made known in Your Son.
Help me to be like Him in word and deed.

(Prayer to Live in God’s Presence)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
(Psalms 115:18 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For vacation beginning tomorrow (actually at 4:30 PM today!)
That You are my hiding place and that You surround me with shouts of deliverance (Psalm 32:7)
That You are my help and the the sustainer of my life (Psalm 54:4)
For Your healing Word, sent to us by Your Spirit
For the promise of finding wisdom

Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.
(Psalms 86:16 ESV)

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah.
(Psalms 32:7 ESV)

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
(Psalms 54:4 ESV)

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
(Luke 3:21-22 ESV)

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
(Psalms 80:1-3 ESV)

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:1-7 NLT)

The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs—
(Ecclesiastes 10:12 MSG)

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,
(Proverbs 3:13 ESV)

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.
(Psalms 107:17-22 NIV)

When the Bible speaks of “fools,” it is not just talking about “regular sinners but those who become destructively self-absorbed and self-deceived. The picture is of those who have badly damaged their spiritual and physical health through foolish, self-indulgent lifestyles and addictions.”

God’s response, when they finally cry out to Him, goes beyond forgiveness, extending to healing. “He sent out His word and healed them.”

“Believing the Gospel does not only bring pardon for sin but also renovates us wholly – mind, will, and emotions.”

“Lord, I rejoice in forgiveness of sin, but I still limp along, half-crippled by fears, self-pity, anger, self-consciousness, and discouragement. All could be healed so much further if I took the truths of the Gospel more to heart. Bring Your Word in deep – let it dwell in me richly – that I can be more freed from the effects of sin. Amen.”

(From The Songs of Jesus, by Timothy and Kathy Keller)

In the other two passages, above, I believe there is much wisdom. Paul calls for us, in Philippians, to get along with one another. We may not agree on everything. In fact, chances are we will most certainly not agree on everything. But, in Christ, we are called to set those differences aside for the sake of the Gospel, championed by the Kellers in the latter reading. This is the essence of sacrifice. We don’t have to have our way. In fact, we are better off if we don’t.

“Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do,” the NLT version says. Other translations convey the idea of gentleness.

The passages in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs simply state a fact. The words of a person who has found wisdom will be gracious.

Father, give me wisdom. Give me “gracious words.” Let my speech be seasoned with gentleness today, and may I be considerate in all that I do. When I engage in behavior that damages me, either spiritually or physically (mostly spiritually), may Your Spirit remind me to cry out to You for deliverance and healing. And as the Kellers’ prayer conveyed, send Your Word to dwell richly within me, that I might walk firmly and faithfully in Your Kingdom.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
(Job 5:8-9 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

The rEVOLution

October 7, 2020 Jeff

Today is Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Peace be with you.

Day 22,854

FOUR DAYS until our Broken Bow vacation!

Five days until our 25th wedding anniversary. And, actually, only one more day until we are on PTO for over a week!

Well, I can’t think of anything to say, this morning, so I’ll jump right into my devotions. Let me rephrase that. There are definitely things I could think of to say. But sometimes, it’s best not to say everything you think, you know.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Christ.
May your salvation, Lord, be ever with us.
(The prayer of St. Patrick)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.
He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.
God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah. because they do not change and do not fear God.
(Psalms 55:16-19 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

For another day of life
That You satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love (Psalm 90:14)
That my life matters because of You
That You have called me to show others Your love
For drawing me further in, this morning

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah.
(Psalms 67:1 ESV)

In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!
(Psalms 31:1 ESV)

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
(Psalms 118:22 ESV)

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
(Matthew 16:27 ESV)

The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
(Psalms 110:1-4 ESV)

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
(Psalms 70:1 ESV)

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!
Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
(Psalms 90:1-2 NLT)

Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.
Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
O LORD, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good.
Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory.
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
(Psalms 90:10-17 NLT)

Does your life count? Does it matter?

We know that life is short; it is brief. We might get seventy or eighty years. Some get more than that. But “even the best years are filled with pain and trouble” (verse 10).

If we get too caught up in this mindset (even though it is truth), we might begin to despair. Everything is too big; too huge. This universe is seemingly infinite, and the God who created it even more so.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
(Psalms 8:3-4 NLT)

But then Moses (he wrote this psalm) gives us verses 12 and 14. Lord, teach us to realize how short life is. Other versions say “Teach us to number our days.”

You see that number up at the top of this blog?

Day 22,854

One day, I decided to take Psalm 90:12 literally. That’s how many days I’ve had. If I were able to go back and remember all of them, I wonder how many of those would be filled with pain and trouble. Or maybe not “filled” with pain and trouble, but I would be willing to bet that not a single one of those days has gone by with no pain or trouble at all.

But that’s a lot of days!! I mean, seriously! Almost twenty-three thousand days! It looks even longer when you write it out. Hahaha!

Yet, it seems as though I am suddenly sixty-two years old.

I’m rambling. Sorry.

The point of all of this is that, yes, life is brief, and, yes, God is huge and intimidating.

But He loves us, oh, how He loves us.

And if we contemplate that love, we can be satisfied by it, every morning. And we can also “be glad all our days.” So, even in the midst of the pain and the trouble, we can be joyful, when we remember how much our Father loves us.

How much does He love us? I’ll give you two pictures.

Our lives also matter, because, while we are here, “we can show God’s love to others. Though our lives are short, they’re not meaningless if we leave a legacy of God’s love. We’re not here on earth to make money and retire in style, but to ‘show God’ to others by showing them His love.”
(David H. Roper, Our Daily Bread)

And, for further encouragement, even though our days on this earth may be short, we are, in fact, “creatures of eternity.” We may be “children of time,” but we are destined for eternity. One day, Jesus will return, and we will be taken to our forever Home, whatever that will look like. There’s a beautiful picture in the final chapters of Revelation.

So, yes. Your life counts. My life counts. And the more I live up to my destiny and purpose, the more it counts. This is why I’m spending my efforts and energy on this blog and in social media to promote LOVE. I’ve said before . . . I’m trying to start a “love revolution.”

Whoever designed that was brilliant. I never noticed the word “love” backwards in the word “revolution” before.

I want to love others as Jesus has loved me. I want to fulfill my destiny and purpose, and I want my life to have meaning.

Father, I am grateful for this calling upon my life. I praise You for the love You have lavished upon all of us. And I praise You for working it into my spirit, of late, that I might be able to shower the world around me with your love. Help me to start this “love revolution” and keep it going. It may be a revolution of only one person. But so be it. If I can be one person who makes some kind of impact on my world, then I will have fulfilled Your purpose in my life.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
(1 John 4:7-11 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Ultimate Victory

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15)

October 6, 2020 Jeff

Today is Tuesday, October 6, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,853

FIVE DAYS until our Broken Bow vacation!!

Six days until our 35th wedding anniversary!

There’s nothing really going on around here, today. Yesterday was challenging, I will say that, and I struggled to maintain the state of mind that was the topic of my blog, yesterday morning, which is actually that happens frequently. Just another reminder of how far I have to go in the spiritual realm. But I keep on seeking and keep on walking, because there is nowhere to go but forward.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

He Himself is my contemplation;
He is my delight.
Him for His own sake
I seek above me;
from Him Himself I feed within me.
He is the field in which I labour.
He is the fruit for which I labour.
He is my cause;
He is my effect.
He is my beginning;
He is my end without end.
He is, for me, eternity.
(Isaac of Stella)

Scriptures and Prayers from The Divine Hours

Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
(Psalms 9:11 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

That You are always with me, even when I don’t think about it or realize it
For Your awesome deeds, O God of our salvation (Psalm 65:5)
That You, Jesus, are the Way, the Truth, and the Life
That death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15)
Your resurrection power in our lives

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah.
(Psalms 67:1 ESV)

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
(Psalms 65:5 ESV)

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
(Luke 1:48-49 ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 14:6-7 ESV)

Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
(Psalms 81:8-10 ESV)

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
(Psalms 70:1 ESV)

"Merciful God,
who sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Grant us grace to heed
their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ
our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NLT)

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
(1 Corinthians 15:12-22 NLT)

“Because Jesus is alive today, believers in Him have hope in times of loss and sorrow. Death has been swallowed up in the victory of the cross.”
(Jennifer Benson Schuldt, Our Daily Bread)

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT)

This is the essence of true hope. As testified by the men who wrote the Gospels, Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. There were eyewitnesses to the event. As fantastic as it may seem, it is truth. There were also eyewitnesses to His appearances during the days after the resurrection.

I don’t know what “heaven” is going to look like. According to Scripture, everyone who is part of the Church will be the “body of Christ.” I have no idea what that will look like. What I do know is that it will be glorious, and like nothing else we have ever experienced.

And what I also know is that after this body dies, it will be transformed into one that can never die. This is, indeed, a mystery. I do not understand it, but I believe it.

Father, I praise You for the hope that is inspired but Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 15! “Death has been swallowed up in victory!” Hallelujah! Thank You for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which demonstrates Your power in incontrovertible ways. Help us to know this power in our daily lives. Let it be something that lights our way every day, not just in times of worship and prayer. May we know Your resurrection power every minute of every day, to the point that it becomes “natural” to us, even though it is truly supernatural. All glory to You, Lord!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
(1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NLT)

Grace and peace, friends.