I Have All That I Need

Today is Friday, the twenty-third of July, 2021.

Shalom Aleichem!

Day 23,143

27 days until S’s birthday

The quest to become a bus driver continues. After multiple communications with my doctor’s office, yesterday, it was determined that they will not order a new CPAP for me without a new sleep study. That has been ordered, and the people doing that should contact me within the next day or so. From what I can tell, they will send a machine to my house, and I will do whatever I need to do with that for two nights and send it back. Results will be shared after they get the machine back, after which it will be determined that I either need a new machine or don’t need one at all. Ideally, I would hope for the latter option.

If I get a new machine, I will have to use it for ten days in order to get enough data for the DOT physical. So, realistically, we are looking at at least two to three more weeks before I can even start training for the bus driving.

After some discussion, last night, we are at peace with this. I will stick with my ending date with my current employer, and will simply be a “house-husband” during the interim. If SS kicks in in August, even better.

I don’t have any updates on R and J’s situation, after their horrible Tuesday. Apparently, it has not been 100% confirmed that the car is totaled.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Lord, I dedicate this day to You.
May my feet walk only where You want them to walk.
May my eyes see only what You want them to see.
May my ears hear only what You want them to hear.
May my mouth say only what You want it to say.
May my mind think only what You want it to think.

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.
(Psalms 37:7 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

1. for the peace in my soul today;
2. for good news from friends
3. for the frequent command/encouragement from Your Word, "fear not, for I am with you;"
4. that because You are my Shepherd, I have all that I need;
5. that You guide my feet along the right path, for Your name's sake;
6. that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

ORDINARY TIME – WEEK NINE – DAY SIX

INVITATION

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
(Psalms 24:1 NIV)

I pause in stillness before the Lord, this morning, enjoying His peaceful presence. While I was waxing impatient, Wednesday, today I find that I am more patiently waiting for Him to act. “Fear not,” He says, over and over and over in His Word.

BIBLE SONG

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
(Psalms 23:1-6 NIV)

BIBLE READING

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: . . . I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
(Genesis 8:1-2, 15-17; 9:8, 11-13 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I continue to rest in Your presence, this morning, I find such peacefulness in Your Word. Holy Spirit, please guide me through the remainder of this time, allowing me to dwell in Your Word and find sustenance within.

Psalm 23. The most famous of all of the Psalms. I dare say that there are even atheists who are well familiar with its first line, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (KJV). I love looking at this verse in multiple translations. This devotional book features the NIV translation.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (NLT)

GOD, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. (MSG)

The ESV, it turns out, is exactly the same as the KJV. But all convey the same message. Because God, my Father, is my Shepherd, I have all that I need; I shall not want or lack; I don’t need a thing.

Dallas Willard taught six lessons that sprang from that verse, and were eventually turned into a book called Life Without Lack.

I was suddenly struck with the thought that I am focusing on Psalm 23 on the twenty-third of July, in the midst of one of the biggest of life’s events. Coincidence?

I don’t really believe in coincidences.

Anyway, moving on. The rest of the psalm is well-worthy of the attention that it gets. In fact, it is worthy of more than what it truly gets, in my opinion. A lot of people memorize it, and can quote it. Ironically, I didn’t actually memorize it until either last year or 2019.

But I have quoted it to myself, repeatedly, since then, sometimes more than once in a day’s time. I have meditated on it, taking each phrase and mulling it over. The actual words are important. Words are more important than we think, sometimes.

Take verse 3, for example. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (NIV) Note the emphasis I placed on the word “HIS.”

Everything God does is for His own glory. If a human being acted that way, we would call him arrogant or selfish. But here’s the thing. God is the only being that can get away with that, because He is perfect, and He created everything; it all belongs to Him. So when He guides my feet along the path, He is doing it for His own name’s sake. I benefit from that, of course, and it may seem like He is doing good things for me. And He is! But there is a deeper motivation there.

And nestled in the middle of the psalm is a reference to that very command that I referenced earlier. “I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (verse 4 NIV).

Father, I worship You, this morning. I praise You for the inspiration You gave David to write this psalm. I thank You that You have led me down a path that leads to acknowledging that, with You as my Shepherd, I have all that I need. I can truly live a “life without lack.” It doesn’t mean I get everything that I want. Or maybe it does, because You have changed my “want,” so that I want whatever I have. I am content, wherever You choose to lead me. Thank You.

I pray and give thanks, this morning, for Your covenant promises. May You remind us of them, constantly, that we may celebrate them and walk in them. I pray for all who are living in poverty and are suffering injustice. Be their mighty provider and their strong hand of justice and mercy. I also pray for all who have suffered and are suffering any kind of abuse, especially domestic, and I pray for those who support them.

"Faithful God,
I am here today,
praying to you now,
because you've kept your word.
Today is a gift because of your almighty and ever-present power that holds all things together.
Thank you that I don't have to live anxiously but can live confidently, 
trusting in your providing hands to keep me in your love.
Amen."

BLESSING

“I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand— I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.'”
(Isaiah 51:16 NIV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
(John 10:27-29 ESV)

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
(Romans 6:4-8 ESV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20 ESV)

I believe I’m ready to go to work, now. I have all that I need.

May the LORD bless you and protect you.
May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26 NLT)

Grace and peace, friends.

Shine Forth

Today is Monday, the nineteenth of April, 2021, in the third week of Easter.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,048

31 days until our Glen Rose weekend

We had a lovely day, yesterday. Our church gathering, while we were few in number, went quite well. We never got out of Psalm 23, which exceeded my expectations for a good discussion on the most famous of all Bible chapters. Who would have thought that we could talk for almost an hour about six verses?

We picked up our lunch at Applebee’s, drinks from Sonic, and went home. C and I watched an episode of “Behind Her Eyes” on Netflix, which is a pretty good show. We are enjoying it. I believe I would call it a mystery, but I’m not sure what genre it fits in.

Before settling in to play Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, I prepped our dinner by seasoning and sealing the steaks and corn, and setting them back in the fridge to marinate. About 5:00 PM, I got the sous vide set up and started cooking them. They turned out as least as good as the first time, maybe even better. There is an extra piece of steak, which I may take to work today, for lunch.

The Texas Rangers managed to squeak out a win against the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0 in extra innings. John King got the win in relief. Nate Lowe drove in the run with two outs. The Rangers are now 7-9 on the season, a half game behind the Astros, and three games out of first place. Their next game is today, at 8:38 CDT, out on the west coast, against the Angels of LA. Kohei Arihara (1-1) will take the mound for Texas.

The Red Sox lost both games of a double header to the Other Sox, 3-2 and 5-1. They are still in first place, though, in the AL East, two games ahead of the Rays, with a 10-6 record. Their next game is this morning. Yes, I said morning. Today happens to be Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts, and they always play and early game for this day. The game, against the Other Sox again, will take place at 10:10 CDT, with Nathan Eovaldi (2-1) pitching for Boston.

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

Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.
(1 Timothy 4:4 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

• for a good weekend
• for the peace in my soul, this morning
• that the Lord will make His face to shine upon us, today
• for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
• that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the same . . . yesterday, today, and forever

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

EASTER – DAY 16

INVITATION

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
(John 11:25-26 NIV)

I pause, briefly, to reflect on the fact that everything God created is good.

BIBLE SONG

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might; come and save us.
Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
How long, LORD God Almighty, will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.
Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
(Psalms 80:1-7 NIV)

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-7 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I remind myself that I am in God’s presence, I look more closely at these passages, looking for the Holy Spirit to draw me to a particular word or phrase that speaks to me, this morning.

I am immediately drawn to a word in the passage from Psalms. “Shine.” It is actually repeated several times in the passage. The psalmist asks the Lord to “shine forth.” Then, twice, he asks the Lord to make His face shine on them. This reminds me of the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6, in which (depending on the translation, of course) it says, “the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (NIV and ESV).

That is a prayer that I will echo today. First, asking that He make His face to shine on me, today, and then also that He might make HIs face to shine on you. I will pray that for everyone who stumbles across this humble blog, today. I also pray that God will “shine forth” and awaken His might in our world, today.

I challenge you, gentle reader, to look for evidence of God’s shining today, as you go through your day, wherever you are, whatever you find yourself doing.

And remember the Gospel that Paul is reminding the Corinthians about in the other passage, today. One thing that I don’t think we do enough is to remind ourselves, to “preach the gospel” to ourselves. I need to be reminded, daily, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that He died for our sins, was buried, and raised on the third day, “according to the Scriptures.” That, alone, should provide impetus for a “good day.”

And then, never forget, “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (NIV)

Father, I praise You for Your infinite grace and mercy. It is never-ceasing, and Your sweet mercies are, most assuredly, “new every morning.” Thank You. I pray that Your face would shine on us today. May Your glory shine on all who stumble across this place on the Internet, today, wherever they are, whatever they are doing. May Your glory shine forth, and may You awaken Your might in our world, today. Make Yourself known in the midst of all peoples. And remind us, daily, of the great and perfect work of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Son of God,
thank you for not being shy in showing yourself. 
So many people saw you,
a long list of witnesses with names and addresses testify to your resurrected life.
And the fact that I'm praying to you now is one more testimony.
What's proclaimed in Scripture has happened to me -
your resurrection power has made me alive,
a new creation,
raised from the dead.
I praise you,
risen Savior.
Amen.
(Canons of Dort 3/4.12)

BLESSING

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
(Ephesians 6:24 NIV)

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
(John 8:12 NLT)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8 NLT)

I thank You, Lord, that You are the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Everything around me changes, daily, but You remain constant, never changing. Even the sun, around which we revolve, changes, but You do not. Thank You that we can depend upon this truth. Help me to look at everything in my world today, with this perspective, with this mindset.

Lord, give us eyes to see Your work in our world, as we go, today. May Your care and comfort be known in all places where natural disasters occur, as well as in a creation that is groaning. May there be more creative and innovative conservation strategies developed, that we might care more for Your creation.

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!

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
(Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT)

Grace and peace, friends.

Amazing Grace

Today is Friday, the nineteenth of March, 2021, in the fourth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,017

Sixteen days until Resurrection Sunday

Today is Friday! Not only that, but I’m only working a half day today. It’s not all fun and games, though, as the first part of my afternoon will be spent getting my second round of COVID-19 vaccination. After that, I will be heading straight to the car dealership to get my oil changed, tires rotated, and, hopefully, figure out what caused the part under my car to get damaged (and, according to the oil change place, installed backwards).

If, as I have heard, the second round of vaccination makes me feel unwell, I have the whole weekend to recover from it.

There are no other plans for the weekend, other than the usual things that we do every weekend. I do hope I feel up to the WW Workshop, tomorrow, because C should obtain Lifetime membership tomorrow, and I want to be there when she does, to celebrate with her.

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)

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
(Psalms 65:8 NIV)

Today I am grateful:

• to be getting my second Covid-19 shot
• that I am alive and breathing
• for Amazing Grace (both the reality and the hymn)
• for opportunities to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow You
• that You are my Shepherd, and I shall lack for nothing

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

LENT – DAY 27

INVITATION

The Lord is . . . patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

Take a moment to ponder and meditate, seeking the joy of the Lord that abounds in His presence.

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts. Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.

Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again. Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.
(Psalms 28:1-6 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
(Mark 8:34-38 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I quietly re-read these passages, and enjoy His presence, this morning, I confess that I always feel guilt when I read this passage in Mark. It’s that bit about denying myself and taking up my cross.

The guilt is just my nature. I seem to be, by nature, a self-deprecating person. Not necessarily in an unhealthy way, mind you, but sometimes, maybe so. Did that make sense?

There are plenty of instances in my history where I did not, most definitely, deny myself and take up the cross. In fact, I blatantly did the opposite. Those are times of extreme sin in my life. Of course, there was repentance. God never allowed me to languish in those events, but always drew me back to Himself, sometimes by a gentle nudge of the Spirit, sometimes by a violent dragging or shoving.

You see, I belong to Him. He paid the price for my redemption, and He is not about to let me go. Nor do I want Him to.

Nevertheless, I still feel that there is always room for improvement in the arena of denying myself and taking up my cross to follow Him. Taking up my cross can look different, of course, for everyone. But one thing it must be is something over which we have control. Someone treating you badly is not “your cross to bear.” A dreadful disease, bad as it may be, is not “your cross to bear.” We have no control over those things (other than the control of getting out of an abusive relationship).

Taking up my cross goes hand in hand with denying myself. That means there might be something I really, really, really want to do, in the flesh, but my spirit, by the Holy Spirit’s influence, knows that it would not be right, even if it isn’t necessarily sinful. Refraining from doing whatever it is would be an act of denying myself and taking up my cross.

My life is not my own. It is not mine to save or lose. And I do not wish to “gain the whole world,” only to lose my soul in the process. My soul is the most important part of me, and I intend to keep it healthy, in spite of myself.

I will not be ashamed of Christ, so that He will not be ashamed of me.

Father, thank You for the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross. Thank You for the strength to deny myself, when called upon, and help me to always take up my cross and follow Jesus. I would not make You ashamed of me, Lord, so let me not be ashamed of Christ in my life, but wear Him like a badge of honor.

God of new creations,
I search to find real life,
but my attempts are ashes because I've failed to understand the gospel mystery,
that I need to die to come alive.
Teach me to repent,
and provide me with the faith and courage to give myself away and so let your new life fill me.
In Jesus' name,
amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 88)

BLESSING

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26 NIV)

And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
(Isaiah 57:14 ESV)

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
(John 11:9-10 ESV)

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
(1 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)

"Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home."
(John Newton)

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
(Isaiah 40:11 ESV)

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
(Ezekiel 34:12-16 ESV)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
(John 10:11-16 ESV)

Father, I am very grateful for those along the way who have helped me by clearing obstructions from my path, teaching me how to be watchful for dangerous paths, and essentially preparing me for success in Your kingdom. This goes all the way back to my parents and childhood Sunday School teachers, up until today, including pastors and people who have authored books that have been helpful and influential. Keep teaching me, Father, and help me to do the same for someone else. Thank You, Jesus, for being our Good Shepherd and laying down Your life for us. There are not enough words of gratitude . . .

Lord, please give me, this morning, more of a feeling of gratitude and wonder and awe at the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Help me to follow the way of the cross and give me more of a capacity to suffer alongside others who are suffering. Lord, I pray a special blessing on those, this morning, who struggle with marital and family issues.

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!

A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
(Psalms 23:1-6 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Amen

Today is Tuesday, January 26, 2021.

Peace be with you!

Day 22,965

I don’t know if I have mentioned this, but I have scheduled my six-month checkup at my doctor’s office for Monday, February 22. I’m excited to show them my progress in weight loss, and hope that I might have a low enough blood sugar to lower my meds.

Last night, C made a suggestion. We talked briefly about the possibility of taking a trip somewhere, later this year. But I currently can’t fly anywhere, because my driver’s license doesn’t have that silly star on it, yet. It doesn’t expire until 2022, but if I want to get on a plane, I have to have that Real ID star. The whole thing is totally illogical, because all you have to do to get the star is renew your DL.

Anyway, C suggested that I try to do that the same day as my doctor’s appointment, since I have the whole day off. So I scheduled an appointment to get that taken care of. I need to get to work making sure I have all the documentation that you now have to carry in to do this. Several forms of ID, proof of citizenship (as if my citizenship suddenly changed after almost fifty years), proof of insurance, and so on. The cool thing is where I set up the appointment.

MINERAL WELLS!!

That’s right. The place where I got my first driver’s license! And I’ll get to visit Mama for a little bit, as well as pick up some more Crazy Water. The doctor is at 9:00 AM, and the DPS is at 1:00 PM. Might even have time for a little bit of lunch in there.

Time to pray!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

This new day You give to me
From Your great eternity
This new day now enfold
Me in Your loving hold

You are the star of the morn
You are the day newly born
You are the light of our night
You are the Savior by Your might

God be in me this day
God ever with me stay
God be in the night
Keep us by Thy light
God be in my heart
God abide, never depart.
(David Adam)

Today I am grateful:

• That I am alive and breathing; a new day has dawned
• That I fear no evil, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
• For green pastures and still waters
• That my cup overflows
• For my faith, the ability to say “amen” to You and Your reality

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

EPIPHANY – DAY 21

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

BIBLE SONG

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
(Psalms 23 NIV)

BIBLE READING

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
(Luke 5:27-32 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

I don’t have time on any given morning to tell you what Psalm 23 means to me. It is, no doubt, the most well-known psalm, and for good reason. The first verse is probably second in popularity, only to John 3:16. In my book, Psalm 23:1 tops John 3:16. If the Lord were not my Shepherd, John 3:16 would not have happened.

Anyway . . . the comfort and peace and encouragement that comes from that passage almost has no boundaries. I need to get back into the habit of meditating on this psalm every day.

One thing that I notice in the Luke passage: in verse 28, it just says, “and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”

Now what is it, do you suppose, that made this simple, two-word statement from Jesus so powerful? All Jesus said, according to Luke, was “Follow me.” Was Jesus glowing with all the radiance of the Holy Spirit? Was he floating six inches off the ground? What was it?

Maybe Levi (later known as Matthew) had heard things. Word gets around, you know. Jesus had already called Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, healed a leper and a paralytic. I wonder if Levi was excited at this calling.

Whatever it was, it was enough that, not only did Levi follow Jesus, he threw a big party! Invited all of his tax collector buddies!

The Pharisees and lawyers complained, of course. “Why are you eating with sinners??” Can you imagine the disgust on their faces as they said that?

Jesus’s dig at them was classic.

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
(Luke 5:31-32 NIV)

Father, I praise You, first, this morning, for Psalm 23, and for giving those wonderful words to David. Thank You for being my Shepherd; thank You for leading to green pastures and still waters. Thank You for making me rest, from time to time. I praise You that my cup overflows, and that, even in the darkest times, I fear no evil, thanks to Your presence in my life. Thank You, also for the way You called those first disciples to follow You. The life, actions, and testimony of Jesus were such that He instantly commanded action and respect; loyalty and following. Thank You for calling me to be one of His brothers. Thank You for making me aware of my sinfulness and need for repentance.

"Jesus,
friend of sinners:
in my heart I keep an updated copy
of my good references and 
better moral credentials.
But I've forgotten this only 
separates me from you because you're
among the tax collectors and sinners.
Thank you that my salvation doesn't depend
on a spotless moral resume 
but on your good pleasure.
Amen."
(Canon of Dort 1.10)

BLESSING

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
(Ephesians 5:8 NIV)

Jesus said to [Thomas], “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)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
(John 14:9 ESV)

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
(1 John 4:16 ESV)

The Hebrew word for faith is emunah. It comes from the word emun, which “speaks of that which is sure, solid, and true.” Therefore, faith is linked to that which is true.

“Faith is a very solid thing. It isn’t a wishful thinking or an unrealistic hope. Faith is linked to that which is rock solid – the truth. Faith is that by which you join yourself, root yourself, and ground yourself to the truth. And the word emunah also means steadfast, established, stable, and steady. So the more true faith you have, the more steadfast you become, the more stable, the more steady, and the more established. So faith causes you to become strong.”

A common word in the church is “amen.” This, according to Jonathan Cahn, comes from the same root word as emun and emunah.

“Faith is to give your amen to God’s emun, His truth. So faith is to say amen, yes to God – amen to His reality, amen to His love, and amen to His salvation . . . not jus with your mouth but with your heart, your mind, your emotions, your strength, and your life. ‘True faith’ is to say amen with your entire being.”

“The Mission: Take a word from the Word of God today and give it your strongest amen, the total yes of your heart, soul, mind, and will.”

Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”
(Isaiah 7:9 NLT)

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
(Colossians 2:6-7 NLT)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
(Hebrews 11:6 NLT)

(From The Book of Mysteries, by Jonathan Cahn)

Father, thank You for giving me faith, for even that is a gift from You. Thank You that I have faith in Your reality, that which is unshakeable, in the middle of everything around me that shakes constantly. This world is like a constant earthquake, never firm about anything. But my faith in You is strong, which makes me strong, even in the most unsure of circumstances. This is not me boasting in anything that I have within me; it is me boasting in YOU, who have granted me this gift of faith! Thank you, my God!

Lord, I also pray for a deep sense of “mission” within Your Church. May the leaders be servants, may we all have a good vision of Your Kingdom, may we have good stewardship of all that You have given us (which is, of course, everything), and may our local churches be organized efficiently for the work of the Gospel. May all of Your members have a good witness in their community.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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)

Grace and peace, friends.

AMEN!

God’s Mercy Chases Me

Today is Thursday (almost there), June 21, 2018. Day 22,015.

Today is the longest day of the year. Summer began at 5:07 this morning.

Thirteen days until July 4!

146 days until Fallout 76!

“Talking with you is sort of the conversational equivalent of an out of body experience.” ~ Bill Watterson, from Calvin and Hobbes, no doubt someone’s comment to Calvin. The Quotations Page

The word for today is summerize (no, I did not misspell “summarize”), “to prepare (a house, car, etc.) so as to counteract the hot weather of summer.” Also, “to protect in hot weather for future use.”

As noted, today is the first day of summer. The high for today, though, is “only” projected to be 99, here. It is supposed to reach 103 tomorrow. I’ve lived in Texas sixty-plus years, and I still loathe Texas summers. Summer is by far my least favorite season. What is my favorite season? Why thank you for asking! It is Fall, or Autumn, depending on what you prefer to call it.

The Red Sox dropped another game to the Twins, last night, 4-1, and dropped another game in the standings. With a 49-26 record, they are now two games behind the Yankees.

The Rangers won their fifth consecutive game, beating the Royals 3-2. Their record is now 32-44, but they remain eighteen games back, as the red hot Astros became the first team to win 50 games. The ‘Stros also passed the Red Sox in the overall MLB standings.

The Orioles remain the worst in baseball, but just by a skosh. The Royals are barely ahead of them.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me! 
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. 
I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. 
My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. 
I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads. 
Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! 
Let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it! 
Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad! 
May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak! 
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. 
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Psalm 109:21-31

I believe this to be mostly a prayer of vindication. Far better, I think, to pray for God to vindicate me than to try to do it myself. Not that I am in need of vindication, at the moment, but there have been times in my life when someone above me, at work, didn’t believe I did enough. The problem is, they were either not aware of what I was doing, or it was not measurable, because it didn’t produce any statistics. When I pray to God to vindicate me, he takes care of me; I don’t have to worry about trying to defend myself. and because of that (and many other reasons), “With my mouth I will give threat thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.”

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. 
I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah. 
Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:5-8

A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23

The word in verse 6, that is translated “mercy,” is, I believe, chesed. This is a well-used Hebrew word in the Old Testament, often translated as “kindness” or “lovingkindness.” Here, it is translated, as most often, “mercy.” I have also read that the word “follow” might be better rendered as “pursue.” In fact, Eugene Peterson writes it this way:

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life. (Emphasis added)

So ponder this, today. The undying chesed, or mercy, of God doesn’t just follow after you. It chases you.

Perhaps we should not try to outrun his mercy.

Father, Psalm 23 gives me so much comfort. I confess that I have not meditated on this Psalm much, lately. I do need to get back to that. I am eternally grateful that your mercy follows, pursues, chases after me. Help me to not run from it. May I walk with you, in Christ, by the Spirit, in your kingdom, faithfully walking and working in the easy yoke of Jesus.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

In Paths of Uprightness

Today is Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Day 21,985.

Six days until Memorial Day.

“There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.” ~ M. Scott Peck (5/22/36-9/25-05) BrainyQuote

The word for today is garrulous, an adjective which means, “given to prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity : pointlessly or annoyingly talkative.” I have a friend at work who is garrulous.

We didn’t get to the Y last night, as C was feeling somewhat tired and down, physically. She seems to be feeling better this morning, but has a bit of a cough. We’ll see what happens tonight.

The Red Sox didn’t play, last night, but the Yankees did. And, unfortunately, the Yankees are currently playing the Rangers, who are making a tremendous bid to be the worst team in MLB. The Yankees beat them 10-5. This puts the Yankees a half game up on the Sox in the AL East. And makes the Yankees the best team in MLB, for now. Even though the Red Sox have won more games than anyone else, and the Yankees have played three less games than the Sox. It’s all about percentages. The Rangers are now six places away from the worst team in baseball, currently held by the KC Royals. The Royals, White Sox, Orioles, and Reds are vigorously battling it out for that last place, with only a game and a half between the Red and the Royals. The Rangers and Marlins sit another game and a half above the Reds.

The Rangers continue their series with the Yankees tonight, while the Sox begin a series in the Juice Box with Tampa Bay.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 
The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 
Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! 
The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 
Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! 
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them. 
In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them. 
O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!
Psalm 99

Another “The LORD reigns” Psalm, Psalm 99 proclaims the greatness of God. “He is exalted over all the peoples.” We are called to exalt and worship him, for he is holy.

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
Proverbs 4:10-12

Father, you truly lead me in paths of righteousness, for your name’s sake. May I walk with unhampered steps today, and may I run without stumbling. I don’t seriously expect to run very much today, but I’m thinking in metaphorical terms, here. The thing I am asking is that the teaching you have been giving me be lived out in my life today. Guard my heart; put a watch over my mouth that the things I say may not be displeasing to you, and only uplifting to others. Continue to lead me in paths of righteousness and teach me to walk uprightly. All for your name’s sake.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 
Psalm 23

Grace and peace, friends.

The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want

Today is Tuesday, April 17, 2018. Day 21,950.

It’s the birthday of Isak Denisen (Out of Africa; real name Karen Blixen; 1885-1962). She said, “God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.” (BrainyQuote)

The word for today is onomatopoeia, a noun which means, “the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss).” The sixties Batman television show used a lot of onomatopoeia.

We went to the Y, last night, where I spent my time on the weight machines, beginning to get my body acclimated to using them, once again. Naturally, I started with pretty close to minimum weights on most machines. We plan to go back tonight, and I’ll do the cardio tonight. This morning, I am at my lowest weight for the year. Probably my lowest weight in at least two years.

The Red Sox were postponed yesterday, due to rain. They begin a series on the west coast tonight, playing the Angels. I feel bad for Red Sox fans on the east coast when they play out there. That’s a three hour time difference! Also, they will have to face Ohtani tonight. Price will start for the Sox. He had a pretty good outing, last time.

The Rangers lost 8-4 to the Rays, last night. The Rays are barely at .200, with a worse record than the Rangers. This reminds me of the Rangers teams in the seventies (not a good thing), who could beat teams like the Astros (World Series champions) and lose to teams that were worse than them. Go figure. They will continue their series in the Juice Box tonight.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. 
They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. 
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 
He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?” 
Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel, 
because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power. 
Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, 
and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. 
Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance. 
He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind; 
he rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas; 
he let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings. 
And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved. 
But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, 
the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.
Psalm 78:17-31

It soon becomes obvious that Psalm 78 is a quick history of Israel post-Egypt. God had provided for them (as seen in yesterday’s passage), yet they continued to grumble when they got hungry. The thing that baffles me is that these people witnessed these miracles first-hand. Yet, when they got hungry again, they forgot! Nevertheless, the Lord still provided for them by giving them this mysterious stuff they called “manna.” The psalmist calls it “the bread of the angels.”

I’m in the midst of a book by Dallas Willard, called Life Without Lack. As is normal for Willard, this is a very deep book, entirely focused on Psalm 23. Dallas believed (and lived thusly) that we can, indeed, live a “life without lack” if we but truly believe the truths taught in Psalm 23. I am finding the book to be quite helpful and inspiring, if for no other reason than it has me daily meditating on Psalm 23. The truth of it is, though, that if we live and walk as if we believe that “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” then we will not lack for anything. Make no mistake; this is no prosperity gospel. Rather, it is that if we walk as if the Lord is our shepherd, we will be content with what we have and we will fear nothing, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Here is the text of Psalm 23. I highly recommend memorizing these six verses. It can have a life-changing impact.

A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Father, thank you for “reintroducing” me to this psalm, this year. While I do realize that I need more of the Bible than just Psalm 23, it is such a beautiful picture of the life that is available to us, if we would but simply believe! It has come down to whether I only “believe in” Jesus or believe Jesus! And that is much more difficult than it sounds. Or complicated, at least. I don’t know. All I know is that I find myself constantly echoing that one guy in the New Testament, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!” Lord, help me believe Jesus. Help me believe the truths in Psalm 23. You are my shepherd! There is no reason for me to fear or to believe that I lack anything, because your resources are infinite.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

Satisfied

Today is FRIDAY, March 23, 2018. Day 21,925.

SIX DAYS until Opening Day!!

Nine days until Resurrection Sunday!

Ric Ocasek, of The Cars, turns 69 today. He said, “I’ve always been a fan of poetry. I grew up with Lawrence Ferlinghetti and the Beat poets. I really followed that stuff for a while. I just love the way people threw words around like they were painting.” (BrainyQuote)

It’s also Phil Keaggy’s birthday. He turns 67. I don’t have a quote, but I found this:

The word for today is deracinate, a verb which means, “to isolate or alienate (a person) from a native or customary culture or environment.”

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

I’ve been reading a newly-published (posthumously) book by Dallas Willard, called Life Without Lack, about the 23rd Psalm. I’m still in the first chapter, but I can tell it’s going to be amazing. The first major “takeaway” that I’ve gotten is associated with verse 6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Of this verse, Willard says, “This is a description of the eternal life available to us now in the kingdom of the heavens; the abundant with-God life that comes from following the Shepherd, where we dwell and abide with God in the fullness of his life–a life in which all the promises of Christ’s gospel are realized.”

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 
O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 
When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 
Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! 
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; 
the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 
who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 
You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 
You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. 
Psalm 65

“We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!” (Verse 4) O God, make it so in my life! Let me be satisfied in you! One of John Piper’s most famous saying is, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10

“Each decade is a call to share my talents, passions, and heart with others.” ~ Carla Hendricks in Daily Guideposts 2018

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 9012

In a brief synopsis of today’s reading in The Business of Heaven, C.S. Lewis says that the debate over which is more important between faith and good works is like trying to decide which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.

Father, I pray that, more and more, I would be satisfied with you, and you alone. Please draw me in more and more, to the point that the temptations and pleasures of the world have less appeal to me. Make my life all about you. Let me be satisfied with the goodness of your house. May you be glorified in me as I am satisfied in you.
I also pray that you would speak to me as I have now begun my seventh decade of life. Let me not decide to sit around in my “old age” (you’re only as old as you feel, right?), but look at it as a new opportunity to serve and shine for you.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23:6

Grace and peace, friends.

One With Jesus

“This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”~~Oscar Wilde
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is sagacity, which means “acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.”

Today is Kite Flying Day I’m not quite sure why that’s in February. It seems it should be in the spring, sometime. Although we do have a wind advisory for today, it is only going to be 58 for the high. A tad chilly for flying kits, in my opinion.

Some may have noticed that there was no blog yesterday. We were in Mineral Wells, staying at a hotel, and I didn’t take my laptop with me, this time. I wasn’t sure how much time we would have, since we had planned to get up, have breakfast, check out, and then go to my mother’s to pick her up and take her to church. All of those things happened, but not quite the way we had planned. The one variable was breakfast. We stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites, in Mineral Wells, which is a good $40 more expensive than the Best Western, right next door. We had had a couple of issues with the Best Western, but let me tell you, the Comfort Inn is most definitely NOT worth $40 more than the Best Western. We had a puny, cramped room (now granted, the very nice girl at the desk offered to give us a different room, but by that time, we already had everything unpacked, plugged in, and so on. The most disappointing thing was the complimentary breakfast. We went down there to check it out, and there was one small heated serving thing with a pan of sausage links and two pans of something that I can only refer to as “egg disks.” These were obviously pre-packaged, frozen, and possibly not even real eggs. Who knows? Again, not worth paying $40 more than the hotel next door. We went to Braum’s and brought it back to the hotel. We will not be going back to that hotel.

I have actually had someone tell me that the best hotel in town is the Days Inn. I swore them off the last time we went to Florida, but maybe they’re better in Texas. I don’t know.

We had a nice time, though, visiting with my mother. Rachel and Justin came and had lunch with us on Saturday, after which we stopped at Jitterbeans for hot chocolate and other drinks. The church service at First Baptist was very nice, with some beautiful music led by Mel Kincaid, their worship leader. It was nice to get to see and chat with some old friends, as well.

It’s Monday again, though, so back to work. For two days. Then I’m going back to Mineral Wells, as my mother is having some surgery on Wednesday. I’ll be there Wednesday and Thursday (maybe Tuesday night, too, depending on the time of surgery Wednesday morning). I think Stephanie is going with me. This time, we’ll be staying at the house, since it’s just me and not Christi. My mother only has a full sized bed in the spare room, which is a bit crowded for both of us.

Oh, and the Broncos won the Superb Owl Game.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23

We get a dual vision of God in this Psalm. First, he is a good shepherd, looking after us in both good and bad times. Second, he is a “generous host who invites us to live in his house, enjoying its elegance and security.”

“O God, I accept you as my Shepherd: help me to trust your provisions and follow your leading. I believe you are my Host: help me to relax in your protection and recognize the signs of your presence, in Jesus Christ. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

Today’s reading is “Instantaneous and Insistent Sanctification.”

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Do we know what we are asking for when we pray to be sanctified? It is possible that we take the term too lightly. “It will cost an intense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God’s point of view.” As believers, God has separated us for something, but are we truly prepared for him to do all that he has separated us for?

“Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us.” I frequently pray for the life of Christ to be fully formed in me that he might live the life through and in me. I also believe that the Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount, are really the characteristics of the life of Christ that we should desire to be found in us.

Father, I pray for this life to be formed in me. I am tired of the struggles with the interests of things on earth. I desire for those to be narrowed. I do pray for sanctification, the way you want to do it. I pray for the life of Christ to be formed in me, that he might live through me. Make me what you want me to be. Teach me your way, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Feel With Your Heart as You Describe With Your Mind

Good morning. And, so far, it is still a “good” morning. It is also still April 9, 2015.

I am up, having my coffee, and getting ready to head back up to the hospital. I have spoken to Christi, who stopped by on her way to work. My father is doing “okay.” By that, I mean, he’s not worse, and my mother seems to think he’s even a little better than last night. By the way, Christi came home a lot earlier than I did, and got to sleep earlier. But she also got up two hours earlier, so she is at least as tired as me.

I’m going to have a brief devotional, so I thought I would go ahead and write something here. I’m foregoing the trivial things, this morning; I hope all will forgive me for that.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
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.
Psalm 30:1-5

“However much God may terrify and humble his faithful servants with manifold signs of his displeasure, he always besprinkles them with the sweetness of his favour to moderate and assuage their grief. If they weigh, therefore, his anger and his favour in an equal balance, they will always find it verified, that while the former is but for a moment, the latter continues to the end of life; no, it goes beyond it, for it were a grievous mistake to confine the favour of God within the boundaries of this transitory life.” (John Calvin, in A Heart Aflame)

(From Solid Joys)

Today’s reading is “Talk to God, Not Just About Him.”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

I like this reading, and agree with it 100%. When we read Psalm 23, we can learn a lot about how to do this. In the first three verses, David refers to God as ‘he,” talking about him:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Then, in verses 4 and 5, he switches, referring to God as “you,” talking to him:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

In verse 6, he switches back to talking about God:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

What we learn from this, is that we should never talk very long about God without talking to him. As Christians, we are, in effect, “amateur theologians,” and we speak about God to each other frequently. This is not a bad thing, we should definitely be doing this. But we should interweave this theology with prayer. When we speak to someone and say, “God is generous,” we should follow it with a prayer of thanksgiving. When we speak of God’s glory, we should quickly follow with a prayer of adoration.

“What I have come to see is that this is the way it must be if we are feeling God’s reality in our hearts as well as describing it with our heads.”

Father, this morning, it is difficult for me to pray for anything other than healing. But, even during this crisis, I must not confine my heart to one thing. I pray for more of an attitude of prayer during times that I talk about you to others. When I proclaim, “God is good!” may I quickly remember to give thanks for your goodness. When I appreciate your glory and majesty in a beautiful sunrise or sunset, may I quickly shout out a prayer of praise and adoration. I pray that our speech when we are gathered together will be peppered with prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration as we discuss your attributes. Let us not only talk about you, but talk to and with you.

I pray for this day, and whatever it may bring with it. May your will be done on earth as in heaven, which is a terribly difficult prayer to pray on this day. But your grace has prepared us for whatever may come. We do pray for healing, ultimately, and hope that things will be okay with my father. There has now been a third CAT scan, and we have not heard anything from doctors yet. I pray for good news, this morning.

Give us safe travel to the hospital this morning.

Your grace is sufficient.

Remember to talk to God as you talk about him. And thank you again for your many prayers and good thoughts. My love goes out to this community!

Grace and peace, friends.