The Only Way To Have A Friend . . .

Today is Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Day 21,887.

One day until Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent, if you aren’t aware, which is the forty-day season leading up to Easter). This year, it happens to coincide with Valentine’s Day, as well as the day pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training.

Peter Gabriel (co-founder of Genesis), born on this date in 1950, said, “I think it is the weak and the young and the minorities that you need to look after to get a healthy creative environment – to get a lot of choices, a lot of different styles of music, a lot experimental stuff that everyone else feeds off.”
BrainyQuote

The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is Aesopian, an adjective which means, “conveying meaning by hint, euphemism, innuendo, or the like.”

C made it through her first day back at work. This morning, she still doesn’t feel great, but she’s going back in. We’re hoping she’s on the down side of this stuff, with just the residual coughing left. Unfortunately, that sometimes lasts weeks.

On a positive note, I broiled some nice ribeye steaks for us, last night, which we ate along with some broccoli and salad. We had originally planned to have this Sunday evening, but C did not feel like eating anything Sunday night, so we put it off. I did a fairly good job on the steaks. Slightly over-cooked, but still delicious.

It’s still up in the air, as to when we’ll make it back to the Y. We will go back, though. I’ve managed to drop fifteen pounds, this year, and I want to keep going.

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

Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37:34-40

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. 
Jeremiah 31:3
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:12-15

Roberta Messner reminds us, this morning, in Daily Guideposts 2018, that, in terms of being friends, we seldom do better than eighty percent. It’s true, I suppose. How many of us fulfill the statement from Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times.” I dare say we struggle to love our spouses one hundred percent of the time, much less another person in our lives.

As for me, I’ve not been a great “friend” to anyone, I fear. I’ve been pretty much a loner all my life. Sure I’ve had “best friends.” I could name a few right now. But the last “best friend” I had, I’ve only seen once in the last twenty years, I think. Oh, sure, we’re still friends, and I still love him, which is what makes friendship a great thing. But have either one of us been “good friends” to each other?

Kerry Livgren and AD recorded a song years ago, called “The Only Way To Have A Friend Is To Be One.” And the best example we have of this is, of course, our Savior. Jesus is that friend who “loves at all times.” He is truly the best of best friends. He will never fail us, even when we fail him. Then he give us that commandment. “Love one another as I have loved you.” That’s more than eighty percent.

I’ve got a lot of work to do.

Father, teach me to be a “friend.” Teach me, Lord Jesus, to love as you have loved. Teach me, Holy Spirit, to walk in the paths that the Father and Son have laid down for me.
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.

From Heart of Stone to Heart of Flesh

Today is Monday, February 12, 2018. Day 21,886.

Two days until Ash Wednesday.

Joe Garagiola, born on this date in 1926 (died 2016), said, “I always loved the signs on the outfield walls, and I’ll never forget the one in Philadelphia. It said, ‘The Phillies use Lifebuoy soap,’ and underneath was scrawled, ‘And they still stink.'”
BrainyQuote

The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is madeleine, a noun which means, “something that triggers memories or nostalgia: in allusion to a nostalgic passage in Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past.” Also, in French cookery, “a small shell-shaped cake made of flour, eggs, sugar, and butter and baked in a mold.”

C is feeling better, this morning, and getting ready to go to work for the first time since last Monday. Still coughing a bit, but she got a long night’s sleep. I’m mostly okay, I think, but I’ve already decided I’m not going to band practice tonight. I just don’t want to be out late tonight. I should be good to go for next week’s rehearsal.

Lent begins in two days, coinciding with Valentine’s Day, as well as the day pitchers and catchers officially report for Spring Training. I’m going to be focusing on the religious aspect of the day. I’m not sure if I’m officially giving anything up for Lent. I’ve never really done that. However, I plan to use the forty-day period to prepare myself for the Easter celebration, which, ironically, falls on April 1, this year.

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

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; 
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. 
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 
He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 
For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. 
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. 
The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 
The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Psalm 37:23-33

Verse 23 is interesting, because you have to figure out the pronouns. “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way. Which pronoun refers to which? Looking at other versions helped just a little bit, but even those are conflicting. At first I thought that “he” refers to the man and “his” refers to the Lord, as if to say when I delight in the Lord’s way, he directs my steps. However, there are some versions who put it the other way, saying that, when the Lord delights in the way I am going, he directs my steps. If I can remember, perhaps I will seek the counsel of my pastor.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26

What does it mean to get “a new heart, and a new spirit?” What is the difference between a “heart of stone” and a “heart of flesh?” I think we can see that if we compare Galatians 5:22-23 with the verses directly before them.

The heart of stone fits Galatians 5:19-21. “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

And here’s the thing . . . most of us will look at this list and say, “Well, I haven’t been in any orgies or practiced sorcery or idolatry (are you sure about the “idolatry” part?).” And maybe you’ve been a really “good” person and have never been drunk or practiced sexual immorality, although Jesus’s twist on the sexual immorality thing makes it much more difficult, you know. Okay, good for you. But what about jealousy, anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, strife, and envy? The idea is not that we have a hierarchy of bad things, here, and that if you don’t do the worst ones, you’re okay. Even the church falls into that trap, as they categorize sins. For years, the “pet sin” of the traditional evangelical church was the awful “d” word. Divorce. Or drinking. But if you dared have a divorce, you might as well forget about being a deacon. After all, that passage in the New Testament says that the deacon has to be the husband of one wife. Of course, that would also mean that he necessarily has to be married, too.

I digress. Some years later, the “pet sin” of the church became abortion. That was (and for some still is) the only thing they ever wanted to talk about. Abortion, however, in the past decade or so, has taken a back seat to what has to be the worst possible sin in the history of ever. Homosexuality. Pardon my sarcasm.

Let’s look at that list from Galatians again. You who point fingers at gay people and claim that they can’t be Christians, have you ever been envious? Have you ever caused strife or division in the church or at your work place? Have you ever been angry? And as for sexual immorality, have you ever even looked at someone of the opposite sex with hints of lust?

The heart of flesh mentioned in Ezekiel corresponds to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Not just one of them. ALL of them. “Fruit” is singular. THE FRUIT of the Spirit is all of these things.

I don’t have it all together. I’ve mentioned before that I struggle mightily with being judgmental. Seriously, look up there. It even comes out in what I’m writing. I don’t have it all together. But my heart’s desire is to outwardly display the fruit of the Spirit in my life. I don’t want any of those things in my life that are associated with the “heart of stone.” So my own words convict me.

Father, soften my heart. Change my heart. Make it ever new and true. Make me more like Jesus. But in order for that to happen, I have to work, too, so inspired me to practice the disciplines that I need to practice. Remind me daily, hourly. Teach me your paths, that I may walk in them. Direct my steps, Father.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends.

In A Mirror Dimly

Today is Sunday, February 11, 2018. Day 21,885.

Three days until Ash Wednesday.

Will Rogers (1879-1935, not his birthday) said, “The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best.”
The Quotations Page

The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is berceuse, a noun which means, “a cradlesong; lullaby.”

As suspected yesterday, neither one of us made it to church this morning. It’s hard to tell if C feels better. She said her coughing hurts more, this morning, and her temp was 98.8, which is not high, but not normal, either. As for me, I woke up with snorting and coughing, but am breathing a little better now. I still have not experienced any fever. In fact, my temp has not even reached 98.6. I’m not sure what is up with that.

Hopefully, C will feel like going to work tomorrow, but, at this point, it’s impossible to tell. I just talked to her again. She says she feels worse than she did, yesterday. Ugh.

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

The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. 
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; 
their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 
Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. 
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; 
they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. 
But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; 
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
Psalm 37:12-22

“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.” (Verse 16) Too often, we look at the wrong things. We see the prosperity of the wicked, and we complain. But the complaint comes because we have our eyes on the “stuff of earth.” Where is our treasure? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be, also. (See Matthew 6:21)

(From The Business of Heaven, C.S. Lewis)God’s Love Has no Limits

“The doctrine of the Incarnation would conflict with what we know of this vast universe only if we knew also that there were other rational species in it who had, like us, fallen, and who needed redemption in the same mode, and that they had not been vouchsafed it. But we know none of these things. it may be full of life that needs no redemption. It may be full of life that has been redeemed. It may be full of things quite other than life which satisfy the Divine Wisdom in fashions one cannot conceive. We are in no position to draw up maps of God’s psychology, and prescribe limits to His interests. We would not do so even for a man whom we knew to be greater than ourselves. The doctrines that God is Love and that He delights in men, are positive doctrines, not limiting doctrines. He is not less than this. What more He may be, we do not know; we know only that He must be more than we can conceive. it is to be expected that His creation should be, in the main, unintelligible to us.” (From Dogma and the Universe)

This is quite a ponderous reading. But I agree with what I see as the main thrust. We cannot pretend to know things about God that are unknowable. Oddly, this reading reminded me of a Larry Norman song. In his song, “U.F.O,” he wrote these lyrics:

and if there’s life on other planets
then i’m sure that He must know
and He’s been there once already
and has died to save their souls

You see, we just don’t know, do we? And if we make declarations that we can’t know, we’re rather foolish, don’t you think? It’s okay to speculate. It’s one reason I have loved Science Fiction and Fantasy ever since my father first introduced me to the writings of Arthur C. Clark, Isaac Asimov, and so on. We very well may be on the only planet in the universe that has any form of life on it. But we don’t know that, and we won’t know that until we see Him face to face. And then? It won’t matter at all, will it?

Father, I praise you for the mystery of your creation. There is much that we know, and it is beautiful and wonderful. There is even more, though, that we do not know, and besides being beautiful and wonderful, it is so very mysterious. And I love that. I love that there is mystery, things that we will not and cannot ever know, both about you and your creation. At least not until we cross that veil and, as Paul says, “I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). For now, I am satisfied to “see in a mirror dimly,” as long as, in that mirror, I can get at least a partial glimpse of you. I long for the day when that glimpse becomes face to face beauty and wonder, and all mysteries are made clear.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends.

It’s Not About Us

Today is Saturday, February 10, 2018. Day 21,884.

Roberta Flack, born on this date in 1937, said, “Remember: Always walk in the light. And if you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the light.”
BrainyQuote

The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is fiddle-footed, an adjective which means, “restlessly wandering.”

C went back to Care Now, yesterday morning, after she had a bout of vomiting. They just told her that she needed more time to recover from the flu, and gave her some more cough medicine. Seriously, the coughing is the worst part, I think. She hasn’t had any more vomiting, and thinks that that episode may have been triggered by taking all of her meds and not eating anything. Her temperature has been 98.6 since yesterday evening, so that’s good. As for me, I’ms still about the same. I had a few moments yesterday afternoon where I didn’t feel well, at all, but the highest temp I’ve registered has been 97.9. I was fine, last night, and slept well. I’ve had a bit more chest congestion, this morning, and been snorting/sniffing since I got up. Still no fever, though, and no heavy coughing. Just don’t feel 100%. I won’t be going to the Night of Worship tonight, and we will likely both miss church tomorrow. At this point, I think rest is important. It was nice to sleep until 9:00 AM today.

I’ve gotten a bit of a late start here, as I spent some time doing a couple of book reviews, which can be found at my other blog.

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

Of David.
Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. 
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Psalm 37:1-11

Another one of my favorites of the Psalms. There are many good promises in this chapter. Verse 4 is one of my favorites. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This doesn’t mean, in my opinion, that he will give you anything you want. You see, if you fulfill the condition, which is to delight yourself in him, I believe that the desires of your heart will become the desires of his heart. Then there’s the admonition of verse 7. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” We spend a lot of time bemoaning the success of the “wicked.” We ought not do that. We should, instead, be waiting on the Lord, patiently, being still before him. Being “still,” though, does not mean doing nothing. I interpret this as taking time to abide in him, reading his word, meditating on his words, experiencing his presence, and praying. It might also, perhaps, mean fasting.

(From The Business of Heaven, C.S. Lewis)
Man is Not the Measure of All Things

“I hope you do not think I am suggesting that God made the spiral nubulae solely or chiefly in order to give me the experience of awe and bewilderment. I have not the faintest idea why He made them; on the whole, I think it would be rather surprising if I had. As far as I understand the matter, Christianity is not wedded to an anthropocentric view of the universe as a whole. The first chapters of Genesis, no doubt, give the story of creation in the form of a folk-tale–a fact recognized as early as the time of St Jerome–and if you take them alone you might get that impression. But it is not confirmed by the Bible as a whole. There are few places in literature where we are more sternly warned against making man the measure of all things than in the Book of Job: ‘Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant? Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?’ In St Paul, the powers of the skies seem usually to be hostile to man. It is, of course, the essence of Christianity that God loves man and for his sake became man and died. But that does not prove that man is the sole end of nature. In the parable, it was the one lost sheep that the shepherd went in search of: it was not the only sheep in the flock, and we are not told that it was the most valuable–save in so far as the most desperately in need has, while the need lasts, a peculiar value in the eyes of Love.” (From Dogma and the Universe)

Even in the realm of Christianity, there seems to be this erroneous conception that man is the center of the universe. “He did it all for me!” I have heard people exclaim. “If you were the only one, Jesus still would have died for you.” A well-meaning sentiment, but certainly fraught with error. No, the universe was not created for man. If it were, would we not be able to see it all? How can we explain the fact that there are creatures at the bottom of the Mariana Trench that man has never laid eyes upon, and likely never will? How can we explain the seemingly endless distances of the universe, where even the most powerful telescopes have yet to reach.

I will never forget, though, the time I was at a Chris Tomlin “concert” (that’s in quotations, because it was really more of an extended worship experience) where Louie Giglio spoke for a few minutes. He had slides. And on those slides, he showed us planets and stars. And as those stars got bigger and bigger, we felt more and more insignificant. There are stars out there that make our Sun look like a pin-prick in a sheet of typing paper. (What’s typing??)

Then Louie showed us something mind-blowing. At the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy, 23.16 million light years from where I’m sitting right now, is this:

They call it the “X-structure.” Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe God put that there even before he put life on this planet, knowing that someday we would discover it. Maybe it’s his reminder that, even in the farthest reaches of space, it’s all about Christ and the Cross. May be are foolish to believe that. I know a lot of people think so. Maybe it’s just an “X” in the middle of a galaxy. I choose to believe otherwise.

A year or so later, they were back. This time, Louie went the other direction. He went inward, into the human body. He found that there is an amino acid, the building block that holds the entire human body together. It’s called “laminin.” Guess what laminin looks like.

Again, perhaps just a coincidence. Snopes declares it to be false that it’s evidence of divine creation. Whatever. Maybe it is coincidence. I think it’s rather cool, myself.

All that being said, we really need to get away from the idea that it’s all about us. Because it’s not. Yes, God loves us so much that he became human and died for us. Yes, he seeks out that one sheep while the ninety-nine sit waiting (and if you believe for a moment that the ninety-nine are not extremely annoyed with that one . . .), but it doesn’t mean that the one is more valuable than the ninety-nine. We tend to fall into this trap that it’s me that God loves most! It’s all about me, me, me! Just listen to the lyrics of some of the more popular “worship” songs. I might be running down a rabbit trail, here, but I think it’s related. There is way to much “me” and “I” in our modern worship songs. There needs to be a lot more “us” and “we.” Jesus didn’t die for “me.” He died for “us.” For the entire Church. Honestly, to be technical, he died for the Father. But that’s a totally different theological can of worms.

We need to find the balance. I am worthy of the love of God because Christ has made me worthy. While I am not the center of the universe, neither am I worthless. There’s a good balance, a healthy place to be in God’s big picture. I probably haven’t found it yet, but I think I’m well on my way. At least some days.

Father, I thank you for the amazing evidence of your presence in places that we are just discovering. I am amazed at the presence of the Cross in the outer reaches of spaced and the inner reaches of our bodies. I don’t care of others think me silly or foolish for believing that. And, to be honest, it really doesn’t matter on iota to my faith, either. If I had never seen the “X-structure” I would still be believing in you. It does not strengthen my belief. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for showing me that it’s not all about me, or even all about humans. My purpose in life is to glorify you in whatever way you have given me to do so. And I pray that you keep me humble while doing so.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

“I hope you see the faithfulness of God in everything He has made. I hope you learn to trust that all of this is His care sworn to you. But mostly, I hope you know Jesus through whom God has wildly and ferociously loved us. I hope you know and that you become sacramental to your neighbor who God also loves passionately. I hope you leave them little doubt about His love and the victory Jesus won over hate and death.”—Rich Mullins

Grace and peace, friends.

Drawing Towards Christ

“I went through baseball as ‘a player to be named later.'”~~Joe Garagiola
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s Word of the Day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is, appropriately, kryptonite. Just in case there is someone who doesn’t know what that means, I will provide the definition. ” In the fictional world of the comic book hero Superman: a substance that renders Superman weak and powerless. Hence in figurative or allusive use: something that can weaken or damage a particular person or thing; an Achilles heel.” The only way Batman would stand a chance against Superman is if he gets his hands on some kryptonite. And I will explain why this WotD is appropriate for today. Batman Vs. Superman starts tonight, at the theaters.

Today is Chocolate Covered Raisins Day. I’m not a huge fan of raisins, but it was either that or “Flatmates Day” (I think the website is British) or “Tuberculosis Day.” And it has the word “chocolate” in it, so that makes it better. Maybe I’ll have some chocolate covered raisins today. Without the raisins. 😀

I had a good meeting with our pastor, last night. We ate at Fuzzy’s Tacos. I’ve never been a huge fan, but last night I found something that was quite delicious. I had their “Shredded Brisket Quesadilla.” Plus, we shared some chips and queso. Now, the reason I’m not a huge fan of Fuzzy’s is that they put feta cheese on most of their stuff. 1. I don’t like feta cheese. 2. This is supposed to be Mexican food, not Greek food. Is it “Greexican?” Anyway . . . the quesadillas don’t have feta (neither do the burritos), and it was very tasty.

We had some good conversation about prayer, and what direction we want to lead the church in the near future, as we begin to emphasize prayer more. I’m excited to go on this journey with our pastor, as we both learn more about prayer and how it works, especially in the context of the church.

Today is Thursday, and we don’t have anything going on tonight. I think someone is supposed to come over and give us an estimate on laying new grass in our front yard, but otherwise, it’s a free night. It will be the only one this week, as we have a Good Friday service on Friday night.

Also, I have learned, this morning, that baseball legend Joe Garagiola passed away yesterday, at the age of 90.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37:34-40

The psalmist compares the lives of the upright and the wicked and comes to the conclusion that “keeping to the ways of God develops the best kind of life.” I like the highlighted verse, especially the phrase that says, “there is a future for the man of peace.” In our day and age, I believe it a very important thing to be a “man of peace.”

“Sharpen my powers of observation, Lord, so that I can see what is right before my eyes: the flimsiness of the world’s propaganda and the solidity of your promises being fulfilled among the righteous, even through Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.”

I’ve run out of time, this morning, so I will simply leave this quote from My Utmost for His Highest.

“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection and lead souls away into side eddies. A beautiful saint may be a hindrance if he does not present Jesus Christ but only what Christ has done for him.”

Father, may I present Jesus Christ to the world today, and every day. May any “holiness” that is present in my life be such that it draws people to Christ, not to myself.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Troubled About Trifles

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”~~Babe Ruth

Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is pneumatology, “The science, doctrine, or theory of spirits or spiritual beings.”

Today is Chip and Dip Day. And why not? Chips and dip go together like, well, love and marriage, and a horse and carriage!

Not much happening around here. It is, I have forgotten to mention, Holy Week, as they call it. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week don’t have specific names, such as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. So today is simply Holy Wednesday. Traditionally, it is the day when Judas arranged for the betrayal of Jesus. Of course, the Bible doesn’t assign days to these events, so this is purely conjecture. I’m also one of the people who do not believe that Jesus was crucified on Friday. The math just simply doesn’t work. But that’s a subject for a different day.

While Christi was bowling, yesterday evening, I watched episodes two and three of Vinyl HBO’s new series about a record industry executive in the seventies. Chock full of drugs, sex, and rock and roll, it has a soundtrack that is quite good. I’m pretty sure there was an anachronism last night, in episode three, though. This episode featured a young Alice Cooper, doing a lot of drinking and golfing. Cooper is famous for both, although he has since given up the drinking (it almost killed him at least twice). There was a scene in which Cooper uses the word “stormtroopers.” Star Wars didn’t come out until 1977. Now, the specific year in which this is taking place is never identified, but in another scene, the band is rehearsing “I Love the Dead,” which is from their 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies. In episode one, Richie Finestra (the main character) is seen listening to the New York Dolls perform “Personality Crisis,” also released in 1973. So, I’m pretty sure that it’s not 1977, yet. Oh, well, it’s still a fun series for me, because I was “coming of age” in the seventies, and it’s fun to see representations of some of the artists that I liked back then.

Today is Wednesday, and I’m meeting with our pastor this evening, right after work. He wants to spend some time talking about prayer, since I’m the leader of the prayer and “spiritual formations” ministry of our church. We’re still sussing out what that “spiritual formations” is going to look like. Should be an interesting conversation, and I hope that we come out of it with some good direction.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.
The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Psalm 37:23-33

Our God does not abandon us to “stumble along the best we can by trial and error.” Sometimes it seems that way, but it is not. I like what Peterson says about Scripture, here. He calls a large portion of Scripture “‘travel notes’–notation’s on life’s journey as it is traveled in faith.” The key operative word in that sentence is “faith.” When we delight in the way of the Lord, he will direct our steps.

“God, you have given freely of both counsel and example. Give also a strong spirit of perseverance, that I may not falter as I walk the way you have pioneered for me in Jesus Christ. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
1 Corinthians 3:3

Using a question that most of us would rather not ask ourselves, Chambers calls this reading “Am I Carnally Minded?” In the verse above, the KJV uses the word “carnal” in place of “of the flesh.”

“No natural man knows anything about carnality.” Interesting statement, no? The thing is, we don’t know about “carnality” until we are regenerated, and the battle between Spirit and flesh begins. Paul tells that if we walk in the Spirit, carnality will disappear.

Here’s where it gets real. “Are you contentious, easily troubled about trifles?” Uh-oh. This is carnality at work. When the Spirit detects something wrong within us, he will ask us to “accept the light, and He will put it right.” As a “child of the light,” we must hear the conviction of the Spirit and confess at once. God will deal with what is wrong.

Where is the proof that carnality is gone? There will be ample opportunities to prove it. “The practical test is the only proof. ‘Why,’ you say, ‘if this had happened before, there would have been the spirit of resentment!'”

I have a long way to go.

Father, I pray that I might be more aware of the Spirit when he tells me what is wrong in my life, that I might listen, heed, and confess, that these little trifles in life would stop causing me irritation. Give me the Spirit of Christ daily, that I might live life on a more even keel, not getting aggravated about little things that, in the grand scheme of life, simply do not matter.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Secret of Abiding

“What force is more potent than love?”~~Igor Stravinsky
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is hie, which means “to go quickly: hasten.” “Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence’s cell; / There stays a husband to make you a wife.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1597

Today is As Young As You Feel Day. This is not necessarily a good thing. I’m not feeling very young, these days. In my mind, I’m still somewhere around 20-30. My body does not concur.

Band practice was fun, last night. We got a bunch of new music, in preparation for the May concert at “Art on the Square.” Most of it is pop music, an arrangement of Beatles tunes, a couple of movie theme arrangements, and some Elton John music. Sadly, the Elton piece reminds me of bad marching band arrangements of pop songs. I guess they can’t all be winners. I mean . . . out of all of Elton John’s hits, “Saturday Night’s All Right for Fightin'” seems to be the least likely concert band piece.

Today is Tuesday, so Christi has bowling after work (how cool is it that they have a bowling league where she works?), so I’ll whip up something for dinner while she bowls.

I got asked by a fellow band member if I wanted to play trombone at FBC Grapevine on Easter Sunday. Sadly, I had to decline, as I have committed to playing keys at our church. It would have been fun, though. I have been praying for more opportunities to play. I guess that’s being answered.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;
they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
Psalm 37:14-22

Hoarded treasure turns out to be useless, becoming “moldy stuff.” This is what the “wicked” wind up with as they tend to be turned inward. The righteous, in contrast, “expand outward.” They approach the world with open hands, not grasping things, but holding on loosely, always living in gratitude.

“Save me from the sin, Lord, that looks on your world as loot to be plundered. I want to be one of those who, by appreciation and praise, makes creation available and attractive to others, through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Luke 24:32

Chambers writes, in today’s reading, “The Burning Heart,” “We need to learn this secret of the burning heart.” When Christ appears to us, “the fires are kindled,” and he brings us great visions. But we need to learn how to keep our hearts burning. “It is the dull, bald, dreary day, with commonplace duties and people that kills the burning heart unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.” (Emphasis mine.)

In truth, there is more distress on the Christian from being ignorant of our own nature, than comes from sin. Chambers writes that, when we are tempted to allow any emotion to “have its way,” we should stop and “see what the outcome of the emotion will be.” How much discipline does that take?? How many of us are far enough along the path to be able to stop before expressing an emotion and see if the inevitable outcome of this emotion would be pleasing to God or if he would condemn it?

Note that he does not eschew the “commonplace duties and people” in our lives. No, he says that we must learn “the secret of abiding in Jesus,” so that these activities and people will not kill the burning in our hearts. This is my theme for this year, abiding. I’m still working on it.

Father, please continue trying to teach me this secret of abiding. I think I have a good grasp on the concept, but still am not doing a great job of actually doing it. Teach me to abide in Christ, that I might bear fruit in my life.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Identification, Not Just Imitation

“Love is the beauty of the soul.”~~Saint Augustine
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is farraginous. Technically, the word means “consisting of a farrago.” But a “farrago” is “a confused mixture.” So, for the word of the day, M-W says “farraginous” means “consisting of a confused mixture.” That entire paragraph is “farraginous,” I think.

Today is Memory Day. It’s a day to celebrate memories. Or the fact that you have a memory. Perhaps even a day to consider supporting a charity that works with Alzheimer’s Disease patients.

It’s Monday again. Always seems to come around too fast.

Yesterday morning went pretty well, I think. It took me a few minutes to get back into the groove of playing keys in the worship band, but once I did, it was great fun. I’ll be playing again, this next Sunday, as well. I got several compliments from people on how much they either enjoyed my playing or (even better) how much I helped them worship. I prefer the latter of those, as that’s what it’s about.

Tonight, band practice starts back up as we begin preparation for our next event, which will be sometime in May for Southlake’s “Art on the Square” event. For that one, we will be back outside, at our usual spot in Southlake Town Center.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.
Psalm 37:5-13

“The meek person is neither timid nor shy.” We constantly need to remind ourselves. Since “meek” sounds so much like “weak,” we confuse the two meanings. But meekness is a positive quality in a person, “a kind of serenity that is the opposite of the fretting impatience that, whenever it sees a wicked man momentarily prospering, jumps to the conclusion that God isn’t doing his job.”

“Great God of peace, I cast my cares upon you. Item by item, I turn my anxieties over to you. I commit my way to you in Jesus Christ. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

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

“The imperative need spiritually is to sign the death warrant of the disposition of sin, to turn all emotional impressions and intellectual beliefs into a moral verdict against the disposition of sin, viz., my claim to my right to myself.”

Thus begins today’s reading, “Interest or Identification?” When Paul wrote the verse above, Galatians 2:20, he did not say, “I will try to follow Jesus,” or, “I am determined to imitate Jesus.” He said he has been “crucified with Christ.” He has been identified with Jesus in his death. And when we become identified with Christ in this way, the Holy Spirit can impart to us Christ’s holiness.

The individual still remains. It’s not like the Borg, we are not assimilated (“resistance is futile”), but “the mainspring, the ruling disposition, is radically altered.” My right to myself is gone.

We live by faith; faith in Jesus Christ, not faith in faith. The same faith that Jesus has. We truly need to let that sink in.

Father, help me to fully give up my right to myself. Help me to live my life by faith in the Son, “who loved me and gave himself for me.” Help me to identify with Christ in his crucifixion, not just imitate, and not just follow.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Point of Asking

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”~~Oscar Wilde
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is nidifugous, which means, “leaving the nest soon after hatching.”

Today is the International Day of Happiness, a young holiday, having only been established in 2012. While happiness can be evasive, for many, it is based on fleeting things like buying, consuming, and popularity. However, the emphasis on this day is that happiness should be more related to friends, family, and emotional well-being. Nevertheless, let us be aware that the phrase, “Don’t worry; be happy” can be no more helpful than “Just do it,” or “Just say no.” It just simply isn’t always that easy.

We had a nice late lunch with Rachel and Justin, yesterday. There was good conversation and simply a good time. We hung out at the house for a little while, and then they went back home, as Rachel was tired, having had to work yesterday morning. This was especially tiring, as she had just gotten off work at 10:00 PM the night before. The job seems to be going well for her, though.

We are getting ready for church, this morning, and I’m playing keys in the worship band, so we have to be there earlier than usual. So I must get moving. We attend worship gatherings at The Exchange, which meets at the Northpark YMCA at 9100 N. Beach in Fort Worth.

Oh, and welcome to Spring.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:1-4

Kind of in the theme of the above mentioned International Day of Happiness, we tend to be caught between desiring what the world offers (material wealth, greed) and a desire to be what God has created us to be. This psalm presents an argument and evidence that we should throw in with God’s side. There are warnings (“Fret not yourself” and “be not envious”), and there is counsel (“Trust” and “Delight yourself”) in these verses that introduce the concept.

“Confirm, Almighty God, the deep desires of my heart and fix my purposes in your will so that I may not be distracted by what others flaunt as either pleasure or prosperity, as I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
Genesis 18:17

In today’s reading, “Friendship with God,” Oswald Chambers gives an answer to the question, “Why do we pray?” There is a delight in real friendship with God, as opposed to “occasional feelings of His presence in prayer.” When we are in the highest stage of our relationship with God, there is “a life of freedom and liberty and delight.” We are God’s will. Whatever we decide to do will be God’s will, unless he should happen to check us.

I have to confess that I am certainly not at this point, yet. But, neither was Abraham. After all, in this episode, he stopped praying. “He was not intimate enough yet to go boldly on until God granted his desire.” When we pull up short in our prayers and say, “I’m not sure if this is God’s will,” we still have another stage to go in our intimacy with him. My desire (and I believe God’s as well) is to be as intimately acquainted with the Father as Jesus was. What was the last thing I prayed about? Was I devoted to my desire or to God? Was I aiming to get some gift of the Spirit or to get at God? “The point of asking is that you may get to know God better.”

Take another look at the Psalm verses above. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. We must keep praying so that we might obtain “a perfect understanding of God Himself.”

Father, my basic prayer today is that you not give up on bringing me to this point in our relationship. My heart’s desire is to be as intimately acquainted with you as Jesus. But I have far to go. May my prayers not be so much to get things from you, but to know you to the point that my every move, my every decision in life lines up with your will.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Seek the Welfare of Your City

Good morning. It is Thursday, April 23, 2015. I actually feel like doing a blog entry this morning.

Today’s Word of the Day is honorificabilitudinity. This is one of those fifty-dollar words that simply means, “honorableness.” I don’t know why you wouldn’t just say “honorableness.”

Today is World Book Night. It would be interesting to see what kind of community events are planned for this night. Unfortunately, Thursday is the day that our community library is closed. Hmph.

I did something really stupid, last night. Christi and I drove back to to Fort Worth in the afternoon, to do some laundry (yes, my mother has a washing machine, but never mind), get some more clothes, feed our furry friends, and so on. After we got back, we were unloading the car. I went out for the last trip, to get the hanging clothes in the back seat. As I walked down the sidewalk, I tripped over an uneven spot and fell, landing on my right knee (which was already hurting), hand, and elbow. The hand and elbow are mostly okay. The knee, not so much. I can walk okay, but it hurts. I feel so stupid, and this is such a bad time for something like this. I think it’s going to be okay, but it is very stiff and painful, right now.

The viewing for my dad is tonight, from 6-8. We still haven’t been up to the funeral home to see the body, so we have not yet made the decision as to whether it will be an open-casket funeral. Christi and I already vote no, but, ultimately, it will be my mother’s decision, and we respect that. I’m simply not a fan of that tradition. I don’t want to remember my dad the way his body will look in that casket.

The funeral is tomorrow at 2:00PM. The burial site is a very nice, serene place. I took a picture of the view from the plot my mother purchased yesterday morning.

It is one of the most serene, “un-cemetery-like” places I’ve seen.

Everything that we have had to arrange for these days has gone so smoothly! It makes me very glad that my parents live in Mineral Wells, instead of a big city like Fort Worth, or larger. Even paying for the cemetery plots, which had to be done at City Hall, only took about five or ten minutes!

We are so very grateful for all of the love and support from family and friends through this. I told Christi that I have never felt as loved as I have in the last couple of weeks. It is something that we will definitely need to remember when someone else we know goes through something similar. It is so important that we all be there for each other.

It was on this date in 1985 that Coca-Cola changed its formula and introduced “New Coke.” In less than three months, due to the negative response, the original formula was back on the market. Or was it??

Today’s birthdays include William Shakespeare (writer), James Buchanan (15th President), Warren Spahn (pitcher), Dolph Briscoe (Texas governor), Shirley Temple (actress), Roy Orbison (musician), Lee Majors (actor), Sandra Dee (actress), Tony Esposito (hockey player), Joyce DeWitt (actress), Jan Hooks (actress), Valerie Bertinelli (actress), George Lopez (comedian), John Oliver (comedian), Kal Penn (actor), and Andruw Jones (baseball player).

Roy Orbison was born on this date in 1936. He was an American singer/songwriter, known for his trademark sunglasses and his distinctive voice. He had a successful solo career, as well as being a part of the supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys. Here is his song, “Crying.”

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;
they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.
The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37:16-40

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

(From Solid Joys)

Today’s reading is “Seek Your City’s Good.”

Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Jeremiah 29:5-7

It’s interesting to me how many people want to quote Jeremiah 29:11, yet ignore theses verses just a few before it. I know people who are adamant about how much God wants them out of the city/situation they are in. Yet we have these commands from God to work and pray on behalf of the welfare of the cities in which we live.

“If that was true for God’s exiles in Babylon, it would seem to be even more true for Christian exiles in this very ‘Babylonian’ world. What, then, shall we do?”

We should do the things that come in a normal life. We build houses; plant gardens; go to work; go to school. “This does not contaminate you if you do it all for the real King and not just for eye service as men-pleasers.” So many people try to completely separate themselves from the world. We put our kids in “Christian” schools; we want to work in only “Christian” jobs, as if a school or a job could be “Christian.”

We have been sent by God to the place where we are, and we should seek the welfare of that place. This is God’s command.

“Pray to the Lord on behalf of your city. Ask for great and good things to happen for the city. Evidently God is not indifferent to its welfare. One reason he is not is this: In the welfare of the city his people find welfare.”

We can still do this without being taken in by the “beguiling attractions” of this world. If we get our values from our eternal city, which is still to be revealed, we will serve our own city well. In doing so, we will also be summoning the citizens of this city to be citizens of the “new Jerusalem.”

“Let’s live so that the natives will want to meet our King.”

Father, help us to be faithful in seeking the welfare of the cities in which we live. After all, the more we seek its welfare, the better off we will be. Help us to be faithful witnesses of the Kingdom that is yet to be revealed.

I pray for strength and mercy for this day. As we prepare to go view Daddy’s body, may we have strength. Thank you for the way in which we have bonded together. I pray for safe travel for all who are traveling today and tomorrow. May these next two days truly be a celebration of the life of one of your dearly beloved saints.

May we follow the commands of God and truly seek the greater welfare of the cities in which he has placed us.

Grace and peace, friends.