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.

Make Disciples, Not Converts to Our Opinions

“Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love.” – Francis of Assisi
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is turpitude, which means, “vile, shameful, or base character; depravity,” or, “a vile or depraved act.”

Today is No Pants Day! If only I didn’t have to go to work! But you can bet they will be off as soon as I get home!

It’s Friday! Christi continues to feel better, physically. She’s going through some stress at work, though. It will probably all be okay, in the long run. It usually is.

The Rangers got spanked by the Canadians, last night, 12-2. I was mistaken, yesterday, when I said that they had a 3-game losing streak. This was pointed out by my good friend and faithful Rangers fan, Rick. NOW, they have a 3-game losing streak. The Red Sox pulled out another win against the best in the AL last night, beating the Other Sox 7-3. Tonight, they face the struggling Evil Empire in NY.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

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.
Psalm 65:1-8

Our experience of salvation should not lead us down a path of “neurotic concern for our own soul,” yet that seems to be where so many Christians are. It should lead us “to a widened conception of God’s power and strength,” and make us more aware of everything that God does everywhere.

“Almighty God, I want to be in on everything you are doing. I don’t want to be tied to my own worries, or confined to my private joys – I want to participate in praise and adoration in all you do, throughout the whole earth, among every people.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

The one who is spiritually minded will never come to you and demand that you “believe this and that,” rather that “you square your life with the standards of Jesus.” We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the one whom it reveals (see John 5:39-40).

Our lives should always be measured by the standard of Jesus. It is his yoke (the easy yoke) alone that we should bow to, and no other yoke. In addition, we should be careful to never place a yoke on someone else, that is not placed by Jesus Christ. “It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong.” Judging from what I see on Facebook every day, there are still many people who are stuck there.

Jesus told us to go and make disciples, not converts to our opinions.

Father, you have brought me a long way in this area, but I still have far to go. I still tend to be overly concerned for my own soul, and less confident that you are able to hold on to what you have acquired for yourself. I also struggle with beliefs over faith and knowledge. Teach me more about Jesus; make my knowledge secure that it might feed my faith, so that I can properly walk in your kingdom with the liberty that you have given.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Impossible Becomes Possible

Good morning. It is Wednesday, June 3, 2015. Hump Day.

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is adulate. This is a verb, meaning, “to flatter or admire excessively or slavishly.”

Today is Repeat Day. “Every year on Repeat Day followers of this unusual event seek out activities and experiences they love so much that they want to do them over and over again.”

Today is Repeat Day. “Every year on Repeat Day followers of this unusual event seek out activities and experiences they love so much that they want to do them over and over again.”

Our Huddle group wound up not meeting last night. I think there were several who were not going to be there, so the leader decided that it was important for everyone to be there, so he postponed until next week. This gave me the opportunity to get in a pretty good practice session on the trombone, to try to prepare myself as much as possible for the upcoming reunion. My chops are still not great, but there are better. I have to give some credit to the P.E.T.E. (Personal Embouchure Training Exerciser) . Christi got me one of these for Christmas, and I have been using it, sporadically, since then. Stepping it up this week and using it on trips to work and back each day.

It’s cool to see how excited people are getting about this reunion. I’m not sure how many people are signed up, but there are quite a few. And I think enough of them are still playing to make up for those of us who have not. I do plan to continue after this reunion is over, though. I’m not sure how or where, but I’ll figure something out.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

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 65:4b-13

(From Solid Joys)

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:20-21

Today’s reading is “Faith for the Impossible.”

There is a reason that faith glorifies God’s “future grace.”

“Simply put, the reason is that this God-glorifying faith is a future-oriented confidence in God’s integrity and power and wisdom to follow through on all his promises.”

Abraham was close to 100 years old when God told him that he would be the father of many nations. Rather than scoff at it (as Sarah did), Abraham, somehow, believed. “In hope he believed against hope,” says Romans 4:18. Abraham “had faith in the future grace of God’s promise.”

The faith was in the promise, and it glorified God because it “attention to all the resources of God that would be required to fulfill it.”

By all practical means, Abraham and Sarah were way too old to have children. There is also the question of how one or two children can become “many nations.” On the surface, in human terms, it is utterly impossible.

Abraham’s faith in God’s future grace believed that, in God, the impossible could become possible. Not only “could,” but would!

Father, help us to believe the impossible in your name. Give me the faith of Abraham, faith that believes, beyond the shadow of a doubt that you will do what you say you will do, even when it seems impossible. There are many promises that you have made, one of the most important being that you, in the form of Jesus Christ, will return, someday, to gather up your Church and place us in our forever home. This seems impossible to us, especially because it has been well over 2000 years, now, since that promise was made. Strengthen our faith; make it relevant to our lives, and help us show your Kingdom to people around us.

I pray for this day, that we might have safe passage to work and back. I pray for Christi’s work day, that it would be free from drama and stress, and that meetings would be civil and productive. I pray that you would show your grace and mercy to Stephanie, Rachel, Justin, and my mother, as they do whatever needs to be done today.

I have a friend having hernia surgery today, Father. I pray for a successful operation and smooth recovery. His faith is in you. We have another friend who had a CT scan yesterday. We pray for good results on this. May your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Your grace is sufficient.

May we be more faithful to believe that the impossible is possible with God.

Grace and peace, friends.

Father Abraham

Good morning. It is Tuesday, June 2, 2015.

Today’s word of the day, from the OED, is scintillate. This is a verb, meaning, “To emit sparks or small flashes of light; to sparkle,” “Of a star: to exhibit a rapidly varying brightness, to twinkle; (of other celestial objects) to exhibit scintillation,” “Nuclear Physics. Esp. of a phosphor: to emit light momentarily when struck by a charged particle or a high-energy photon,” “Of a signal, or an image on a screen generated by it: to vary rapidly in a random way; spec. (of a signal on a radar screen) to fluctuate rapidly in appearance, esp. as a result of variations in an intervening medium (rather than changes in the target),” “To emit as a spark or sparks; to flash forth,” “To cause to sparkle or twinkle,” or, “Of a person, or his or her writing, speech, etc.: to be brilliant; to shine, to sparkle.” Here’s hoping I can scintillate this morning. Kind of reminds me of Firefly, and how they were always saying, “Shiny!”

Today is Leave the Office Earlier Day. I’m all over that one!

I wound up working an extra hour yesterday afternoon, as we got in a higher number of boxes than usual. I don’t know if this is our “summer spike” in business, or if it is vendors/carriers playing catch-up after the monsoon season. But the result of that is that I didn’t have time to practice the trombone last night. I won’t have time tonight, either, as it is Huddle night, tonight. The big rehearsal is Saturday, with at least four hours of playing time. Oh, well . . . it is, as they say, what it is. I will play what I can and hope there are enough other trombone players there who can play the parts. I’ll just hide behind them.

Christi is heading to El Paso next Monday, along with about ten of her work cohorts, to bowl in the National Open Championships! Yes, they are sending two teams over there, not to win, which I suppose is always possible, but as a “teambuilding exercise.” I really need to get a job at that place.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!
Psalm 65:4

“We are near him, not as having anticipated his grace, and come to him of ourselves, but because, in his condescension, he has stretched out his hand as far as hell itself to reach us. To speak more properly, he first elects us, and then testifies his love by calling us.” (John Calvin, Heart Aflame)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

(From Solid Joys)

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Genesis 12:3

Today’s reading is “Who Are the Children of Abraham?”

“You who hope in Christ and follow him in the obedience of faith are Abraham’s descendants and heirs of his covenant promises.”

God told Abraham, in Genesis 17:4, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” It’s pretty obvious that this did not happen during the time of Abraham’s life, so there must have been a deeper meaning to that covenant.

When the Lord said what he said in Genesis 12:3, quoted above, we believe that he was looking ahead to the blessing of Jesus Christ. “From the very beginning, God had in view that Jesus Christ would be the descendant of Abraham and that everyone who trusts in Christ would become an heir of Abraham’s promise.”

This is why, in Galatians 3:29, Paul says, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” So when God made that covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:4), “he opened the way for anyone of us, no matter what nation we belong to, to become a child of Abraham and an heir of God’s promises.” All that is needed is that we share the faith of Abraham, faith that looked forward to a blessing and promise that he would never see, himself.

Again, it is stressed that we don’t accomplish this by working. Rather, it is by faith and confidence that God works for us. Romans 4:20-21 tells us, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Abraham trusted God to be able to do what appeared, in human eyes, to be impossible.

Faith is the confirmation of the promise. Obedience is the evidence of the faith. This is why, in John 8:39, Jesus tells the religious leaders, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did.”

“Children of Abraham are people of all nations who put their hope in Christ and, like Abraham on Mount Moriah, therefore don’t let their most precious earthly possession stop their obedience.”

We who have placed our hope and faith in Jesus Christ are children of Abraham, “and heirs of his covenant promises.”

Father, we don’t often, or at least I don’t, consider the blessings of God’s promises to Abraham, and how they transfer down to us as modern Christians. I pray that you would cause us to ponder these things more often. We tend to forget about Abraham in our reflections on Christ. Of course, we all need to think about and look at Christ more often, but it wouldn’t hurt us to look more closely at the life and faith of Abraham, since we are told that we are his children and heirs. I do praise you for choosing us to be a part of this wonderful legacy.

I pray for this day, as always, asking for grace for travel to and from work. I pray for a good day at work for Christi. May you intervene in the typical drama caused by certain people, Father. I also pray for grace and mercy for each day for the rest of our family. May you bring provision to Stephanie, Rachel, Justin, and my mother, just as you have done so faithfully.

I pray for our Huddle group that will meet tonight. Speak to each of these guys in a way that they need most desperately.

Your grace is sufficient.

Father Abraham had many sons. I am one of them, and if you believe in Jesus Christ, so are you. So let’s just praise the Lord!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Truth Marches On — By the Power of Prayer

Good morning. It is Monday, June 1, 2015. Welcome to June. Summer is coming.

Today’s word of the day, from the OED, is pleonexia. This is a noun, meaning, “Excessive covetousness, avarice, or greed.”

Today is Say Something Nice Day. I like that. And if you can’t say something nice . . . well, you should know the rest, right?

Yesterday was a nice day, but it didn’t quite turn out like I planned. After I finished blogging, I decided that I needed to help Christi with the groceries, especially since her mom and step-dad’s list turned out to be rather complicated. We each took a basket and a list and took off. Christi finished while I still had a couple of aisles to go, so she helped me finish off my list. Then I needed to get gas, and she had a couple of stops that needed to be made. As we headed back to our house, after unloading the groceries at her mother’s, I took note that there was no way I was getting to the game before game start time, which was 2:05. Before I could say anything, Christi said, “I wouldn’t think less of you if you decided not to go.” Little did she know that I was already thinking that. I don’t like going alone, anyway, and no one else had been able to take me up on the extra ticket.

So, as soon as we got home and got all the groceries in, I got on Facebook, and offered the tickets to anyone who could come get them. Sadly, I didn’t get a single nibble, not even a comment (until after the game was over). We sat in the comfort of our living room and watched the game on TV. I hated wasting the money, but I’m glad I didn’t go. We still had more laundry to put away, and a few other things, and, as an added bonus, I’m not excessively tired this morning.

Back to work today, and this week is my last chance to work on the ol’ trombone chops. But I’ve already decided that I’m not terribly worried about how terrible I play at this reunion. I’m going more for the people than for the playing. I do hope that there are enough people who can still play, so that the playing part won’t be a total bust.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!
Psalm 65:4

(From Knowing Jesus)

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:1-6

Today’s reading is “Jesus, the Faithful Witness.”

“A faithful witness is one who speaks the truth.” Jesus always spoke the truth, no matter what the circumstances. “He never shaded the truth.” He never colored the truth in order to gain popularity. And even when it condemned him to the cross, he spoke the truth.

Here are things that Jesus witnessed to:

• Jesus confessed in public “that he had come from God on a mission to reveal God’s truth about salvation and heaven.
• “Jesus witnessed to God’s standard of holiness and to the internal values of God’s laws.” He showed us what God’s commands truly meant, and how they affect our lives.
• Jesus always spoke truth concerning life and death, and concerning sin and our enemy, the devil. When attacked by Satan, he overcame him by “witnessing to the power of God’s Word.”
• Jesus always shared truth with his friends and his disciples. He never tricked anyone into following him; in fact, he did exactly the opposite. He was so truthful that it actually drove some people away, as he promised suffering.
• Jesus spoke of the value of the kingdom of God, “denouncing materialism, pride, and hypocrisy.” These truths drove his accusers to seek his death.

This kind of faithful witness demands great courage, which Jesus had in ways that we will never comprehend, this side of heaven. One way that this courage was fueled was by his “constant communion with his heavenly Father. His daily prayers kept him in line with God’s truth and the purpose of his mission.”

The writer tell us that the word witness “has its roots in the Greek word for ‘martyr.'” In a sense, Jesus was a martyr. Except for that part where he didn’t stay dead! Because of his resurrection, Jesus’s truth marches on. Jesus Christ is the one true “witness to God’s eternal truth.”

Father, the one piece that really stands out to me in all of this is the part about constant communion with you. That is my goal. I desire to be constantly in touch with you throughout each day. So far, I have been defeated in this, but I sense that I’m getting stronger each day. Draw me closer, by your Spirit. Keep me in touch with yourself each day, that I might be a faithful witness, myself. Let my witness to the power of grace and mercy, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, be faithful and courageous. I pray for the power and strength to boldly share your Kingdom wherever I go, even if it is just in the passing niceness that I might share with a total, random, stranger. Especially since we believe that there may not be any such thing as “random.”

I pray for this day, that you would give us safe passage to and from work. I pray for Christi’s work day, that it will go smoothly. I pray for the people who create drama in her work life, that they would think a little more before speaking and acting in the ways that they do. I pray for your grace and mercy to be overwhelmingly present in the lives of Stephanie, Rachel, Justin, and my mother. Continue to hold us up in your loving arms, making us aware of your presence in our lives.

I pray for a brother of mine who is heading into divorce territory. May you be his comfort and strength through this, and help him rediscover confidence in himself and his relationship with you through grace.

Your grace is sufficient.

Jesus was able to maintain the strength of his witness through prayer. If the Son of God needed that kind of prayer relationship with his Father, how much more to we need it? I am convicted more and more of the necessity of prayer as a lifestyle. Paul says, “Pray without ceasing.” I don’t think that was hyperbole. I think he meant it.

Grace and peace, friends.

Serve the Lord with Gladness

Good morning. It is Sunday, May 31, 2015. It is the last day of May. I’m looking at a weather forecast that shows 0% chance of rain for the next seven days.

I’ve got three good words of the day today. I can’t pick, so I’m just going to share all of them. From the OED, it is quiddle. No, that’s not the broom game that Harry Potter played. That was Quidditch. Quiddle is a verb, meaning, “To discourse or expound upon a subject in a trifling or frivolous manner.” It can also mean, “To fiddle or play about with,” or, “To quibble or cavil about insignificant details; to fuss; (also) to busy oneself with unimportant matters or trivial tasks; to fritter away time.” Great word! I plan to use that one.

From Merriam-Webster, the word is perseverate. This is verb, also, meaning, “to repeat or recur persistently,” or, “to go back over previously covered ground.” No doubt, there can be much perseverating while quiddling.

From Dictionary.com, the word is moonbow. This is a noun, meaning, “a rainbow caused by the refraction and reflection of light from the moon.” Doesn’t that just sound beautiful? Can you imagine what that guy from the You Tube video would do over a moonbow??

Today is Macaroon Day. More cookies!! Great. Now I’m hungry.

Our prayer and worship gatherings went pretty well, last night. I was really pleased with the prayer gathering. We seemed to really connect last night. After church, my friend Rob and I went out to Mi Cocina for dinner. We had a very good, long, conversation that spanned a number of topics. It was a really good time.

In the meantime, the Red Sox came close being no-hit by rookie pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez, en route to an 8-0 loss. I’m hoping this afternoon’s game will be better. But at least I’ll be in the “all-you-can-eat seats.” 😀 Before the game, though, there are things that need to be done, so I need to get on with things, here.

It was on this date in 1971 that Memorial Day fell on Monday for the first time, according to the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act.” Just remember we pay these people for stuff like this. On this date in 1929, the first talking Mickey Mouse cartoon was released, called “The Karnival Kid.” On this date in 1911, the unfinished superstructure of the R.M.S. Titanic was launched. It would be completed on April 2, 1912.

Today’s birthdays include Walt Whitman (poet), Norman Vincent Peale (positive thinker), Don Ameche (actor), Clint Eastwood (actor/director), Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul, & Mary), Johnny Paycheck (singer), Joe Namath (pantyhose-wearing quarterback), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Tom Berenger (actor), Lea Thompson (actress), Corey Hart (wears his sunglasses at night), Brooke Shields (actress/model), Kenny Lofton (baseball player), Colin Farrell (actor), and Jake Peavy (pitcher).

John Bonham was Led Zeppelin’s drummer. He was born on this date in 1948, and died in 1980. Here is the song, “When the Levee Breaks,” from their fourth album, which was untitled, but is frequently called either “Runes,” or “Zoso.”

Oddly enough, a notable death on this date is one Millvina Dean, a British survivor of the Titanic (see above note about the launching of the Titanic). She was two months old at the time of the disaster, making her the youngest passenger on the ship.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

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.
Psalm 65:1-3

(From Solid Joys)

Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
2 Chronicles 12:8

Today’s reading is “The Gain of Serving God.”

“Serving God is utterly different from serving anyone else.” Our God, it is stated in Scripture, is a jealous God. He desires for us to understand the benefit of serving him, and that we enjoy it. Psalm 100:2 tells us, Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! We can find the reason for this gladness in Acts 17:25, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

We can serve with gladness because we are not under the burden of trying to meet God’s needs. As we serve him, he meets our needs! “Serving God always means receiving grace from God.”

There is a story in 2 Chronicles (where the initial verse is taken) about Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Rehoboam ruled the Southern Kingdom, and chose to abandon the law of God. As all Israel followed Rehoboam in serving other gods, the Lord sent Shishak, king of Egypt, against them, with 1200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. As Shishak approached Jerusalem, the Lord, in his mercy, sent the prophet Shemaiah to the council of Rehoboam and the princes of Judah. “Thus says the LORD, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.'” (2 Chronicles 12:5)

Immediately, the king and the princes humbled themselves, saying, “The LORD is righteous” (v. 6). The Lord showed mercy, declaring that they would not be completely destroyed. However, they would become slaves/servants to Shishak, as discipline for their disobedience, so that they would be able to see the difference between serving the Lord and serving rulers of other countries.

Serving the Lord is not burdensome. Rather, it is “a receiving and a blessing and a joy and a benefit.” It should not be considered “burdensome giving to God but a joyful getting from God” (emphasis mine).

Father, may we gain understanding regarding serving you. So often we resist serving you, but in the process, we become slaves to something/someone else. We say that we don’t have time to serve you, then become slaves to our jobs or our families or some hobby or sport. Forgive us, Lord, and grant repentance, that we might truly serve you, and in doing so, gain everything. I am reminded of the popular quote from C.S. Lewis, who said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.” I pray that your Spirit will guide me to serve you with gladness, knowing that, in serving, I receive.

I pray for this day, Lord, that we might be able to accomplish all that we need to do. I pray for safety and a joyful time as I attend a baseball game this afternoon. I don’t pray for anyone to win, as I don’t perceive that you are that concerned with who wins a baseball game. I pray for safety for everyone in attendance, and that all may have a good time. Help me to be considerate of everyone around me, and that I might display your Kingdom while I am there. I pray for our family, that you will provide for them everything that they need, grace and mercy for each day, and protection for them, as well. Hold us up in your mighty arms, Lord.

I pray for Andy, in California, that you would bring healing where needed, and that you would provide shelter and sustenance for him.

Your grace is sufficient.

May we gladly serve and obey God each day of our lives, knowing that in serving, we receive all that we need.

Grace and peace, friends.

Maintain the Relationship

Good morning! It is Saturday, August 4, 2012. We got to sleep in late again, today. That will stop soon, as we will, once again, have to go back to setting up the worship area for our worship celebrations at The Exchange. Tomorrow, we will be in early, as we are working tech for the service.
Today is U.S. Coast Guard Day. Apparently, there is an annual celebration “Festival” in Grand Haven, Michigan. That would probably be a nice place to be in August. Much nicer than, say, Texas. It’s supposed to get all the way up to 88 today in Grand Haven. I bet they think that’s hot. Well, it’s already 90 here, with a projected high of 105.

On this date in 1944, Anne Frank and her family were captured by Gestapo in an Amsterdam warehouse. Anne, of course, had been working on the diary that would later become famous. It survived the war, because it was overlooked by the Gestapo that discovered their hiding place. She was 15 when captured. Her and most of the others from that hiding place perished in the Nazi camps. On this date in 1892, “Lizzie Borden took an axe…” On this date in 1792, Percy Bysshe Shelley was born. On this date in 1927, country music legend Jimmie Rodgers was recorded for the very first time. The first song recorded was called “The Soldier’s Sweetheart.” Here is a very well-made video of some guy playing the 78rpm record.

And on this date in 1936, Jesse Owens won the gold medal for the long jump in Berlin. In the Berlin Olympics, he won four gold medals, beating out the alleged Nazi “Aryan master race.”

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Today, we’ll be going out to Hawaiian Falls water park in Roanoke for an evening of water slides (and “lazy river” for me, thank you) with our church family. Should be good fun. We’ll be packing the 100+SPF sunblock, too. Not much else going on today, around here. My kind of Saturday.

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Father, I pray for some inspiration from you today, that I might live this day looking to your face.

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Today, I’m reading Psalm 65.
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
O you who hears 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! (1-4)

Sometimes I wish we had a “temple.” But then, I remember that our God does not dwell in a building made by men. The “house of God” is the hearts of men.

Verses 9-13 give thanks to the Lord for watering the earth and the crops of Israel. It is a reminder that we should thank God for all of the blessings we receive.

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My Utmost For His Highest
And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” Luke 18:31

God is very brave to trust us. Wait, what? Yes! It’s true. We say that God has been, perhaps, unwise in choosing us. There is nothing of value in us, we are not trustworthy. “That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve; but if you have let Him bring you to the end of your self-sufficiency then He can choose you…” This also means that he will fulfill purposes “which He does not discuss with you.” Think about that last line. Most of us (me included) seem to think that we can negotiate with God over what our lives will be. I’m going to say this emphatically. GOD DOES NOT NEGOTIATE! I have no right to myself, nor do I have any right to discuss with God his purposes for me. And trust me, this is speaking very loudly to me right this very moment.
We tend to say that, if a man has some kind of natural ability, that means he would make a good Christian (whatever that means…). But it has nothing to do with what we bring with us, because, truthfully, we bring nothing with us. “The only thing that avails is that we are taken up into the big compelling of God and made His comrades (see yesterday’s reading).” Those who are comrades with God are those who know their own poverty. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” “He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God.” (Emphasis mine) Read that again! “He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God.” Do I have a “cause?” I must drop it. The only “cause” that matters is the cause of God! There are times when we are not sure what God is after, but we must, nevertheless, maintain our relationship with him. If we go chasing after some “cause,” no matter how “righteous” it may appear, we have fallen off the path. “We must never allow anything to injure our relationship with God; if it does get injured we must take time and get it put right.” At this point, Chambers makes another great statement (in my opinion). “The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do {GASP!!}, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship.” Yes! We get so caught up in the work that we neglect the relationship. Yes, there is work. But the relationship must come first. The principle is this: Take care of the relationship and the work will follow effortlessly.

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Father, for the past week, I have been praying that you would make me “poor in spirit,” that I would be aware of my poverty. It is, I think, timely that I should read this reading today. I am encouraged by the writing of Chambers today. I follow no cause but you, Lord. Jesus is the only “cause” that matters. I will not focus on the work at hand, but rather, the relationship that is so desperately vital to my survival in this world. Keep that right in front of me daily. I know that I bring nothing of value to you. I pray that you can use me. I believe you have used me, and I pray that you will continue to do so. While I don’t particularly know where you are taking me at this point in my life, I will endeavor to maintain the relationship. I struggle with a matter in my life right now, regarding my activities at our church. Today’s devotion spoke loudly to that struggle, Father. I have no right to be dissatisfied about anything in regard to what you are currently doing with me. What someone else gets to do is of no concern to me. It’s like Peter and John, when they walked with you and one pointed back to another and said, “Well, what about him??” What happens to “him” matters not to me. It is of no concern. What matters is my relationship with you and that I willingly go wherever you want to take me. Thank you for showing that to me today. You continue to break my heart, Lord. Not in a bad way…I mean not that it is broken in sadness, rather it is being broken in willingness. I am nothing. I am less than second. You are all. I am last. By the power of your Spirit, I ask you to help me follow your great commands, that I love you with all my being, that I love my neighbor as myself, and that I love the Church as you have loved the Church.

I pray for this day, Lord. I pray for a good, relaxing time at Hawaiian Falls tonight, but I also pray that you keep us safe and keep us from over-exposure to the sun. I pray that all who attend under the auspices of The Exchange will behave themselves as your children should. I pray that we will glorify you in all that we do.

I pray for our worship celebration tomorrow. May we worship you with reckless abandon, throwing aside anything that would hinder us from intimate fellowship with you during that time. I pray for Joel as he brings your message to us tomorrow. Open his mouth to speak your truth, and open our ears to hear your truth. Teach us your ways, that we may walk in your truth. Unite our hearts to fear your name.

Give me clarity and focus as I continue into my private prayer time.

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Maintain the relationship. Forget about any “cause” that threatens to distract you from Jesus. Keep the main thing the main thing.

Grace and peace, friends.