I Am A Living Channel

Today is Saturday, June 23, 2018. Day 22,017.

Eleven days until July 4!

144 (gross) days until Fallout 76!

“Are you really sure that a floor can’t also be a ceiling?” ~ M.C. Escher, 1898-1972, BrainyQuote If you aren’t familiar with the artwork of M.C. Escher, I give you this.

The word for today is skirl, “of a bagpipe : to emit the high shrill tone of the chanter; also : to give forth music.” Also, “to play (music) on the bagpipe.” Here is an example of “skirl.”

As predicted, we had to work until about 6:30 last night, which is two hours overtime. Makes me not like Fridays, very much, you know. There were some positives for the day, though. To begin with, I stopped at Meat U Anywhere and got brisket breakfast tacos for our little group that goes on break together every morning. The group was both surprised and delighted. They all raved over how delicious they were and were thanking me all day. Then, for lunch, one of the guys went out to a place called Fred’s Downtown Philly and picked up philly sandwiches for a bunch of us (we all paid for our own). So lunch was also delicious. On the downside, I think I gained about two pounds, yesterday.

Today, C is painting the front room of the house. After I finish this blog, I will be getting my charts ready for tonight’s Night of Worship. We will go pick up our Kroger Click List between 1:00 and 2:00 PM, and we will be at the NoW host’s home at around 3:30. We’re looking forward to a great night of worship and fellowship.

Tomorrow morning, we will continue our “Summer of Sabbaths” series at our worship gathering, so I won’t be playing. It’s nice to have a break, but I miss playing during the music.

The Red Sox and Mariners duked it out last night with what looked like a low-scoring football game. The Mariners started off quickly, scoring four runs in the top of the first. The Sox answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. Seattle, however, answered right back with two in the top of the second, and four in the top of the fourth. That made the score 10-5, but that would be all for the Mariners. The Sox scored one in the fifth, three in the sixth, and five in the seventh, to win the game 14-10! Nelson Cruz hit two home runs and seven RBIs for the Mariners (remember him? The Rangers let him get away), but J.D. Martinez got his league-tying 23rd home run, along with five RBIs of his own, including the go-ahead run in the seventh. Boston became the first team to win 51 games, but are still a game behind the Yankees in the AL East. The Yankees lost to Tampa, 2-1.

In the AL West, the Astros lost to the the Royals (the team the Rangers just swept, and the second worst team in baseball), 1-0. The Rangers continued their winning ways, winning their sixth consecutive game (Elvis is in the building), beating the Twins by the score of 8-1. Their record is now 33-44, and they are seventeen games back. Seattle has lost five consecutive games. This ain’t over ’til it’s over.

Interesting stat (to me, at least). All of the fifty-plus game winners are in the AL. The closest NL team to them is Milwaukee, with forty-five wins. ALL of the NL leaders would be in third place in either the AL West or the AL East.

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

“Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day:
Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(From The Book of Common Prayer)

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 
Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. 
Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. 
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. 
He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. 
He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. 
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; 
they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 
He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! 
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! 
Psalm 111

This would be a great Psalm to read at the beginning of our Night of Worship tonight.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:23-26

Beautiful words from the heart of the Psalmist.

I’m currently reading a small book called Power in Prayer: Classic Devotions to Inspire and Deepen Your Prayer Life. It is a compilation of selections from other books by Andrew Murray. The reading I read this morning is called “The Holy Trinity Manifested on the Earth,” and is from his book, Living a Prayerful Life.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14

While it seems odd to begin a reading with the last verse of one of Paul’s letters, this little verse packs a “Trinitarian” punch. Says Murray, “God is an ever-flowing fountain of pure love and blessedness. Christ is the reservoir wherein the fullness of God was made visible as grace, and has been opened for us. The Holy Spirit is the stream of living water that flows from under the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

In turn, we, God’s redeemed children, are the “channels through which the love of the Father, the grace of Christ, and the powerful operation of the Spirit are manifested on earth and imparted to others.”

The verse above imparts all of this in just a few words.

What also becomes evident is this amazing partnership in which we participate! God has made us partners in dispensing his grace to the world! We spend time in prayer for our own needs, but this is just the beginning. We also have power “as intercessors to bring the grace of Christ and the energizing power of the Spirit upon those that are still in darkness.”

“The more we yield ourselves to fellowship with the triune God, the sooner we will gain the courage and power to intercede for others.” We might need to read that again.

“The more we yield ourselves to fellowship with the triune God, the sooner we will gain the courage and power to intercede for others.”

I believe that we have under-emphasized the Trinity for far too long in our churches. Our pastor has been pretty big on Trinitarian things for a few years. And the more I read Dallas Willard (and others like him) the more appreciation I have for the necessary aspects of the Trinity, as well as the need for Trinitarian fellowship in our churches. Some churches are all about the Holy Spirit and only want the “gifts of the Spirit.” Unfortunately, this is all about public displays and personal recognition for gifts such as the more popular “speaking in tongues” and “prophecy.” Other churches only want to emphasize Jesus and evangelism. Nothing wrong with either one, of course, but there is more to the Trinity. Still other churches overemphasize the Father with hardly any word about Jesus or the Holy Spirit. These become high and lofty, almost ethereal, and virtually, “no earthly good.”

We, as the channels, must be closely connected with the reservoir (Jesus), so that the stream of water (the Spirit) can “flow unhindered through it.” The more our prayers are occupied “with the fullness of Christ and the Spirit who proceeds from Him, the more firmly will we abide in fellowship with Him and the more surely will our lives be full of His joy and strength.”

“God is an ever-flowing fountain of love and blessing, and I, as His child, am a living channel through which the Spirit and His life can flow on earth every day.”

I am a living channel. I must stay connected to the Trinity.

Thank you, Father, for being an ever-flowing fountain of love and blessing. Thank you, Jesus, for being that reservoir of grace, displaying the fullness of the Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being the stream of living water, flowing from the Father, through the Son, into us. Make me a living channel; maintain that flow into me; help me stay connected. Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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

Grace and peace, friends.

The Mark of True Friendship

“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.” – Fred Allen
(BrainyQuote)

The word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is olykoek, which means, apparently, doughnut. Or donut. However you choose to spell it.

And that word of the day is totally appropriate, as today is Doughnut Day. I bet Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts will be busy today.

We spent all afternoon at the funeral home, yesterday. The family met there at 1:00 PM, and went through the process of making the arrangements for C’s mother’s funeral. The funeral is set for 1:30 PM on Monday, June 6. The visitation will take place Sunday afternoon, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. We chose an earlier time in case anyone wanted to get to a church service Sunday evening. It took several hours to go over everything. It is taking place at Greenwood Memorial Park on White Settlement Road, in Fort Worth. They already had everything pre-paid for a mausoleum burial. We got to go over and see the place after the meeting, and it is very nice.

We plan to go back over to C’s step-dad’s place this afternoon, and make sure we have the music and other things down for the funeral. Other than that, there isn’t much planned for today. To be hones, C needs the time to rest and recuperate from the cold she has had. Her doctor phoned in some meds for her yesterday, so hopefully that will help.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalm 73:21-28

As the psalmist concludes this psalm, he moves back to sincere faith. He has gone from faith to doubt back to faith. And when he arrives at the final portion, he sees that his doubt was “brutish and ignorant.” He realizes, at this point, that God never left his side. One of my favorite parts is verses 25 and 26. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. I long to be at the place of verse 25.

“‘In sweet communion, Lord, with Thee I constantly abide; my hand Thou holdest in Thy own to keep me near Thy side. . . . Whom have I, Lord, in heaven but Thee, to whom my thoughts aspire? And, having Thee, on earth is nought that I can yet desire’ (‘In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee,’ The Psalter, 1912). Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

The Secret of the Lord

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.
Psalm 25:14

What is the sign of a true friend? Is it that he tells you his “secret sorrows?” No, rather, the true friend, in the deepest intimacy, will share with you his secret joys. “Many will confide to you their secret sorrows, but the last mark of intimacy is to confide secret joys.” Have we ever allowed God to share his joys with us, or are we too busy telling him our own “secrets,” leaving him no room to talk to us at all?

In the model prayer, Jesus gives us these words: “Your will be done.” Are we so caught up in that prayer that we “catch the secrets of God?” There is a progression of spirituality in the life. “At first we want the consciousness of being guided by God; then as we go on we live so much in the consciousness of God that we do not need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing any other will never occurs to us.”

That last bit always amazes me, as I have never gotten anywhere close to that state, spiritually. I’m not even sure I know anyone who has. Maybe one or two possibilities. My heart’s deepest desire is to get to that place, but my flesh battles hard against it.

Father, I pray for my life to be such that I don’t need to ask your will, but that “the thought of choosing any other will never occurs” to me. May your Spirit guide me to this place as I explore spiritual formation and the spiritual disciplines. I need more of you in my life, Father. I pray for the life of Christ to be embedded deep in my nature.

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.

Haunted by God

“May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.” – Robert A. Heinlein
(BrainyQuote)

The word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is anythingarianism, which is “The fact or phenomenon of not holding any fixed or established beliefs; (also) the rejection of all fixed or established beliefs, regarded (often humorously) as a creed or philosophy.” There seems to be a lot of that going around, these days.

Today is Leave the Office Earlier Day. Not a problem, since I’m not at the “office” today. I’ll explain that next.

So, the reason I am not at work is this morning is one of extreme sadness. I received a phone call from C yesterday morning, as she had just received a phone call to let her know that her mother passed away, yesterday morning. It was a strange call, coming from the home health people that had been coming over to help take care of her mother. She said that he just kind of matter-of-factly told her, as if she should have been expecting it. Granted, there have been numerous health and mental issues over the past few years (decades?), but I wouldn’t say it was expected. I finished the day at work, and submitted a request for bereavement for the rest of this week and Monday. I get three days for in-laws. We will be going to the funeral home at 1:00PM today, to make arrangements, which, thankfully, have already been pre-paid. It looks like the funeral will be Monday.

This will be pretty much occupying all of our time and energy for the next few days.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
Psalm 73:10-20

This passage is the answer to yesterday’s questions, and verse 17 is the turning point. “‘Until’ picks up the first sixteen verses of outraged sensitivity, of battered reason, of provoked faith, and marches them all into the sanctuary.” When they emerge, “they are no longer troubles, but truths of cheer and hope.”

“Instead of wildly asking questions or clamorously making complaints, I ask you to lead me, Father, into acts of worship in which I will see creation whole and redemption complete, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

What Are You Haunted By?

Who is the man who fears the LORD?
Psalm 25:12

“What are you haunted by?” Most of us would probably say nothing. But aren’t we all truly haunted by something? A lot of us are haunted by ourselves, or, “if we are Christians, by our experience.” But our consciousness should be consumed by God, and not just thinking about God. “The whole of our life inside and out is to be absolutely haunted by the presence of God.” Just as a child is “haunted” by the presence of his mother, even when she is not in sight, so we should be haunted by the presence of God, to the point that we “look at everything in relation to God,” and that this “abiding consciousness of God pushes itself to the front all the time.”

And here is the kicker: “If we are haunted by God, nothing else can get in, no cares, no tribulation, no anxieties.” This is why worry is so emphasized by Jesus. How can we be unbelieving in this constant presence of God? “To be haunted by God is to have an effective barricade against all the onslaughts of the enemy.” What does the Bible say, in Isaiah 26:3? You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. If I am “haunted” by God, my mind is stayed on him, and I will be at peace.

Father, I am not sufficiently haunted by you, because I find myself experiencing anxiety, worry, and cares. I pray for this abiding consciousness of your presence at all times, that pushes itself to the front of my life and my being. I pray that I may live and move and have my being completely in you. I pray for this overriding sense of your presence as we gather to make funeral arrangements today. May your peace be in and with us.

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.

Jesus, Our North Star

Good morning. It is Friday, June 19, 2015.

Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is porteur. If it looks French, that’s because it is. It’s a ballet term, meaning, “A male dancer whose role is to lift or support a ballerina when she performs leaping or jumping movements.”

Today is Garfield the Cat Day, celebrating Garfield’s first appearance in the comics on June 19, 1978. To help celebrate, I will share something that I find to be very entertaining, Garfield Minus Garfield.

Christi’s Huddle went pretty well last night. While she was gone, I started scanning old photos of my parents (and a very young me) into my computer. It’s going to take longer than I expected, as I need to scan both backs and fronts, in order to preserve the descriptions of each photo. I plan to put a bunch of them on Facebook (if my mother doesn’t mind), but here is a preview photo.

That’s my parents on their wedding day, May 25, 1957, with his best man on the right, and the minister on the left. They got married in her parents’ home, several miles outside of Henderson, Texas.

Anyway, I’ve still got a lot of work to do. I was hoping to finish before Sunday, when we go back to Mineral Wells, but I should have started sooner. 😦 Oh, well.

The Texas Rangers lost a game in the bottom of the ninth inning, last night, with two outs. Apparently, the relief pitcher balked in the winning run. Sigh.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalm 73:25-28

(From Knowing Jesus)

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 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. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Galatians 2:17-21
for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Philippians 1:19-26

Today’s reading is “‘For to Me, to Live Is Christ.'”

How would we complete the sentence, “For to me, to live is . . .?” Even for the most devoted followers of Jesus, this is a difficult question, and the answer would differ, based on where we are in our journey. Answers would also reflect “age, health, family, career, wealth, and so on. But regardless of where we stand, somehow we must orient ourselves toward Jesus. He is the North Star on our life compass.”

Where we started is not so important. What matters is where we are today. Many of us would like to draw a graph of our walk with Christ, hoping that, even though there would be dips and valleys, the trend would be upward.

But sometimes, “for me to live” means something other than Jesus. When Jesus gave his Revelation to John, there were churches that fell into that category. Paul the apostle wrote about people who had drifted away from following Christ. These kinds of warnings encourage us to check ourselves regularly and “ask ourselves often whether we are living primarily for Jesus.”

We need to take steps to ensure that our walk with Christ is “sound, wholesome, and healthy.” The writer of Hebrews admonishes us repeatedly, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15; 4:7) “Jesus becomes our North Star when we hear him through our prayer, Bible reading, worship, and fellowship.”

Father, I pray for your Spirit to remind me of this throughout this day, and forever more. Remind me, frequently, to examine my walk with Christ and see if I can truly say, “For me, to live is Christ.” I confess that there are too many other things competing for my allegiance. “The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the giver of all good things!” It is true. So I ask for your help, Lord, in walking with Jesus, and that he would, indeed, be my “North Star.”

I pray for this day, as always asking for safe passage to and from work. I thank you for reducing the drama at Christi’s job, and pray that this will continue. Your sovereign hand is over all things. May we acknowledge this more and more. I pray for your sweet love to surround Stephanie, today, and that your grace and mercy would rain down on Rachel, Justin, and Mama.

I pray for comfort for Joan Mitchell and her family, in the loss of her sister. May your grace and mercy cover them, Father.

Your grace is sufficient.

This post is not intended to bring guilt, but, rather, to inspire life. May we examine our walks with Jesus on a regular basis. What a joy it would be to repeat with Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ.”

Grace and peace, friends.

“Open Their Hearts”

Good morning. It is Thursday (pre-Friday?), June 18, 2015.

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is caparison. While it appears that I have misspelled “comparison,” I have not. Caparison is a noun, meaning, “an ornamental covering for a horse,” “decorative trappings and harness,” or, in non-horse-related things, “rich clothing : adornment.”

Today is International Picnic Day, yet another “holiday” that really should not fall on a work day! Sorry, but I won’t have time for a picnic today.

It was pointed out to me that I called the tropical storm by the wrong name yesterday. It’s Bill, not Jim. Bill, Jim, Bob, Jim-Bob, Joe-Bob-George, whatever. 😀 I could swear I heard someone call that storm Jim, at some point. But it’s Bill. At least what is left of it is Bill. It appears to be past us, now, as there is a mere 10% chance of rain today. But it pretty much rained all day yesterday. It definitely rained on me for the entire thirty mile trip to work.

Christi had Huddle tonight, and I am planning to try to scan some photos into the computer while she is gone. If I have time, I might get in some practice, as well. I’m planning to go to a community band rehearsal next Monday. I’m still working out how I’m going to get there, though. I’m supposed to be there by 6:45 for warm-up, and it begins at 7:00. It’s in Southlake, though, which is roughly half-way between work and home. I may just have to go straight from work, find something to eat, and just go to rehearsal in my work clothes. If I do that, I will carry an extra pair of shoes, though. Don’t really want to go to band rehearsal in my steel-toed shoes.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Psalm 73:18-24

(From Solid Joys)

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
Romans 10:1

Today’s reading is “How to Plead for Unbelievers.”

In the verse from Romans 10, Paul is praying for Israel to be converted. He is praying for the salvation of his own people.

We can take covenant promises from Scripture and pray that God would bring them to pass in the lives of our family and friends, and on people all around the world. For example:

• “God, take out of their flesh the heart of stone and give them a new heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).”
• “Circumcise their heart so that they love you (Deuteronomy 30:6)!”
• “Father, put your Spirit within them and cause them to walk in your statutes (Ezekiel 36:27).”
• “Grant them repentance and a knowledge of the truth that they may escape from the snare of the devil (2 Timothy 2:25–26).”
• “Open their hearts so that they believe the gospel (Acts 16:14)!”

These are just a few examples. I’m sure we can find more on our own, during our times of reading, study, and reflection. Here is a key point, though. “When we believe in the sovereignty of God — in the right and power of God to elect and then bring hardened sinners to faith and salvation — then we will be able to pray with no inconsistency, and with great biblical promises for the conversion of the lost.” We must believe that God can do what we ask him to do. It doesn’t always mean he will, but we must believe that he can. He is sovereign over all things. And this kind of praying brings honor to him, as it “ascribes to him the right and honor to be the free and sovereign God that he is in election and salvation.”

Father, teach me to pray for unbelievers. This is one of my most difficult areas of prayer. Thank you for showing me this handful of Scriptures that are applicable in this situation. I pray that you might show me more. As I pray, each day, bring to mind someone that I can pray these things for, as there are plenty of people I know who need your grace in their lives. Make us more faithful in prayer, as we live our lives. Help us to, as Paul told us, “Pray without ceasing.” Let every breath be a prayer, Lord.

I pray for this day, that our passage to work might be safe and smooth. I pray for Christi’s day, that it might be free from drama, just as yesterday was. I pray that, in your sovereign grace, you would do whatever necessary to bring that about. I pray for her Huddle group that meets this evening, and I will pray for them again, later today. May you bind them closer together, and draw their hearts together as one, that they might all consider each other to be more important than themselves. I pray for your great love and mercy to surround Stephanie, Rachel, and Justin today, as they do whatever they need to do. I also pray that you continue to hold up my mother. We look forward to our visit on Sunday.

I pray for Sheridan, Lord, who has been diagnosed with pneumonia. I also pray for little Sadie, and Andrew, who are also sick. May you bring healing to our church family, Lord.

Your grace is sufficient.

May we be faithful in praying for our family and friends who need the grace of God in their lives. Pray for him to change hearts and invade spirits with his grace.

Grace and peace, friends.

Tremble

Good morning. It is Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Hump Day.

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is esoteric. This is an adjective, meaning, “designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone,” “requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group; broadly : difficult to understand,” “limited to a small circle,” “private, confidential,” or, “of special, rare, or unusual interest.”

Today is Apple Strudel Day. A pastry that is alleged to date back to 1696, “Apple strudel consists of a centre of apple, cinnamon and raisins, wrapped in crispy layers of pastry, that puff up in the oven; served with a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of thick cream, comfort food at its finest.” Yum. Much better than “Eat Your Vegetables Day.” What’s this recent kick on vegetables, anyway??

It’s raining this morning, as Tropical Storm Jim has made his way up into north central Texas. It’s predicted that it will rain most of the day, today, prompting continued flash flood warnings, as we really haven’t recovered from the April and May “showers.” The Trinity River is still above floodplain, even after a couple of weeks with little to no rain.

Christi bowled in her league, yesterday, after work, and did quite a bit better than last week. However, her knee was severely sore afterward. Perhaps some kind of brace might be in order. I’ve been thinking about one of those for my knee, as well. Not much else going on. We have definitely decided to go to Mineral Wells for Father’s Day on Sunday.

Oh. Brock Holt hit for the cycle for the Red Sox yesterday, as they finally won a game, beating the Braves, 9-4. He is from Fort Worth, Texas, by the way.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
Psalm 73:1-17

(From Solid Joys)

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 66:2

Today’s reading is “What Kind of Prayer Pleases God?”

“The first mark of the upright heart is that it trembles at the Word of the Lord.”

Isaiah 66 deals with people who worship God in different ways; some of their worship pleases God, but some of their worship does not please God. Take verse 3, for example: He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. Why are their offerings so offensive to God? The answer is in verse 4: I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.

Verse 2, quoted above, describes the kind of person whose prayers God will hear. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

“So the prayer of the upright that delights God comes from a heart that at first feels precarious in the presence of God. It trembles at the hearing of God’s Word, because it feels so far from God’s ideal and so vulnerable to his judgment and so helpless and so sorry for its failings.”

Compare this to Psalm 51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. “The first thing that makes a prayer acceptable to God is the brokenness and humility of the one who prays.”

Father, teach me this humility in the face of your Word. For, in truth, your Word shows me my weakness and failures. It constantly shows me where I am lacking in my devotion and service to you. Therefore, I must be more humble as I even consider praying to you, for I am not what I should be. You have made me something new, something better, but I have yet to fully acquiesce to your commands and desires for my heart and for my life. I pray for more humility and more sincerity of heart, that I might be a better servant and ambassador for your Kingdom.

I pray for this day, that we might have safe travel, especially in this rain, to and from work. Keep Rachel and Justin safe, as well, in whatever they must do today. Show your great love to Stephanie, Rachel, Justin, and Mama, as they do whatever must be done today. May your great grace and mercy never fail in our lives. We are grateful for all that you have done for us. May your Kingdom come and your will be done, on earth, as in heaven.

I lift up the Henneke family, as they travel back from Florida today. May their trip be safe, and may it not be delayed by the tropical storm system.

Your grace is sufficient.

May we all tremble at God’s Word, rather than feeling any kind of pride in what we believe we have accomplished. In this way, we can be assured that our prayers will please him.

Grace and peace, friends.

Whom Have I in Heaven But You?

It’s Sunday morning, August 12, 2012. Good morning to you. Today is “Vinyl Record Day.” Oh, yeah. I got plenty of those, baby! Still working on ripping them all to digital. You can track my adventures in that project over at Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit. It’s been a while since I’ve written over there, though. Somehow, I need to carve out some time for that.

On this date in 1990, the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever found was discovered in South Dakota. On this date in 1961, construction began on the Berlin Wall. On this date in 1973, Jack Nicklaus won his 14th major golf title, setting a record for the most titles won by a single golfer. He won another later, making it 18. That record still stands today. For a while, it looked as though Tiger Woods might surpass him. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. On this date in 1964, Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, died of a heart attack at age 56. On this date in 1938, Hitler instituted the “Mother’s Cross.” In order to encourage German women to have more children, every year, on his mother’s birthday, he would award a gold medal to women with at least seven children, a silver to women with six, and a bronze to women with five. I had never heard of this until now. I find this to be very bizarre. Finally, it was on this date in 1939 that

THIS movie debuted at a theater in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

---

We had a wonderful time with Rachel and Justin yesterday evening. We had dinner at Hoffbrau steakhouse (which, by the way, was not quite as good as usual…), and good times at the house afterward, sharing red velvet cupcakes for Justin’s and Stephanie’s birthday.

This morning, we are getting ready to go to our worship celebration, after which we will hasten over to Watauga Brunswick lanes for a birthday party for one of Stephanie’s friends. Looking forward to some bowling.

---

Father, I pray for some glimpse of your face this morning. Give me a vision of you.

---

Today, I’m reading Psalm 73. This one is reported to have been written by Asaph. It begins with some confession.
Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (1-3)

Who among us has not experienced that? I’ll be honest and raise my hand. The psalmist then goes on and lists some of the characteristics that caused him envy. This seems to climax, beginning in verse 10.
Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!

The psalmist has come to his senses. But it took worship to get there. Two of my favorite verses in the Psalms occur in this one, at verses 25-26.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Amen!

---

My Utmost For His Highest
And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

“When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him.” You see that? Read it again. When a crisis comes, WE should be the reliable ones! It’s okay to be afraid, but to allow myself to get into a mode of outright panic is unacceptable. Unfortunately, what happens too often is this: “Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God.” This demonstrates that we actually don’t have the slightest bit of confidence in God and “His government of the world.” Like the disciples, we fear that God is asleep and we “see nothing but breakers ahead.”

What, do you imagine, did the disciples feel when Jesus admonished them. “O you of little faith!” What do we feel when we realize that, instead of producing joy in the heart of our savior, we have once again missed the proverbial boat?

It is not the smooth sailing times when our strength is revealed. It is in the times of crisis that we “instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.”

Now, the title of today’s reading is “The Theology of Rest.” What does “rest” have to do with this? When we have ultimate confidence in God, it produces “rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight, but a deep joy to Him.”

When I can truly pray the words of Psalm 73:25-26, then I am learning to rest in the confidence of God. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting there. This prayer thing he has me doing is being of great benefit. My confidence in him is growing. I’m not looking forward to the crisis that will eventually test it, but I feel stronger these days.

---

Father, truly I ask, “Whom have I in heaven but you?” What I need, however, is to be able to truthfully say, “And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” I can honestly say that I have not reached that point yet. I’m aiming for it, though. I pray, Lord, that you would increase me need and desire for you. You are guiding me in that direction, the direction of ultimate dependence on you. I pray that you keep drawing me; keep having me pray for others and seeing the results of those prayers. I truly love seeing you work in others’ lives! Someone that I was praying for got a job, beginning tomorrow. What joy that brought my heart! Not that my prayer was answered, but that she got a job, and her life is enriched! I can see the power of your Holy Spirit as you work in this world.

Help me to rest in you; to rest in complete confidence of your hand, both in my life, and in the world around me. You are in control; I have said this for years, and truly believed it. But now…at this point in my life, it is becoming more of a reality than ever. I bless your name, O God!

And now, as we get ready to go into our worship celebration today, I pray that we would truly worship you. I pray for the people who will be playing in the band this morning, that their hearts are prepared to lead us into a time of intimate fellowship with you. I pray for our pastor, as he preaches your Word this morning. I pray that his words will be your words, and that you will open our ears to hear what your Spirit has to say to us this morning. Help us to throw off all distractions as we enter this time of worship. May your grace fall down on us like rain, and may our cups overflow with joy in your presence.

---

May we all rest in absolute, utter confidence in the God who governs this universe. May we not panic when a few rough waves come over the edge of our boat.

Grace and peace, friends.