Resurrection Sunday – Page 2 – Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy

Streams in the Wasteland

March 25, 2021 Jeff2 Comments

Today is Thursday (pre-Friday), the twenty-fifth of March, 2021, in the fifth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,023

Ten days until Resurrection Sunday!

I made a mistake yesterday. Not really, that was kind of tongue-in-cheek. What I did was, I prayed for the Lord to make me more gentle, you know, like Jesus. The result was that I had a pretty bad day at work. demands on my time seemed to never slow down, the emails wouldn’t stop, and circumstances kept occurring that did nothing but delay me. At one point, I was feeling a tremendous amount of pressure, and, I tell you truly, I was utterly miserable!

Then, out of nowhere, a “still, small voice” said to me, “Who is putting pressure on you? Where is it coming from?” At that point, I realized that no one was putting any pressure on me, outside of the emails I was getting, which I was dealing with as quickly as I could. The pressure was coming from inside!

It was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders!

The day didn’t really get much better, but I sure felt better!

So, I learned that praying for gentleness is a lot like praying for patience. If you pray for either one of these things, get ready for some trials and testing!

For those of you praying for C, please continue. Her sciatic nerve is still giving her quite a bit of pain. There was a point, yesterday, at which it was better, but then she moved a certain way, after getting home, and it got aggravated again. We most definitely appreciate the outpouring of love and prayer that we have received! Thanks be to God!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Today, another poem by Daryl Madden. “Times of Unknowing”

We want the answer
As worry is flowing
Turning to you Lord
In the time of unknowing

In lessons of life
Our faith is growing
Through answered prayer
In time of unknowing

For Your love is true
With gifts of bestowing
You blessed what we need
In time of unknowing

Our soul in Your hands
In Presence, now slowing
A rich, beautiful prayer
A time of unknowing

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
(Psalms 66:5-7 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

for lessons learned (hopefully) after praying for gentleness
for Your awesome deeds toward the children of man
that You have drawn me to seek Your face
that You have created a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43)
for showing us that it is more blessed to give than to receive

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

LENT – DAY 32

INVITATION

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:17-18 NIV)

In quiet reflection, I meditate on the awesome deeds of the Lord toward His children. I ponder these “times of unknowing.”

BIBLE SONG

Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
(Psalms 27:7-14 NIV)

BIBLE READING

This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
(Isaiah 43:16-21 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I enjoy the presence of the Lord, this morning, I reread these passages, searching for words or phrases that move my spirit.

I am always drawn to Psalm 27:8. “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek.” That is why I do what I do every morning. That is what drives this blogging.

Then, looking at the passage from Isaiah (and this is what is so very marvelous to me about the Scriptures), this morning, verses 19 and 20 really speak to me. The Lord is making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. He provides water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, that we may drink. We, His chosen, the people He formed for Himself that we may proclaim His praise.

What a beautiful picture! And thinking back on this past year, we have certainly been going through a sort of “wilderness,” haven’t we? A “time of unknowing,” going back to Daryl’s poem at the beginning.

But God (there’s those two words again) has made a way, and provided streams. That way is Jesus, and as we draw closer to the conclusion of the Lenten season, when we celebrate the Resurrection, we get a better picture of that Way; the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Father, thank You for drawing me to seek Your face! Thank You for the constant reminders to do this. I praise You for the Way in the wilderness, the streams in the wasteland, that we might have Living Water to drink, and never thirst. You are awesome and mighty, Father! Your grace is sufficient; You are sufficient; Jesus is enough. And, dare I pray . . . keep working on that gentleness. I’m ready.

Everlasting God,
in your boundless love you are doing a new thing.
In Jesus,
the only mediator,
you have redeemed,
called, 
justified,
sanctified,
and glorified me,
with all your people.
Continue that salvation in me today,
through Jesus Christ,
my mighty Savior,
amen.
(Westminster Confession 8.1)

BLESSING

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.
(1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

“‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
(Acts 20:35 NIV)

Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.
(Ecclesiastes 11:1 NIV)

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
(Matthew 10:8 NIV)

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.”
(Psalms 95:6-8 NLT)

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:4-11 NLT)

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
(James 4:6-10 NLT)

Father, I thank You for continuing to teach us that it is more blessed to give than to receive, that we have received freely, therefore, we must give freely. You have blessed us richly, and so we bless others, as opportunities arise. Please open our eyes to see those opportunities more clearly. We have resources . . . they are building up. Show us where to utilize them; show us who needs them, and then arrange circumstances so that we may help meet those needs. Show me, today, who I can bless, because You have blessed me. Give me a heart that is submissive to Your will and Your ways. Keep showing me the Way in the wilderness, the streams in the wasteland, and help me to be a conduit of those streams. All glory to You!

Lord, this morning, I pray for more of a yearning to know Christ, crucified. I pray for the joy of Your salvation to be experienced more fully by all of Your children. I lift up any family members and friends who either have yet to experience this faith in You, or whose faith is waning. Call them; draw them; strengthen them; and surround them with Your loving presence!

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

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven . . .

March 24, 2021 Jeff

Today is Wednesday, the twenty-fourth of March, 2021, in the fifth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,023

Eleven days until Resurrection Sunday!

I’ll begin this morning by asking for prayer for C. She is suffering a bit from sciatica. Or at least that is what it feels like to her. Lower back pain, down through the hip, into the leg, excruciating, at times, if she turns or reaches in a certain direction. It’s not debilitating, but certainly uncomfortable. One of those things that will pass, but needs to pass quickly.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

O Lord and Master of my life,
take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk,
but grant rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King,
grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother,
for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen
(Lenten prayer by St. Ephraim of Syria, 4th century)

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power. Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.”
(Psalms 66:3-4 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

for this mid-week time to pause and reflect on Your goodness
for the promise of Home
that the most beautiful thing about Home will be Your presence
that my feet are on the Solid Rock
that nothing compares to You

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

LENT – DAY 31

INVITATION

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:17-18 NIV)

I am pausing to quietly reflect on the awesome deeds of the Lord, longing for the day when “everything on earth will worship” Him (Psalm 66:3-4)

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered.
(Psalms 26:1 NIV)

LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.
Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with those who are bloodthirsty,
in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me.
My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the LORD.
(Psalms 26:8-12 NIV)

BIBLE READING

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”
And he says in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
(Hebrews 5:5-10 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I remind myself that I am in God’s presence, I reread these passages, looking for a word or phrase that moves my spirit.

First, I see verse 12 in the passage from Psalms. “My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the LORD.” I do feel the confidence of steady ground under my feet, spiritually speaking. No, I’m not perfect, and I don’t have it all together. But this confidence is in the Lord, not myself. He has placed me on “solid ground.”

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand."

(Edward Mote)

I do miss singing those hymns with the “great congregation,” and so look forward to being Home, when I truly believe, regardless of the fact that we really are not sure what this will look like, that we will sing hymns of praise to our Savior in the REAL Great Congregation, made up of believers, saints, from every part of the world and every time of the world. That just gave me chill bumps, folks.

Father, thank You for planting my feet on the Solid Rock, the “higher ground” of Jesus Christ and His righteousness. I praise You that He is my true “high priest,” and that His glory will never fade. As I walk through this day, let my hope run high, and may my cup overflow, spreading Your grace all over the place.

Jesus,
friend of sinners -
what friend would stand in my place like you?
You presented yourself in my name, 
taking the wrath that was aimed at me;
you offered yourself on the cross,
pouring out your precious blood for the cleansing of all my sins.
Thank you Jesus,
my friend,
my Savior and High Priest forever.
Amen.
(Belgic Confession 21)

BLESSING

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.
(1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’
(Matthew 25:34 ESV)

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
(John 14:2 ESV)

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
(Revelation 21:4 ESV)

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
(Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

In a most beautiful reading, this morning, in Daily Guideposts 2021, Ginger Rue closes it with this statement. “I don’t want to go to heaven because there’s a mansion there . . . I want to go so that I can feel the warm embrace of my Lord.”

That’s twice, this morning, that I have gotten chill bumps, thinking about Home. They say, “Home is where the heart is.” Well, my heart is in Jesus, and that’s where my Home will be.

I’m with Ginger, though. As my Father has grown me into Himself, I don’t want to be in His kingdom for the gifts, for the “mansion,” whatever that may look like. I want it for Him and for His presence, because there is nothing else like that.

There’s an old gospel/blues song. “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.”

Well, we have to, don’t we. Even if we are part of the few who happen to still be alive on earth when Jesus returns, in order to go to heaven, we have had to “die” to ourselves and “live” to Him.

Father, I have been blessed, this morning, by these readings. May I walk through this day with a deep sense of Your presence in my life, and a deeper longing for Home. Not so much that I can’t function in my current world, but keep me mindful of my permanent Home, my final destination, my eternal inheritance, which, at its deepest roots, is You!

Lord, this morning, I pray for all national and local communities. I truly believe that there is an underlying current of fear in all of our communities, fear that only You can relieve. I pray for a strong sense of Your presence. I lift up, in particular, the continent of Australia, today. May Your great and mighty presence be felt there today. I also pray for all people serving in military and peacekeeping capacities today. Especially those in the peacekeeping role. May Your hand of protection be upon them, Father.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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

Grace and peace, friends.

Home Permanent

March 23, 2021 Jeff

Today is Tuesday, the twenty-third of March, 2021, in the fifth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,021

Twelve days until Resurrection Sunday!

Last night, we had our weekly Applebee’s for dinner, as expected, since we did not have it Sunday for lunch. And then we replaced our old Amazon Fire TV box with a new Fire TV “stick.” The difference is, the stick plugs into an HDMI port on the TV, and is less than half the price of the box. One downside of the stick is that it has no audio outlet, so the sound comes through the TV instead of the stereo. However, I also got an “optical” audio cable (that just sounds so strange to me . . . “optical” and “audio” are not words that go together in the same sentence) to connect the TV to the stereo, so the TV sounds comes through our stereo. Problem solved.

And, the SyFy app works, which we were not able to get it to work on the old box. The stick has the newest release of Fire TV on it, while I don’t even remember how old our box is. So we were able to watch the first episode of “Resident Alien” last night, featuring Alan Tudyk from Firefly (as the alien), and Corey Reynolds from The Closer, as the sheriff. We enjoyed it quite a bit and look forward to more. It may be our imagination, but we both thought the picture looked better, as well. I think the stick is 4K while the box was probably only 1080p, at best.

Tonight will be our night for our homemade chili, which we usually have on Monday nights. I’m not sure if it works on Tuesday. I guess we will find out.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
(Christ Has No Body, Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582)

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.
(Psalms 66:1-2 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

that I am alive and awake
for prayers that have been answered and the wonder of this truth, that You hear our prayers at all
for resurrection hope and the hope of Home
for true freedom, which frees me to serve, rather than demand my own way
that You promise not to forget our service to others, which is equal to loving You

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

LENT – DAY 30

INVITATION

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:17-18 NIV)

I’m taking a moment to quietly reflect on the nearness of the Lord, to rest in His holy presence.

Father, I pause, right now, to ask for clarity. My mind is a jumble of things, this morning, both holy and unholy. Please give me focus, for the next few moments, on the one thing that matters most.

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
(Psalms 25:1-3 NIV)

Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.
(Psalms 25:20-21 NIV)

BIBLE READING

The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'”
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'”
(Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I read these passages again, reflecting on what moves me, I keep being drawn to that bit in Psalm 25 (in case you haven’t noticed, these Psalms have been repeating throughout Lent, each week) about not being put to shame if we put our trust and hope in the Lord. ” No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame,” it says.

I believe this to be completely true. And if, for some reason, I am put to shame, it is because my hope was in something or someone else. Or perhaps, I was putting hope in nothing at all, which is even more tragic.

The passage in Ezekiel is a rather famous passage, with at least one old spiritual song being written about it. “Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones . . .” I seem to remember an episode of The Munsters where Herman got stuck on that song.

But I digress.

The passage is pretty much strictly about Israel. But how can it apply to us today?

I believe it speaks of resurrection. And this is appropriate, as we are in the ending days of Lent, in preparation for what should be the biggest celebration in the Church, Resurrection Sunday.

The Lord proclaims, here, that He will open up the graves, and bring His people up from them. Then He will bring His people Home.

There is a lot of speculation on where this Home is. You know what? I don’t give a flip where it is! Because wherever it is, is where He will be! And if I am with Him, then I am Home!

This is hope, my friends. This is true hope. The hope of resurrection; of our graves being opened up and us being brought out of them and taken to our “Home Permanent.” (That was a shoutout to Terry Scott Taylor and Daniel Amos, by the way.)

Father, this hope has given me rest, this morning, rest in Your great love, grace, and mercy. And You have answered my earlier prayer and centered my thoughts, my busy, busy brain, on You and Your truth. Thank You for the hope of life; true life; life eternal in our Home, wherever it may be. As long as You are there, that is enough for me.

“My hair points to the sky; the place I want to be.” Terry Scott Taylor

BLESSING

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.
(1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

The greatest among you will be your servant.
(Matthew 23:11 NIV)

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Mark 10:45 NIV)

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
(John 12:26 NIV)

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
(Galatians 5:13 NIV)

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
(Hebrews 6:10 NIV)

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken!”
(Isaiah 40:3-5 NLT)

Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
(Hebrews 12:13 NLT)

Father, help me to be a better servant, today, and, in doing so, love You. Thank You for the freedom that comes in Christ, not even remotely related to that mythical thing we call political freedom, which seems to be nothing more than thinking we can do anything we want with no consequences, and no care for our fellow man. True freedom in Christ frees me to serve; it frees me from any care of what other people think about me as I walk in Your kingdom. Give me this freedom today, Father! May I revel in it, as I revel in the lavish grace You have poured out on us! Make my walk in Your kingdom straight and unwavering.

Lord, this morning, I pray that all of Your children would have a love and commitment to the communities in which You have placed us. Please equip us to serve Jesus in whatever area You have given us, in as public a way as is appropriate for us to do. I especially lift a prayer, today, for sacrificial service of police officers, other law enforcement, and emergency workers. May You place Your protection upon them, Lord.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
(Romans 12:12 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

“If I Be Lifted Up”

March 22, 2021 Jeff

Today is Monday, the twenty-second of March, in the fifth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,020

Thirteen days until Resurrection Sunday, which means this coming Sunday, the twenty-eighth, is Palm Sunday. It also means a week from today is R’s birthday!

We had a pretty good day, yesterday. Nice and restful, for the most part. There was a little bit of early drama, but I won’t elaborate on that here.

I promised to report on the Sous Vide cooking. It cooked the chicken very nicely, cooked all the way through in an hour. However, it wasn’t seasoned enough, or we didn’t figure out how to get the seasoning to permeate the chicken. We need to work on that. I made some Minute Rice with chicken broth to go along with the chicken, so that helped, but otherwise, as far as taste goes, it was just “meh.” However, like I said, it was cooked well. We will experiment more with it. I’m still interested to see how it does with a nice steak.

We plan to have Applebee’s for dinner tonight.

Also, happy Spring to all! I totally forgot to mention that Saturday was the first official day of Spring, the Vernal Equinox. At least I don’t remember remembering to mention that.

On with the good stuff.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"In the waiting,
wash over me.
From moments that overwhelm - 
would You set me free.
Still this anxious heart,
come breathe Your Word.
Let Your peace break down these walls,
and speak to my heart."
(Salt of the Sound)

Today I am grateful:

for a new week ahead, with opportunities to serve; may I be faithful in prayer and faithful in service
for the ministry of Salt of the Sound
for treasures in heaven
that the earth is Yours, and everything in it
that Jesus, being lifted up, drew all people to Himself

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

LENT – DAY 29

INVITATION

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:17-18 NIV)

I am taking a moment to reflect on the great faithfulness of the Lord. His mercies are new every morning!

BIBLE SONG

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.
(Psalms 24:1-6 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
(John 12:20-33 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I rest in His presence, this morning, I read these passages again. Immediately, I am struck by the truth of Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.” Look around you. Everything that you see, as well as everything that is invisible to you, belongs to the Lord! All of it. All of that “stuff” that you believe belongs to you, truly doesn’t. All of the lands around that someone believes belong to some government entity (a city, a state, a country), truly doesn’t.

It all belongs to the Lord, and we fool ourselves if we think otherwise.

And once, again, the question is asked, who may ascend? Only the one with a pure heart and clean hands, one who has not lifted up an idol and worshiped it.

And then, in the passage from John, Jesus speaks of being “lifted up from the earth.” When He was lifted up, He would draw all people to Himself. There is the One who is worthy of my worship! There is the One who gives me a pure heart and clean hands, because He erased all of the impurities! There is the One who gives me access to the “mountain of the LORD!”

Father, I praise You for these truths! I acknowledge Your rightful ownership of everything in this universe, for You created it all. Even those things which we believe we “created” were put together from things created by You. Forgive us our arrogance, O Lord. Nothing truly belongs to us, and we are merely stewards of You property. Thank You for Jesus being lifted up and drawing us to Himself. Help me to truly worship Him, properly, today, as I walk through this day.

Why, God,
would you give up your glory to take on our broken human nature?
Why, Jesus,
would you come to the scene of our crimes with the purpose of bearing our punishment?
Why would you bitterly suffer and die for us,
unless this is glory.
Where comprehension fails,
help me to simply receive this marvelous mystery in faith.
Amen.
(Belgic Confession 20)

BLESSING

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.
(1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
(Romans 8:26 NIV)

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:25-30 NIV)

Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.
(Proverbs 10:2 NLT)

The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone.
(Proverbs 19:7 NLT)

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
(Matthew 6:19-21 NLT)

Father, I praise You that, more and more, You are leading me to store up treasures in heaven, not on the earth. Yes, we are physically blessed, here on earth. But these blessings, we truly endeavor, are passed on whenever we find need. Help us to be more aware of needs around us, that we may give more away. We will not revel in treasures or stuff of earth. Rather, we will celebrate our true treasure, our eternal inheritance, that which can never rust or nor be corrupted, and that which moths cannot eat or thieves cannot steal. All glory to You, Father!

Lord, I pray, this morning, for our place as caretakers of Your creation, everything that You own, that we do not own. We are stewards, so may our stewardship be wise. Help us to care more about that which You have made and allowed us to enjoy. I pray for the people in this world whose job is to work in and around these natural resources. Give them wisdom and strength for their work.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us

Grace and peace, friends.

Joy Comes In the Morning

March 21, 2021 Jeff

Today is Sunday, the twenty-first of March, 2021. The Fifth Sunday in Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,019

Fourteen days until Resurrection Sunday

It was a great day, yesterday. As expected, C has obtained her Lifetime membership in WW (formerly Weight Watchers)! What this means is that, going forward, she only has to weigh in once a month, and, as long as she is within that two pounds of her goal (above or below), she will not be charged for her membership. It was a very exciting morning.

Somewhere around mid-afternoon, I began to feel what I can only surmise were the effects of that second Covid-19 vaccine shot. I was surprised that I began feeling effects that long afterward, but the way I felt line up with what other people had experienced. It wasn’t terrible, I will say that. But I felt on the verge of sick. Just an over-all sense of not feeling well, almost-but-not-quite-feverish (there was never any fever, I checked it several times, and it was always below 98), not quite aching, and just over-all “bleah.”

So I took some Advil and went to bed much earlier than I normally would on a Saturday night. I feel fine, this morning, after another great night of sleep.

We have our usual Zoom church gathering, this morning, at 10:15. For lunch today, we are planning something different. As part of my ten-year anniversary swag from my employer, I chose a sous vide cooker. I had been wanting to try one of those for a long time, and never purchased one. Well, this one cost me nothing buy work reward points. So we put some fresh chicken breasts in a ziploc bag, yesterday, along with some new seasoning that we bought at WW, yesterday morning (a BBQ flavor seasoning), and we will try cooking that, today, with the sous vide cooker, for lunch.

S may not be happy that we are not getting Applebee’s, but she’ll live. Maybe we will get that for dinner, or one night this week. I will try to remember to share how the chicken tasted.

Oh, I forgot to share my own WW results from yesterday. I lost .6 pound, which put me below where I was three weeks ago. I had one week where I remained the same, and then gained .4 on my birthday (boo!), but lost that back, this past week. So I am at my lowest point, so far, in this journey. But yesterday was all about C and her lifetime accomplishment!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

I Am Bending My Knee

I am bending my knee
In the eye of the Father who created me,
In the eye of the Son who purchased me,
In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,
In friendship and affection.
Through Thine own Anointed One, O God,
Bestow upon us fullness in our need,
Love towards God,
The affection of God,
The smile of God,
The wisdom of God,
The grace of God,
The fear of God,
And the will of God
To do on the world of the Three,
As angels and saints
Do in heaven;
Each shade and light,
Each day and night,
Each time in kindness,
Give Thou us Thy Spirit.

(Alexander Carmichael, from Carmina Gadelica)

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.
(Psalms 65:12-13 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

for an almost overwhelming sense of peace, this morning
that You were “broken and spilled out” for us, just like Mary’s vial of perfume
that, though weeping tarries in the night, joy comes in the morning
that Your faithful love never ends
that C accomplished her lifetime goal, yesterday

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

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

INVITATION

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:17-18 NIV)

I’m spending a moment in quiet meditation, considering the righteousness of God in all His ways.

BIBLE SONG

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.

I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
(Psalms 30:1-5 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
(John 12:1-8 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I enjoy the presence of the Father, this morning, I reflect on these passages. I find great comfort in the last four phrases of the reading from Psalms. “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

I keep returning to Dallas Willard’s definition of “joy” as “a pervasive sense of well-being.” Webster’s defines “pervasive” as “existing in or spreading through every part of something.” So, if that sense of well-being is “pervasive,” it is existing in or spreading through every part of my life.

And I feel that, this morning. I have experienced the weeping, but it always gives way to joy. There have been many times in my life when I thought that God was angry with me. Right or no, I still felt that way. But I know that His favor is eternal, and that will never change.

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, displayed her joy, even though, in her act of worship and sacrifice, there were tears. I believe her tears were tears of gratitude and joy. We don’t see the tears in John’s version of this event, but in another gospel account (I don’t believe she is named in that one), she washes Jesus’s feet with her tears and hair. What a beautiful picture!

I’m going down a small “rabbit trail.” I sincerely hope that, when we reach our eternal Home, we can skip back in human time and watch certain events occur. One obvious one would be the moment of the resurrection of Christ, which no human being observed. But this event, when Mary busts open a vial of perfume that was worth a year’s wages (can you imagine pouring a $50,000 bottle of perfume out on someone’s head??) is one that I would definitely like to watch.

And then we all go “SSSSSSSS” when Judas objects. Hahaha!!

It is said that there will be no tears in heaven. But does that include tears of joy? Because I do hope that there will be tears of joy. I choose to believe that it is only tears of sadness and pain that will be eliminated.

And just like that vial of perfume, Jesus, Himself was “broken and spilled out” for us, being of far more value than a little bottle of perfume.

Thank You, Jesus! My words of gratitude are far from adequate to express my gratitude for Your sacrifice for us. I do try to live my life in such a way that it also expresses such gratitude, even though it could never be enough. I want to live my life in a way that expresses my love for You and Your love for me. Help me to display that love toward everyone I encounter in my daily life. Thank You for the example of Mary, and for how much she devoted her life to You, being content to sit at Your feet and listen to Your words. May I share that contentment and hang on every word You speak, and every action You do.

Beautiful Savior,
what can I offer to you for the lavish gift of your loving sacrifice?
I joyfully offer you my life,
my worship,
my treasure,
my time,
and a willing delight to do every kind of good.
Amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 90)

BLESSING

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life.
(1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again.
(Zephaniah 3:20 NLT)

The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
(Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT)

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
(Psalms 36:5 NLT)

No matter what comes our way today, this week, next week, the rest of this year, we can take comfort in knowing that our Father knows it all; He knows what was, what is, and what will be. And He will be there with us through it all.
(Thanks to Kim Taylor Henry in today’s reading from Daily Guideposts 2021)

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword:
“I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.
“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching. Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.”
(Revelation 2:12-17 NLT)

The Christians at Pergamum had done a great job of persevering through the persecution. However, as John relates Jesus’s words to them, from his exile on Patmos, it is pointed out that there are some in their midst who would have them relax their standards a little bit.

Says Eugene Peterson, “Sometimes it is easier to die for the truth in a crisis than to live the truth through a dull week at work.” Remember, the chapter is called “The Test of Our Truth.” This test is played out through those “ordinary hours when we don’t know we are being examined.”

But be sure that people are watching, especially if they know you claim to follow Christ. “Truth is not just right answers but a right life.” It is far easier to join a crowd of protesters than it is to love your neighbor.

“Christ is our comprehensive, personal truth to be expressed in gestures, actions, and conversations when no one is watching.”

Balaam’s teaching, which we looked at yesterday, attempts to make things more easy and clear than the really are. They add to the Gospel and elaborate on “real truth.” “Gospel truth is always personal, direct, obedient – a way to live in love and courage and adoration.”

The Greek word for “truth” is “aletheia.” I have verified this with my own brief research. The literal meaning of the word is “the state of not being hidden; the state of being evident.” So, for example, in Matthew 5, when the woman pressed in to Jesus, through the crowd, and touched his robe and was healed, when it became evident who had done this, she told the “truth.” She became “unhidden.”

Eugene Peterson says, “The truth test bares our being before Christ’s being. We are seen in the concrete, not the abstract – as livers of this life, of my life as it is.” Who and what we are is revealed in the reality of the light of Jesus Christ. As it says in Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”

The test of truth asks not, “What do you think?” Rather, it asks “Who are you?” And this next statement is very interesting. “God is not nearly as interested with what we say about him to others as he is with what we say to him.”

The letter to the Church at Pergamum, just like all the letters, closes with a promise. “To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.” (verse 17)

“The hidden manna is the food that God gives to his people, the nourishment that keeps them going.” And the white stone, the new name, is an identification that Christ will give to His people. “He will sustain us, and he will identify us as his own.”

(From This Hallelujah Banquet, by Eugene H. Peterson)

Father, may my life express Your truth in all ways. Help me to not cave to the pressure of popular opinion. But at the same time, truth must always be expressed in a loving manner. So may that always be true, as well. I desire to be seen as one who loves, not as a “hater.” So let truth be my banner, but may it be held up by love, and, as much as possible for a human being, let that love be agape love, that which can only come from You.

May all in Your Church experience resurrection hope and joy, this morning, knowing Your presence, wherever they may be today. Help us all to be better harbingers of Your Gospel of peace, announcing that Your Kingdom is at hand, available for all, right here, right now.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Above All Else, Clothe Yourselves with Love

“As we realize how vast the resources and energy of God are in our everyday lives, we find that we don’t have to carry the weight of the world’s sins on our shoulders, that our moral sweat isn’t going to make the critical difference in history, but that the difference has already been made by Christ’s blood.”

March 20, 2021 Jeff

Today is Saturday, the twentieth of March, 2021, in the fourth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,018

Fifteen days until Resurrection Sunday

I am fully vaccinated against Covid-19! And I feel fine, this morning! My arm hurts, but not nearly as badly as last time. I never felt “sick,” yesterday evening, but I did feel, well, “weird” is best way I could describe it. I didn’t feel quite right, but I didn’t feel bad. I was extremely tired, pretty much exhausted. And I had one of the best nights of sleep I have had in a long time. My sleeping heart rate, according to my Fitbit, was 59 avg bpm. That’s phenomenal, and was 97% below my normal resting heart rate, which is an average of 66 bpm.

C and I have both observed that resting heart rate decline in the past year, as we have lost significant weight.

Speaking of that, we are excited to go to WW Workshop this morning, as C should make lifetime! Barring any surprises, she will have completed six weeks of maintenance, staying within two pounds up or down from her goal weight! It will be a glorious morning!

It should be a beautiful day, as well. It is currently 44 degrees and sunny, at 8:32 DST (which means it is really 7:32), and the projected high for the day is 68 degrees.

The only other plan for the day is a trip to the grocery store (it may take more than one store to get everything we want, as only Albertson’s has our new favorite ice cream brand, which is Nick’s, a Swedish brand). We tried putting in a pick up order for Walmart Neighborhood Market, last night, but their web site appears to be broken, and more than half of everything I was ordering showed to be “out of stock.” I find that difficult to believe, unless their shelves are at less than 50% capacity. So we gave up and C will go out, probably this afternoon, after WW and brunch.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(Psalms 16:11 ESV)

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.
(Psalms 65:9 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

for the weekend, to rest and refresh for the upcoming work week
that I have completed the Covid-19 vaccination process
for Tessie, Trixie, Rocky, and Luna
for Your peace, with which You bless Your people
for the love displayed within the Holy Trinity

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

LENT – DAY 28

INVITATION

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

I’m taking a moment to meditate on the richness of God’s favor over the earth, the fulness of His “river,” and His provision and kindness to all people, even those who refuse to acknowledge Him.

BIBLE SONG

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
(Psalms 29:1-4 NIV)

The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.
(Psalms 29:8-11 NIV)

BIBLE READING

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5:8-14 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I read these passages again, reflecting on them, I am taking refreshment in the Lord’s presence, enjoying His peace over me. I am soaking in the peace with which He blesses His people in Psalm 29:11. He gives strength to His people; He blesses His people with peace.

There are certainly times, and we are in the midst of one of those times, when it does not appear that we are blessed with peace. That is because we have our eyes focused in the wrong places. We are looking at external circumstances, not at internal joy. Joy is a pervasive sense of well-being; that feeling that, in God’s kingdom, everything is much better than we could imagine.

But we can imagine it, we can realize it, if only we look in the right direction. That is how we can have peace in a world that is in turmoil. Because everything that is happening in this world, from pandemics to Asian massage parlor murders, is a “footstool” problem!

Do not misunderstand me. These things are horrific, and we definitely need to be praying for such things, and taking action where possible and necessary. But these things are not definitive of our life in Christ, nor can they affect our life in Christ whatsoever!

Or they shouldn’t. Sadly, we do allow them to.

Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead! Christ will shine on you!

I praise You, Father, for the peace that passes all understanding! I thank You that You give us peace in the midst of the most terrible circumstances. When my family sat in a cold house for thirty-plus hours, with no electricity, we did not despair. Our hope never waned, because You are our peace! We did complain a time or two, I will confess. But we also were aware that that complaining did no good. What did do good was remembering that You are in control, and that Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is nothing that a human can do to thwart Your perfect will for us.

I do pray for the circumstances in this world, Lord. I pray, in that light, for Jesus to return and make all things right. We are weary of this world, I will confess. We are tired of seeing things like Asian massage parlor murders and pandemics (even though most of us have only seen this one pandemic). We observe the physical world groaning in agony, awaiting full redemption. That is why we pray, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!” Thank You for Your peace, Father, and thank You that this cannot be taken away from us. Unless, of course, we permit it by focusing our eyes on the wrong things. Help us to keep our eyes on things above, not on things of the earth. Let not the stuff of earth compete for our allegiance, which we owe only and solely to You!

Giving God and source of every good thing,
forgive me for turning away from you to seek out good in what I think is right or in the latest fads all around me.
Turn me again in faith to you and your shining presence.
Let me live as a child of light,
doing everything good that fits with your law.
In Christ's name,
amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 91)

BLESSING

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

“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.”
(Revelation 2:14 NLT)

In spite of their resistance in the face of persecution, Christ still had this against the Christians in Pergamum.

For anyone who has read the story of Balaam, you know that there are some quite amusing moments in it. Just as there are in other stories in the Bible. We learn from this laughter, though, as it does more than entertain us. It is good to laugh. “Solemnity is not a mark of religious depth,” says Peterson. “It is not true, as many people seem to assume, that the more serious we get about God, the more serious we get.” In fact, sometimes the opposite occurs.

As we mature in Christ, we get more of a sense of grace. “As we realize how vast the resources and energy of God are in our everyday lives, we find that we don’t have to carry the weight of the world’s sins on our shoulders, that our moral sweat isn’t going to make the critical difference in history, but that the difference has already been made by Christ’s blood.”

What an incredible sentence! I think I need to read that again!

“As we realize how vast the resources and energy of God are in our everyday lives, we find that we don’t have to carry the weight of the world’s sins on our shoulders, that our moral sweat isn’t going to make the critical difference in history, but that the difference has already been made by Christ’s blood.”
Eugene Peterson, This Hallelujah Banquet

I see a lot of well-meaning Christians on social media who must be the most miserable people on the planet! They are always angry about something! Viciously angry, in fact, spewing the most hateful rhetoric toward those with whom they are angry, and displaying no evidence of the love of Christ, whatsoever. How can these people be happy at all? It makes me sad, because I agree with Peterson’s statement, above, even though I had never considered it in the way that he has so aptly written it.

And so we laugh at some of the Bible stories, that I fully believe are intended for exactly that purpose. We laugh at the story of Balaam, when his donkey lays down and refuses to move, or crushes Balaam’s leg against a stone wall, or when the donkey finally speaks to him.

The complete story can be found in Numbers 22-24.

But we learn later, that Balaam was responsible for the big sex party that Israel had with the local Moabite women, immediately afterward. In this way, though he could not prophesy against them, he still found a way to benefit Balak, due to his greed.

Why does John bring this up, now? Because there is danger of the same thing happening with the church at Pergamum. “A hostile society had tried everything to get the Christians to fold, without avail. They were the bravest, most courageous, most steadfast people the world had ever seen. They were persecuted, but they didn’t budge an inch.” So lies began to creep in. “Some nice people . . . were suggesting that it is possible to be just a little too strict with ourselves. After all, what counts is what we believe and our courage in standing up for the right – saying the truth. But in everyday life, we have to get along in the world that we find ourselves in, and we can’t be making ourselves obnoxious all the time.”

But we cannot separate the things we say from the way we live. This is like living one way on Sunday at worship and living totally opposite the rest of the week, while at work. “Truth is lived truth. Truth is not simply what we say but what we live.”

(From This Hallelujah Banquet, by Eugene H. Peterson)

Just a quick word of what might be considered trivia. I learned something today. The first time the word “love” is found in Scripture is in Genesis 22:2. It occurs at the beginning of the story when God tells Abraham to take his son Isaac and sacrifice him.

The correlation, is made, of course, between the love Abraham had for Isaac, and the love the Father has for the Son. There are other similarities between the stories, but I will leave you to discover those for yourself.

Father, I thank You that the weight of the sins of the world is not supposed to be on our shoulders. After all, why would we want to carry something that Jesus already carried?? Thank You for His sacrifice on the cross. And I thank You for the love that is shared between You and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The great, unspeakable, eternal, infinite love that is displayed in the Holy Trinity is far beyond anything that my feeble mind can comprehend. Nevertheless, I ask for that same love to be displayed in my own life. This is a difficult challenge, as I am but human, and have as many negative human characteristics as positive. I just pray for that one characteristic, that of love, to overshadow everything else. All glory to You, Lord!

I pray, Lord, for Your Church to flourish all over the earth; may we feel Your presence during our times of worship, whenever and however, they may occur. May our worship glorify You, even when it is limited to Zoom gatherings. May Your people be united and blessed in You, forsaking all others, who are not worthy of our worship or adoration. I pray for a special blessing on those in Your Church communities who are single people. There are some who do not feel called to this life; may You provide a life partner/spouse for them, Father, that they may be complete. For those who are called to this lifestyle, give them strength against temptation, for it will surely come.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
(Colossians 3:13-14 NLT)

Grace and peace, friends.

Amazing Grace

March 19, 2021 Jeff

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

Peace be with you!

Day 23,017

Sixteen days until Resurrection Sunday

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

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

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

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

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

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

Today I am grateful:

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

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

LENT – DAY 27

INVITATION

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

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

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

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

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

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

BIBLE READING

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

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BLESSING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

A Psalm of David.

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

Grace and peace, friends.

The Words and the Meditations

March 18, 2021 Jeff

Today is Thursday, the eighteenth of March, 2021, in the fourth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,016

Seventeen days until Resurrection Sunday

I have no news to share, this morning, so I will move on.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Eternal God,
who are the light of the minds that know You,
the joy of the hearts that love You,
and the strength of the wills that serve You;
grant us so to know You that we may truly love You,
and so to love You that we may fully serve You,
whom to serve is perfect freedom,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Prayer to Know God, by St. Augustine)

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;
(Psalms 65:5-6 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

for the peace in my soul, this morning
for this time of prayer and meditation
for the renewing of my mind
that You are my light and my salvation, and that I have nothing to fear
that I have the choice to offer myself to You, daily

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

LENT – DAY 26

INVITATION

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

Take a moment to ponder the “awesome deeds” of the Lord, as He answers us with righteousness (Psalm 65:5).

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalms 27:1 NIV)

Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
(Psalms 27:9-14 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
(Romans 6:8-14 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I rest in the presence of God, this morning, I am reminded, once again, that, if it is true what the psalmist says in 27:1, that the Lord is the stronghold of my life, then it is also true that I have absolutely nothing to fear. In the words of Dallas Willard, “this world is a perfectly safe place for us to be.”

In verse 10, the psalmist writes, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” For most of us, the odds of our fathers and/or mothers forsaking us are very slim. However, there are many in this world, especially in other countries, who may have experienced this. I cannot fathom it, myself, nor could I fathom forsaking my own children.

That is how certain God’s love and care over us is. Stronger than the love of a father or mother in the human world, God will never forsake us.

The Romans passage can be confusing, with all of this talk of dead to this and alive to that. But what I believe it shows us is the reality of our life in Christ.

In His death, Christ defeated sin, once and for all. And in His life, both before and after His death, He lives fully to God.

We have this same ability and characteristic, because we, in effect, died with Him on the cross. While we did not physically die, all of our sin died with Him, once and for all. Therefore, we have the freedom to live fully for God.

The problem is that we carry this mystery around in what Paul will call, elsewhere, “jars of clay.” We live in bodies, in this mortal coil, as it were. Nevertheless, we have the freedom to, as verse 11 says, count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.

We have the choice every day to not offer any part of ourselves “to sin as an instrument of weakness,” but, rather, to offer ourselves to God, as we have been brought from death into life.

Father, I praise You for the work of Christ on the Cross, which has freed us from the effects of sin in our lives. Help us, by Your Spirit, to offer ourselves to You and to righteousness, and to walk in this freedom from sin that we have been given. You are truly my light and my salvation – whom then shall I fear?

Surprising God,
who would have thought that dying was good?
My instinct is to avoid it.
But,
in Jesus,
I see that dying is the way to life.
Equip me to do what is so difficult -
to die to myself and become new.
May I be genuinely sorry for my sin,
to hate it more and more,
and to run away from it.
Amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 89)

BLESSING

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

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:1-2 NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
(Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Father, as I walk through this day, may I be obedient to the above Scriptures, presenting myself as a “living sacrifice,” not conforming to the pattern of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of my mind. Renew my mind, daily, Father, by the power of Your Spirit, and through these meditations on Your Word. As I drive to work, this morning, may my meditations continue.

Lord, I pray for spiritual renewal as we continue this season of Lent. May You grant me/us deep repentance and genuine humility, born out of the Gospel. May You also lead us into new relationships with people who do not know or follow Christ, that we might influence them toward You and Your kingdom.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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

Grace and peace, friends.

Marvelous, Infinite, Matchless Grace

March 17, 2021 Jeff

Today is Wednesday, the seventeenth of March, 2021, in the fourth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,015

Eighteen days until Resurrection Sunday

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I will wear orange today, rather than green, because I am not Catholic.

S has successfully gotten her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. According to C, Denton County has this down to an art at the Texas Motor Speedway. Everything is drive through, and you never get out of your car. The have about eight lanes, and hundreds of people on site. As expected, S says her arm hurts like crazy, this morning.

I see a TV show that I need to check out, on the SyFy (I have never liked that branding. . . looks like “siffee”) channel, called “Resident Alien.” It features Alan Tudyk, a favorite of ours because of “Firefly” and “Serenity,” the movie. So we will check it out. The premise, apparently, is that an alien crash-lands in a town and assumes a human identity to blend in. That’s all I know about it, so far.

We have thunderstorms in the area, this morning, and the temps will remain in the sixties all day, dropping down into the mid to lower forties, overnight. Nice Spring-ish weather. Spring officially begins Saturday, the twentieth of March.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Giver of all good things, we thank you:
for health and vigour,
for the air that gives the breath of life,
the sun that warms us,
and the good food that makes us strong;
for happy homes and for the friends we love,
for all that makes it good to live.

Make us thankful and eager to repay,
by cheerfulness and kindliness,
and by a readiness to help others.

Freely we have received;
 let us freely give,
in the name of him who gave his life for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.  
Amen.

(Giver of All Good Things, Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.
(Psalms 65:3-4 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

for the forgiveness of all our sins
that You chose to bring me near
for Your marvelous, infinite, matchless grace
for the admonition to not worry about what others do, say, or think
for the admonition to walk by faith, not by sight

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

LENT – DAY 25

INVITATION

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

Take a moment to consider that you have been chosen to draw near to God; enjoy His presence and ponder His forgiveness.

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
(Psalms 26:1-3 NIV)

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells. Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with those who are bloodthirsty, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
(Psalms 26:6-10 NIV)

BIBLE READING

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
(Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I enjoy the quiet presence of my Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit, I read the passages again, slowly, reflecting on any word or phrase that draws my attention.

In Ephesians 2, one of my favorite combinations of words in the whole Bible occurs. Granted, there are a few words between them, but the meaning is still the same. In verse 4, we see, “But . . . God.” Those two words together change the world; they change everything; they constitute, as it is popular to say in today’s culture, a “game changer.”

Paul has described our “pre-Christ” condition. Then he says, “But . . . God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.” Aren’t those some of the most beautiful words you have ever seen?

And it all comes down to, as Paul says later on, to grace, that most marvelous of words. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;
What can we do to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

Father, I praise You that You, in Your infinite mercy and grace, chose to make us alive with Christ. I owe everything to You! Help me to walk in that truth today!

Saving Lord,
you save me from sin by Christ's death,
but you also raise me with him to a new life.
Because I am grafted into Christ,
strengthen me this day to walk in that new life,
producing good fruits of gratitude.
Amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 64)

BLESSING

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

Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.
(Galatians 6:4-5 NIV)

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
(Proverbs 14:30 NIV)

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NLT)

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
(James 3:16 NLT)

Some good, and pointed, words, this morning, to remind us to mind our own business and not worry about other people and the things they do. The Internet and social media have made it all too easy to do the opposite in our culture. Everyone has their noses in everyone else’s business. The biggest recent example of this is, in my opinion, Oprah’s interview with Harry and Megan.

Maybe, just maybe, we in the U.S. should clean up our own backyard before we start trying to “fix” the U.K.?

Father, help me to live in this day, not by sight, the things I see, but by faith, the things I cannot see. Help me to not be concerned with what others do, say, or think, but only about the things that I do, say, and think. All glory to You, Lord!

Lord, I lift up all governments and leaders in this world, this morning. I pray for the unique needs of each people group, and ask for wisdom for all who are concerned with meeting those needs. I lift up the entire, ever-changing continent of Europe to You, today, that they would feel Your presence in their lives today. Let even those who do not acknowledge Your existence get a glimpse of Your grace, mercy, and glory today. I also pray for the homeless in every community, Father, that people who have resources would band together and work out ways to provide homes for the homeless, as well as mental assistance, where needed.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
(Romans 12:12 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

“Have Mercy On Me, A Sinner”

March 16, 2021 Jeff

Today is Tuesday, the sixteenth of March, 2021, in the fourth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,014

Nineteen days until Resurrection Sunday!

C is working from home, today, so she can take S to get her first Covid vaccine today! Yes, she finally made it to the top of a list. She will be going to Texas Motor Speedway, for a drive-by shot. I hear they really work those quickly, too. I’m getting my second shot Friday, and C has her second shot, I think next week.

Not much else to report today, so on to the devotional material.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

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

What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you.
(Psalms 65:1-2 NLT)

Today I am grateful:

for my soul
for Your mercy on me, a sinner
for the call to follow You in my whole life
for Your Word that falls like gentle rain in my life
for eem anu El (Immanuel – God with us)

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

LENT – DAY 24

INVITATION

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

Spend a moment of quiet reflection, pondering the soul, and the Lord’s desire for you to live.

BIBLE SONG

Of David.

In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
(Psalms 25:1-3 NIV)

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!

Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.

Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
(Psalms 25:16-22 NIV)

BIBLE READING

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
(Luke 18:9-14 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Father, I read these passages again, slowly, taking in each word. What stands out to me? What speaks to my soul?

I believe there is a connection between the two passages, whether intentional or not. In the psalm, David prays for integrity, to not be put to shame. The basis for that prayer is that he puts his trust in the Lord. This is a proclamation. “In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.” Because of this truth, may I never be put to shame.

David’s confidence is not in David. And this is where Jesus begins His parable in Luke. He warns us against over-confidence in our own “righteousness.” I put that in quotes because I have no righteousness of my own. Horatius Bonar once wrote, in a little book called How Shall I Go to God, “It is with our sins that we go to God, for we have nothing else to go with that we can call our own.”

We had a conversation this past Sunday, in our Zoom gathering, about being too smug about our relationship with God. How many of us, if we are honest, have been like that Pharisee in Jesus’s parable? “Thank you, Lord, that I’m not like that sinner, over there!”

In contrast, the “sinner,” beat his breast, looked downward, and pleaded, “Have mercy on me, a sinner!”

Paul, in 1 Corinthians, says this:

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
(1 Corinthians 10:12 ESV)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner! Father, I praise You for the repentance that You have granted me! I thank You for the knowledge, as small as it may be, of my soul and its relationship with You through the Holy Trinity. Help me to embrace this, today. May my trust always be one hundred percent in You, and zero percent in me or any perceived righteousness. My life is Yours, Lord; use it however You choose. May it be, somehow, an inspiration to others, that they may see You and Your love. May my life display the truth of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ came to earth to save us, not to condemn.

Loving Father,
let me hear your gracious call -
not in preening religiosity,
comparing myself with others,
but in desperate humility,
casting myself on your mercy.
As I pray,
"God, have mercy on me, a sinner,'
so may I live this day justified and free in the life-giving power of your Spirit.
Amen.
(Westminster Confession 10.2)

BLESSING

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

Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
(Deuteronomy 32:2 NIV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
(Romans 8:35 NIV)

A common Hebrew word for “with” is eem. And a common Hebrew word for “us” is anu. (I’m no expert, here, and am aware that there are variations on these.) And one of the Hebrew words for God is El.

So the Hebrew phrase for “God is with us” would look like this:

Eem anu El.

“With us is God.”

If you say those quickly, together, you get Immanuel, one of the names given to Jesus, because it means “God with us.”

Just a quick Hebrew lesson from Jonathan Cahn, this morning.

“The Mission: Today, practice the Hebrew of His name. In every circumstance speak and fathom the reality of eem anu El – God is with you, always.”

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
(Isaiah 7:14 NLT)

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:21-25 ESV)

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
(Luke 8:22-25 ESV)

(From The Book of Mysteries, by Jonathan Cahn)

Father, I praise You for the fact that You are always with us, and that this presence is made possible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the introduction of the Holy Spirit to our environment. May we all know Your presence today, as we walk through this world, in whatever journey you have placed us. Give us the hope and faith that whatever we are experiencing is temporary, and that we will one day rest with You in our eternal inheritance, as the name “Immanuel” becomes full reality.

Lord, I thank You for the call to follow You in my home, in my community, and in my workplace. May I faithfully honor this call in my life, today. May I serve others selflessly, today. I pray, especially, today, for those who work or serve in government capacities. They are in a position where they cannot win, as, no matter what they do, pretty much half of the people are going to be angry with them. Have mercy, Lord.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

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

Grace and peace, friends.