Posts Tagged ‘Sustaining’
That’s What I’m talkin’ ’bout
Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Grace, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, purpose in life, Random thoughts, Relationship, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit on June 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Stroke of the New Year
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Sustaining, Why?!, tagged God Thoughts, internal strife, Poems, Sustaining, Why?! on June 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »
The New Year started with quite a jolt
Not yet awakened to the day were we
When lesser mind from greater did molt
And confusion reigned as up went our plea
Fears and regrets won much of the day
Consequences realized and unforeseen
Extend forward in what we must pay
In tears and stress and oft puzzling scene
Week by week understanding more words
Paying bills on a month to month basis
Each day try words that curdle like curds
Prayer moments that connection retraces
God ordained all from start to finish
For His glory and our good He has planned
His provision and presence relish
From hard changes peaceful righteousness gained
Of His Grace
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Grace, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Sustaining, theology, Work of the Holy Spirit on June 6, 2014| 1 Comment »
Partakers of grace by God’s decree
Participators in grace freely
Profoundly touched by His sovereign grace
Provides, motivates to run the race
Manifold grace for every challenge
Manifest grace on Spirit’s works hinge
Modeling character of God’s grace
Molded by His image we embrace
God’s grace worked out through His providence
Good gifts and guidance in evidence
Gone is condemnation and sin’s rule
Goal Christ’s likeness as with flesh we duel
On God’ grace through each day we will rest
Onslaught in the battle of each test
Ongoing refinement of this jewel
One day glory when Christ comes to rule
Philippians 1:3-14 seems to me to be saying that partakers of grace are participators in grace.
The God who decrees and predestines us to receive grace also enables and guides us in the living out of grace.
Funny, Punny Tuesday
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Random thoughts, Remembering, Sustaining, tagged god answers prayer, God Thoughts, Random thoughts, Remembering, Sustaining on May 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Here are some random funny and profound moments in public education from Tuesday two weeks ago now:
1) As I arrived from my first school at my second school today I could here the chemistry teacher waxing eloquent about highly energetic chemical reactions. So, I went up to the door and said, ” Mr. V, like it not, you’re going to get a reaction out of me.” He replied, “That was spontaneous!” “Yes, totally spontaneous”, I reiterated. His students sat dumbfounded, not knowing whether to laugh or question my sanity. Several minutes passed while I opened my room and settled in. All the while Mr. V was talking about the energy of spontaneous reactions. I went back to the door, pointed to my brain case and said, “Mr. V, I just wanted your students to know that I am more stable after that spontaneous reaction.” The students just stared, and one or two began to giggle. Mr. V said later that the whole class broke out laughing after I left. They all thought I am crazy. It may be true, but I’m stable.
2) While I was teaching later in the day my teacher’s assistant (TA) was grading bellwork questions. These are review questions that the students complete at the beginning of class and hand in all together at the end of the week. One girl had written on a bellwork early in the week, “you look nice today.” The next day she wrote, “you look sharp today, Mr. F”. By now I was embarrassed, but my TA showed me the third comment: “I don’t understand what you are asking in this question”, to which my TA had written in red pen, “What’s wrong, is my beauty distracting you?” It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction I get out of that one!
3) On a bit more serious note, I have this student in my 1st period class that is frighteningly perceptive as to how I am faring emotionally. She almost daily asks me how I am doing by predicting how I feel: “Are you angry today, Mr. F?” Are you having a good day, Mr. F?” Are you frustrated about something?” What are you so happy about? What are you worried about? Did you get some good news or something? Now I am the first to admit that I am the type of personality whose emotions are easy to read- wear them on my sleeve, as the saying goes- but some days I try to hide my emotions because I have a job to do, or because I don’t want to talk about it, or because I want to be encouraging, but she will have nothing of it. Her questions persist. It caused me to realize just how the stresses in my life are straining me, causing me to effectively deny my faith to this perceptive girl who knows when life is getting to me. I claim to be connected to the One Who is the source of all peace, joy, and comfort, and yet I am frequently stressed out. As I thought about this on the way to school the next morning I began praying that God would cause me to experience more of the peace He had made available to me. In the next two weeks up until now I have been making a habit of singing a hymn on the way to school and praying for my students, my family, and whatever fruit of the Spirit seems most lacking in me. The stresses have not gone away but I have a genuine confidence that God is helping me. The next day after I had the realization of what this girl’s questions said about me, I began calling her ‘Thelma’, which is my mash-up of Thermometer Lady. I didn’t explain the meaning of the nickname to her but I meant by it that she was taking the temperature of what the teacher was feeling so that she knew how to react. More than likely she learned this is some situation where it saves her considerable difficulty to know what the temperature is. I decided for my part to let her be the thermometer and I would be the thermostat, regulating the temperature of the room by calling out to my God to be the source of power and heat sink (“cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you” I Peter 5:7) I need before I enter class. I am amazed at what I know to be true can become so clouded by the immediacy of difficulty. ‘Thelma’ gave me a little perspective that I needed.
Cut or Prune?
Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Outdoors, Photo, Strength, Sustaining, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, God's Word, Outdoors, Photos, purpose in life, Strength, Sustaining on April 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Spring has significantly sprung in our neck of the woods. We may yet have another wintery storm but the bluster is mostly out of that season. Flowers seem particularly profuse this season: carpets of red trillium, bluets, grape hyacinth, and violets. The hardier varieties of Daffodils have already shown their glory. Leaves are sprouting rapidly on the trees.
Neighbor’s Redbud
Violets and Grape Hyacinth
Violets and Ground Ivy
Variety of Heal All?
As the transformation has occurred, when not out in the yard or woods, I have been watching from the dining room window as I eat. One sight in the last two weeks has arrested my attention, however, and it is of my own doing. I’ve long wanted fruit trees that produce. I lived for six years across a dirt road from a pear tree that no one cared for or seemed aware of. It would produce a few pears each year that were the old style: hard and sweet- moon glow pears I think. One year just before we moved the spring and summer conspired together with a perfect combination for this old pear tree. It produced so many large pears that it bent over with some of the pears touching the ground. Even more fascinating was the almost total lack of worms or other insects. I ate pears for lunch every day and most usually with yogurt after super. I ate them with my cereal for breakfast. We froze some and I ate them relentlessly. My wife ate her share as well. The tree produced for 3 1/2 months until heavy frost. It was simply amazing. The next year the pear tree produced a few worm eaten pears just like it had in all of my previous notice of it. Soon afterward we moved to our present house. One of the things that drew us to the house we bought was the trees: oak, redbud, catalpa, pitch pine, white ash, chinese chestnut, and two apple trees. I was too busy with house repair and job to prune them the first several years, but I read up on pruning and pruned them later on. I believe that it was the season a year and a half after that they produced some decent sized and number of apples. A fair number were without worm. They are probably what is referred to as cooking apples because they lack much firmness, and much sweetness or tartness desirable in an eating apple. Since then frost has gotten the flowers and worms have rotted the fruit. I sprayed them one year with soap just after the blooms fell off, to no avail. I’m not a pesticide kind of guy and I haven’t figured out the natural ways of preventing apple worms. I have pruned them somewhat since then but finally let them go. My son pruned them heavily last year but they are so tall that you can’t reach half of the apples and those that fall are severely damaged. There is a point to all of this story. I went out to try again this spring and found that the larger tree had several rotten places in the trunk. If there was any possibility of producing apples, it seemed to me, this problem must be dealt with. I cut most of the rot out. Now I sit and look at the sad results of my decisive action.
- Ouch!
I was immediately reminded of two Scripture passages: John 15:1-11 and Luke 13:1-9 Hear a little of each passage:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit… he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” John 15:1-2, 5-6 “And He began telling this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine, but if not, cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9
Perhaps it is a parable for my life just now. No, by God’s grace, I do not believe I will be burned up because I belong to Him, but does cut down mean eternally separated or ‘fallen asleep’ as those who were disobedient (I Corinthians 11:30)? I have been severely pruned or cut; difficulties with career, health, loved ones. Has my life been unfruitful and full of rot so that it needed a major pruning? Am I too apt to be content, complacent when I have orders to fulfill? There are other ways to look at the reasons for these trials but I don’t want to be oblivious to the obvious. I certainly feel like this tree looks. And I don’t see it or mean it as complaining. I just want to learn the lessons that are here and serve my Lord better rather than have to recycle remediation. The flowers bloom all around; the sun shines brightly; the soil is warming and wet; the grass is greening. Am I connected and abiding in the vine (trunk and root) so that I may bloom, leaf, and bear fruit. I want to be a fruit tree that produces. I want to be pruned, not cut down.
Stress and Strain
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Random thoughts, Science, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, internal strife, Poems, purpose in life, Random thoughts, Science, Strength, Sustaining on January 25, 2014| 3 Comments »
Stress and strain are engineering terms. Stress is any force, pressure, torque, electrostatic potential, or thermal gradient that tries to distort an object, its surface or its components. (didn’t even look that up) Strain is the deformation of that object resulting from the stress. Motion is apt to result in both stress and strain. In elastic collisions stress does not result in permanent strain to the objects involved because the colliding objects temporarily distort and return to their original form when the deforming energy is converted to other forms, most notably heat. In other words, the strain is passed out of the system, leaving no impression on the objects. The most common example is billiard balls colliding on a pool table. Non-elastic collisions, on the other hand, permanently deform the objects involved. Tossing wet mud onto a wall where it sticks is an obvious example.
So, am I merely in the mood to convey physics concepts which are all too obvious to many who read this page? No, stress and strain have very straightforward analogy to life in the body and mind and spirit. Frequently when people say that they have so much stress in their life, they really mean both. That is, they are saying that all of the pushes and pulls that are stress are getting them down and making it hard to function, strain. I am experiencing both- changed schedule, pressures to succeed, accusations of neglect and slack-handedness, bills, desire to enjoy and play when it’s time to work and serve, and very notably, sadness at seeing someone I love degraded in her ability to serve her family as she likes to do. You may take this for whining if you like, but it is really just the way that I have learned to deal with the stress. Somehow it’s supposed to be more noble to not talk about your troubles. Of course, there is nothing noble about self-focus and there is way too much of that in this society. Perhaps then I should keep quiet. Aaaccchh! Tangents!
So (love that word) here’s another one. My wife took about 6 hours to fix my son and me supper one day this past week. She can’t much read recipes just now, and her work is very slow and deliberate, but she so wanted to take care of her family that she worked diligently most of the day cutting up salad, baking sweet potatoes, sauteing cabbage and carrots with venison sausage, and baking cornbread so that we could eat a good meal. I about couldn’t eat for the tears. Then this morning she fixed oatmeal pancakes, a recipe that she had never done before. She laughed that it was a good thing that all of the ingredients were 1 (cup, teaspoon, etc) because she could not have made it otherwise. She still can’t say most names or understand much of what is said to her, but she can fix meals and wash dishes and she is happy to be able to do it again. I guess we’ll go grocery shopping together this afternoon.
Anyway, I have concluded that strainless stress is probably not very beneficial to this object. Afterall, if I am not changed by what pushes on me I’m apt to have to repeat that lesson until there is change. The idea of standing up to stress with dauntless courage and stone-faced lack of strain is neither where I live nor useful to my progress forward in the faith. I want to learn now so that I don’t have to repeat the lesson. Of course, the strain I am after is one that conforms me to the image of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not a wet mud pie stuck to a wall like so much yak dung on the side of the house drying to be used for fuel to cook and heat. Though it is not particularly what I want in the sense of what is enjoyable, change for the sake of conformity to His image is good, and God is good in patiently working strain into my life through the stresses He ordains. The more pliable, that is non-resistant to strain, I am, the easier that strain will conform me without destroying the very fabric of who I am. It reminds me of Philippians 4:6-8: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” I so want that peace of and with God that so surpasses comprehension that onlookers upon spying it cannot help but attribute it to a work of God. But that will involve far more stress and considerably more strain that I’m not all too sure I’m up to. I have discovered that is not for me to determine. As per Colossians 3 I need to focus above so that I may succeed below:
God’s grace is my comfort and rest
My strong tower in the midst of test
While I trust Him I shall prevail
Raised from the dead without fail
Trust is your Rest
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Relationship, Strength, Sustaining on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I sure am thankful that it is God who judges me, because He is so merciful and gracious.I lost all perspective during the recent events involving my wife’s stroke. All I could see were the seemingly insurmountable frustration she had with speech, the hesitations I experienced, the pressure from well-meaning people, and the mounting bills. None of those difficulties have been overcome but I am beginning to look up rather than around me as I seek ways to move on. I wish others could give their perspective on these events since they are severely skewed by my own fears and failures, but alas, not here. So here is my last of three poems on my feelings about the events of New Years Day, 2014, and following:
Fretting has no value at all
It only leads to early demise
And turmoil with those you love
And everything that you despise
In quietness and trust is your rest
The peace you seek is with God
And love from those who are close to you
Whatever the nature of the test
It is God Who is at work in you
To work and to will His good pleasure
The path He ordains is beyond view
So stroll forward in faith at leisure
Your struggle and strain is of no worth
Only serves to frustrate all designs
To have peace, joy, value and mirth
Written on your life’s last lines
Pushed, or else Carried, Along
Posted in General, Poem, Sustaining, tagged faithfulness, Poems, Random thoughts, Sustaining on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
The context of the following poem is a story that I have frequently told my students over the years about how my fifth-born child came into the world. It is a story that is as close to a miracle as I personally have ever experienced. Now I encountered a new difficulty, my wife’s stroke, and drug my feet because I both feared and did not understand; I hesitated, but in God’s goodness I do not think it made any difference, though I will always be accused of neglect.
It doesn’t always work the same
This walk of faith we’re called to tread
No miracle this time did He
No sure answer to my prayer came
Provision came another way
To human interventions trust
Wisdom and prudence are the must
In all of this I had no sway
Now I am counted as the fool
I could not see just how He led
In fear from the solution fled
For my faith was a training tool
What are others to learn from this?
Do they trust God or their own schemes?
Surely for others there are themes
Their faith lessons they will not miss
A New Way Led
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Sustaining, tagged attributes of god, God Thoughts, God's Word, Poems, purpose in life, Sustaining, ultimate issues on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I break the present silence with trepidation because as always I feel compelled to be honest and that is hard when you have also been foolish in the eyes of others. So, I will start off slowly and get around to several points in a circuitous way.
At 4 AM on New Years Day, my precious wife awoke with what I now know to be “having a stroke”. She rubbed her head both front and back, complaining of it hurting and could not recognize me speaking to her. There is so much I am not saying because it is too hard to say, and there have been many doubts and tears. We finally arrived at the hospital for a 3 night stay. Thankfully the stroke did not effect her motor skills other than a general, temporary weakness. She walked into the ER, spoke in a limited way without slurred speech, grasp numerous nurses and doctors hands and pushed against their resistance. Instead, her language center was arrested. She could not say names, mine, her own, and to her, most notably, her children. She could not understand many instructions which led one doctor to conclude she had motor skill deficiencies because she could not follow his instructions to apply pressure against his push.
I am going to post several poems that came 2 weeks after the events described above that reveal some of my reactions to all that I saw and experienced during this time as a result of seeing my wife’s debilitation and having family push me this way and that. The reflections are obviously focused around my thoughts and struggles concerning the stroke my wife had and are therefore skewed away from the events to my feelings about the events. No one is truly objective afterall though that does not mean untruthful. My first poem is a short one that deals with the immediate “why” question, to which there is no answer other than “He is good”:
I know in my heart that God is goodHis Word declares it so From His works to show How His providence and care The abundance He does share Reveal that He is kind And powerful and involved and good
If you have not yet concluded by faith that He is good you will probably ask endlessly “Why”, or perhaps, accuse Him, when it is sin in the world that is the cause of so much pain and suffering. Oh, so its sin and not Him. Why didn’t you say so? It is because all good and ill is filtered through His providential hands, otherwise He is not truly God: “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:9-11) Here it is, pay careful attention, those of you who want to soften God down, “who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good or evil'” (Zephaniah 1:12): “I am the Lord, and there is no other, The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” (Isaiah45:6-7) Wow what a tangent! But it is not a false one because His goodness is based on His sovereignty- He is not fickle; He has purpose, much of which He has made known and yet is inscrutable by man. He is good and there is purpose in difficulty and harm we experience.
De-stressing
Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, Sustaining, tagged Beauty, internal strife, Outdoors, Photos, Sustaining on September 1, 2013| 1 Comment »
I should never be too busy to observe beauty and reduce stress. I fully realize that the very nature of stress is that it causes you to not be able to see the end of the tunnel for all that you have to do. Therefore, you must decide that some things are more important than constantly being stressed. I can’t do that you may be thinking. I don’t have the money. I don’t have the time. Who will go with me? Where do I begin? I’m not interested. It’s not important. It’s too hard. That’s not my cup of tea. I don’t know why you think it’s such a big deal. I’ll get around to it.
Actually, no you won’t. Perhaps you don’t have mountains or beach or whatever around you. But most of us have something of beauty and solitude somewhere close at hand. Is there a single tree? Go sit under it. Mark out time to lower stress by considering all the good God has done and looking at the beauty in nature that He has provided. Do you have transportation? How much does it cost and how long will it take to walk in a park, or drive a short distance to a scenic area to enjoy. Life is short, so yes, hug your wife and kids, work hard, be honest, but also find a few moments in each week to get away from the blue light and the flat screen and the earbuds and just absorb natural beauty.
While I’m on my mild little rant, pass this mode of de-stressing onto the next generation. They are being sucked in by brain-numbing music and images that are literally robbing them of the ability to think (check the research, particularly for children under 6). Teach them to sweat on a walk a little; lie and gaze at the clouds; identify a mushroom or the difference in bark on various trees or concentrate and focus on a distant object from a high vantage point. It will greatly widen their perspective and lower their whine factor.
Go with friends. Talk about things of substance. Take your time.
OK, I’m done, but yesterday was an example. I enjoyed the time with friends with both substantive adult and child talk, saw a great view, and participated in some mild exercise. Check it out.
Friends taking a break at the top
Linville Gorge from Hawksbill
De-stressed me
My little friend
Hazy late summer day
The Galax strongly disseminated its astringent odor
M
Omniscience
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged faithfulness, God Thoughts, God's Word, gospel project, purpose in life, Strength, Sustaining, theology, ultimate issues on July 2, 2013| 1 Comment »
He knows everything- the position and momentum of every particle (Heisenberg Principle doesn’t apply), where they have been and where they are going? He knows all thoughts and possibilities? If the idea doesn’t blow your little mind it’s just because you haven’t understood it yet.
That’s OK; David didn’t either:
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” Psalm 103:1-6
David points out that God knows his location, position, thoughts, intentions; direction before, during, and after moving; the words coming to his tongue. The result is entrapment, control, of which David realizes he has no comprehension beyond the fact that God does know, which was also revealed to David as a prophet in this Psalm. To state the case simply, God has intimate knowledge of us.
Do you find God’s thoughts of you, as expressed here, threatening or comforting? David was awed, acknowledging that he could not understand, but how did that make him feel? Jesus tells us the proper response to such a knowledge and power:
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:25b-31
Do not fear; fear; do not fear. Which is it, Lord? Well, it depends on who you should fear and in what way. People can harm and even kill the body, but do not fear that because the worst it can result in is pain and the best is ushering you into the presence of God (not an excuse for humanly speaking “untimely” death by one’s own hand or someone else’s). Do fear, reverence, hold in awe God who can eternally separate you from His presence into an eternal world of hurt. But for those who know Him (not merely about Him), do not fear for His knowledge of you is intimate down to the counting of each hair and He values you.
Not only does He know us intimately, but He also knows us and all things completely:
1) in the present
“Listen to this, O Job,
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
“Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine?
Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,
The wonders of one perfect in knowledge…?” Job 37:14-16
“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:18-20
His knowledge is our security!
2) in the past and the future
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” Isaiah 46:9-10
One outside of time can see “the end from the beginning”, but I can’t fathom lack of time, existing in the eternal present, or foreknowledge. I can praise Him as the one of a kind God He is and be secure in His plan, established and accomplished as it is by a His good pleasure which is good (James 1:17). Not only does He know everything actual- past, present, future- but He also knows all potential as seen by the call to repentance of Jesus:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” Matthew 11:21
The application for our lives is powerful. Since God knows my good, bad, and ugly sides and still loves me and chose me apart from any good or bad, then my relationship with Him is totally secure. But did He really choose me apart from foreknowledge of me?
“…there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”” Romans 9:10-13
What are we to say about those who do not know Jesus? Are they simply doomed to hell because they have not been chosen? We can’t know who is and who isn’t, because we are limited in knowledge. But we do have the opportunity to plead for our salvation and we know that He hears, for “it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
Additionally, our security in Him is greatly increased because His plan is based on perfect knowledge so that nothing takes Him by surprise. His plan will be accomplished, period: “…You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1
The result of these assurances of security should be to help us interpret situations that come up in our lives in a more patient, confident, purposeful, thankful, and eternal manner. Circumstances may be hard but they are not without purpose. We can add to the glory given to God by working with His plan instead of against it. He is worthy and there is great reward.
The thoughts expressed herein are a mixture of mine and those of Kendell Easley in the Summer 2013 Gospel Project lesson “The Omni God”.
But a Few of His Benefits
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Remembering, Sustaining, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Remembering, Sustaining, work of christ on June 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »
It has been a good week for poetry. I end on an encouraging note. I owe all that I am, have, and will be to the gracious Lord Who enables me to serve Him. His Benefits are far more than I can tell. I want others to bask in His goodness by submitting to His Son. The benefits are eternal.
Father near, sovereign will
Chosen in Christ, what a thrill
Rest from work, all is done
‘It is finished’ by the Son
Peace with God, free from guilt
All because Christ’s blood was spilt
Strength to live, sin abate
His Spirit does motivate
Stress and strife, like a knife
Spirit purifies my life
Help in trials, answers prayers
God is gracious and He cares
Hardship here, glory there
Joy, comfort beyond compare
Tell good news, with you share
Eternal life here and there
Purpose now, glory then
Live for Him, soon free from sin
All that’s good, all that’s fair
Is found in Christ, jewel so rare
Come again, at the end
In His glory, sky will rend
Forever with Him then
Perfect in Him without sin
Joy Today
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Sustaining on March 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Not from difficulty or frustration or pressure was my day in danger of preventing joy, but from excessively mundane and unwanted pursuit. One need not be bored nor down when the scope of all eternity, the God of the universe, dwells in the heart by grace through faith. So I asked and He provided:
Lord, please give me joy today The knowledge of Your presence with me Awareness of all that may Be fulfilled by Your Spirit in me Joy in Your salvation free Hilarity giving to the poor The Gospel that they may see Blessing now, in eternity more Joy come in, joy reaching out All God has and will do and nourish He is great I want to shout May His work in our time now flourish God’s peace in my heart to stay No regrets to repent or to act Clinging to Him, always pray Accepting His Word as ruling fact Joy in who I am in Him Happiness in the path He does give Contentment when hard trials ever trim Joy-robbing sin so I live Now may I sing a new song Of the blessing of knowing my Lord On Him and His works be long Raise voice as I praise affordHope-Keep Feedback Loop
Posted in General, God's Word, tagged God's Word, gospel project, Sustaining on February 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »
I realized when reading the following two questions in our Gospel Project lesson today that they lend well to a positive feedback loop in our lives:
“What role does hope play in our seeking to be faithful to God’s commands?
In what ways can we deepen ‘the roots’ of our hope in God’s promises?” (Winter 2012-13, p.111)
When hope is applied to our lives through the working of God’s Word we are enabled to keep His commands. The Holy Spirit is always enabling and He uses the truth. Keeping His commands will result in confidence and hope that God is active in our lives and the promises apply to us as we review God’s Word. It is a positive feedback loop in that each one increases the other and is life giving.
Wisdom’s Source and Growth
Posted in General, God's Word, Sustaining, tagged God's Word, gospel project, Sustaining on February 16, 2013| 1 Comment »
Godly wisdom is rooted in the fear of God and bears foliage and fruit of godly living, contentment, and witness. Following are supporting Scriptures for the tree at the right:
0. James 1:5
1. Proverbs 1:7, Job 28:28, Matthew 10:28
2. Micah 6:9, Psalm 2:10-11
3. Job 12:12, Proverbs 3:1-2, 16:22
4. Song of Solomon 6:3, Proverbs 5:18
5. Job1:20-21, Proverbs 3:5-6
6. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Psalm 73:17
7. I Corinthians 1:24,30, Ephesians 1:15-19
The following table contrasts the way of worldly foolishness
and the way of godly wisdom. Our lives as Christians should
exhibit God’s goodness by our wisdom gained from Him:
|
Contrast of |
Worldly Foolishness |
Godly Wisdom |
|
Living |
Selfish, destructive |
Skill for living successfully |
|
Path |
Going your own way |
Obey and seek God |
|
Self |
Be true to yourself |
Renounce sin and self |
|
Focus |
Passion to please yourself |
Passion for God and others |
|
Restraint |
Unrestrained passion |
Directed, exclusive passion |
|
Perspective |
Blind optimism or pessimism |
Sin is real; God is in control |
|
Priorities |
Survival, self-gratification |
Fear God; obey His commands |
|
Eternity |
Can’t find it Eccl. 3:11 |
Trust in Christ->hope &evangelism |
The Way Forward
Posted in General, Poem, Strength, Sustaining, tagged faithfulness, Poems, Strength, Sustaining on July 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Moving forward is such a hard thing When the battle within is so strong Steal your purpose, rob the song you sing Tedious moments, days that are long Being consistent is harder still Failing once makes a lie of it all Cannot be done by an act of will Unavoidable that you will fall God is faithful and He is your song He is your reason for living well The One Who supplies and makes you strong That you may of His faithfulness tell
Pray So Little
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Strength, Sustaining, Why?!, tagged god answers prayer, God Thoughts, Strength, Sustaining, Why?! on June 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
“It is not amazing that God answers prayer; it is amazing we pray so little.”
‘How can you say it’s not amazing that God answers prayer?’ Don’t misunderstand the statement because I do believe it is amazing how He answers prayer. For in pulling off an answer to prayer God must at least redirect the course of God ordained natural forces or the intentions of wills predisposed to wrong. At most He must suspend the rules He has laid down for nature so that they begin running immediately in a new course or give tangible manifestation to spiritual reality. In any circumstance you can name where prayer is answered the supernatural impinges on the natural to bring about God’s purpose with full consideration and at least partial affirmation and completion of the request. All together how prayer is answered demonstrates God’s great power and unending knowledge. How that happens is amazing and wonderful. But that He would answer prayer is not. Answered prayer matches well His character of kindness, mercy, grace, personal involvement in His creation, and goodness.
But why do we pray so little? Our skeptical, mocking society has largely silenced our praise to God for answered prayer. For one thing they nay say any testimony that challenges their naturalistic presuppositions. ‘That can’t happen; you can’t prove the supernatural.’ Of course you can’t if the only evidence you allow is natural or has a natural explanation. So we Christians back off from saying the truth under the pressure of skeptical mockery. Merely natural explanations, however, fall short on too many accounts at explaining all that we observe. But our praise to God for answered prayer is silenced for a far more serious reason. Despite the abundant Scriptural evidence to God’s willingness, ability, and examples of answered prayer; the abundant historical evidence (George Mueller very notably); God’s good sustaining grace in our own lives, we pray far too little. We must not believe He will answer. He has many times for me in witnessing opportunities, financial needs, serious health issues, relational difficulties, bewilderment and discouragement, weather, direction, help for missionaries and witnessing friends. Why do I pray so little? “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives so that you may spend it on your pleasures…” (James 4:2-3) Perhaps a better question is… What is preventing me now? A big and glorious God answers big and God-glorifying prayers! Lord, work in my life so that I pray more and more intensely!
Blessing of ERB
Posted in General, Photo, Poem, Sustaining, tagged Photos, Poems, Sustaining on June 6, 2012| 1 Comment »
May God’s blessing be on this child, my first grandchild.
May He save her and sustain her throughout her days.
Miss ERB
Our Demise
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Remembering, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Remembering, Strength, Sustaining on May 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
We don’t know how, when, or why
The timing of our demise
Whether slow and painful, cry
Sudden horrible surprise
Or to loved ones good-bye say
See a vision from above
Then in peace just drift away
To glory fly as a dove
But, oh, our pain is so slight
Compared to burning below
That will give the hardened fright
Pray for souls that they not go
To avoid death’s awful sting
Look to Jesus’ sacrifice
Daily to His promise cling
Thankful for the purchase price
By His sacrifice we win
Heaven for which praise we give
Away from trials and pain and sin
In His presence there to live
Through Storm and Pain
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Random thoughts, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Random thoughts, Strength, Sustaining on December 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I’m so enamored with the short-term benefits and successes while God sees
eternity along with my utter good and His ultimate glory. Help me, Lord, to
seek what is lasting, to make real breakthroughs through the muck and mire
of life.
Lord, I long for something new
Something with a tremendous view
Perhaps a perch overlooking the heights
So my soul might take its fanciful flights
Life is not lived on that plane
We must first teach the heart and train
That you fully see the view above
Fully know all My holiness and love
I don’t want hardship and pain
I want victory without rain
Love, security, adventure, too
Fun, satisfaction, oh, and something true
You have those more than you know
Through rain and storm there’s more to show
Know Me, you must cease to worship you
Submit to Me and know all that is true
Then you will fly in My strength
Know joy and completeness at length
Thankful for trials and what they have done
Building you up, bringing praise to the Son
CreatorWorship 