Reach Out to the LORD First

When I read Psalm 107 on April 18, 2015, these words resonated over and over: "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress." This Psalm teaches us to FIRST reach out to the LORD. We are to turn fully and completely to Him; THEN, He responds by rescuing us. That rescue may not entail the avoidance of the problem or heartache, but the rescue may actually be the LORD's deliverance of us to and then through the anxiety, the concern, the discomfort, the affliction, the trial, the heartache, the grief, or the obstacle.

Verses 29-30 tell us, "He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven." These verses perfectly describe the concept of calmness. When a sea is calm, it is not rough, but is nearly still. When a day is calm, it is without wind or stormy conditions. When our souls and spirits are calm, they are tranquil and serene. The sea, the day, and our souls are free from havoc, agitation, and disturbance.

We are to cry out to the LORD in times of mild irritations or challenges, AND we are to cry out to Him when our troubles seem insurmountable. No matter the root cause of the distress, if we call out to Him, He will still our storm to a mere whisper. The tumultuous waters will be hushed.

Rejoice in advance, knowing that peaceful calmness is promised! Rejoice in gladness, knowing He is the perfect haven.

Dear LORD,
Thank you for revealing that calmness is not intrinsic to the circumstance, but it is ALL about abiding in You, trusting You, and waiting for You to bring us out of our distress! Thank You for rescuing us from any need to be anxious. Thank You for stilling ALL of our storms to mere whispers. You, and only You, are worthy of our praise and rejoicing! Amen!

The Tumultuous Sea Is Hushed

When I read Psalm 107 today, these words resonated over and over:  "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress."  This Psalm teaches us to FIRST reach out to the LORD.  We are to turn fully and completely to Him; THEN, He responds by rescuing us.  That rescue may not entail the avoidance of the problem or heartache, but the rescue may actually be the LORD's deliverance of us to and then through the anxiety, the concern, the discomfort, the affliction, the trial, the heartache, the grief, or the obstacle. 

Verses 29-30 tell us, "He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven."  These verses perfectly describe the concept of calmness. 

When a sea is calm, it is not rough, but is nearly still.  When a day is calm, it is without wind or stormy conditions.  When our souls and spirits are calm, they are tranquil and serene.  The sea, the day, and our souls are free from havoc, agitation, and disturbance. 

We are to cry out to the LORD in times of mild irritations or challenges, AND we are to cry out to Him when our troubles seem insurmountable.  No matter the root cause of the distress, if we call out to Him, He will still our storm to a mere whisper.  The tumultuous waters will be hushed. 

Rejoice in advance, knowing that peaceful calmness is promised!  Rejoice in gladness, knowing He is the perfect haven.



 

Dear LORD,

Thank you for revealing that calmness is not intrinsic to the circumstance, but it is ALL about abiding in You, trusting You, and waiting for You to bring us out of our distress!  Thank You for rescuing us from any need to be anxious.  Thank You for stilling ALL of our storms to mere whispers.  You, and only You, are worthy of our praise and rejoicing!  Amen!



The Whys of Life

Sometimes life generates more questions than answers. 

Why did a parent die young?  Why was a young child hurt in a bizarre accident?  Why did a disease hit when life was getting especially busy and fun?  Why did one friend find her perfectly priced house quickly, yet another friend still waits for her home to sell?   Why was a less qualified candidate offered a dream job?  Why did a pay raise come exactly when it was needed the most?  Why didn't funds come through when they were vital to the budget? 

When the desires of our hearts seem beyond our reach and are not fulfilled, we ask questions, but no answers come.

When we think we are making the right decisions, and we think we are moving in the right direction, but the hoped-for results don't materialize, we ask questions, but no answers come.

When love is not reciprocated, we ask questions, but no answers come.

When we suddenly realize we have been blessed beyond our wildest imaginations, we ask questions, but no answers come.

When some marriages blossom and become a blessing to others, we ask questions, but no answers come.

When some children make good choices, walk faithfully with the Lord, and experience the fullness of life, yet others fail miserably in the same family, we ask questions; but no answers come.

Well-meaning friends and family try to help us make sense of life's whys.  Without hesitation they offer advice and conclusions.  However, when we try to make sense of countless whys, no answers come.  Internal and external discussions are discouraging and futile.

Instead of wasting precious time fretting over, even belaboring, the unanswerable, wouldn't our cherished moments be best spent elsewhere? 

Perhaps, our meditations and our time would be best spent with the One who has all of the answers.  Focusing on just being in God's presence brings peace and encouragement, even if He never divulges the answers to life's whys. 

Learning to trust God for who He is and for what He has already accomplished, rather than focusing on the troubling and baffling, is categorically the only way to live.  He is God, and we are not. 

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV).

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Proverbs 3:5 NIV

Trusting in God with ALL our hearts means:

- believing He knows what is best for us, even when we do not understand the

   whys

- believing He loves us more than anyone

- believing that when He allows bad things to happen to us, our families, or  

   our friends that even though we do not understand, He is still worthy of our
   confidence

- believing He is the same powerful, wise, unchanging God that Abraham, 

  Moses, and John knew  

- believing He deserves our wholehearted affection and attention every

   moment of every day
 

Trusting in God does not mean:

 - having faith in Him only in the good times

- having confidence in Him only when we understand the whys

- doubting that He loves us unconditionally, always

- disobeying Him or turning away from Him when life is not treating us

  exactly how we expect or want

- rebelling when we do not understand God's ways or His path

Handling life's whys is ALL about trusting in THE ONE who is worthy. 

Handling life's whys is all about trusting WHO the Lord is.

We can ask Him our questions because He can handle all of them, but we ask knowing He may choose not to enlighten us. . . and that is okay.   His thoughts, reasons, and actions are beyond are human comprehension, but we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He will never leave us or forsake us.  HE is the answer to all of the questions that seem to have no answer. 

 Dear Heavenly Father,

Learning to trust You, Lord, especially when the whys outnumber the answers, is terribly difficult.  Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to encourage us and teach us how to live confidently.  You assure us that You always have our best interests at heart and that Your plan is always the best one to pursue.  Thank You for your instructions; thank You for your enabling, and most of all thank You for being trustworthy and faithful.  As we grow closer to You and as we know You more intimately, perhaps, the desire to have answers for life's whys will diminish.  I am certain You reveal all that we need to know on this earth.  I am convinced that You will bless us with more answers when we see You face-to-face.  Meanwhile, please help us face all circumstances and all moments with peace, determination, and fortitude.  Such boldness and fearlessness only comes in You and through You.  Thank You for continuing to mature us.  Amen.

Numbered Hairs

Have you ever had a Phyllis Diller hair day?  Younger readers may not know of Ms. Diller, but she was an accomplished stand-up comedienne, who was best known for her eccentric stage presence, her voice, her wisecracks, her unique attire, and especially for her wild-looking hair.  Modern cartoonists might sketch her with her finger in an electrical socket with her hair every which way.  Every hair seemed to be sticking up and out in all directions.

I am an under-the covers sleeper, so I encounter this laughable look almost every morning in my mirror.  The times I had permed hair and was unexpectedly caught in a rain storm or was caught outside in our Indiana humidity without gel or hairspray, my hair looked even more preposterous.   Ugh!

What if I told you that our dear heavenly Father knows every single wild hair on our ridiculous-looking heads?  He has numbered them!!  The Bible tells us this truth.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  Matthew 10:29-31

If He knows, or perhaps I should say, if He cares about the number of hairs on our heads, how much more must He care about every aspect of our beings and our lives.  Our weariness is His concern.  Our burdens trouble Him because they often overwhelm us.  Our joys are His delight.  Nothing we encounter on this earth, in this life, is insignificant to Him.  Let me repeat that - nothing we encounter is insignificant to Him.   He intentionally concerns Himself, not only with the number of hairs we have, but He deeply cares about us.  Every single detail of our lives matters to Him.

In the ragged, hair-askew moments and days, pause and take time to consider that our heavenly Father wants us to bring every aspect of our lives into our conversations with Him.  Nothing comes into our lives that has not passed through His loving, capable hands.  Tell Him directly about each hair-raising problem, concern, or challenge.  He knows our anxieties, our thoughts, and our words before they are even formed or spoken.  He knows the past, the present, and the future.  Trust Him to lay down those frazzled frizzies in His time.

Lord, when life frazzles me and turns my tresses into frizzies, remind me to bring every puny, trivial-seeming detail directly to You.  May I take a huge deep breath and ponder You.  In the midst of what I consider unbearable chaos, remind me to depend upon You because You are trustworthy.  May I just quietly sit in Your presence listening and waiting for Your presence to lead me and comfort me.  You lovingly and tenderly watch after the sparrows You created; how much more will You watch after and over me!!  Fill my heart with Your assurance, so I may move forward, unafraid.  Amen.

Prayers Like Wafting Balloons

Impress

 



 

What does it mean to impress someone or something? 

Random House Dictionary defines "impress" as:  "to affect deeply or strongly in mind or feelings; influence in opinion; to fix deeply or firmly on the mind or memory, as ideas or facts; to urge, as something to be remembered or done; to impose a particular characteristic or quality upon something; to produce a mark by pressure; stamp; imprint; to apply with pressure, so as to leave a mark; to draw attention to oneself, particularly to create favorable attention; to impart a distinctive character."¹

When I used to seal envelopes with wax, I applied pressure to my lettered gold seal on the melted wax, to imprint my initials on the reverse side of my envelope.  Exerted pressure sealed the envelope closed, as the perfect pressure affixed a lovely imprint of the letter's sender, me!

 When our daughter was growing up, I tried to teach her solid morals and character traits because when she left home, I wanted those strong positive values embedded into her mind, so she would be prepared to make good decisions.  If I am completely honest, I also think I wanted her behavior to persuade others that I was truly a good parent because I had taught her life lessons so well.  I wanted her to be favorably received and noticed, and I probably also wanted her to positively reflect me in her solid upbringing.

I hoped to impress or imprint myself into my daughter's heart, so when I am gone, she will remember me with great affection, love, and appreciation, just as my own mother resides in my heart always.

More importantly, Deuteronomy 6 abounds with Biblical teachings of why we must impress God's Word, His commands, and decrees into the very center of our hearts, minds, and souls, and in the core beings of our children and our children's children.  To be able to love Him and share who He is, we must know Him.

Deuteronomy 6:1-2; 4-9; 13-18; 20-25:

6 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 

¹³ Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. ¹⁴ Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; ¹⁵ for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. ¹⁶ Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. ¹⁷ Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. ¹⁸ Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors,

²⁰ In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” ²¹ tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²² Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. ²³ But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. ²⁴ The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. ²⁵ And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

We are to teach God's commands diligently.  We are to be sharpened or incisively taught with and by these words, as if we were sharply pierced by them.  This command is not made lightly.

We are to talk of them when we sit, when we walk, when we lie down, and when we rise.  They are to be foremost in our focus.  To impress God's teachings upon our children, we are to repeat them again and again.  As we teach them, we, too, are having them implanted into our hearts. 

God has directed us to teach and observe His Godly and loving commands.  He wants us to impress them on ourselves and our children, even if that precept requires a bit of pressure.  Being established firmly in His Word reflects His love through us, urges others with whom we have contact to desire similar lives, and clearly illuminates our love for our precious, almighty, righteous God.

He and His ways become so engrained into our beings that our hearts overflow with His love.   God's perfect and living Word has been revealed, and we are to teach it to masses of people who wish to understand it, and we are especially directed to teach our children and our children's children.

Dear Heavenly Righteous LORD,

Thank you for this blessing today of reading your special and specific commands in Deuteronomy.  Help my every waking moment be tuned into and tuned toward you.  Help me be the follower and teacher you intend me to be.  Help me reflect your righteousness and love.  Thank you especially for the blessing of a daughter.  I pray that some of your teachings have been firmly and fully implanted and impressed upon her heart, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, as well as my own.  Amen.

 



Uncancellable Reservation

 

Every time we plan a vacation, and I am bustling about researching where we are going to stay, I get excited. I carefully seek out the perfectly located accommodations. I look for the most luxurious furniture, linens, and amenities we can afford based upon our preset housing budget. Then, when we actually commit, and the reservation is made, I joyfully anticipate what is to come. Yes, I can be a drama queen.

Coupled with that bliss; however, lurks an underlying anxiety, a niggling apprehension that something unforeseen will happen to cause our marvelous trip to be cancelled. When we travel to the Outer Banks, hurricanes can come into play. As we age, serious unexpected sickness can prevent travel. An inefficient property manager might have overbooked our desired rental. Any one of those events could prompt a cancellation. Consequently, I teeter between ecstasy and foreboding until the appointed departure time.

Unlike such earthly cancellable reservations, God's plan is NEVER thwarted. His reservations are uncancellable!!

Scripture tells us, "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be," Psalm 139:16 (NIV). God, in His infinite wisdom and Sovereignty has a number of days set for each of us. They were planned, even before we came into existence.

"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?" John 14:1-3 (NIV). God's accommodations for us, our rooms, are being prepared in advance for us. In fact, God's Son, Jesus, is going there in advance to prepare a perfect place for each of His children.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand," John 10:27-29 (NIV). We, God's sheep, are His, and we listen to His voice. He knows each of us personally, and we know Him. We follow Him to our especially prepared rooms, at the appointed time. We absolutely do not have to fear that our rooms are taken by others because God has given us eternal life through His Son, Jesus. We will NOT perish (die) and stay in the ground. God guarantees our rooms. He guarantees that we will not and cannot be snatched out of Jesus' hand. We were gifted to Him, and NO ONE and NO unforeseen situation can cancel this reservation!
God has made our reservations; He has prepared our perfect accommodations, and no one and nothing can keep us from our appointed time!!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time," 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time," 1 Peter 1:3-5 NASB.

Holy Father, I pray that I might fully understand and accept such words as "can never perish, spoil or fade"; "incorruptible, undefiled, and that not fadeth away", "imperishable and undefiled, and will not fade away". May I know without question that you are protecting and guaranteeing my reservation in heaven, my inheritance that you have granted out of your abundant mercy, and because of these absolutes, may I live every day in joy that could only come from you. Amen.


 

Immutability

 

 

Immutability

 

Hebrews 13:8 tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

My temporary earthly surroundings and situations seem to change haphazardly.  Havoc, worry, and stress affect my well-being, my thoughts, and my behavior.  Some days I feel like Jekyll and Hyde.   

When I read that Jesus has been, is, and always will be the same, I am especially comforted.  He is not inconsistent.  He is constant.  His nature is unchanging.  He is never buffeted about by surroundings, situations, or stress.

Our Lord is immutable.  This lovely word means He is unchangeable, unalterable, ageless, and He is not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature¹.  Why is this truth so comforting?  Why is this concept so important?

God's attribute of immutability makes me feel secure, safe, and serene.  His promises, gifts, and attributes are constant ALWAYS!  He is holy.  He cannot be tempted by evil.  He never sins.  He is righteous, just, and loving.

Malachi 3:6a says, "I, the LORD, do not change."

Because He is holy and perfect, He cannot lie, so I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that what He says is absolutely and totally true.  I can believe Him when He promises eternal salvation.  I can trust that His grace and forgiveness are forever. 

R. C. Sproul Jr. teaches that God's immutability is vitally important.  He says, " This attribute is that which enables us to depend on God to be God.  It is why we can be certain that every excellency, every perfection, indeed every promise of God is utterly inviolable. He shall not be moved. Jonathan Edwards wisely pointed out that this is one of the reasons the heathen hate him so much. They have other potent enemies. But those enemies can grow weak. They have other angry enemies, but they can be calmed. They have other knowing enemies, but they can be fooled. The God of heaven and earth, on the other hand, will never cease to be all-powerful. His wrath will never turn from sin. And His eyes will never grow dim.²"

Let me emphasize one phrase again; the attribute of immutability is what enables us to depend on God to be God!  I am assured and certain that He will keep every one of His promises.  I am sure He will be just in administering His salvation and His condemnation.

Psalm 102:25-27 says,

²⁵ In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
²⁷ But you remain the same,
    and your years will never end.

 

Who better can we entrust our salvation and eternal well-being to than He who is not only God, but He who cannot and does not change.  Our eternal destiny could not be in better hands!!

James 1:17 teaches, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

"In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name."  Psalm 33:21

Our Lord is trustworthy.  He does not lie.  His nature never changes.  No outside sources alter His character or who He is, was, or ever shall be.  His Gospel message remains the same ... always!  His promises are never broken.  His word is inerrant, unchanging, and living!  Everything else in creation is subject to change, except the Creator, for He, as God, will not change!

Holy and Heavenly Father,

I thank you emphatically for bringing your attribute of immutability to my attention.  I love this word, and I am incredibly comforted by this truth.  I may fuss about my changing situations, and I may stress over life's chaos and its people, but in the midst of all turmoil I can count on you to be my unchanging and constant God!  Thank you for your promises, grace, and love.  Amen.    

 

1.  immutable. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc.  

   http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/immutable (accessed: January 28, 2014).                   

      https://bible.org/seriespage/immutability-god

2.  http://www.ligonier.org/blog/importance-gods-immutability/

 

I Saw God Wash the World

I SAW GOD WASH THE WORLD


by William Stidger 1934



I saw God wash the world last night

With His sweet showers on high;

And then when morning came

I saw him hang it out to dry.



He washed each slender blade of grass

And every trembling tree;

He flung his showers against the hills

And swept the rolling sea.



The white rose is a deeper white;

The red, a richer red

Since Gold washed every fragrant face

And put them all to bed.



There's not a bird, there's not a bee

That wings along the way,

But is a cleaner bird and bee

Than it was yesterday.



I saw God wash the world last night;

Ah, would He had washed me

As clean of all my dust and dirt

As that old white birch tree!  

Apathy

Apathy


How does an apathetic life begin? Certainly no one sets out to be indifferent, aloof, or lukewarm, yet the stuff of life can place us on a path to a halfhearted, lack luster existence. As we face deaths, chronic or terminal illnesses, work disappointments, unimaginable family issues, political mayhem, crushed expectations, or financial distresses, we build walls or compartments around our hearts to detach us from such trials. We succumb to a dispassionate, lethargic survival mentality.

As our very wise pastor1 recently proclaimed, "Let the ancient words impart!"

We cannot allow discouragements or discouragers to hinder our service to our precious Almighty God. Let us be open to His wisdom, which He so graciously shares. He has provided us with the necessary tools in His inerrant and living Word. He has mercifully given us all of the truths and precepts we need to conquer this irksome jadedness.

"Let the ancient words impart!"

Haggai 1:7 tells us, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways.'"

Revelation 3:15-16:

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Awareness of apathy, lethargy, and complacency certainly is the key step to move us to conscious changes.  How fortunate are we to have preachers and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to spur us on to loving deeds, prayerful support, and a proper focus!

Let us turn from a blah, callous, impassivity to an interested, passionate, sensitive, attentive liveliness and vigor. Let us focus our eyes on God and His plans, not on our own little kingdoms.

"Let the ancient words impart!"

Psalm 141:1-2:

"O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear my voice when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice."

Proverbs 22:17-19:

"Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I teach you today, even you."

"Let the ancient words impart!"

2 Corinthians 10:5:

"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."

Today may truly be your defining moment to lay aside your apathy of the past. Tomorrow may be your defining moment to continue to lay aside complacency, and the day after tomorrow may be your appointment to rid yourself of all indifference.

Holy and Heavenly Father,

I lift up my arms and my spirit to you. I pray that many, including me, will meet you in defining moments with open minds and hearts, so we may hear what you have to say. Your plans, not our own, give significance to our lives. I ask that you be patient with us, as we learn to be passionate about your plans, and I thank you for faithful pastors who boldly proclaim your ancient words! Amen.



1. Pastor Gary Boschain - sermon September 2, 2012, The Return Home.

Kindness

Why is it that when election times come around, people put their manners on a shelf and walk away? Just recently, I felt compelled to post the following because of some of the meanness and trash talk that was being spewed.


A Kind Disclaimer: As election chatter heats up, I want to make a few comments - 1) I do not agree with nor support every statement that comes through my feed. 2) I find some of the comments and language highly offensive, and I wish everyone would be kinder in their fervor. 3) I have many friends, whom I love, and we care about each other enough to "agree to disagree". 4) As always, I encourage everyone to vote because we are privileged to have this freedom and should not take it for granted. 5) If anyone has any specific questions about my views, you may private message me (and I may or may not reply). Love to all!

The word "kindness" or the phrase "discuss without malice" has been forgotten. When debates over candidates and issues become so heated that we begin attacking other human beings, I say, "Enough!"

"Kindness" appears 65 times in 57 verses in the NIV1. In the King James Bible, the word is translated "lovingkindness". Kindness literally includes a "good sense or zeal towards and among mankind"; its components are mercy, goodness, a mutual benevolence and benefits, and favor.

Attacking another human because of differing opinions, political views, or even religious ideals is not helpful to anyone. Beating someone down verbally is certainly not an effective means of swaying them to another position. In fact, I have found the opposite to be true. Communication stops entirely, and not only is there no shared meaning, but an aggressive permanent hostility is born...and it lasts.

In 2 Samuel 9:3, King David is specifically looking for any kin of Saul's to whom he may "act kindly towards him like unto God." Perhaps, we should be looking for those to whom we may act kindly.

Over and over again, God has shown His grace, favor, and mercy to mankind.2 He has cleared our paths of enemies and made our journeys straight. He has preserved man and beast, when both have deserved harsh punishment or worse. God sacrificed His beloved and only Son, so that we might have eternal life. He has extended mercies and blessings on multiple generations.3 God established His faithfulness to us from heaven itself, yet we are not extending similar mercies to our fellow human beings here on this earth. Again, I say, "Enough!"

In Exodus 34, the God of the Universe described Himself to Moses as, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

As we consider candidates and we passionately debate issues, let us do so compassionately and graciously. We, who claim the Lord as our Father, have a responsibility to emulate the love of Jesus. He showed love and mercy to the good, the bad, and the ugly. Only He knows to which category each of us belongs. May we proceed kindly, making our own political choices based upon our consciences and the Lord's leading. May we weigh and discuss issues thoughtfully, gently, and respectfully with the brains and hearts God bestowed upon each of us. May we walk away from malicious attacks and actions. We serve a Sovereign and living Lord, and His will, in His time, will be done.

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13


1. Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for '"kindness"' in the NIV". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012. 9 Jan 2012. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=kindness&t=NIV >


2. NIV Psalm 5:8; 36:6; 48:10; John 3:16


3. NIV Isaiah 55:3

Disposable

Have you noticed just how disposable our current world has become? How many items in our society have been purposefully manufactured to be thrown away after only a few uses, or have been designed to become obsolete in a fraction of their previous shelf lives? The phrase "planned obsolescence" didn't even exist until the mid 1960's.


The rotary telephone in our garage is 50 years old, and it works better than our new cell phones. Our cell phones barely made it home before they were obsolete.

Corporations still use commercial wallpaper, which easily lasts 20 years. However, home interiors have painted walls that stay fresh and nice looking for only 2 to 3 years.

Television sets were passed from one generation until the next. They were huge, elaborate pieces of furniture, and they had to be run over by a tank before they would break. Now few television warranties are beyond 2 years.

Our original Westinghouse washing machine lasted 20 years before it began to show any wear or tear. Our talented repair man replaced two or three belts at year 20, and it lasted 5 more years before we had to buy a new one. Most now are only expected to last 5 years.

Our world is full of items that are designed to become obsolete in extremely short periods of time. When we make these expensive purchases, we do so without expectations that they will last.

Fortunately, God does not have a short expiration date, nor will He ever become obsolete. He has been in existence since eternity past; He is living and active in our present day, and He will be forever more!

Our earthly lives today last an average of 70+ years, but even Old Testament folks, who lived hundreds of years, were still just a blink on God's time line.

We are disposable on this earth, but according to God's Word, we will be living eternally - in heaven or in hell. Is not Christmas 2011 a perfect time to consider the free gift that our merciful LORD has bought for us?

Perseverance

Since 1996, I have had painful chronic health issues, so you would think I would know all about endurance and stamina. However, during the last several months as I have anxiously and hopefully awaited the sale of our family home of 30 plus years, I discovered that I know very little about perseverance.


Collins English Dictionary defines perseverance as "steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement."1 The process includes a doggedness and steadfastness, in spite of discouragement. It includes a tenacity and endurance until the end.

Perseverance is not just plodding forward; it is plodding forward even when (perhaps especially when) we are disappointed or discouraged. When life gets murky and mucky, I must purposefully toil and trudge through the mire.

In my mind, I think I have been throwing adult temper tantrums. My checklist of what should be happening and when it should be happening has not come to fruition, and I have not been tenacious in keeping focused on that which is most important.

1 Timothy 4:16 tells us:

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Hebrews 10:36 says:

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."

Strong's Lexicon reminded me that perseverance includes abiding still, continuing, or remaining in the "blessing for which one keeps himself fit".2 Continuing on a daily basis in the love and grace God has gifted me, rather than existing in a state of disappointment is really the key.

Strong's emphasizes in the Hebrews verse - "in the NT (New Testament) the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings."3

Recently, through the Holy Spirit, I have come face-to-face with the fact that I have swerved from my true purpose of loyal faith and piety, and I have allowed this trial of an unsold house to hinder my journey. I have briefly taken my eyes off heaven, the ultimate prize, and in that process I momentarily lost my daily joy.

John Gill explains that I am to take heed unto thyself - I am to take heed that my life is exemplary - and that means that my mental life should be steadfast, so my special gifts from God are not neglected. He encouraged me (and us) to feed our lives with God's knowledge and understanding, according to the doctrine of Christ and His godliness.4  By taking heed, we can save ourselves from the polluted thoughts of this world, which definitely include a propensity for giving up or giving in to discouragement.

God is a glorious God of grace and mercy. Even though I have no idea why our sale has not happened in my earthly timetable, God wants me to suffer through this trial in joyful perseverance, keeping my eyes on Jesus. I needed this lesson in continuance and endurance, regardless of my deferred prayers. I needed to learn to bear up under the temptation to throw mental temper tantrums.

Dear most gracious heavenly Father,
I know that my prayers are heard. Even when they are not answered as I would like or expect, I know that You have what is best for me in mind. I ask that you continually teach me how to persevere. I ask that you will enable me to endure without discouragement because I cannot do this on my own. May you envelope me and fill me daily with your joy. May you help me keep my eyes focused on my Savior and Sustainer, Jesus Christ. May you teach me to heed unto myself, so I may live an exemplary life, pleasing to you. Amen.


1. perseverance. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perseverance (accessed: August 06, 2011).
2. Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for epimenō (Strong's 1961)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2011. 6 Aug 2011. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1961&t=NIV >
3. Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for hypomonē (Strong's 5281)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2011. 6 Aug 2011. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm? >Strongs=G5281&t=NIV
4. John Gill's Exposition. http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/1-timothy-4-16.html

Plumb Line

If you have ever hung wallpaper or have watched a professional hang it, you probably know what a plumb line is.


Collins English Dictionary defines a plumb line as "a string with a metal weight at one end that, when suspended, points directly towards the earth's centre of gravity and so is used to determine verticality, the depth of water, etc."1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Plumb lines have been used since ancient times. This tool merely consists of a line with an attached weight. Originally a stone was used, but later the weight was made of lead. The weight came to be called a plummet, from the Latin word for lead - plumbum.2


In wallpapering and other construction applications, a plumb line ensures a true vertical alignment, and it is used as a reference. This tool confirms that hung pieces of wallpaper remain true; that is, they do not veer from the straight line, all the way down the wall, and all the way around your room.

Such attention to detail is particularly important in old houses or buildings because usually they are not square. Getting that first strip of wall paper affixed to the wall properly, (perfectly vertical), is critical to the success of the entire project.

The plumb line is hung from the ceiling, and a pencil is used to mark a vertical line on the wall. The line can also be chalked and then snapped against the wall, leaving a faint chalk line as a guide. Whichever method is used, a perfect vertical results, against which the first length of paper is hung, and the process is repeated for each subsequent strip of paper. If the first piece is not absolutely straight, then hanging the rest becomes increasingly difficult, and project chaos follows.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In Isaiah 28:16-17, God tells us how plumb lines apply to our spiritual lives:

"So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
 See, I lay a stone in Zion,
 a tested stone,
 a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
 the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
 I will make justice the measuring line
 and righteousness the plumb line;
 hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
 and water will overflow your hiding place."

Our spiritual vertical line is God's righteousness. Our uprightness, integrity, and honesty are all measured against His flawlessness.

"He will judge the world in righteousness;
 He will govern the peoples with justice."
 Psalm 9:8

In Biblical times, plumb lines were known to many people, including Jesus, who as a carpenter, would have owned one. The Lord uses His Word to illuminate just how vertically straight or upright we should be. Unfortunately, human beings cannot attain His perfection.  In no way can we attain His righteousness on our own.

The Lord's righteousness clearly gives us proof-positive that we are "off-the-mark".  We are evil in comparison to His perfect plumb line. We are corrupt, wicked, crooked...out of plumb...when we are compared to or measured against a perfect, holy, and righteous God.

Amos 7:7-9 tells us, "This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, 'What do you see, Amos?'


'A plumb line,' I replied.


Then the Lord said, 'Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.'


'The high places of Isaac will be destroyed
 and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; 
 with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.'"

The Lord's condemnation back in Amos' time was not just applicable to that time because the Lord is unchanging and timeless, and the concept still applies today.

God's Word and Jesus' model show us how our thoughts, words, and actions are not in agreement with our perfect, holy, and righteous God. On our own, we could never stand upright before our holy God.  We would each be found wanting.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23

Because of God's perfection, purity, and holiness, He cannot just nod away our wickedness, and this wickedness would doom us to an eternity in hell, without a solution.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

God loves us so much He provided the perfect and the only solution to reconcile us to Himself.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

He literally gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish in hell for all eternity, but instead we might have eternal life in heaven with Him (John 3:16; John 10:10).

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 tells us, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."

God provided the perfect and only solution for our chaotic, off-the-mark position. His precious, beloved, and flawless Son, Jesus Christ, came to die on the cross in our place to completely and perfectly pay the penalty for our wickedness. Christ's crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension brought us to the plumb line. Our individual acceptance or receiving of Jesus as personal Savior and Lord ensures that we remain on the vertical! We receive Christ by faith, as an act of our will, and this appointment is individual and personal - just like the hanging of one piece of wallpaper on the vertical.

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:11-13

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Dear Righteous Lord,
Thank you for illuminating my wickedness with your perfect plumb line, your righteousness. Thank you for drawing me to yourself, and clearly showing me my need for a personal Savior. Thank you most of all for providing the ONLY solution for my sinful position - your precious Son, Jesus Christ. Your love for me is overwhelming. Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ! We love you because you first loved us. To you goes all of the praise and glory forever and ever! Amen.

1. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged, 10th Edition 2009 ©, William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009


2. http://www.keyway.ca/htm2005/20050118.htm, The Lord's Plumb Line, Wayne Blank