Journal for Christ: March 2016

Monday, March 21, 2016

Spiritual dehydration

Much of our failure in the Christian life is because we have failed to draw deeply and often from the well of God's WORD. When we fail to do so, spiritual dehydration sets in leading to all kinds of ailments.

Worship: Cares Chorus by Kelly Willard; Cast My Cares by Finding Favor

I cast all my cares upon You
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet
And any time I don't know what to do
I will cast all my cares upon You

https://youtu.be/zn7RHpQ6ots

"Cast My Cares"

When fear feels bigger than my faith
And struggles steal my breath away
When my back pressed up against the wall
With the weight of my worries stacked up tall
You're strong enough to hold it all

I will cast my cares on you
You're the anchor of my hope
The only one who's in control
I will cast my cares on you
I'll trade the troubles of this world
For your peace inside my soul

This war's not what I would have chosen
But you see the future no one knows yet
And you're still good when I can't
See the working of your hands
You're holding it all

I will cast my cares on you
You're the anchor of my hope
The only one who's in control
I will cast my cares on you
I'll trade the troubles of this world
For your peace inside my soul

I'm finding there's freedom,
When I lay it all on your shoulders

Cast my cares, I will, cast my cares, I will, cast my cares on you
Cast my cares, I will, cast my cares, I will, cast my cares on you
Cast my cares, I will, cast my cares, I will, cast my cares on you

I will cast my cares on you
You're the anchor of my hope
The only one who's in control
I will cast my cares on you
I'll trade the troubles of this world
For your peace inside my soul

I will cast my cares on you
You're the anchor of my hope
The only one who's in control
I will cast my cares on you
I'll trade the troubles of this world
For your peace inside my soul

Cast my cares, I will, cast my cares, I will, cast my cares on you

1. A-Z Lyrics FINDING FAVOUR Lyrics

Video:

https://youtu.be/bKuAMmTqUbs

Witness: This week's message in the series Stay Positive was titled “I’m Grateful”. It’s fascinating how God orchestrates things in life. Just the day before, our Men’s Bible Study had been on contentment and gratitude. That same night I ended on that note in my quiet time. The message on Sunday night had three simple points:

1 1) I know every good thing I have comes from God – James 1:17

2 2) I will not let what I want rob me of what I have – Ecclesiastes 6:9; Philippians 4:11- 13

A) Gratitude turns what we have into enough

B) It’s not happy people who are grateful, but grateful people who are happy

3) I’ll turn every blessing into praise – Psalm 63:4-5; Psalm 103:2-5

Tonight as I went to the store to get some dog food for my two canine house companions, I heard a song on the radio I had heard during my quiet time (I guess I need to call it something else because it’s not really quiet. I play music all the time when I worship and study). I was trying to remember what the song was and what group sang it. I praised God for letting me remember when I heard it. It is the song above called “Cast My Cares” by Finding Favor. A song based on 1 Peter 5:7 and Hebrews 6:19, I believe.

Remember what was said yesterday about gratitude and contentment?

Contentment and gratitude, then, are the key to everything the Lord provides. Contentment is the child of a grateful heart. A grateful heart gives birth to a contented heart that leads to peace and rest in the Lord- in the green pasture!

Anxiety (cares) is the enemy of gratitude and contentment. It causes gratitude to be anemic and sick and thus contentment is “still born”. That is why it is imperative that we stay close to our Shepherd and keep our eyes on Him not on our circumstances and when we have anxious thoughts and perplexing circumstances weighing us down – to change the metaphor here – we need to cast them onto the One who can bear all our burdens seeing that at one time He bore the weight of all the sins of the world on His shoulder. Reminded then again of His ultimate sacrifice for us, gratitude is restored and contentment reborn.

WORD:

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

KJV

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

NIV

Who, after mowing the lawn in 100 degree weather or playing a fast paced game of one on one or spending a day playing hard with your kid’s at the park in the middle of a hot, sultry day in summer, would come home and raid the pantry for a bag of chips or the refrigerator for leftover pizza. No, you are going to want a tall glass of something ice cold and wet to refresh you. It is said that we can go weeks without food, but only days without water. As it is, most of us probably don’t drink enough water. Dehydration then becomes a problem for some, and probably many of us are on the borderline of being at least slightly dehydrated.

As with our bodies, so our spirit needs continual refreshing, yet many of us are or are bordering on spiritual dehydration. Oh, that we would follow our Shepherd to the “still and restful waters” (Amplified Version) and drink for our refreshment. I will return to these restful waters tomorrow (actually later today – it’s 12:17 am). I have a meeting to go to at 7 am in the morning and need to go rest in the green pasture of my bed J

Friday, March 18, 2016

Contentment is the child of a grateful heart.

This was a good entry for me to reread. Today a friend of me texted me about an urgent need he had for one of his errant offsprings. I will not share the details. God knows and prayers would be appreciated. It reminds me that there will be green pasture days and dark valley days as well. Yet one thing is sure - "All the way my Shepherd leads me" - for this I am ever grateful.

"Soar"

Here I remind myself what You said over me
Here I remind my soul who You are

You said You won’t relent
Won’t let go, won’t forget
Every promise You have whispered to my heart

As I wait, As I wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
Rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

This desert holds a song I will sing, on and on
You’re a river when the ground I walk is dry

You will set the crooked straight
Clear my path, make a way
You will lead me from the valley to the heights

As I wait, As I wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
Rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

Creator, Keeper
Lifebreather
Your name is greater than anything I’ve faced

Sustainter, Saviour,
Strongholdbreaker
Your name is greater than anything I’ve faced

As I wait, as I wait on You
I will wait, God, I will wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
I’ll rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

Writer(s): Meredith Andrews
Copyright: Mesmerized Music, Word Music LLC

A-Z Lyrics

Video:

https://youtu.be/AB_ydkWbdBk

Witness:

Today was another one of those days that began problems and ended with praise. I was attending men’s Bible study when my Bank sent me my daily balance. It was in the negative realm and had one overdraft fee charged against it. My daughter’s power bill had just come through and caused the negative balance. Up until recently our balance had been buoyed by our tax returns melded together, when the summer came her weekly income declined drastically. She is a server at Longhorn here in Tulsa. Summertime is a bad time for servers, tips dwindle as less people eat out; compound that with a lousy schedule and the money cushion disappeared as we relied mainly on my income to pay all the bills. My bonus check will come next week. So, this morning I found myself in a fix. Because it was an emergency, I had to take the money my daughter was going to use to pay her car note to cover her electric bill and get us out of the hole. As I traveled to the bank I found myself asking God for wisdom as to why this had happened to us; why, when I was trying to do right with the money I gave; that along with a load of self-condemnation for not paying closer attention to the bank balance. Later that day I found the answer, it was in order that God could show His glory in making a way when there seemed no way. He provided money to my daughter and son-in-law through the generous help of some brothers from the Band of Brothers, a men’s organization that meets twice a year for 12 weeks of fellowship and intensive discipleship on issues that face men in our society. My platoon leader delivered the money along with some employment for my son-in-law who is unemployed at the moment. So my Shepherd provided again and so I will sing:

“Sustainter, Saviour,
Strongholdbreaker
Your name is greater

than anything I’ve faced”

― from Soar by Meridith Andrews

WORD:

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

Green Pastures. Anyone who has been to rural areas where flocks of sheep and cattle graze knows the beauty and the serenity of such scenery. Today I felt like I was in the dark valley, but ended up in a green pasture of blessing (no, not because money is green) and I felt refreshed by the quiet, restful stream of flowing grace.

Commentators differ on the meaning of Green Pasture. To begin with, the word means tender or new grass. Barnes says:

Psalms 23:2

The word rendered in the margin "tender grass" - deshe°- refers to the first shoots of vegetation from the earth-young herbage-tender grass-as clothing the meadows, and as delicate food for cattle, Job 6:5. It differs from ripe grass ready for mowing, which is expressed by a different word - chatsiyr.

For some it refers to The Lord providing spiritual nourishment for His sheep :

Psalms 23:1

23:2 a. The first blessing David experienced was spiritual nourishment. As a shepherd leads the sheep to fresh grass for feeding, so the Lord leads His people. One who follows the Lord does not lack any spiritual nourishment. Under-shepherds (cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2) are expected to feed the flock (Ezek 34:1-10; John 21:15-17) as well. Food for the soul is the Word of God (Heb 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2).

(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.)

Others see only rest pictured here. For example Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say:

2. green pastures—or, "pastures of tender grass," are mentioned, not in respect to food, but as places of cool and refreshing rest.

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/psalms/23.htm

However, most probably would agree that it has both meanings. Barnes says:

Psalms 23:2

The idea is that of calmness and repose, as suggested by the image of flocks "lying down on the grass." But this is not the only idea. It is that of flocks that lie down on the grass "fully fed" or "satisfied," their wants being completely supplied. The exact point of contemplation in the mind of the poet, I apprehend, is that of a flock in young and luxuriant grass, surrounded by abundance, and, having satisfied their wants, lying down amidst this luxuriance with calm contentment. It is not merely a flock enjoying repose; it is a flock whose wants are supplied, lying down in the midst of abundance.

All of us who know the Lord, have experienced His abundant provision. Yet we will see that there may be lean times in our lives which David will talk about in a few verses from now. Lest we think in terms of physical comfort and provision, which is what we are most accustomed to do, let us consider the great things He provides.

2 Peter 1:1-4

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

NIV

Eph 1:3

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

NIV

We also understand with the Apostle Paul:

Phil 4:12-13

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

NIV

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The faithful Shepherd supplies my needs

The title of today's blog comes from a theme I see that God has providentially woven through the choice of the song of worship and the witness that follows it as well as the second to last sentence in this journal entry.

Worship: Make a Way, by Desperation Band

God from God
Light from Light
We believe in one Jesus Christ
Breaking through the darkest of nights to save
You alone can save

Hope from Hope
Strength from Strength
All our sin is dead in the grave
Only one has power enough to save
You alone can save

Where this is no way You make a way
Where no one else can reach us You find us

Jesus, it’s always been You Jesus
It always is You Jesus
It always will be You

https://youtu.be/N7Z34llEY4w

Witness:

I skipped a day. Band of Brothers has started up again and I had no time for journaling. Lord order my steps in such a way that even on Thursdays for the next 10 weeks or so I will find time before I go to be prepared by being in Your word.

I am broke right now. I only have a few dollars in the bank. I had to use a credit card to buy gas. I don’t have money to buy food till next Thursday. However, the Lord is my Shepherd. Don’t believe it’s true? Monday when I had dinner with my mom she gave me eight hamburger patties, a package of Brats, a can of Beets, and some ice cream sandwiches to boot. Yesterday when I came into work I was given a whole 16 in. pizza because it was made incorrectly for the person who ordered it, so instead of throwing it out, my 1A kept it for me. So I am well supplied for food till Wednesday and beyond. Praise God my Shepherd who supplies all my needs, even food, according to His riches in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 4:19)

WORD:

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A Psalm of David.
KJV

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Let us take a look at where He leads and guides. David mentions 4 places: green pastures, still waters (quiet waters), paths of righteousness (right paths), valley of the shadow of death (darkest valley). Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown see these verses as stages of a believer’s growth.

Stage one:

Psalms 23:2

In green pastures … This, in the application to the believer, marks the first stage in his spiritual history-namely, when first he comes heavy laden to Christ, and finds rest to his soul (Matt 11:28-29).

Second Stage:

Psalms 23:2-4

The second stage in the believer's spiritual history, his restoration when out of the way, and his safe guidance through the darkest trails, and through death itself.

Third Stage:

Psalms 23:5-6

The third and crowning stage of the believer's history is the rich spiritual feast provided by God in heaven, of which even now a sweet foretaste is given.

Unger’s Bible Handbook divides the Psalm in two. Verses 1-3 deal with assurance and verses 4-6 deal with comfort. (Unger’s Bible Handbook, by Merrill F. Unger, Moody Press, Chicago, 8^th printing 1975, p. 277.)

These are helpful, but should not be pressed beyond simple guides to understanding the flow of the psalm. After all, does not assurance bring great comfort and comfort great assurance?

And even the new believer may face a dark valley early in their Christian walk.

I believe this is a good place to stop for today. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will begin in the green pastures. A great place to start wouldn’t you agree?

As I close the words “You are faithful” are being sung. How appropriate!

Sunday, March 13, 2016

God will communicate...

I had a good day when I wrote this. Fast forward to today and I am going through a season of testing again. Problems with one of my son-in-laws. He is abusive to my younger daughter. He is has a pot addiction. Yes, pot. He won't give it up. Drinks too much and is not much of a father either. Added to this is my wife, who hasn't said much lately. I could walk away from it all. I could give up. I could say it isn't worth the struggle, but I know whom I have placed my trust in and He will see me through. These times of testing are purifying. Tested by fire, I will prove to be true. I trust in God's promises:

5 The Lord tests and proves the [unyieldingly] righteous, but His soul abhors the wicked and him who loves violence. Ps 11:5 AMP

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:31-39 NIV

September 16, 2015

Worship: Mountain of God by Third Day

"Mountain Of God"

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

Writer(s): Johnny Mac Powell
Copyright: New Spring Publishing Inc.

A-Z Lyrics THIRD DAY Lyrics

https://youtu.be/dgeMHHbFslk

Witness:

What a glorious day it has been, short but sweet. It began not so well, with those old nightmares (daymare in this case!). I’m sleeping and I feel the presence of evil. I even thought the fan make an eerie sound. I try to move and it’s difficult, because I’m half asleep. I try to call out and rebuke the evil presence in Jesus name and with difficulty I am able and the presence flees and I wake up. However, after that I get up and my son Daniel calls. He has found a car. Praise God, an answer to prayer. He didn’t get the loan for school. I wasn’t sure he should. Better to go into school and come out without debt. Finally, I had an opportunity to speak God’s counsel with a brother in the Lord tonight. Originally there was to be another brother with me, however, God needed him somewhere else. Yet, I believe that too was ordained of God so that I could share with him the things God has taught me through the Word and prayer. God will communicate with you if you just will look and listen for Him during the day. We miss so much because we aren’t doing that every day.

WORD:

I have to go to work now but the Lord brought this verse to mind. Praise God my Shepherd, my savior!

Zeph 3:17

17 The Lord your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing."

NIV

Saturday, March 5, 2016

We all stumble

The title for today's blog comes not from my study in the Word, but from the witness portion of my journal.

September 15, 2015

Worship: Joy of The Lord by Rend Collective Experiment

"Joy Of The Lord"

Though the tears may fall my song will rise
My song will rise to You
Though my heart may fail my song will rise
My song will rise to You
While there's breath in my lungs
I will praise you Lord

In the dead of night I’ll lift my eyes
I’ll lift my eyes to You
Though the waters rise I’ll lift my eyes
I’ll lift my eyes to You
While there's hope in this heart
I will praise You Lord

The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
In the darkness I’ll dance
In the shadows I’ll sing
The joy of the Lord is my strength

When I cannot see You with my eyes
Let faith arise to You
When I cannot feel Your hand in mine
Let faith arise to You
God of mercy and love
I will praise You Lord

How You shine with glory Lord of light
I feel alive with You
In Your presence now I come alive
I am alive with You
There is strength when I say
I will praise You Lord

The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
In the darkness I’ll dance
In the shadows I’ll sing
The joy of the Lord is my strength

When sorrow comes my way
You are the shield around me
Always You remain
My courage in the fight

I hear You call my name
Jesus I am coming
Walking on the waves
Reaching for Your light

The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
In the darkness I’ll dance
In the shadows I’ll sing
The joy of the Lord is my strength

A-Z Lyrics REND COLLECTIVE EXPERIMENT Lyrics

https://youtu.be/x3gLeCiMJqI?list=RDx3gLeCiMJqI

Witness:

It’s late and I am not feeling well. I think it is because I am fasting and have a cold and am very tired. Yet it gets my spirit down as well. Yesterday was a high followed today by a low. The Elijah syndrome I call it. If you are not sure what that is go read 1 Kings 18:20 through 19:18. Today I judged a brother who asked us to fast for him on Tuesday. He had sent us a devotional on sacrifice and teamwork a few days ago. Today he confessed that he had come home and ate something. Well I was mad (I was already grumpy). So I got down on my knees and confessed my anger and judgmental attitude. I acknowledge that we all stumble and I want to be forgiven when I stumble. I prayed for him and then got up and went out into the living room. One of my grandsons had eaten some of the popcorn I brought home from the movies yesterday. He had dropped some on the floor so I picked one up and popped it into my mouth (okay the 5 second rule had expired but my floor was clean). I went into the kitchen to take my blood pressure medicine then I went back into the bedroom to fold some sox. Then the Holy Spirit zapped me. What was I chewing? Fasting eh? Judging your brother eh? I laughed and rejoiced in God’s chastisement and repented.

WORD:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Time has slipped by and my weary mind needs to rest for a few minutes before I go to work. I will not leave without sharing what I came across by Warren Wiersbe. He takes the first 3 verses and applies some of the names of God to them.

Psalms 23:1-3

The LORD" is Jehovah God, the covenant making God of Israel. The compound names of Jehovah in the Old Testament reflect the contents of this psalm.

"I shall not want" — Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide" (Gen 22:14)

"still waters" — Jehovah-Shalom, "the Lord our peace" (Judg 6:24)

"restores my soul" — Jehovah-Rophe, "the Lord who heals" (Ex 15:26)

"paths of righteousness" — Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "the Lord our righteousness" (Jer 33:16)

"you are with me" — Jehovah-Shammah, "the Lord is there" (Ezek 48:35)

"presence of my enemies" — "Jehovah-Nissi, "the Lord our banner" (Ex 17:15)

"anoint my head" — Jehovah-M'Kaddesh, "the Lord who sanctifies" (Lev 20:8)

Friday, March 4, 2016

Lord lead and guide us: Part 3

These studies on God's leading and guiding have been helpful to me, even as I review them again. I share them with you and ask for your feedback on them. If anyone reads this between now and Monday, please pray for me as I travel to see and speak with my wife, who I have not seen for over a year. Thank -you my brothers and sisters in Christ!

September 14, 2015:

Worship: The Unmaking by Nichole Nordeman

This is where the walls gave way
This is demolition day
All the debris, and all this dust
What is left of what once was
Sorting through what goes and what should stay

Every stone I laid for You
As if You had asked me to
A monument to Holy things
Empty talk and circling
Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do

What happens now
When all I’ve made is torn down
What happens next
When all of You, is all that’s left

This is the unmaking
The beauty in the breaking
Had to lose myself
To find out who You are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking

The longer and the tighter that we hold
Only makes it harder to let go
But love will not stay locked inside
A steeple or a tower high
Only when we’re broken, are we whole

What happens now
When all I’ve made is torn down

This is the unmaking
The beauty in the breaking
Had to lose myself
To find out who You are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking
This is the unmaking

I’ll gather the same stones where
Everything came crashing down
I’ll build You an altar there
On the same ground

‘Cause what stood before
Was never Yours

Had to lose myself
To find out who You are

https://youtu.be/VQkHD15J7HI - official video

https://youtu.be/P9560Ccwd_E - Nichole explaining the song

Witness:

I can relate to this song. Looking back at my life as a Christian; I see a crooked path of success and failure. I once wrote a piece comparing my life to a rollercoaster. Much of my life has been a failure here and a failure there. Fear and idols mark the way. Distraction after distraction kept me from growing and maturing in the Lord. Perhaps others saw it differently, but that is how I have seen it. However, that is not how I see it now (Oh the old feelings still haunt me from time to time, but the Lord restores my soul and they disappear again). You see, I could say: “Why has it taken so long to get through to me?”;“Why have you chosen such a time as this to reach me?”. Yet, I know the two fold stream of truth that flows through Scripture; of my responsibility and His sovereignty. I see God working in people like Jacob and Moses, where transformation took years to make them into the men God used to form and lead a nation to the promise land. There were years of unmaking and breaking before God could use them, but all in God’s eternal plan and sovereign purpose. The alter built at Bethel by Jacob in Genesis 28:18-22 surely had fallen into ruin when years later he finally returned to Bethel and built a new altar to God (Genesis 35:14). It’s been years, but now God through a series of events in my life that began last year, has begun to demolish my past attempt at building a work dedicated to His glory, which was shamefully a work built more for my glory, if there was any work at all. In the midst of the rubble, He is rebuilding through me a work that I believe will glorify Him, and so I begin my prayer time each day with the petition and desire that He would be glorified in everything I do and say.

Word:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

A little more on God’s guidance; J.I. Packer in his classic masterpiece, Knowing God, devotes a whole chapter to the subject. He begins the chapter with these words:

For many Christians, guidance is a chronic problem. Why? Not because they doubt that divine guidance is a fact, but because they are sure it is. They know that God can guide, and has promised to guide, every Christian believer. Books and friends and public speakers tell them how guidance has worked in the lives of others. Their fear, therefore, is not that no guidance should be available for them, but that they may miss the guidance which God provides through some fault of their own. When they sing:

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land,

I am weak, but Thou art mighty,

Hold me with Thy powerful hand:

Bread of heaven

Feed me now and evermore

—they have no doubt that God is able both to lead and to feed, as they ask. But they remain anxious, because they are not certain of their own receptiveness to the guidance God offers. (from Digital version of: Knowing God, ©1973 by J. I. Packer. Published in the United States of America by Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, with permission from Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London. Text Americanized and completely retypeset in 1993, p 225)

For some, it is a problem of ignorance. They are ignorant of how God guides His flock and they do not look for His presence in their life. For some, they have let something get between them and the Shepherd and cannot see where He is leading. Some are driving a pick-up and have put the guide back in the truck bed with the window shut, and depending on whether they have him by the window or back by the tailgate, is how well they will hear him. However, God takes no backseat, or truck bed for that matter. He wants to ride shotgun, the place of privilege, or He will not come along for the ride. Of course, all analogies break down and by now, some of you are ready to tear them apart. I understand the analogy of a guide on a trip breaks down, because in life the guide directs someone to where they want to go. With God as guide we are to go where He wants to go and in some ways, God is not only the guide but the driver as well.

Enough of these analogies! Some do not follow our Shepherd at all because of another kind of ignorance. Ignorance of who God is is at an all-time premium these days. Theology is out, or just for the “professionals” (Seminary Professor and students, and of course, the pastor or elder). People erect an image of God made in the image of man. Note what Packer says in the same chapter:

Not all, however, have yet come so far. In our day, as we have frequently noted already, knowledge of God has been obscured—turned, in effect, into ignorance of God—by the twisting of our thoughts about God. Thus, the reality of God’s rule, God’s speech, God’s independence, God’s moral goodness, even God’s personality, has been queried not only outside the church but inside it also. This has made it hard for many to believe that divine guidance can exist at all. How can it, if God is not the sort of being who can, or will, give it?—and that is what, in one way or another, all these suggestions imply. (p. 225)

Just two more things and I will move on. First, I cannot caution you more on how one approaches Divine guidance. Many weird things have been done in the name of Divine guidance. Packer says:

Earnest Christians seeking guidance often go wrong, Why is this? Often the reason is that their notion of the nature and method of divine guidance is distorted. They look for a will-o’-the-wisp*; they overlook the guidance that is ready at hand and lay themselves open to all sorts of delusions. Their basic mistake is to think of guidance as essentially inward prompting by the Holy Spirit, apart from the written Word. This idea, which is as old as the false prophets of the Old Testament and as new as the Oxford Group and Moral Rearmament, is a seed-bed in which all forms of fanaticism and folly can grow. (p. 226)

[*A person or thing that is difficult or impossible to find, reach, or catch.]

And later he says:

But the true way to honor the Holy Spirit as our guide is to honor the holy Scriptures through which he guides us. The fundamental guidance which God gives to shape our lives—the instilling, that is, of the basic convictions, attitudes, ideals and value judgments, in terms of which we are to live—is not a matter of inward promptings apart from the Word, but of the pressure on our consciences of the portrayal of God’s character and will in the Word, which the Spirit enlightens us to understand and apply to ourselves. (p. 231)

He warns:

So never expect to be aided to marry an unbeliever, or elope with a married person, as long as 1 Corinthians 7:39 and the seventh commandment stand! The present writer has known divine guidance to be claimed for both courses of action. Inward inclinations were undoubtedly present, but they were quite certainly not from the Spirit of God, for they went against the Word. The Spirit leads within the limits which the Word sets, not beyond them. “He guides me in paths of righteousness” (Ps 23:3)—but not anywhere else. (p. 231)

Finally, Divine guidance is not ultimately about us, nor should it be. Remember, it’s His plan and ultimately it’s to bring glory to Himself, for to do less would be idolatry. He wants to satisfy not gratify and that can only be found when we find our ultimate joy in Him and are satisfied in Him alone. This can only be done when He does all things for His glory. Packer reminds us:

Again, God seeks his glory in our lives, and he is glorified in us only when we obey his will. It follows that, as a means to his own end, he must be ready to teach us his way, so that we may walk in it. Confidence in God’s readiness to teach those who desire to obey underlies all Psalm 119. In Psalm 23:3 David proclaims the reality of God giving guidance for his own glory—“he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (p.226)

I could just continue to quote from J.I. Packer on guidance. Instead, I will recommend that you get the book and read it or download the Digital version on-line. Mine only cost $9.88 to download from CBD. I have the paperback version, but it is easier to copy and paste it than to copy it from the paperback version. Also, review John Pipers article from the previous day. Go to the Desiring God website and search for more articles and sermons on the subject.

From the Celtic Book of Prayer:

Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

May the God of peace and grace and truth be your guide as you begin your day. May he go ahead of you and prepare the way. May he come behind you and protect you. May he surround you and make you aware of his presence. 31 Days of Blessing

by Max Lucado • March 22

https://maxlucado.com/read/topical/31-days-of-blessing/

Acts 17:11

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

2 Peter 1:19

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Spiritual dehydration

Friday, March 18, 2016

Contentment is the child of a grateful heart.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The faithful Shepherd supplies my needs

Sunday, March 13, 2016

God will communicate...

Saturday, March 5, 2016

We all stumble

Friday, March 4, 2016

Lord lead and guide us: Part 3

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