Worship for the Weekday
Blessedness
Matthew 5:1-12
1. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 2. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God has certainly been faithful to me in my obedience! Each morning I have been able to share something about which He has enlightened me! Looking back, I realize that I tend to get going in a “theme” for several days in a row! I don’t always realize I’ve done that until I go back to read a few day’s worth of postings! God is so wise and smart and good—he takes care of that without my needing to be “in charge.” (I think there’s a bigger lesson here that I am still learning!) I’ve come to learn and believe that absolutely every word of scripture is divinely inspired from God! I know, you’re saying, “Well, of course it is Mary!” Or you’re saying, “Well, technically, we have no way of knowing that.” I’m saying I believe that God used not only the individuals written about and who wrote the words about themselves and others, and he used those translating and interpreting those words for others. And beyond that, it doesn’t matter if each verse is a literal translation, because what does matter is how the words speak to our hearts—and God has the power to use even improperly translated words to inspire and teach us! OK Off the soap box!
This “Sermon on the Mount” expands upon Psalm 37. I guess you could say it’s the “re-write” of Psalm 37, in light of Jesus Christ! That’s probably sacrilegious! Sorry! My bible notes indicate that blessedness refers to more than “being happy.” It refers to an “ultimate well-being and distinctive spiritual joy of those who share in the salvation of the kingdom of God.” Wow! That is a lot more than “being happy!” That’s the opposite of “fretting”!
These lessons tell us not be spiritually proud—to look down on others who don’t share our beliefs. And mourning here refers to a passionate lament for one who is loved. Meekness doesn’t mean timidity, but rather our attitude before God—God-controlled, humble. Our “reward” for these attitudes and view of life is the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven—not something earned, but given freely to us by our loving, good, gracious God – our father in heaven!
These are tall orders, though! This type of humility and quiet assurance doesn’t come easy to us! At least speaking for myself, I’m all about that righteous indignation I mentioned yesterday! Maybe a better “mantra” would be to re-read the beatitudes daily! I should rather hunger and thirst for righteousness-but with meekness and humility before God. I’m really going to have work on this!
Mercy here refers to empathy—the ability to “be within the other.” I think I possess that quality—but I have a long way to go with how selective I am about showing mercy! The pure in heart are “single-hearted” – with a heart for God alone. Jesus goes on to warn the disciples of what is to come—persecution for their faith and obedience. He assures them, though that they will be rewarded in heaven and enjoy the blessings afforded those who strive for this high moral and ethical standard of living.
It is a very high standard! But Jesus showed us that it was possible. His ability was not because of his divinity—rather the power and strength of his message was in his laying aside his divinity. Becoming a man—just like us—tempted, persecuted, shunned, hungry, sad, lonely—all the things that interfere with our achieving perfection! He laid aside his divinity! As if that weren’t enough—then he died on the cross! He chose that fate. He accepted God’s will. He was obedient unto death. Blessed indeed!
I hope you spend your day contemplating the example Jesus set, and striving to achieve even a small measure of the perfection He exemplified and demonstrated.
Mary
Do Not Fret
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Psalm 37:1-11
1. Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers! 2. For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. 4. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday. 7. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9. For the wicked shall be cut off; but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land. 10. Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look well at his place, he will not be there. 11. But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
Psalm 37 begins with one of my “favorite” words. Fret is to worry and fuss and fume and not “let it go.” Fretting is not like anger—it’s more insidious than that. It sneaks up on us and has the potential to invade our thoughts—and worse our actions. It makes us “snippy” and colors our view of how things should be working in the world. Fretting is the opposite of trusting God.
It’s pretty easy to fret just living in the world these days! There seems to be so much evil, sin, so much prosperity for the corrupt, so much gain for the dishonest, so much success for those who lie and cheat! But David is cautioning us not to fret over all that. He tells us to be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Trust that God has a plan for our good. Our future as God-fearing, good, just, honest, gentle, loving believers is secure—no matter what happens here on earth!
No matter how things may seem, we must believe that God will deal with each of us according to how we live our lives. If we waste our time and energy worrying about what someone else deserves, we potentially lose an opportunity to demonstrate our own righteousness and faith! David is saying, focus on yourself, on what you know to be right and good and true. God will take care of the rest. Look around this world—there’s plenty to do to make things right—and fretting about those who don’t see things as we do, is not the way to do it!
Take delight in the Lord. Trust in Him. Commit your way to Him. Fret not yourself. Don’t let your hard feelings smolder and smoke and for heaven’s sake, stop adding fuel to the fire! Take delight in the Lord. Trust in Him. Commit your way to Him. Maybe if we say those three phrases over and over again, they can become like a mantra for us! Next time we’re irritated, aggravated, righteously indignant—we’ll fret not—we’ll think of all the ways God has blessed us, of all the joy and peace we’ll experience in heaven, we’ll try to imagine eternal life! Make it about how we measure up—and we won’t have the time or energy to worry about anybody else!
I hope you spend your day fretting not, delighting and trusting in the Lord and committing your way to Him.
Mary
From This Time Forth
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Isaiah 59:12-21
12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: 13. transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. 14. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth has fallen in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. 15. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. 16. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intervene; then his own arm brought him victory, and his righteousness upheld him. 17. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in fury as a mantle. 18. According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render requital. 19. So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. 20. "And he will come to Zion as Redeemer, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord. 21. "And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit which is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your children, or out of the mouth of your children's children, says the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore."
Isaiah begins chapter 59 commenting that the sins of the people are not through any fault of God or His lacking. They are of their own doing and now God comes to repay deed for deed—punishment for sin, retribution for arrogance, correction for disobedience. Sounds pretty scary! Isaiah has looked around his world and sees that it is full of corruption and greed. From where he stands, no one even begins to measure up. Everyone has forgotten God’s word and chaos has become the way of life.
But even so, God steps in at just the right time. Yes, there will be justice—righteousness will prevail. And God’s justice will be just as unstoppable as His love. Isaiah warns that the moment of decision is past—his people “missed the boat.” But not to worry, repent, and pay the price of your retribution, and God will make a new covenant with us. He promises an eternal covenant this time. One that cannot be broken—no matter how badly we sin. So straighten up and fly right! Christ is coming!
Repent, fear God, take your punishment, and then rejoice that we have yet again, “one more chance” to be forgiven. Jesus bought us that gift! He paid the price for centuries of sin and rebellion. God looked around the earth time and time again and must have just shaken his head and thought, “How much more can I take?” “Why don’t these creature wise up?!” I’m sure he just couldn’t believe what hard-headed, defiant creatures we became!
Of course that’s silly, he knew exactly what was to come. But still . . . he must have been frustrated! He must still be! We have the benefit of Christ’s life, death and resurrection as our model and guide. And still we sin! Christ is coming again one day, with all the pent up fury and wrath that God displayed when he flooded the world and saved the only righteous man to be found on earth. He will ask us if we displayed the same obedience as Abraham, and the same faith as Joseph and Mary, and the same love as he himself exemplified.
No? Well, we better get to it! Each day we must begin anew. Repent. Beg forgiveness. Set our minds and hearts on what is good and right and true. Then “live like we’re saved!”
I hope you spend your day “living like you’re saved” and rejoicing in the covenant God established through his beloved Son.
Mary
God’s Steadfast Love
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Psalm 66:1-4, 8-20
1. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 2. sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3. Say to God, "How terrible are thy deeds! So great is thy power that thy enemies cringe before thee. 4. All the earth worships thee; they sing praises to thee, sing praises to thy name." [Selah] 8. Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, 9. who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip. 10. For thou, O God, hast tested us; thou hast tried us as silver is tried. 11. Thou didst bring us into the net; thou didst lay affliction on our loins; 12. thou didst let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet thou hast brought us forth to a spacious place. 13. I will come into thy house with burnt offerings; I will pay thee my vows, 14. that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 15. I will offer to thee burnt offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. [Selah] 16. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. 17. I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue. 18. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the voice of my prayer. 20. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
When we’re in a bad situation, we often bargain with God. We make promises to Him about our future behavior, “if only You will . . .” You can finish the plea for yourself. This psalmist addresses two different issues here. The first issue is that God is worthy of our praise. Period. The second is that He sustains us during times of testing and trial.
God will see us through every situation, no matter how difficult. It is so wonderful when we can see His hand even in our hurt and our pain. And praise Him in the midst of our anguish. In the refining process silver is “superheated” to check for any impurities. That could be how the psalmist feels-as if he has been tested by God. But really, any time we spend away from God is our own doing. God is always with us. If we don’t feel His presence, it’s because we’ve moved away from Him. We decide we know best, and decide we can “do it” better our way. That’s what creates the distance—our pride and our stubbornness. But God is also just, and we must always suffer the consequences of our sin. Of course, we have been warned . . .
Okay, so where does that leave us? Part of our commission, our responsibility, is to let others know how good and how strong and how just is our God. We need to declare to everyone who will listen, “I sinned and I was dealt with justly by my God.” Now I am joyful to be back in right relationship with Him, because I feel His presence again, and I know that the next time I’m tried and tempted, I’ll have this situation to remind me that God is both faithful and loving! I may have the fortitude to resist—and, hopefully, I’ll go to God first—before I act or speak inappropriately. And I’ll also feel less hopeless as I struggle through. Because I’ll remember that God got me through the last time, and promises to do it again—every time.
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. That’s really the summary of this psalm! And that’s really a summary of God. His love is steadfast, strong, sure. Never-ending. Without bounds. Amazing. Unimaginable. And after centuries of our always falling short of our end of the bargain, God sent His Son. He changed the deal, so that we would always have “one more chance” to seek His forgiveness.
Let’s not push our luck, and keep asking for that “one more chance!” We need, today, this very instant to praise God for His steadfast love, and make the decision to seek after Christ-likeness. That’s the ideal, that’s the goal, that’s the way we receive eternal life. In the seeking. In the acting, and in the thinking, in the trying. And in the praise of our amazing, incredible, indescribable God!
I hope you spend your day praising God for His steadfast love and striving to become like Christ.
Mary
The Tribe of His Inheritance
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Jeremiah 51:10-19
10. The Lord has brought forth our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. 11. "Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple. 12. Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the Lord has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. 13. O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the thread of your life is cut. 14. The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. 15. "It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. 16. When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 17. Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. 18. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. 19. Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name.
I didn’t really “get it” this morning when I was drawn to this scripture, so I did bit of research on the significance of these verses. There seems to be a contradiction at first glance: A few chapters back we are told how God uses Babylon to defeat another of Israel’s enemies! Now Babylon is the one about to be destroyed! Is God really that fickle? Is it really all for naught? Or is there a bigger plan here that we don’t always see or understand from our earthly, human perspective?
I think that’s the case. In earlier chapters Jeremiah urges his people to submit to Nebuchadnezzar and to pray for the prosperity of Babylon! But now judgment day has arrived! Jeremiah predicts the fall of Babylon and warns the Jewish exiles to flee before the destruction begins. They are destined to return to their own land—against all earthly odds and twists and turns in events—God’s plan ultimately wins out over mans’. Even the mighty army of Babylon, even the powerful king and ruler, could not defeat God!
The Babylonians are about to get what they deserve for worshipping false gods and treating the Jews harshly. Now God is going to treat them as they treated his chosen people. And it’s not going to be pretty! So the Jews must flee, and quickly, to be saved for the awful fate of the Babylonians. On any given day, I hope it’s not
that day that God will use as the basis for
my judgment!
I start out with good intentions—really I do! But inevitably, I fall short – in almost every way – of what and who I would like to be! Maybe not on the scale of the Babylonians, but certainly on some scale! And we all do. It’s so hard! There are so many influences competing for our minds and hearts and souls! And it’s almost impossible to shut them out! But if we expect to be judged kindly, fairly, compassionately, then we must strive to treat others in this crazy, mixed up world the same way. Even the people we don’t really like, or want to be around. Even the grumpy checker at the cash register, the snobby sales clerk at the mall, the homeless man with a sign at the intersection, and our own family.
If we fill our hearts with God’s loving kindness we are more likely to share that with others. If we succumb to the sinful ways of the world, we will return that to others. Good/evil, sin/salvation, love/hate, kindness/cruelty. Prejudice, greed, lust, idolatry, you can fill in the blanks that apply! When man fell from grace in the garden of Eden, we began a never-ending struggle to redeem ourselves! Even with Christ as our guidepost and our savior, we struggle. And we always will. But we do have Christ in our lives. He is not only the example and the guide for how to live our lives—but He is the “ammunition” and the fuel. The weapon against temptation and sin and the fuel for the fire that burns with us – the flame of the Holy Spirit – waiting to be unleashed into a fallen, sin-filled world.
I hope you spend today fanning the flame of good, kindness, love and gentleness; sharing God’s love and spreading the good news of the risen Christ to everyone you meet.
Mary
The Whole Duty of Man
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Ecclesiastes 12
1. Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; 2. before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; 3. in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed, 4. and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; 5. they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; 6. before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7. and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. 9. Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging proverbs with great care. 10. The Preacher sought to find pleasing words, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. 11. The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings which are given by one Shepherd. 12. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
The warning here is to begin today to repent of any sins hanging over our heads. Confess and begin anew to live as we ought to. When our relationship with God is faulty, nothing in our lives seems to work out as it should. We have so many problems and annoyances and we find obstacles everywhere we turn. Only by turning to God – for direction and guidance will our lives be in line with His will for us. Only through study of and reflection upon His word will we understand His will. Only through prayer and support and help from our Christian family will we have the courage to do what is good and right and in keeping with God’s will.
What I gleaned from this scripture this morning is that life is short! Don’t wait to change your ways! Don’t wait to change your daily routine and habits! One day – maybe today – maybe in a thousand years – life on earth as we know it will be over. What will have to show for our lives? What will have to say for ourselves? That’s what this writer is prompting us think about. Examine your life and ask yourself those important questions. Because one day God will want an answer!
The only truth, the only wisdom, the only guide we should seek after and then follow is what is written within the pages of the bible. Everything else—every book, every song, every action is either created out of divine inspiration through the Holy Spirit or it is counter to God’s word. It’s that simple. But that simple, isn’t the same as that easy, is it!? I can know what is good and right and true, and still not act on it – for whatever reason – fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of not measuring up, fear of ridicule and scorn. But I would much prefer to be rejected and scorned here on earth, than I would before God at the gates of heaven!
So each day we must go to God. We must ask Him to impart His wisdom, to afford us His strength and the courage of his Son, who once and for all time showed up what perfection looks like—and what is required to achieve it. We are certainly not expected to die on a cross! But are expected to be willing to if it is necessary to choose between fleeting life on earth and eternal life in heaven.
I hope you spend this day investing in your eternal future, living in fear of God and keeping his commandments.
Mary
Words Sweeter than Honey
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Psalm 119:97-104
97. Oh, how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. 98. Thy commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 99. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100. I understand more than the aged, for I keep thy precepts. 101. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy word. 102. I do not turn aside from thy ordinances, for thou hast taught me. 103. How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
It was hard for me to narrow down the scripture to use this morning. Of course, there are literally hundreds of scripture that lift up praises for God, and all His wonderful ways, but I think these verses capture the humility and quiet, constant devotion God deserves.
My dream is to one day have the luxury of meditating on God’s law all the day! Yes, riches would be wonderful—in fact I may need riches to be able to have that much free time! But more than riches, I long to understand and grasp the full measure of the truths revealed in scripture. I long to be used by God to share His word with others. And in order to do that adequately, I must seek His counsel.
His Word gives us wisdom beyond that of this world. The brilliant, strong and powerful of this world are like newborn little kittens compared to God’s brilliance, strength and power. By opening ourselves to God and what He wants to reveal to us, we access that brilliance, strength and power! Isn’t it amazing? By becoming like “little children” we acquire eternal life! And more than that, we have the ability to survive as Christians in this world. We are able to discern what is good for us, and what harms us – I’m talking here about our souls.
I know it seems melodramatic to say that we shouldn’t watch most of the garbage that’s on tv today! I know people think I’m nuts to say that we should deliberately associate with other Christians and share our struggles and challenges with them so we can be fortified to go out into the world of non-Christians. I know it seems silly to long for one instant at God’s feet in heaven more ardently and longingly than I desire riches, fame, success by the standards of this world.
This humble psalmist hit on the one true and real thing in our lives. God. And His promise to us. And that is all this man desires. To serve God. To understand what service God desires, we must seek His understanding and knowledge. We must shut out the world and quiet our minds. We must seek God at all times. For every decision, for every action, for every thought, for every moment of our very lives. Because our very lives depend upon how obediently and humbly we follow God’s Word.
I hope you are able to spend time today nourished by God’s words, which are sweeter than honey to our mouths.
Mary
Speak the Word of God with Boldness
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Acts 4:23-31
23. When they were released they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25. who by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, `Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? 26. The kings of the earth set themselves in array, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed' -- 27. for truly in this city there were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28. to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place. 29. And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, 30. while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." 31. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
Peter and John have been held and questioned by the authorities and even threatened with imprisonment for “stirring things up” in Jerusalem by testifying about the risen Christ. But they tell the Sanhedrin that they are unable to remain silent—they are too filled with the Holy Spirit and feel too compelled to preach the good news of the resurrection! Even against the treat of punishment, they continue preaching—to the Sanhedrin—and all the high priests of the temple!
The apostles returned to the “upper room” where they had met before, and where their congregation probably continued to meet. Their testimony about their preaching, and the ultimate release was so powerful and exciting, that everyone was overwhelmed! Their release was amazing, and the fact that “all the people” were praising God made it too “risky” for the authorities to imprison the apostles.
What a time to be alive! Dangerous, exciting, full of joy and prayers of gratitude! To have known Christ personally, and to have talked with him in that upper room after the resurrection! How amazing! No wonder they couldn’t contain themselves! And now the apostles and the others gathered praise God for protecting John and Peter. Their release is inspiration to the others to boldly declare the Good News to everyone! And then, to have the room shake! What other confirmation was necessary?
Wouldn’t it be so much easier to be Christians if we had actually met Jesus?! Wouldn’t our testimony be more compelling if we were bold and unafraid of ridicule and scorn for what we believe—and testify to? And yet, 2000 years later, the truth still burns within us! After all this time, the passion and the excitement still overwhelm us! Jesus came to earth, became man, set aside his divinity, hung on a cross, rose from the dead, walked among us 40 days, ascended into heaven and dwells there with God. What else do we need? How can we not speak up!? It is impossible to be silent!
So we need to shut out “the world” for a while each day so we can “hear God” in our lives. Then we need to go into “the world” and share the message of His love and power and grace! It’s impossible to be silent when we’re filled with the power of the Holy Spirit! And we are! We only need to “activate” it! That’s how we testify without concern or care for what the world says—about us or our message! The message is true. We are commanded to spread the word. We cannot help ourselves!
I hope you spend your day testifying to the Risen Christ by how you live and act, by how you think and pray. And that you release the power of the Holy Spirit within you as you go out into the world.
Mary
The Name Which is Above Every Name
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Philippians 2:1-11
1. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2. complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7. but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11. and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I really could have just started with verse 6, as verses 6-11 have absolutely captivated me this morning – actually it began last night! I know I’ve shared these with you before, but I am seeing this scripture in a new light this morning, and I hope you’ll indulge me! The words are so powerful, and Paul is, of course, passionate and ardent in his desire to explain the deep and powerful truth these words convey.
Paul begins this chapter encouraging a “perfect unity.” He urges the Christian Philippians to be of the same mind, in full accord, having the same love, look to the interest of others and consider your own needs last—because that is the example Christ set. It is not possible for man to achieve this perfection, but we are to attempt it, endeavor to instill this truth in each other with whom we are in community, and we are to always look to the example of Christ, lest we begin to think “it’s too much to ask.”
Paul points out that Jesus is fully God and so is worthy of the same status and privileges that inevitably flow from being God. And yet he didn’t forcibly keep the glory he had when he was in heaven with the Father. He gave up that high position and made himself nothing—for us. Christ emptied himself, not of his deity and its prerogatives, but laid aside his glory and high position by submitting to the humiliation of becoming man. Jesus demonstrated perfect servanthood by his absolute submission to God’s will.
He exemplifies humility in his obedience even unto death on a cross. Crucifixion was the most degrading form of execution, reserved for the vilest of criminals. He made himself “nothing” so that we could have everything. And yet the one creature in all existence who most deserved honor, respect, worship and praise, accepted humiliation, torture, shame and physical death so that we could achieve eternal life—with him and his father—in our resurrection bodies!
It is impossible to encompass and explain the magnitude of the sacrifice. To give up all the privileges of heaven! It’s just incomprehensible! Unimaginable! We cannot, with our limited human understanding, ever know what Christ gave up – and gave us. When we get to heaven we’ll be able to look back and fully see and know the truth, but not now. That’s why we must glorify and worship him on bended knee here on earth! That’s why should strive for complete and perfect unity, as much as possible, and at all times. Because Jesus gave up so much more than we could ever imagine! And all he asks in return is our minds, our hearts, our souls, and our lives.
I hope you spend today confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord, counting others better than yourself, and striving for the perfection Christ achieved on the cross.
Mary
Gladden the Soul of Thy Servant
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Psalm 86:1-13
1. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save thy servant who trusts in thee. Thou art my God; 3. be gracious to me, O Lord, for to thee do I cry all the day. 4. Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5. For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee. 6. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication. 7. In the day of my trouble I call on thee, for thou dost answer me. 8. There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like thine. 9. All the nations thou hast made shall come and bow down before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name. 10. For thou art great and doest wondrous things, thou alone art God. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. 12. I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever. 13. For great is thy steadfast love toward me;
Do you think this psalmist anticipates a rough day ahead? Or a difficult assignment, or challenging project? This prayer is almost offered as a self-assurance: reminding himself of all the ways God has helped and supported, directed and lifted him up in the past. I really had no idea where to end up in scripture today! I’m still not sure this is the message God wanted me to hear, but I know it’s one that focuses my heart and mind today as I begin my work week! And that’s always a good thing!
We really do need to deliberately and consciously ask God to enter our lives each day. We must be aware of His presence, and call upon His strength, courage, wisdom and guidance at every step of the way. We also owe Him a great debt—of gratitude and praise—for the countless times He “rescues” us from despair, disappointment, failure and distress. More than that, we celebrate and we thank and honor Him for the joys, successes, accomplishments and victories in our lives!
God is so good to us. He is worthy of our praise. And all He asks in return is that we honor His Word by how we live our lives. It seems like a tall order, but compared to the sacrifice of His Son, and held side-by-side with the events in history – and in our own lives – where He has acted to save and uphold His beloved—it really pales in comparison, doesn’t it? We honor and praise the God who is “abounding in steadfast love to all who call on” Him. We rejoice and glorify the name of the Almighty, Loving, Good and Gracious God who forgives, who instructs, who displays His power and might in nature and in the people and circumstances of our lives.
I am certainly poor and needy. I need a God in whom I can trust. A God who is gracious to me and answers when I call to Him. I rejoice in a God who forgives and saves me. I bow down to a God who alone made the nations and the earth and the sky and you and me. How He must love us, how he dotes on us, to have made us His most prized creations in all the universe! How can we help but glorify His name forever with our whole hearts and our whole minds and our whole souls—and our whole lives?!
I hope you spend this day seeking God’s guidance, listening for His direction, and praising His Holy Name for His steadfast love toward you.
Mary
Sighs Too Deep for Words
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Psalm 96:7-13
7. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! 8. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9. Worship the Lord in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth! 10. Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns! Yea, the world is established, it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity." 11. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12. let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy 13. before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.
Romans 8:20-27
20. for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21. because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; 23. and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. 27. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
I started out in Psalms this morning. After all the driving I’ve done in the last three days—even in the pouring, beating rain and through fog on Afton Mountain, I couldn’t help but think of the psalms and the poetic way they call us to praise and worship God! I love the mountains and the scenery on the trip to Roanoke! The sky seems bigger and the world seems a bit more “open” and the rolling hills and mountains really do proclaim God’s glory! I often stop at one of the scenic overlooks – not this time—too rainy! It just amazes me that God would not only make a landscape so pleasing to look at, but made us with the capacity and ability to enjoy the view! What an awesome God!
Way back in post-exilic times, the psalmists understood the greatness and goodness of God! The people were confident in their covenant God to protect and save them. And somewhere in their souls must have burned the future hope of the Messiah—the true fulfillment of all they believed and heard about. In the recesses of their consciousness, there must have been the hope of a savior they would never meet, or hear about in history, or even be able to imagine! But there must have been the promise of something so wonderful, that psalmists could not help but proclaim their confident hope for the future!
And Romans talks about the fulfillment of that hope! In fact the notes for Psalm 96 directed me to Romans 8! Jesus is the only truth we need! He is who and what those ancient believers longed for and waited for; died for and trusted their future to. They could not help but believe in the God of history; the God of mountains and sky; the God of all creation! All they had to do was look around, not only at the beauty of their world, but at the abundant blessings God bestowed upon them. And to marvel at his faithfulness, and His mercy. To bow down in gratitude for His promise of a future beyond their imagining. To sing and dance and celebrate that they were His chosen, His beloved, his covenant people.
And today, we cannot help but bow down in gratitude for the fulfillment of that promise. And for the new covenant, forged with the blood and tears, flesh and soul of the Son. Now our hoped for future is the promise of eternity in heaven with God—no matter how terribly we have sinned; no matter how far we have veered off course; so matter how full of hate and hurt we have been. When we repent, offer our lives to God and run to him, He welcomes us with the open arms of Jesus on the Cross. It is unimaginable! Each generation has revealed to them a greater, bigger, more amazing truth!
God of wonder, beyond imagining, has filled our hearts with hope! “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” I think that quote is so beautiful. “Sighs too deep for words.” That is when we are acceptable to God – sighs of resignation to our own will and strength – or sighs of relief and gratitude – acknowledging and proclaiming that we are God-breathed.
I hope you spend your day thanking God that He has fulfilled His promise once and for all time in the sacrifice of His Son.
Mary
To Him be Glory For Ever
Romans 11:33-36; 12:1-3
33. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 35. "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen. Rom 12:1. I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3. For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him.
Paul is overcome with adoration for God! He praises Him for all He has done – not only in the world but within Paul himself. In light of the glory and wonder, power and might of God, Paul urges us to be likewise transformed in our faith, in our actions, and in our obedience to God’s complex and awesome plan for our lives.
Out of adoration and awe, Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices – not as dead offerings burned on the altar, but as living, breathing members of a Christian community. We are to demonstrate the transformation of our lives through our obedience to God, by our actions as Christians and by our desire to serve others and put ourselves last. Not that we are worthless, but that our worth is through and from Christ. So in gratitude we change our behavior and our attitude.
We need to be in community – to serve others, but also to be served – and to be kept on the “straight and narrow” path. The world offers so many temptations and exerts so many pressures to conform to its ways, we need help and guidance and support to avoid behavior that is not in keeping with our “new selves.” When we live according to what is good and acceptable to God, we are rewarded beyond anything the world had to offer us!
If we stop to think about all that God has done for us and how faithfully He loves us even when we sin, we really can’t help but testify to His greatness and glory! He is perfection. His wisdom incomprehensible. His knowledge, unsearchable. His mercy, without limit. His love, unending.
I hope you spend your day in spiritual worship – offerering your body as a living sacrifice in praise of God’s love and mercy.
Mary
Rejoice in the Bounty of the Lord
Jeremiah 31:10-14
10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ 11 For the Lord will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. 12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD-- the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. 13 Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. 14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty," declares the LORD.
My Bible Reader’s Companion states that the prophecies in Chapters 30-33 of Jeremiah were given during the last 18 months of the siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah reveals the amazing plan God has for the future of his restored people. Notes in the book of Ruth talk about the meaning of redemption (here in v11). A redeemer was one who avenged the killing of a relative, redeemed a relative sold into slavery, provided an heir for a brother who died, reclaimed/bought back land that poor relative had sold outside the family. Redemption is a big deal!
No wonder the maidens will dance and be glad! No wonder the people will come and shout for joy from the mountaintops! No wonder they will be comforted and satisfied. God will provide for their every need – physical and spiritual. He will redeem them from their sinful ways of the past and set them on the path of His salvation.
Jeremiah promised the people, through revelations given to Him by God, that a savior would come in the future. But He would be worth waiting for and hoping for! He would be the ultimate redemption for all time! And His redemption would be for eternity! So even though times are tough, maybe life isn’t working out the way you thought it would. Maybe you don’t like the way things are going right now. Well, don’t give up!
God already sent the promised redeemer Jeremiah only dreamed of and anticipated with hope! We already have the Risen Christ to comfort and assure us! There is no greater joy, no better gift, no other way to measure success—than by the depth and breadth of our relationship with Jesus Christ. So you don’t have to sing that your deliverer is coming! He has come! He is risen! He waits for you in heaven!
I hope you spend your day looking back to the unspeakable gift of Jesus and forward to the unimaginable future with Him in heaven.
Mary
Banner of Love
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Psalm 63:2-5 NIV
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
Song of Solomon 2:3,4 KJV
I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
I’ve had quite an incredible couple of weeks! God has been very “busy” in Richmond, Virginia during the month of August! Really, though, there have been so many “god-incidences” that I can’t even keep track of them all. I’m just finding tremendous assurance and comfort in them. Because I know that God is intimately involved in my life—and I have really needed His involvement more than usual lately!
I have this habit of feeling responsible for the whole world. And it gets burdensome and wears me out, literally. You would think that with this self-awareness, I would try to head it off at the pass—but too often I’ve already charged right ahead and tried to solve every problem, set every situation right, or just worry and stew at how things might go wrong or probably already have gone wrong. . . I don’t do it all the time, mind you, just when I’m already tired, not feeling well, or already stressed about something – okay, that is really pretty often!
But throughout the past couple of weeks, God has placed certain people in my path, ensured that events took place in a certain order, and revealed truths to me at certain times, that can only be His work, and His will. That is very comforting and satisfying to me. It makes me feel as if I am under His banner of love. I can’t help but glorify Him and declare His glory with every breath!
His love is better than life! The assurance of that love satisfies more than the finest foods or the richest dessert! I am so blessed to feast at the table of His abundant blessings! And even more! He promises us eternal life with Him in heaven! It really doesn’t get any better than that!
I hope you spend your day “under his shadow with great delight,” lifting up your hands and praising him with singing lips.
Mary
Behold, He is Coming
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Malachi 3
1. "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3. he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord. 4. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 5. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 6. "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. 7. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, `How shall we return?' 8. Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, `How are we robbing thee?' In your tithes and offerings. 9. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me; the whole nation of you. 10. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. 11. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. 13. "Your words have been stout against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, `How have we spoken against thee?' 14. You have said, `It is vain to serve God. What is the good of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15. Henceforth we deem the arrogant blessed; evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.'" 16. Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord heeded and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and thought on his name. 17. "They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18. Then once more you shall distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
My bible notes indicate that about 2000 years had passed from Adam to the time when Malachi lived. The people were really, really weary of waiting for the promised savior. They were just worn out from hoping that “today will be the day.” Or that “in my lifetime God will fulfill His promise to His chosen ones.” We are not patient creatures . . . and 2000 years is a long, long time.
God questions why He should even bother sending a Messiah, when the people have, yet again, lost faith. They offer Him less than perfect sacrifices—reverting to mere ritual and rote recitation of prayers. They don’t live rightly – partly because they have come to believe that God is never going to come in judgment of them – after all, it’s been a couple thousand years! Or they’re just plain worn out – tired of being called fools and exhausted from standing up to rulers who persecute them for their faith. Even though God is ever faithful, man is not. So God wants to know why He should even bother!
Things were pretty hopeless. The people were pretty hopeless. The times were hard and man is fickle. God is nowhere to be seen . . . and then He comes to Malachi with a message! Don’t lose hope, my beloved. I am coming to you. I will send the promised one. Hang on just a little bit longer. It will be worth it! You will be satisfied beyond your wildest dreams! I will show you wonders you cannot even imagine! I will be your God and you will be my people. Just hang on a little longer . . .
God is ever faithful. He is with us even when we don’t feel Him. He opens His arms to comfort us even when we feel inconsolable. He saves us even when we are full of sin. He kept His promise to us – by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross. We have the benefit of history. Malachi and his contemporaries had only the promise of what was to come. Even their faltering faith seems stronger than ours when viewed from that perspective, doesn’t it?! They only had a future promise – we live after the promise was fulfilled! What is our excuse?
I hope you spend your day living without excuse, rejoicing in the fulfilled promise of the Risen Christ, and witnessing to the world what God offers to each of us in heaven.
Mary
The Majestic Glory
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2 Peter 1:12-21
12. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder, 14. since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15. And I will see to it that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. 16. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18. we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21. because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Peter wants to be certain that even after his death the recipients of these words remember what he has taught them. His eyewitness to the transfiguration gives him the assurance and certainty he needs to keep on preaching, even though he already knows how he will die—and that it will be soon. In fact, that knowledge compels him to be sure he has done a good job of reinforcing what he has taught so that people will not stray from the truth after he’s gone.
During this time in history many false prophets took advantage of the “myths” and even made up stories to defend their false prophecies. Peter reminds us that if we base our truth in scripture – divinely inspired by God – not “made up” by man, we will not be deceived or misled. While all of us have not had the privilege of witnessing the transfiguration, we are beneficiaries of that experience through the words set down by those who did. We can be sure that the truths revealed in scripture are timeless. The fact that still today we read and study scripture are testament to the power of words divinely inspired and obediently shared.
Even though we know how to live rightly, it’s so easy to get sidetracked. Society, the world, offers so many enticements and temptations to stray from way of life Jesus exemplified! Peter reminds us to stay in the word—stay on the right path—even after he is gone. Remember what he said and believe his testimony. Because his words are not his own but God’s. Wow! God’s word, divinely revealed. Can you imagine seeing the heaven’s open up and God himself validating Christ to the witnesses!? What an unspeakably amazing thing to experience.
And Peter cannot stop sharing that experience! He contends—and shares with us that we have available two sources of truth—the scripture and the divine words of God at the transfiguration. God knows that man needs prompting, encouragement, reassurance. What better way to empower, embolden and inspire those present with Christ? They had hard lives and harder deaths ahead – and they knew it! Yet they chose to preach and spread the Good News—at the certain risk of their lives!
We don’t need to look very hard in scripture for inspirational role models. But we need to search deep within ourselves to apply and act on that inspiration! The world is not a “God-friendly” place! We must fortify ourselves in the Word every day. We must remind ourselves of the truths within the words. And we must remember that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
I hope you spend today meditating upon The Majestic Glory of God, encouraged and emboldened to declare the good news to everyone you meet.
Mary
He Who Calls You is Faithful
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1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
12. But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13. and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14. And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16. Rejoice always, 17. pray constantly, 18. give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19. Do not quench the Spirit, 20. do not despise prophesying, 21. but test everything; hold fast what is good, 22. abstain from every form of evil. 23. May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
These verses come at the end of Thessalonians 1. They are the concluding/summary remarks regarding what to do and how to be prepared when Christ comes at the end of time. Since we don’t know when that will be, we must live every day as if “today is the day.” Paul lays out a very concise summary of what it means to be a Christian and how to live in a world where everyone is not. Admonish the idlers. I don’t think he’s talking about people laying around doing nothing (the modern equivalent of a couch potato?) but rather that he is referring to those who are not using their gifts and graces in service to others. Encouraging the fainthearted and helping the weak addresses helping those who have not fully developed or discovered their spiritual gifts. Encourage them to deploy them, without fear of inadequacy or failure.
Revenge is a wasteful concept. It only hurts the one plotting it! Paul exhorts the Thessalonians not to waste their time and/or energy plotting revenge. Rather we are to figure out how to repay every act with love—whether we received love or ill will is irrelevant. We are to take the higher road and respond to everyone in Christian love. Beyond that, we are to intentionally seek out those whom we have difficulty loving, I think. As disciples, we must witness to them and seek to save their souls. The saved don’t need us to witness to them! They only need encouragement to keep on witnessing!
We are to accept everyone—as they are, where they are. And then we are to help them figure out the next step in their spiritual journey. We are to lift up everyone seeking God’s kingdom and guide those who are not yet saved to the truth. This all sounds exhausting on those days when the biggest challenge is just getting out of the house and going to work!
Do what is right. Discern the truth. Don’t lose hope. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances. Paul really exemplified these three instructions. Even in prison, he was joyful to be in service for Jesus Christ. He rejoiced because he was being used for the purpose for which God made him! He prayed constantly—for strength, courage, and guidance. And God rewarded him with all of those. Because he really believed that He who calls us is faithful.
Maybe it sounds like I’m beating around the bush a little. But I don’t need to share the boring details of today’s anticipated challenges. These verses pretty well sum up what I’ll be facing. And, fortunately, they also offer the way for me to deal with any circumstances life presents. I do rejoice in the Risen Lord! I am thankful for the gift of grace. I pray constantly to remember gratitude, to have the strength to endure, the courage to witness; the faith to persevere.
I hope you spend your day keeping your spirit and soul and body sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because He who calls you is faithful.
Mary
Out of Egypt
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Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: a star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Matthew 2:9-23
9. When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11. and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14. And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, 15. and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. 17. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18. "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more." 19. But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20. "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." 21. And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
Matthew painstakingly calls upon the Old Testament to prove his case that Jesus IS the fulfillment of scripture. He wants there to be no doubt that the events around Jesus’ birth, his life and ultimately his death on the cross parallels what the prophets have foretold.
But for me, Joseph is the “stand-out” here! Surely he knew the scripture—all men of his day did. But I always wondered if he understood his important role in history. He seems to have been a humble man. Probably not well-educated since he was a craftsman. But some things are certain: he trusted God and he obeyed him without question or hesitation.
Joseph risked his own reputation by choosing to marry Mary. And yet he did so because God revealed to him that it was what God wanted. So he did it. Then he left for Egypt with Mary and Jesus. Again, merely a word from God! Then he came back at God’s command! Of course Joseph was divinely chosen for the role he played in the life of Christ. But at any point he had the free will to throw up his hands and tell God, “Nope, this is way more than I bargained for!” He could have chosen to lead a simple, quiet life with a nice Jewish girl in his home town. But he didn’t.
I don’t think Joseph ever got enough “press.” We don’t hear much about him after Jesus is 12 – at the temple. And yet he was one of the bible heroes by my estimation. He must have loved Mary very much and feared and trusted God even more! And what a wonderful father he must have been to Jesus. Surely he modeled for Jesus all the qualities we most admire in Him: love, gentleness, faith, courage, inner strength and obedience to God’s word.
What an incredible role model! And yet so little credit or recognition is given to him! I wonder why. Probably he was a humble man who didn’t like being the center of attention. It’s thought that he was “older” and didn’t live until Jesus began His ministry. But we don’t know. Such a key player in the beginning of Jesus' life – participant in the fulfillment of the scripture! And yet we know little about him.
I think that some of the real heroes often go unnoticed, unrecognized. Their lives go unrecorded. As if they have no significance in the grand scheme of things. And yet the silent, gentle, obedient and faithful servants are the ones who deserve praise and admiration! They say, though, to God goes the glory and praise and honor. I am but His humble servant.
I hope you spend your day humbly serving others, modeling the life Joseph lived and honoring God above all else.
Mary
Nothing You Desire Can Compare
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Proverbs 1:1-7, 3:1-18
1. The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2. That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight, 3. receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; 4. that prudence may be given to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth -- 5. the wise man also may hear and increase in learning, and the man of understanding acquire skill, 6. to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Pro 3:1. My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2. for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you. 3. Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. 5. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. 9. Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; 10. then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. 11. My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12. for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. 13. Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding, 14. for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and its profit better than gold. 15. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.
I had a hard time narrowing down what verses to include this morning! Every verse in Proverbs is just amazing! When I read up on some of the background of “wisdom literature” of the time I discovered some interesting facts. My Bible Reader’s Companion states, “Similar observations are found both in the biblical Book of Proverbs and the sayings found in Egyptian and Mesopotamian wisdom literature.” These parallels reflect “that God has given all human beings moral insight. A knowledge of right and wrong, a sense of what marks just and right behavior, is ingrained in human nature itself, and finds expression in at least some of the moral teachings of every human society.”
That tells me that God dwells within every human being. That his inspired and divine word is communicated to our minds and hearts in some cosmic, mystical way we, as mere man, cannot understand. We teach our children to have good manners, to be kind, to share, to subjugate their own needs for the needs of others. But do we do so with the thought that some day, or actually on many, many days of their lives, they will need to rely upon the collective wisdom of their childhood to live in this world? I don’t think I ever did that on a conscious level as I reared my children. I think it was just that ingrained moral sense of right and wrong that guided me. Of course, it was actually God’s divine wisdom and knowledge that compelled me to teach them what they needed to know, but I didn’t think about that on the 57th time I said “No” for whatever reason to a cranky, strong-willed, single-minded child! Only now do I realize that God was in that all! In a literal, tangible, moment-by-moment way – Guiding, uplifting, supporting and inspiring me far beyond what I could have possibly gleaned on my own!
Maybe I shouldn’t admit that! But it’s so easy to forget all that in the midst of life—not just child-rearing, but working, grocery shopping, going on vacation, anything—everything! God is in the mix. And His words are the words of life! And His words are the wisdom we need to live by. Not the words of society. Not the words of car manufacturers, not the words of politicians, not the words of the media, not the words of anybody, anywhere, just His word! There were many days and many, many sleepless nights when my children were growing up that the wisdom of the Lord is the only way I made it through— God’s Word taught to me by my parents, by my spiritual mentors and role models, by my friends, by my church family, and by living life in the world.
One of my favorite songs is based on verses 14-15. “Lord you are more precious than silver. Lord you are more costly than gold. Lord you are more beautiful than diamonds; and nothing I desire compares to you.” That kind of says it all! Nothing in this world will satisfy. For nothing in this life should we strive beyond a deep, abiding, continual and devoted relationship with God. He is the source of all happiness, honor and peace. And His Son is the reason we live with the assurance that we will join Him in heaven at the end of time.
I hope you spend your day relying upon God’s wisdom and instruction, applying words of insight, putting into practice instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity.
Mary
A Future and A Hope
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Psalm 31:23,24
O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:10-14
10. "For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, 14. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Wow! What reassurance and comfort these verses offer! I had selected Jeremiah, and when I logged on to my computer, the verses from Psalm 31 and Matthew were included in the subscription service I’ve told you about before! I’ve been through a time of faithful waiting lately – well waiting, anyway! I haven’t felt exiled or alone, just like I “couldn’t win” no matter what I did! Last night, though I received a sign from God that these verses are so true, even for us today.
A series of “god-incidences” unfolded last night, and there is no doubt that the events that took place were anything short of God’s divine intervention – for me and for the friend who was with me – she HAS had very rough time, and needed this reassurance that God is with us far more than I did! And she got not only His reassurance, but His comfort and a reminder of His promises!
Sometimes in the waiting we lose hope. Sometimes in looking ahead, we lose sight of today. Sometimes in the remembering the past, we forget to be thankful and grateful for today. These verses reassure us that God was not only in the past laying the groundwork for today, but that He precedes us into the future to prepare a place for us with Him. I can’t think of a more comforting, hopeful assurance!
God loves us and wants what is best for us. But He is as just as He is kind. Sometimes we must wait – to learn to trust Him, to be chastised for doubting in the past(?), to see for ourselves that we are just dust without His divine presence within us. God is intimately, passionately, lovingly and graciously involved in every breath we breathe, in every step we take, in every instant of our lives.
I hope you have a little bounce in your step today, reassured that God is with you, that He loves you, and has planned a future for you full of hope and rejoicing with Him in heaven.
Mary
