Author: admin

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was first inaugurated President of the United States in March of 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, when unemployment was an unprecedented 25%, thousands upon thousands of banks had failed wiping out millions of Americans’ whole life savings and leaving many literally, penniless. It was a time of great instability for our country, folks were scared. It was in his acceptance speech that one of his infamous quotes emerged and is frankly, quite relevant today.

I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our people impel. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.

Although not a theologian, Roosevelt had some major wisdom going on. In his speech he didn’t tick off the list of severe overwhelming challenges our country was facing at the time. He didn’t fearmonger. He didn’t mention how he was going to address all the failures and problems of the country. He just stated what was at the heart of the Country’s turmoil and angst — fear. He then went on to define what fear is and the consequences thereof.

We fear so many things in life today, we’re not unlike those folks of the 30s. Our country is a mess — politically and morally, and evil lurks around every corner. Our lives are a mess — politics, violence, health, jobs, sin situations, frenzied schedules and many days it really does seem like evil will prevail. Many fears we are unable to place a name on (unlike MRI machines and snakes), it’s more of a current, a movement, an unseen wave that seems ever present and when we add that to all of our life’s happenings, fear does cause unjustified terror, fear does absolutely paralyze us, fear does encourage us to run away from our problems in panic instead of running to the solution to our problems. It really does look like we have good grounds for the fear we experience in our lives.

Now, I’m sure many of you out there, just like me are saying you have no fears. I feel pretty fearless most of the time, even rebellious towards fear, but sometimes fear settles in and engulfs me. I’m like a child running scared, eyes closed, hands over my ears. When those moments hit and I’m simply beyond myself, physically and mentally exhausted from the churning fears that eat away, I run screaming to the only place I know to go, my only hope, my only refuge, The Word of the Lord.

Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” Genesis 15:1

Bam! This is what my Bible reads: “Do not be afraid, Beth, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” Wow! That’s exactly what He says to you too! It’s in your Bible, look and see! Does it get any better than that? A hard no, it doesn’t. The God of the Universe, the Creator of All Things, tells me by name, not to be afraid. Now this might be the first time in the Bible he says it, but definitely not the last. God tells us in His Word over 365 times not to be afraid, one for each day of the year, and more than any other command in the Bible. One would think God would mention love, service, repentance, salvation, all majorly important, and actually the character of God, but the most oft repeated directive in the Word is do not be afraid — something that is the exact opposite of who God is.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer… Revelation 2:10

From beginning to end, do not fear. Why so much about fear in the Bible? Because the Lord knew there would be so much to fear here on earth. He knew what the fall would bring about. He knew we would be faced with awful circumstances, with calamity, with horrific things that just go hand-in-hand with living in a fallen world, a godforsook land. He knew the trials, the perils, the fires each of us would walk through , even before time began. And right off the bat, He gave instruction — do not fear.

But how in the world are we to look at our lives, the lives of others, our Country, our World, and not be fearful? ONLY, let me repeat that ONLY, by knowing the God who is able to take away all our fears. Do you know God? Do you believe that Jesus came to save us from our sins by dying on a cross so we wouldn’t have to? Do you believe that He rose three days later to perfect that? Have you repented of those sins that He died for so you wouldn’t have to? Have you accepted the free gift of salvation in Christ? Have you been reborn? Are you a new man?

If you cannot answer all of these questions affirmatively, you will ALWAYS, let me repeat that ALWAYS, live in abject fear, maybe even terror. What kind of life is that? That’s not living. Living only comes when we fear not.

So, that’s nice, you say. I agree, you say. How do you get there, you say. Well, trust me, I’m no expert on it. But here are a couple of things I have learned:

First, we need to realize that when we live in fear, we will have much less of God in our life. Fear overtakes all the space in our minds and our hearts that could be inhabited by Jesus. Do I think more about the things that may or may not happen or are happening around me or do I think more in my day about God? Ouch! That’s the litmus test. Fear will dictate our every move, our every word, our every thought, our every action. It becomes this animal inside of us we choose not to control that imposes its will on every aspect of our life. Fear becomes our God (yes, it does) and truly we allow it to be more powerful in our lives than the God who gave us life (yes, we do).

Second, I cannot force myself not to fear. I cannot be determined enough, willful enough, get it out of my head enough, not to be fearful, I mean look at our world, it’s a scary place. But, I do know the Only One who is powerful enough to take my fears away and I can choose to follow Him rather than feed my fear.

Third, the Only One has given us His Holy Word and in it it speaks to every single thing we go through in life, every single thing we fear in life. We have to use it. Remember, at least 365 verses on fearing not. Dig them out Write them over and over. Pray His promises back to Him.

And fourth, we need to get on our knees, confess our sin of fear and our fear of sin, and cry out to the Only One who can instill in us the desire to be fearless, the comfort, the peace, the balm in Gilead.

And fifth, we need to confess our fears to other believers. It’s freeing to not have to hide our fears from others. Other believers can help us put our fears in perspective, talk us off the ledge, and hold us accountable to choose faith over fear and not feed the monster. Even more important, friends will pray for your courage, your boldness, guide you to scripture, and encourage you to go to the Only One who can handle all your fears and all you fear, Our Precious Lord and Savior, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ! To Him be all glory and power forevermore. Amen.

…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.

Do not be afraid, only believe. Mark 5:36

Are you a distracted pray-er?  I am.  I marvel and envy all at once those who can spend uninterrupted, completely focused time in prayer.  Should I be able to?  Maybe. Can/Do I?  No.  I’m not sure if it’s a can’t or a plain ole don’t. I have found I’m pretty good at the desperation prayers, the dagger prayers.  You too?

So I’m sitting at my desk the other morning doing what I do.  I pull out my prayer list, it’s pretty substantial, there’s a lot to pray about.  I also have these prayer pages that help guide me with specific prayers – salvation, Church prayers, school prayers.  Then I have this little book 31 Days of Praise, that I use the prayers in each day.  Sometimes I want to skip right past the prayer to the study.   Anyway, I’m sitting at my desk with my mind a whirl about the day.  I can’t concentrate.  I feel bad.  As a child of God, shouldn’t I easily be able to lift up prayers to my Jesus? 

Anyway again, I turn off my desk light, maybe that will help, it’s dark outside.  I can see the faded barn light and the moon.  It’s really beautiful today, a sliver on the bottom and a shadow on the top.  So I start praying.  I suddenly remember something I don’t want to forget to do and want to make a quick note so I can really focus on my prayers… Ugh!  Thirty seconds later, I’ve made my note and return to my prayers.  I know what you’re thinking…what’s wrong with her? Me too?  Anyway.  When I look up the moon is gone.  Just gone.  Now, there’s not a cloud in the sky that I can see, it has just disappeared.  Where’d it go?  For just a second I’m thinking what in the world, did it fall from the sky?  One moment of distraction (probably 30 seconds), I take my eyes off the moon for one moment, and it’s gone.  Hmmm. I took my eyes off and it was gone…

I take a breath and it reappears.  Back at it again.  As I was thinking about my complete lack of discipline, I wondered what God thought about my complete lack of discipline.  Does He get the way my mind works?  Does He want more from me?  Does He want me to be more disciplined? Does He want me to put aside the world and spend some focused time with Him?  Does He understand?  Does He want me to spend time with Him even though I don’t quite seem to get it right?  To all, it’s a resounding, YES!!!  Look.

…and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven…

2 Chronicles 7:14

He wants us to pray.  It clearly says if we pray, He will hear.  He wants to spend time with us.  He knows the world’s pull on us.  He knows we will be distracted.  He knows it all.  He’s God! But, what He asks is that we humble ourselves.  That we discipline ourselves to speak with Him.  We don’t need prayer rules, or to get hung up on prayer lists.  If we listed all the prayer concerns we have, we would never get through them.  And what happens when we don’t get through the list?  We feel guilty.  We feel less.  Do you think Moses kept a tablet of prayer concerns?  Do you think Paul went through and listed every single need he knew and ticked it off the papyrus?  What God really wants from us is constant communion.  Constant dialog.  The practice of speaking with Him about everything, all the time.  No special list, no special words, just a humble and willing heart and He gives us the help we need to do that. Look.

In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express. And God, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is; because the Spirit pleads with God on behalf of his people and in accordance with his will.

Romans 8:26-27

Isn’t that a great comfort?  Here’s the interesting thing about these verses.  For years I think I got them all wrong.  I used them as an out.  You know, the Spirit’s got me covered when I’m too undisciplined to humble my heart in prayer.  Or, maybe that I was too weary, too stressed, too broken to pray and that the Holy Spirit would pray in my stead and I got a pass.  When I’m too weary, too stressed, too broken, isn’t that the time I must pray? It’s hard though, isn’t it?  Sometimes we can only offer up His name – Jesus!  That’s prayer.  Sometimes we can only offer up – Help!  That’s prayer.   Where does my help come from?  Sometimes we can’t even form the words in our hearts – Groan!  That’s prayer.  Sometimes we can only raise our face to the sky and Look Up!  That’s prayer.  You see, prayer is the attitude of our hearts, it’s not the words, the process or procedure.

In our Jesus! Help! Groan! Look Up! we are not alone.  As I pray, the Holy Spirit knows the perfect will of God and He speaks to the Father on my behalf.  In my every cry to Jesus, my call for Help, my Groan of brokenness, my Look Up to the hills.  Isn’t that a beautiful picture?  We offer our prayers.  They don’t have to be perfect prayers.  The Holy Spirit is intervening on our behalf.  Not praying in our place, but praying with us.  Not doing it for us so we don’t have to, but doing it with us.  We pray to the Father, and the Holy Spirit petitions the Father. How amazing is that? 

Weak as we are.  Distracted as we are.  Unfocused as we are.  We offer our hearts unto God.  He sent the Holy Spirit to help us, not to replace our prayers, but to help make those distracted, sometimes wordless, sometimes mechanical, dutiful prayers acceptable to God.  Holy Spirit you are welcome here…

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! Thy wings shall my petition bear

To Him whose truth and faithfulness Engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace,

I’ll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Do you ever feel like sometimes all you can do is praise?  That it just bubbles up and overflows, cascading and seeping into every life nook and cranny.  Like, it’s sunny and 75!  You know, that giddy all is right with the world. 

The sun is shining…Praise!  Yes.  The bills are paid…Praise!  Yes.  The car is running…Praise!  Yes.  The kids are safe…Praise!  Yes.  The animals are good…Praise!  Yes.  The job’s good…Praise!  Yes.  The health restored…Praise! Yes.  Life’s good… Praise! Yes.  …Praise ! Yes.  …Praise!  Yes.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee!  How Great Thou Art!

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise Him all creatures here below!

Praise Him above ye heavenly host!

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

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Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart I will praise His holy name.

Praise the Lord, I tell myself; and never forget the good things he does for me.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.

He fills my life with good things.

My youth is renewed like the eagles!

Psalm 103

It’s easy to break out in song and cut the happy rug when all is well, isn’t it?  In those times, it’s hard to believe life has ever been anything but good.  But, what about the Praise…when all is not so well?  Yes?

In the mourning…Praise?  Yes.  In the illness…Praise?  Yes.  In the fear…Praise?  Yes.  In the uncertainty…Praise.  Yes.  In the trials…Praise?  Yes.  In the temptations…Praise?  Yes.  In the death…Praise?  Yes.  In the storm…Praise?  Yes.  In the brokenness…Praise?  Yes. …Praise?  Yes.  …Praise?  Yes.  …Praise? Yes.

When sorrows like sea billows roll.

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I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord;

Let all who are discouraged take heart.

Come, let u tell of the Lord’s greatness;

Let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:-13

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“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Do not be afraid, for I am with you.  I will gather you and your children from east and west and from north and south.  I will bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth.  All who claim me as their God will come, for I have made them for my glory.  It was I who created them.”

Isaiah 43:2-7

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.

Romans 8:18

I can’t think of Praise without thinking of miracles.  Praise always precedes the miracle.  Let’s make today a day of praise, for the miracles of the day!  The miracles of yesterday.  The miracles of today.  The miracles of tomorrow.  His leading.  His carrying.  He is always, in everything, worthy of our Praise!

Praise Him, Praise Him all ye little children.  God is love, God is love.  Thank Him, Thank Him all ye little children.  God is love, God is love. Love him, Love Him, all ye little children. God is love, God is love.

In your quiet time remember that as surely as every snowflake that falls has a perfect design, and no two designs are the same, so within the folds of your being lies a design.  Ask the Father that this divine inner plan of your life may stand forth revealed to you as it should be, unfolding in perfect sequence and perfect order in such a way as to bring the greatest good to the greatest number.

I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Glenn Clark

I’ve talked about this book before.  It just happens to be one of those books that every page turned contains such great wisdom that you want to share that wisdom with those you care so deeply about.

We all learned in science class a little about snowflakes.  Remember, no two flakes are exactly alike?  Each single snowflake is uniquely designed for its journey to the earth’s floor.  Just like us.  The most interesting thing about the snowflake is that it is intricately woven around a tiny speck of dirt, dust or pollen that’s super high in the atmosphere.  Ice crystals wrap around and form around this tiny bit of dirt and it is transformed into this beautifully woven snowflake as it makes its way to earth.  Just like us.

I’ve been chewing on that word “design.”  Design is defined as “a plan or drawing produced to show the look or functions of a building or, garment, or other object before it is ever built or made.”  Design, a plan envisioned before it is made.  Just like us.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16

He saw our unformed substance.  This sounds so scientific, doesn’t it – an unformed substance?  We’re told daily to follow the science, right?  So, let’s do just that.  The Hebrew word for “unformed substance” is golem meaning just that, an unformed substance.  However, it specifically means an embryo.  If we keep following the science, we learn that an embryo is the early stage of development of an animal (us) within the uterus of a mother.  In humans, the term embryo is an unborn child until the end of the seventh week of conception.  It is then called a fetus.  That’s the science.  Even in our unformed state, each day was formed for us.  We weren’t formed and then a plan was made.  We were designed for the plan by God!

For You formed my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are Your works,

and I know this very well.

My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

when I was woven together

in the depths of the earth.

Psalm 139:14-15

God had a plan for each of our lives before we were ever made.  Before we were born every day was recorded in His book.  Read that sentence again, and again, and again.  Just think of the magnitude of that.  That’s how special you are to God, that’s how precious every single embryo is to God.  The God of the Universe designed us, our minds, our bodies, our spirits before the world began, and then He memorialized it by a missive, a letter of instruction, a written order straight from The King. 

Ask the Father that this divine inner plan of your life may stand forth revealed to you as it should be, unfolding in perfect sequence and perfect order in such a way as to bring the greatest good to the greatest number.

As children of the Master Designer, we then must do as Mr. Clark suggested.  We know that the Father designed us with a divine inner plan.  We then must seek the revelation of the Designer’s plan.  The one written down in His book.  The one that will unfold in perfect sequence.  The one that will bring the greatest good to the greatest number.  And what is the greatest good?  To spend eternity with the Divine Designer.  And that’s something we need to get out to the greatest number.

ENDNOTE:  My goals in writing today’s blog were to encourage everyone who reads it to remember that in this willy nilly, crazy world we live in, God designed us with a plan in mind.  We were not haphazardly created, we were not a theory that came into existence, that we were loved so much that the Creator created us before creation.  We were designed with a purpose and a plan, to share God’s wisdom with the world.

But as I studied, another point emerged front and center that I could not dodge. Abortion.  It is not a political issue, it is a God issue.  For believers, the Bible only gives us one way to believe.  It’s deeper than terminating a life, as if we needed more.  When we look at it in the context of the Creator, the Divine Designer and look at the characteristics of who He is, it becomes obvious.  He has a plan for every single unformed substance or He would not have designed, planned and created — He wrote it down in His Book.

We must pray for the revelation of the Designer’s plan that’s written down in the book, for each of our lives. To follow any other plan is man’s way and a willful disregard for our Creator, sin. If we have willfully followed a different path, His grace is sufficient to forgive, to heal, to make us whole again. He loves us and nothing can separate us from His love — nothing.

As I walking the other morning, I noticed how absolutely clear the sky was.  You could see every single star visible by man.  It was that clear. Big dipper and little dipper.  I’m a star gazer, not a star knower.  Not sure of who or what Pleaides or Orion is and to me the Milky Way is a very good candy bar.  As I was looking up in the darkness though I wondered where the North Star was.  I wasn’t even sure where north was, I’m directionally challenged.  Then I thought about the Star of Bethlehem.  You know, the one that went ahead of the wise men and led them to Jesus?

I started thinking that as much as things change, they really do stay the same.  When I looked up at those stars in the sky it dawned on me, those are the same stars that Adam looked at, that Abraham looked at, that King David looked at, that the Disciples looked at.  Those were the thoughts in my mind when I returned to the house and pulled out my devotional to start my day.

…before the daystar knew its place or the planets ran their course,

the interests of the saints were made secure in Christ Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon

And that’s what it said.  Wow, that’s odd!  No, it’s not odd, it’s God!  He ties things together for us and every once in a while our faith is strong enough to recognize it.

The One who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the earth– Yahweh is His name. Amos 5:8

Isn’t that a beautiful verse?  Yahweh is His name.  The One who placed the stars in the sky – Yahweh.  A name too sacred to speak.  Yhwh.  Lord.  God.  As much as things change, they stay the same, He has promised.

“I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi 3:6-7

Amos and Malachi were both speaking to the Israelites regarding repentance, 340 years apart.  The message was the same.  Repent.  You see, people did not change from Adam to Malachi.  People were the same.  Rebellious.  Disobedient.  Sinful.  Savior needing.

Fast forward about 4,000 years (give or take a year or two) from the creation of Adam to the birth of our Savior Jesus, things really hadn’t changed.  Remember what Dr. Luke said?

Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins to God. Luke 1:8

People were the same.  Rebellious.  Disobedient.  Sinful.  Savior needing.

Now fast forward another 2,000 years or so between the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to today.  People are the same.  But, just as people are the same, God is the same.  The same God that pursued the people of Israel is the same God that pursued the woman at the well, and the same God that pursues us today.  He has not changed.  He is the Word.

In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through him,

and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created,

and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:1-5

His message is the same as it was in the very beginning.  Even before He put the daystar in place, it was all buttoned up.  The Word, Jesus Christ, is the Light that shines in our darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.  The Word is the same from beginning to end!

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

Before creation, the interests of the saints (that includes you and me), our eternal lives were made secure in Christ Jesus.  His Message is relevant yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Why?  Because people are the same as they were yesterday, as they are today, and as they will be tomorrow.  Rebellious.  Disobedient.  Sinful.  Savior needing.  The truth is that God is unchanging – Amen!  His plan before time began was to rescue people who needed rescuing, from Adam to Beth, to you, and beyond.

Our garden has just about run its course for the year. The tomatoes are dwindling, the peppers are coming along slower, and the cucumbers are all but done. We reaped a bounty this year. We’ve preserved multiple turns of pickles, and a turn or two of tomatoes. Peaches will be next. I was reminded of this blog from several years ago in which I explored the preservation process:

It’s that time of year, again.  I feel like I say that often.  Maybe because the years roll round, faster and faster, and it’s always – that time of year, again.  Well, this time of year I’m talking about is preserving time.  You know, plant it, grow it, pluck it, preserve it, all in preparation for the winter months to come.  Preserving is not such a thing anymore.  We usually rely on Del Monte, Green Giant, or more and more the store brands of those to plant it, grow it, pluck it and preserve it for us.  Then, they happily sell it and we buy it at a high price.

In the past we have preserved things by freezing them, but this year we tried canning.  Tomatoes first, and recently peaches.  The peaches are fantastic this year and we thought wouldn’t it be great to have that yummy, fresh, goodness to remind us in winter that spring will come?  The canning process is a little time consuming, and a good bit messy, but so worth it.

We first prepared the fruit by dropping the peach in a pot of boiling water for one minute. It’s called blanching.  Pull it out and place it in an ice water bath.  This is done so that you can easily remove the skin.  You need to get past the tough outer peal and the messy fuzz to get to the goodness.  After blanching the skin slides right off and you can see the yellow beautiful flesh of the peach.  After removing the skin, we removed the pit that old timers called the stone. Interestingly enough we found an almond in the pit of our peach. Well, not actually an almond, but a nut that looks exactly like an almond, skin and all.  I was amazed.  After a little research I found that edible almonds really do come from almond trees and that this little nut was not really an almond, it just looked like one.  In fact, this little nut contains a low dose of cyanide.  Yep, the stuff that kills.

Getting rid of the fuzz, the skin, the pit, and the nut of a peach leaves you with the super juicy, yummy fruit of the peach.  Much like us, right?

You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 (Amplified Bible)

Well nobody’s perfect except Jesus.  But, isn’t Matthew telling us here that’s what we’re working toward?  We are to be like our Heavenly Father, right?  We know that none of us are perfect, no not one, but that does not mean we’re not to be moving in that direction, the sanctification direction.  Sanctification is just a big word for becoming more holy, more like Jesus.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.  Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.

Philippians 3:12-16

Sanctification is a process, just like preserving.  We must blanche, defuzz, toss the pit, and be wary of the poison.  How do we do that?

Make it your practice, each of you, to review your character – take it in relation to life, to your dear ones, your household, friends, acquaintances, your country, your work.

See where I, in the same relation or circumstances or situation, should act differently.  Plan how best such and such a fault can be eradicated, or such and such sin, mistake, or omission, be avoided.

A weekly review at least you must have.

God Calling, by Two Listeners

You see, it’s always that time of year for preserving.  It’s time consuming and messy, but working toward perfection is our preservation.  After honestly examining our lives, thoughts, motives, actions, it sometimes feels like we’ve been blanched and quartered, doesn’t it?  But, if we are not taking stock of our lives regularly, and we’re just drifting through, Sunday-to-Sunday, we’re not striving for perfection.  If we are not spending daily time with the Lord, seeking his ways and acknowledging Him, our paths will not be clear.  If we’re relying on others to do the preserving for us, we’re going to pay a high price.

Field Trip Day – Let me start off with a sincere apology for the cinematography below. If you’re prone to motion sickness, I suggest you take a Dramamine now, otherwise, go ahead and click start.

Grace – charis – the friendly disposition from which kindly acts proceed, unmerited favor, undeserved reprieve, something we don’t deserve, free gift, a manifestation of favor, charity, pardon, forgiveness.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace

Freely bestowed on all who believe

All who are longing to see His face

Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

We all want deliverance from something, don’t we?  We’re always seeking to get out from under something, aren’t we?  Needing deliverance started way back in Genesis.  Remember Adam and Eve and their date night in the Garden?  They pulled up to the table and ordered the knowledge of good and evil platter.  From that day forward, we’ve needed deliverance.  Deliverance from our own sin or from the collateral damage of the sin of those around us. 

The Israelites are a prime example of both.  We know their story well.  We live their story well.  Disobedience (ours or others), consequence, redemption, deliverance.  Over and over.  We’ve talked about this before.  But, what do we do when we experience consequence?  What do we do when we’re redeemed?  What do we do when we are delivered? Do we just bebop along like nothing ever happened?  Do we expect deliverance, assume deliverance, appreciate deliverance, praise deliverance?  Praise the Deliverer?

Exodus 13-14 tells us of a particular deliverance.  Specifically, Exodus 14:29:

The people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides.  This was how the Lord rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day…When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord and put their faith in him and his servant Moses.

After this deliverance, what did they do?  They sang!  They struck up the band and sang praises to the God of deliverance. 

            I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;

Moses’ Psalm (song), in Exodus 15:1-21, is the very first song recorded in the Bible.  It obviously hit number one on the scroll weekly countdown as it was probably the only song of the day.  Isn’t it interesting that the number one song of that day was a love song?  A love song to God.  We hear all kinds of love songs on the radio today.  Mostly of the heartache and brokenness that is experienced in a relationship.  Moses’ song is a very different love song.  This is not a love song of heartbreak or loss. This was a love song of hope! 

Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?

Who can ever praise him half enough?

Psalm 106:2

Do we sing to Him?  We see God’s mighty power and we are delivered daily from our Enemy – God daily parts the waters for us to walk through at home, at church, at work, at life — isn’t that a reason to sing?  Sing for job offers.  Sing for shelter.  Sing for paychecks.  Sing for health.   Sing for healing.  Sing for life.  Sing for death.  Sing for rebirth.  Sing for friendship.  Sing for family.  Sing for protection.  Sing for hope.  Sing for deliverance.  Sing for the cross.  Sing for victory.  Sing for mercy.  Sing for joy.  Sing for love.  Sing for deliverance.  Sing for God!

Who else among the gods is like you, O Lord?

Who is glorious in holiness like you –

So awesome in splendor,

Performing such wonders?

Exodus 15:11

Revelation 4 says that the elders fell down, laid their crowns before the throne, and worshiped the one who lives forever and ever because He is worthy.  They sing!

You are worthy, O Lord our God,

To receive glory and honor and power,

For you created everything,

and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.

Revelations 4:11

Just as the Israelites sang for God’s deliverance and mighty power and just as we read the elders in Revelation sing simply because He is worthy, we should do the same.

I love how Ruth Myers put it:

Praise can play a highly significant role in moving the hand of God in your life, bringing not only deliverance but also enrichment for you and glory to His name.

So, today, let’s turn off the radio and sing Alleluia to the Lord, He is worthy! Let’s turn off the TV and sing praises to His Name!  Let’s put down our phones and our books, and pick up The Book and praise His Holy Name! Our Deliverer has come!

Does anyone else get deeply disturbed?  Like way down deep?  I mean in a rip your heart out, I just don’t know what to do about it, kind of way?  Maybe about something in your own life?  Maybe something happening to someone else?  Deeply disturbed by something you see, you hear, or read?  Maybe something in your town, your State, your Country, your World?

I rarely take things off the farm, but today is the day.

I think these days we are all coming across things that are deeply disturbing and we either feel helpless, hopeless, or we simply just don’t care enough.  All three are tough spots.  Helplessness leaves us throwing our hands up in exasperation and taking no action for change.  Hopelessness has us wringing our hands and rendering us incapacitated due to our woeing.  And we flash our talk to the hand when we’re apathetic and indifferent.  I’m embarrassed to say, I’ve been in all three places.

Right now, I’m deeply disturbed, and I refuse to have any of those three attitudes today.  You see my disturbance is from something I read in the news.  Now, let me be straight up, today’s news is not news.  We have become like every other country in that the “news” is manipulated, gyrated around, spun and handed to us on a stick, just like cotton candy.  You know how yummy that is at the fair.  So big, so beautiful, it draws you in.  You buy it, you eat it, and then you feel gross. That’s what the news does for me.  So enticing, so clickable — I take the bait, interesting while I’m ingesting it and then wait, what?!?!?!?  When the sugar wears off, when I stop and think for a minute, I see that mostly what I just ingested was just a lot of someone else’s opinion, with very little truth and substance whipped with a lot of hot air.  You may not feel that same way.  I’m not pointing to anyone else but me.

News is important to us.  Opinion should not be.  Therefore, we need to be responsible adults and vet what we hear.  We need to use multiple sources to verify, check for accuracy.  So, what I’m about to say, I checked and evaluated.  You need to do the same.

Planned Parenthood of Great Rivers of St. Louis previously posted on their website:

“Here we come Chicago!  Our mobile health clinic will be in the West Loop with @ChiAbortionFund & @TheWienerCircle Aug 19-20, providing FREE vasectomies & medication abortion, EC [Emergency contraception] will also be available for free without an appointment,”

They also posted:

Thank you for your interest in getting care with Planned Parenthood’s mobile health clinic.  Currently, all free vasectomy and medication abortion appointments are filled.

Deeply Disturbed!  Deeply Disgusted! Actually, Deep Anguish!

Although not specifically sponsored by the DNC as reported by conservative outlets, Planned Parenthood has staked its claim to that party and mobilized near their convention site.

After this lengthy introduction, you are probably saying I’m on the wrong website, I should be on bethlemaster.com – Practicing the Presence of God, and hearing an encouraging message that will build me up, make me smile, and help me to bebop through your day.  First of all, you’re on the right website.  Second, I pray you will be encouraged.

Let me be absolutely clear here – I am in no way disparaging anyone who has been deceived and chosen the path of abortion, we’ve all been deceived.  I offer unconditional love, support, encouragement and prayers.  In fact, you may contact me if you need any of those things.  You can check me out, I’m not just espousing support, I’m committed to showing it, even in my imperfect way.  As you read on, I want you to understand that I don’t judge or condemn anyone, that’s definitely not my place.  We all carry baggage, just different stuff in it.  There is only one judge and I’ll be standing in front of Him too! 

While I stand in despair over the state of our Country, crying out for help to the only one who can help us, He reminds me of exactly who He is, exactly who I serve…

I serve a God who is Sovereign, in complete control.

I serve a Great God.

I serve a God who is all-powerful.

I serve a God who doesn’t play politics – He came to serve people.

I serve a God of compassion.

I serve a God made who us with a brain and expects us to use it.

I serve a God of forgiveness.  He forgives and He forgets.

I serve a God who refuses to shame us.

I serve a God who’s only goal is to love us, and us to love Him.

I serve a God who demands obedience.  What parent doesn’t?  It’s for our protection.

I serve a God who heals.

I serve a God who values children, those wanted and unwanted.

I serve a God who is ever-present.

I serve a God who can mend a broken heart.

I serve a God who expects us to pray for our enemies.

I serve a God who is merciful and grace-filled.

I serve a God who sent His only child to this earth to die for me – to save me – because I can’t save myself.

I serve a God who cares passionately for the least and the lost.

I serve a God who is able to do more than I think or can even imagine.

I serve a God who can part a sea and allow my escape.

I serve a God who expects me to mirror Him in this world.

I serve a God who is Truth.

As I see all the happenings, from abortions, to displays of inflatable IUDs (never thought I’d say that on my website), to anti-Israel protests, to police clashes, to screaming, yelling, anti-this-anti-that, pro-this-pro-that, terror, people hurting people, rioting, wearing girl parts on their heads, humorously dressing as an abortion pill, gender confusion, homelessness, addiction, the fractures of our society go on and on, I’m comforted to know that I serve a Sovereign God, who is in control of all things because we obviously are not.  And if that is who I serve, I must stand against all things He stands against.  I must stand against all things that disrespect Him.  I must go against all things that fly in the face of exactly who He is, in exactly all the ways He would do it.

As I process the deep disturbance in my mind and the deep agony I feel, I am reminded that I serve God, not man.  I need to take my despair over what’s happening in my Country to Him.  I cannot fix the looming problems of our Country but He can and I pray that He will – from the top down.

I’m just not sure why we can’t see just how much we need Him.  I’m just not sure why we aren’t running to Him.  It was what our forefathers did and what they expected us to do.  I’m not pointing fingers to one party or another – there’s certainly enough blame to go around.  The DNC mentions “God” once in their platform and the RNC mentions “God” 100% more –twice!  Read them. It’s time we call our Nation, our people(us), back to the starting point.  We need to call our politicians (we put them in power) back to the beginning of all of creation – in the beginning was God.

So, as much as I want to go rogue and shout back at the degeneration of our values, our morals, our God, I’m also reminded that I am His image-bearer. My handling of my deep disturbance must be honorable because I serve an Honorable God. I will speak and act when He tells me to, with words that He tells me to, in the way He tells me to. And when it looks like wickedness and sin and evil will prevail and overtake us, I will remind myself of the God I serve, and I will stand on His promises. 

Be silent, and know that I am God!

I will be honored by every nation.

I will be honored throughout the world.

The Lord Almighty is here among us;

The God of Israel is our fortress.

Psalm 47:10-11

My dear friend Penny Cave has such an appetite for the Word of God. In turn, she notices how God speaks to her in unique ways. One of which we all probably have and rarely take notice of. I’ve asked Penny to share with you today and I know you will be encouraged by her message in The Voice of God:

One of my favorite sounds to hear on a warm summer evening is that of my wind chimes that hang off the eaves of the roof on my back porch.  I could sit for hours just listening and daydreaming to the soft, gentle tinkling of the tubes as they brush against the clapper.  My wind chimes are metal, and they make a sort of “tinny” bell-like sound when the wind blows.  There’s really no rhyme or reason to the melody they play, but for some strange reason hearing them brings me comfort and peace.

Wind chimes can produce a variety of sounds.  Sometimes they make soft tinkling sounds like I just described.  This is my favorite.  It’s soothing to the soul and results from just the slightest of breezes.  Sometimes, though, when there is a strong wind – perhaps a storm is coming – they make a strong clashing sound, a clattering, ear-piercing sound beckoning me to take cover from the storm.  Still, at other times, it’s sort of in between the tinkling and the clanging, sounding more like a dinner bell calling out – “Time to eat!”  But no matter the type of tintinnabulation, the chimes speak to me.

The history of the wind chimes is very long and dates back thousands of years.  Archaeologists have found the remains of wind chimes made from bone, wood, bamboo, and shells in part of Southeast Asia that date back to around 3,000 B.C.   Still others have dated back to circa 5,000 B.C.  Amazing!  These delicate instruments had several uses.  The Chinese believed the sound of bells or chimes would ward off evil spirits.  They would often hang wind chimes around pagodas and shrines to keep evil away.  Another important use for them was for sending out warning signals in the case of dangerous typhoons and tsunamis heading straight for land. In Indonesia, wind chimes took on a more practical approach and used them to scare birds away from their crops.  Many cultures believed wind chimes could also express emotions and could establish an atmosphere of peace and harmony.  Eventually, wind chimes spread to other regions and into other cultures.  From China to Japan to the Western World, wind chimes have evolved in design and purpose.

Wind chimes are often associated with many types of religions and spiritual influences.  While they are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, there are references to similar musical instruments.  Bells and harps, cymbals and trumpets, the lyre and the pipe – these are just a few of which the Bible speaks.  These instruments were used in many ways – for praise, for temple worship, and for battle.  King David often found joy and comfort in song and expressed his heart and soul to the Lord through music. 

“I will sing a new song, O God;

upon a ten-stringed harp

I will play to you.”

Psalm 144: 9

Anyone who knows me knows that music has always been a big part of my life.  Thanks to my mother, I grew up in a house filled with music. As a paid church musician for more than thirty years, I have had the opportunity to experience the joy and comfort similar to King David.  So often, I could hear the voice of Jesus in song.  Music would many times speak to me as if God Himself were talking.  The music I made was instrumental in nature, but the words came from God.  My wind chimes speak to me in the same way.  When I hear their sound, no matter if they are tinkling or clanging, I can hear the voice of God.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

“Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, O weary one

Lay down your head upon My breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was

So weary, worn, and sad.

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad.

“He has made me glad.”  That is what I am filled with, the gladness from God, when I hear the music from my wind chimes because He speaks to me through them.

Wind chimes are powered by the wind, and the wind is often used as a metaphor for communication between God and Man.  The Bible shares many scriptures that prove this to us. One scripture passage is from the book of Genesis 3: 8 – 9:

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as

He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the

LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man,

“Where are you?”

What did God sound like as He walked in the garden?  Could you hear His voice as He called out to the man? Was it the sound of the wind?  Was it a soft breeze? 

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me.

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling, O sinner, come home.

In the Bible, wind often symbolizes the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came down from Heaven on the Day of Pentecost, it was in the form of a mighty, rushing wind.  Perhaps it was like the sound of the wind chimes in strong winds letting us know that something unusual was approaching.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind,

And it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Acts 2: 2

God speaks through the wind.  There’s a passage in 1 Kings 19 where Elijah hears God’s voice, but he hears it after experiencing several strong winds.  It’s almost as if he had to wait for the clamor to pass before he could hear God speak.

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”

And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains

And broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind;

And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;

And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire;

And after the fire a still small voice.

So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out

And stood in the entrance to the cave.

God spoke through a whisper – a soft, gentle breeze. 

The Bible suggests that God speaks to us in many ways.  Sometimes it’s through grand physical phenomena and sometimes through a still small voice.  God speaks to us in a variety of ways.  He speaks to me in a variety of ways but especially through my wind chimes. 

How does He speak to you?  Is it in a gentle breeze?  Is it in a mighty rushing wind? 

Listen closely, and you will hear the voice of God speaking to you.