God's Ear

 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

1 Peter 3:12

Years ago I went to a women's retreat that focused on prayer. I wish I could remember the title, but I'm stumped. However, the principles of prayer do not change.

When we pray we need to include four elements:

Adoration - praising God for who He is

Confession - confessing our sins (and yes, we all sin)

Thanksgiving - praising Him for all He does, will do, and has done

Supplication - petitioning Him for the needs of others and our own needs

May we be men and women of prayer.

Become a Life-long Learner

 Some people, I think, are given a propensity to learning. Yet others must work at it. I fall in the category of life-long learner. I love reading the latest research on reading and studying God's Word, both bring me pleasure.

In the book Habits of Grace the author shares five principles of life-long learning:

1.  Vary your sources and your seasons.

2.  Create space and redeem time.

3.  Mind your mindless moments

4.  Adapt to new media

5.  Embrace the identity of learner

Points 1, 2 and 4 have been something we've practiced all our lives.

For me the hardest thing to do is mind my mindless moments. I can waste valuable time vegging out. However, Dan's been on vacation this week and one thing I notice is we don't turn on the TV. We get up drink coffee and read till around 11am, then he goes and conquers a project. I envision this will be very similar to what retirement looks like for us. (So I think Dan makes me more accountable to not fall into #3)

Both of us have that given propensity to learn. We have never been afraid to challenge our beliefs and grow. Some of the saddest people I know will say, "I know what I believe and that is all I need to know." Giving yourself to learning more about Christ and our Christian walk is needful for growth and maturity. 

So what are you my friend?

What is on Your Heart Map?

 ...that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God. - Colossians 1:6

I'm reading a book called "Habits of Grace" by David Mathis. Today I read that there are 12 Bible verses that we should soak in. One of them being Colossians 1:6.

The author says, "The gospel is the fuel that awakens and energizes the human heart..."

This led me to think of "heart maps". As a writing teacher I understand that heart maps are a visual representation of what is on your mind. Then I questioned what does my spiritual heart have written on it? Can I separate my spiritual and human heart? I think not.

I want to hide in my heart God's Word. I am blessed to have recall of what I read and study. I'm very conscientious of the fact that God brings scripture to mind as needed.

Matthew Henry said, "The gospel is the word of truth, and we may safely venture our souls upon it. And all who hear the word of the gospel, ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, obey it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it."

Is my life reflecting the Gospel in my heart?

Compliment

 This week I've had two compliments that have rocked my world.

One a colleague said, "I don't have you figured out you are a deep mystery."

The other Dan said, "Out of all the writers I read every day you are up there withe the top and always Gospel centered. '

Others Before Me

 Remember the old book "What Would Jesus Do"? A few years ago, we went through the WWJD movement. Well, that passed quickly enough!

I'm finding Romans to be a very convicting book of the Bible in light of the world we live in.

Over a year ago, Romans Chapter 14 really spoke to me when the mask issue came up at church (just insert mask for meat). Those who were anti-maskers felt that their freedom to not wear a mask superseded everything else. At the same time there were those who were appalled that the "no maskers" would stand at the door greeting people and position themselves in "the maskers" pathway. Well God convicted me of what my attitude should be through these verses. 

Masking was no longer the issue. It was an issue of caring for the brethren. Literally, the "mask" was causing brethren to stumble and at that point it was time to apply Romans 14.

Matthew Henry wrote this of these scriptures, "We must deny ourselves in many cases what we may lawfully do, when our doing it may hurt our good name...Righteousness, peace, and joy, are words that mean a great deal. As to God, our great concern is to appear before him justified by Christ's death, sanctified by the Spirit of his grace; for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness. As to our brethren, it is to live in peace, and love, and charity with them; following peace with all men. As to ourselves, it is joy in the Holy Ghost; that spiritual joy wrought by the blessed Spirit in the hearts of believers, which respects God as their reconciled Father, and heaven as their expected home. Regard to Christ in doing our duties, alone can make them acceptable."

Unfortunately, it is common in our self-seeking world to put ourselves, our wants, and our desires ahead of everyone else. Yet, we will lovingly quote 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." But in reality, we are saying I'll love you as long as nothing is required of me.

I realized a mask was a simple thing if it helped my brother feel at ease. Now do I wear one all the time, no. However, I have no issue if I'm going to be around those who feel more at ease when others are masked. I guess I stand amazed that the unsaved have no problem understanding this, but those who "have been bought by a price" struggle.

Friend, my prayer every day is to be more like Jesus. Most days are difficult and I fail miserably, but like Paul, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus."

No Authority, but God

 

Is God Sovereign or not? This a question that every Christian needs to answer. 

It saddens my heart when I hear 11-12-13-14-year-old boys vehemently attack the president of the United States. Why might you ask?  Because if I've answered the question of God's sovereignty then I know that everything comes from Him?

Look at the verses - for there is no authority except from God, and whoever resists the authority resists what God has appointed.

Now if you've read this far you are probably so angry your blood pressure is up! My grandmother used to say, "Be careful what you pray for because you just might get it." Personally, I think sometimes God shows us OUR true hearts through our leaders. 

Now, will I stand up for injustice in our court systems - absolutely. Will I continually vote against abortion rights - absolutely. However, I will do it in a Godly manner.

1 Timothy 2:2-4 tells us what that response should be, "Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth."

Matthew Henry says, " The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent."

Imagine this if you will, what would happen if parents (because those boys aren't parroting what they hear on the news), started setting the example of praying for our leaders in front of those impressionable minds? What if we just fell on our knees and submitted to the fact that God is sovereign and even if things aren't going like we envision, we will trust Him? What if this Sunday churches sang "My faith is built on Jesus's blood and righteousness' and meant it?  

Well, I have no idea if the world would be better. Probably not! But I know this my outlook would be better. 

My friends, join me in praying for our leaders and our country. And that upon His return He who will "judge the quick and the dead" find us faithful.

2022 Word Revisited

 For whatever reason I've struggled with my word this year. Accentuate just didn't fit. It didn't express where I am or where I want to go. So, this morning as I sat down in church the Spirit said, "Redeem." 

Two scriptures came to mind:

Ephesians 5:15-16 - Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Colossians 4:5 - Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time. 

Paul is admonishing Christians to not idly sit by and let the darkness of this world dictate events but rather to make a conscious choice to do good works and let the light of God shine through them.

May 2022 find me "Redeeming the time."

We Should Be Different

 How I get from point A to point B, I'll never know?

This morning I read Jay Ellis 's post, then thought of Francis Schaeffer's, "How Then Should We Live," which lead me to A.W. Tozer and why is doctrine important.

How do we worship that which we do not understand, unless we study?

In his book, "The Knowledge of the Holy", Tozer. in the preface, makes the case for studying doctrine, specifically the Doctrine of God.

"The Doctrine of God is the root of all theology – If our view of God is skewed then our life and doctrine will be also. As Tozer went on to say, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”" (1)

Evelyn Underhill once said, “If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshipped.”

May God continue to bless us with His presence!

Source: https://b153.wordpress.com/.../our-loss-of-the-concept.../

PS. This quote from Tozer really hit with me the problem he saw with the church in the '50's and '60's is full blown now.

“It is called for by a condition which has existed in the Church for some years and is steadily growing worse. I refer to the loss of the concept of majesty from the popular religious mind. The Church has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she has not done deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic.

The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.

With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit. The words, “Be still and know that I am God,” mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshiper in this middle period of the twentieth century.

This loss of the concept of majesty has come just when the forces of religion are making dramatic gains and the churches are more prosperous than at any time within the past several hundred years. But the alarming thing is that our gains are mostly external and our losses wholly internal; and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by internal conditions, it may be that our supposed gains are but losses spread over a wider field.”

A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: HarperCollins, 1961), p. vii.

Welcome 2022 - The Word is Accentuate

 My word for 2022 is Accentuate. As a kid growing up "Accentuate the Positive" was often sang at our home.

Accentuate:

-my faith by focusing more on Bible study

-my relationships by emphasizing their importance (I struggle with letting the chronic pain take over)

-not focusing on the pain and celebrating the positives

Ephesians 4:22-24 says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Negativity is running rampant in our world and the church is no exception. So how do we " to be made new in the attitude of your minds?"

John Piper explained it like this, "The answer is to fill the mind continually with truth about spiritual, eternal, heavenly reality." In other words, accentuate!

Have you picked a word for 2022? I'd love to hear them.