Keep Your Confidence

 ...but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. 

Daniel 2:28 

As you go into chapter 2 of Daniel the message is the same it is God who is in control of all things.  Alastair Begg calls chapter 2 in his book "Keep Your Confidence." See Daniel had long before he was in need of God's help learned who God was. The situation did not overcome the ultimate outcome.

As I pondered chapter 2 I wondered how I can truly believe in a Sovereign God. There is no doubt in me where He is concerned. I truly believe He is in control of all situations, but how do I believe it? Why is my belief in this one characteristic of God so different than others I know?

So last night I pondered. Was it from being raised by Alice? Who instilled in me the phrase, "Where are you going to go but to the Lord?" Is it from the multitude of biographies of strong Christians I've read?

Elizabeth Elliott once wrote, “The Auca story …. Has pointed to one thing: God is God. If he is God, he is worthy of my worship, and my service. I will find rest nowhere but in his will, and that will is infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest nothings of what he is up to. God is the God of human history, and he is at work continuously, mysteriously, accomplishing his eternal purposes in us, through us, for us, and in spite of us. … Cause and effect are in God’s hands. Is it not the part of faith simply to let them rest there? God is God. I dethrone him in my heart if I demand that he act in ways that satisfy my idea of justice. … The one who laid the earth’s foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn. He gives all the light we need for trust and obedience.” (Through Gates of Splendor, pgs. 268-269, 273)

Daniel got it! I've been blessed with that confidence that He is capable of holding it all together. So my pondering led me to this answer - it is a gift. I have been blessed by God!

Friend, in who is your confidence placed? The God of Daniel, strong and mighty, or the God of your own making. 

 A new week ahead of us full of opportunity. I don't know how you feel, but I want to make it count for Him.

We start standardized testing this week, so schedules will be interrupted. Exhaustion will be real. Yet, in the midst of all the hurrying, waiting, and fretting God still speaks.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8

What comfort we have in this verse. First, it might help to know the difference in God's omnipotence and His manifest presence. When I'm looking for answers to specific questions got questions.org is a great resource. 

They state, "God’s omnipresence is His attribute of being everywhere at once. He is omnipresent even when we do not experience His presence; He is here, even if we do not recognize Him. God’s manifest presence is, of course, His presence made manifest—the fact that He is with us is made clear and convincing."

I find great comfort in the fact that God granted me the ability to see Him at work in all things. At the age of 60 I became aware that there are many people who declare themselves Christians, but do not believe He is in control of ALL things. This still flabbergastes me!

The article in got questions.org goes on to say, "We know of God’s manifest presence experientially. The manifest presence of the Spirit may not be visible or aural or able to be sensed physically, but His presence is experienced nonetheless. At the times of His choosing, the Spirit manifests His presence, and our theological knowledge becomes an experiential knowledge. Creedal acquaintance becomes loving familiarity."

I have a busy week. What comfort I find knowing that God's eyes are upon me!

Grace

 Fredrick Buechner once wrote, “Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”

Some days it is easy to wake up and concentrate on the evil around us, to the point we miss the grace of God. 

Yesterday, we had a discussion on which is more important written word or the authors meaning. I said the author's meaning. Think about that a moment!

When I study God's Word I am concerned with the words, but ultimately it is what He means by those words that changes me. Psalm 119:130, "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."

So, when I read the many verses on grace I get the surface meaning, but it is only by repeated study that God allows me to become enlightened on the depth of that meaning. And that too is grace.

I still am unsure how grace works, but I can promise you it does. That in this life in your weakest moment he will give you more than enough grace. What a great God we serve!  

 Alice-isms...I was raised with them.

"Be sure your sins will find you out."

"Treat others the way you want to be treated.

"They haven't hung you on a cross yet, so your good."

"All but by the grace of God goes you."

Alice didn't play. She didn't show fear. She had a "take the bull by the horns attitude." Weakness was never an option. If you grew weary "in your walk" then pray. 

I come from what you'd call a "strong matriarchal family." The women in my family were not weak! My great-grandmother would say, "The man is the head of the house, but the woman is the neck and turns the head." These gals were tough! My grandmother had five sisters and an ex-sister-in-law who was her best friend. My uncle's wife, Aunt Ruby, could hang right with them. 

They were a different family. Tougher than boot-leather, but literally oozed Jesus.

I've gotten to the age I speak Alice! I never has thought I was tough as them, but life has proved otherwise. I look back and I can't help but think how blessed I've been! Yet, at the same time I'm sad I didn't get to share them with my kids, because stories just aren't enough.

Friend, what are you leaving behind?

Children are a gift from God.

 "This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." Jeremiah 31:15

About two years ago I had one of the strangest experiences. As I walked in the building I passed three classrooms, it was before school, and in every classroom ALL the students were looking at their phones. It was weird! However, in that moment the Holy Spirit pierced my soul and laid Jeremiah 31:15 on my heart.

Sadly, it was a feeling I haven't been able to shake. Since that day, numerous things have been on the news regarding school incidents in Georgia. With just this week WSB reported on a 14 year old in Glascock County facing possible felony charges over a picture on his phone taken of another student.

Psalm 127:3 says, "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him."

 Physically, mentally and spiritually caring for our children should be a #1 priority of everyone. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. As this year has progressed I've been saddened by the "scuttlebutt" I hear from students about things going around on their social media accounts. Friend, it is shocking! I'm talking 12, 13 and 14 year old kids!

Recently our church has decided to put on a conference entitled, "Growing God's Gifts."  This conference will deal with the impact social media is having on our children (yes, they are still children).

It amazes me that main-stream media and psychologist all see the ramifications on our youth. Yet, Christian parents are almost confident that their child won't be damaged. 

In an article by Carl Trueman in the Public Discourse he states, "As our dependence on technology reshapes the moral imagination of our culture to see human beings as psychological wills that need not respect material limitations, so the old order that was built upon the vision of human beings as both body and soul will become increasingly implausible. The things that make Christianity stand out from the wider culture—belief in the incarnation, the resurrection, and embodied human nature as a real, universal thing with moral consequences—are antithetical to the terms of membership in the emerging world order."

That is a lot to unpack! If you need help understanding our role in a changing world join us!

Our conference will be April 21-22, 2023 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Covington. 

 Conference Schedule

Friday night: 6pm Dinner; 7pm Samuel D. James

Saturday morning: 9am Coffee & Donuts, 9:30am Angel Shelton

10:30am Panel Discussion

Saturday evening: 7pm D.J. Seals

If you are interested please register online at:

                     https://connectionpointcounseling.org/growing-gods-gift-2023

Or call our church office at 770-787-7493

Right turn, Clyde

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. . . . As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

I can't even begin to tell you how many times in life I've been minding my own business and suddenly God says, "Right turn!" I'm always standing there with my mouth open going - "Why? I'm happy here." 

We, Dan and I, have been extremely blessed that in life God has always dealt with our "plot changes" in a very obvious "This is from me - follow my path" type of way. 

Got questions.org states, "If we try to understand God’s ways from earth looking up, we won’t find many answers. Instead, God left us a clue in the word higher. His ways are not merely different from ours, they are higher. Better. Superior. They exist on a grander scale."

At times stepping out has been scary, but each time I've rested on the belief that He sees far more than me!  

Since it's poetry month and this is one of my favorites, I thought I'd share. Because God has a unique plan for us all and there are going to be days you struggle to see. On those days remember - He sees a perfect plan!

"The Weaver"

My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned

He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.

– Corrie ten Boom

The No Good Very Bad Day

 "Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me." Psalm 139:1

    Still not over what I'm "making" cause yesterday it looked like a mess! I started my day wanting to be mindful of what I was "making." Oh the plans of this woman!

    I immediately locked myself out of my computer. I couldn't for the life of me get in, even after several attempts with a new password.

    My chair hits the ground every time I sat down (Hamby and Cat know how much I hate low chairs). Bless Holly she goes and finds a different one! But now I'm leery every time I move!

    I went to make copies and you guessed it - forgot my copier password. Which is my phone number! Holly said, "I can give you your copier code." I replied, "No." And texted Dan to give me needed info (an hour later).

    By lunch I WANTED to be left alone, but no, three students needed me. I explained I had nothing left to give!

    Then in the middle of 5th period one of my favs gets up in the middle of instruction, and says, "Hey, I need to make arrangements to get these checks to the bank. You don't mind if I text _____?" Which totally disrupts class. Added to a sassy 15 year old who totally disobeyed me!

    Nope, I don't mind at all! I'm thinking this day is going south minute by minute.

    And then I remembered the article!  I reread it. Bloom says, "Does this mean that all of us should be employed full-time by a Christian ministry? [obviously not me] By no means! Rather, it means that all of us should see all of life as a form of full-time Christian ministry, no matter what our profession is. [Lord, here I am wanting to be used and nothing is going right] For the Christian, there is no abiding sacred-secular distinction. All things are God’s (Romans 11:36), and we do all things for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)."

    All things are God's - even computers, copiers, chairs, and budding entrepreneurs who need a bank run!

    And in all the trials a kid who has refused to work for several months picked up a pencil and I found out one boy really likes poetry. Then a girl comes in and says, "I didn't make the cheerleading team, but its OK. I come to school because you're here."

     And then I breathe (through tears) and think - me too! Because in the middle of "making" I remembered - He is making me!

What are you making?

     Today I go back to work after spring break. There is a part of me excited to get there and see my students, and another part that knows I'll be struggling the next six weeks to get any work out of them. So I questioned what am I doing?

    In a 2015 article by Jon Bloom entitled "What Will You Leave Behind?" he quotes Dorothy Sayer, “What we make is more important than what we are, particularly if ‘making’ is our profession.” Bloom goes on to add, "God has bestowed on all humans the incredible privilege of being sub-creators. We all make things all the time. And our making is of great importance to God."

    My "making" - what I do - is important to God! Yes, teaching writing to a bunch of wild middle schoolers matters to God, especially if I make Jesus's priorities mine. "What did Jesus build to last? Only two things: his word (teaching) and his church (transformed, born-again people). That’s all Jesus left in the world when he left the world. He determined no other artifacts were worth preserving." (Bloom)

    Bloom ended his insightful essay with these words, "What you are is of eternal importance. And what you make reveals what you are. So make the priorities of all that you make to serve the priorities of your Maker. Make your making eternally durable (1 Corinthians 3:12–13) by making it serve the advancement of the word and the church."

        So as we wrap up the 4th Quarter, I pray that God will keep me mindful of what I'm "making" and help me not lose sight. And while I may never see accomplishments in this life, may I reap a bountiful harvest in the next.

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace..." 1 Peter 4:10