Fix My Thoughts
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
….He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
….from those who do what is right. Psalm 84:11 NLT
(I’m struggling tonight, so thought it best to share a past post. I pray I am back in a proper mindset tomorrow!)
Philippians 4:8-9 (<<click here to read the passage)
Lord, how appropriate this passage is today. Our world is so full of distractions. Sometimes they are innocent enough, but they take time that is designated for other more important things (Facebook!) Sometimes they play on our weaknesses and lure us into things that are detrimental to our relationship with You. Sometimes these things are subtle, a harmless show – then a commercial pops up and that seed is planted in our mind. Sometimes our own minds truck down the path of destruction. A brief thought pricks our mind and we dwell on it, we mull it over…and look at it…examining it from different angles. You send warning flares up and we turn our backs. Before you know it we are up to our necks in trouble. So how do we avoid this oft-repeated scenario? We’re “fixing our thoughts” in the wrong direction.
Through Paul, You tell us in the passage to “fix our thoughts on what is true…admirable.” We are to “think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” What goes in is what’s going to come out. We can’t expect to put garbage in and to get purity out. A nice clean glass of pure water can be ruined with just a pinch of dirt. Help us not to soil our hearts.
Then also we are called to “fix our thoughts on” good stuff but if we don’t put it into action how are we the better for it? Just as sin can flutter thru our mind and if we reject it and don’t act upon it – we’re good. But if we play with it and act on it – we get hurt.
Just as sin impacts us this way Paul’s list can impact us, as well – or not. Good can flutter thru our mind and if we reject it and don’t act upon it – we either hurt ourselves or others by not running with what positive and encouraging things could have come out of our actions.
It is much more, “it” being our fellowship with You and the outcome of that relationship, it is much more than good thoughts. Action is a requirement. Long-term impact in our lives and in the lives of others depends on us acting on Your guidance and direction, as a result of filling our hearts and minds with what “is true and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.” When we “think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” and put those things “into practice” then that’s when You, Lord, “the God of peace will be with [us].” And again it’s a “peace that passes understanding.” Thank You, Lord, for Your love and patience as we learn to follow You.
(June 3rd, 2015, Wed, 7:11 am}
Oct 18th, 2021, Mon, 8:52 pm
Mission Accomplished!
The less green ground area is part of what we cleared.
It was good to be outside for a good part of the day, Father. Thank You for the ability to do so. Thank You for good companionship, as well. I am blessed!
John 17:1-5 (<<click here to read the passage)
We have a decent parcel of land here where we live. We have a little over 5 acres and probably maintain a little over half of it while the other portion is wooded. Most of what we keep up is toward the front of our lot. But there is one area in the middle of our lot that Karen mows once the ground dries from spring rains (parts of our land lie wet a good part of the year.) I call it our glade.
Often looking back from our bedroom window, I will see deer, or possibly turkeys, and I’ve seen a fox, as well! But no one else can really see it, in that there is a line of trees most of the way between our house and the glade.
Anyway, this weekend Massey and I decided to work on cleaning up some of the edges in that over time trees have fallen and wild rose bushes have begun to infringe upon the glade. So, we spent a good part of the afternoon, pruning back trees, picking up limbs, moving fallen trees, and mowing back brush that was creeping in.
In the end, we accomplished the work that we set out to do and it will be much easier for Karen to mow on a regular basis.
As I have shared numerous times that one of my favorite passages of Scripture is Ephesians 1:4,
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. NLT
God does nothing last minute. He is a planner and does so well in advance. Before our world ever existed, His plan was already in place for how we in our eventual rebellion would be reconciled to Him. We are so extremely valuable to Him that His plan involved sending His only begotten Son to live amongst us. In John 17:4 Jesus states,
I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. NLT
He taught us and set a living example being our eyes so that we could be reconciled to God. He was readying Himself to return to heaven, having completed the task set before Him. His ultimate goal was to extend eternal life to His followers. He clearly stated.
And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. v3 NLT
It’s not complicated. All we have to do is to know the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ…not know of them but to know them to the nth degree, giving our whole lives over to God. And that is how we find joy and peace, not just in the here and now, but for all of eternity! Amen!
Oct 17th, 2021, Sun, 7:38 pm
You Lift Me Up
Thank You, Father, for an uplifting time of food and fellowship with pastors from the Gideons of our region tonight. I needed the interaction and was fed both physically and spiritually!
********
Lord Jesus, tonight I am physically and mentally done in. Dividing and transplanting some peonies before and after lunch, and then partaking in the pastor’s appreciation event earlier this evening has left me drained physically. And mentally the events that have transpired throughout this week – work, preparation for services Sunday, writing each evening, the struggle of familial health issues, and then loving a cherished member of our family – have all left me mentally worn out as well.
So, here I sit drained. At this moment, I feel that I have nothing to put out that would be of any benefit to anyone.
Yet, I will place myself at Your feet. I will give myself over to You.
As I sit here this evening, even with the nourishment of fellowship, I feel the need for more. And gracious as You are, You bring to mind a song to lift me up and encourage me.
Here is a familiar hymn – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – sung by one of my favorite Christian artists, Chris Rice. It is simple and rich all at the same time – especially that last verse! May it uplift you as it has uplifted me.
Oct 14th, 2021, Thurs, 9:19 pm
Overcomers
At least from a human perspective, today has turned into a day of tragedy. I know our loved one is now in your arms, but it is still hard to bear. I know too that You grieve with us, Father, help our faith in You to stand firm. Amen.
John 16:33 (<<click here to read the passage)
We have looked at the peace that we find in Jesus, but we need to take a closer look at the end of that last verse.
Our family lost a wonderful man today. He fought valiantly against the ravages of COVID but despite his determined battling, he succumbed to the many-fronted attacks on his body. He was a dedicated husband and father, as well, as a devout follower of Yours in all he said and did. But now Lord, as he is in Your presence, his family is in Your more than capable hands.
He battled but so did his family. They all went through tribulation…and distress…and suffering. They have gone through it all but in many aspects, their journey has just begun. His passing will continue to impact his wife and three boys for the rest of their lives.
It would be easy for them to succumb to the many-fronted attacks on their lives…but I don’t see any of them doing that. Lord Jesus, their faith is placed firmly in You. It will be difficult, and I am sure overwhelming to the point of despair. But as You have commanded us in this passage, despite it all we are called to be courageous.
That is not a trite statement! Because of Your victory, we can be confident! We can be undaunted! And yes, though the loss will never pass this side of eternity, we can find joy in You!
The world is all about taking swings at us. Time and time again we are struck. We are stunned. We are knocked down. We are knocked out. But because we place our faith in You, we are overcomers…because You were one first!
You proclaimed, “I have overcome the world” and we lay claim to that for ourselves as well!
Lord Jesus, this all sounds well and good, but when the rubber meets the road – when we come face to face with the hardest of tribulations – we will surely be tested. May we stand strong. May we be overcomers as we find our strength in You. May we cling to You, for only there do we find our hope! Amen.
Oct 13th, 2021, Wed, 7:59 pm
Little Ones to Him Belong
A single day in your courts
….is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
….than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. Psalm 84:10 NLT
********
We’ve all heard of Warner Brothers, but have you ever heard of the Warner sisters? Susan and Anna were born in the early 1800s in the New York City area. Due to some dire financial circumstances, with their father, they relocated to a ramshackle Revolutionary War-era home Constitution Island on the Hudson, right across from the Military Academy at West Point.
To help their family monetarily they both began writing.
One of their most successful joint projects was a novel titled Say and Seal in which a little boy named Johnny Fox is dying. His Sunday school teacher, John Linden, comforts him by taking him in his arms, rocking him, and making up a little song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”
Sound familiar? I’m pretty sure we all know that one! In actuality, the first stanza is the only one to be included in the hymn – word for word.
Before we move on from the Warner sisters, there is one more thing of a noteworthy nature.
For forty years, Susan and Anna conducted Bible classes for cadets at West Point, and both were buried with full military honors. They are the only civilians buried in the military cemetery at West Point. To this day, their home on Constitution Island is maintained by West Point as a museum to their memory.*
But moving on, the song Jesus Loves Me, a well-known tune writer from the era, William Bradbury read John Linden’s words (the poem itself was written by Anna) and wrote a very simple tune that quickly became known the world over.
Bradbury author of many fine hymn tunes, some of which include– He Leadeth Me, Just As I Am, The Solid Rock, Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, and Sweet Hour of Prayer – has literally impacted thousands over the years. But one we will always remember is the tune to accompany,
Jesus loves me—this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to him belong,—
They are weak, but he is strong.
…a truth, so simple, yet so profound!
*Excerpts from Then Sings My Soul, © Robert J. Morgan, 2010,
published by W Publishing an imprint of Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee
Oct 12th, 2021, Tues, 7:32 pm