Shared Blessings
Weariness abounds but even in the midst of it, as the old hymn declares, “He abides”! Father, I plead that I will be greatly aware of Your abiding presence with me! Amen!
Romans 11:11-12 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that weighs heavily on my heart is that so-called followers of Christ place themselves above others. In today’s culture believers seem to be so full of themselves that they degrade, berate, and hold themselves to be superior to those who don’t believe. Where is the love? Where is the mercy and grace?
May we learn to humbly submit ourselves to the example of Christ Himself.
The passage of Scripture that we read today in our services was from Philippians 2:1-13. Here is a portion of it.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. v3-13 NIV
Where does our pride come from? Not from Christ, I can tell you that much…
As one example, and there are many, Paul points out that Israel stumbled and fell, but like all of us, they are not beyond redemption. One reason God extended salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jews) was to show them what they missed out on, creating a yearning within them to claim it as their own.
Verse 12 causes me to stand back and wonder just what God has in mind!
Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it. NLT
Lord Jesus may that day quickly come! What blessings will we share in?!
July 23rd, 2023, Sun, 8:47 pm
Leave Me Alone!
A storm is brewing to our west, Father. We welcome the rain and what Your creation will bring. We ask that You keep us safe in Your mighty hands. Amen.
Romans 11:1-10 (<<click here to read the passage)
Until a few months ago, I had given up using my phone when I went to bed. I’d plug it in and that was that. But then I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, my phone was what ended up helping me to normalize my breathing in order to go to sleep. (It helps to be “distracted” enough that your inhaling and exhaling even out.)
One of the things I do while lying in bed is play games on my phone. During the school year one thing that does not occur is having someone go to bed with me. Because I get up very early, I go to bed early – 9:00. Karen usually stays up until around 10:00 – I guess initially I’m “noisy” getting everything to even out breathing-wise, so the extra time ensures I’m quiet when she gets there.
Well now that we are not in school, we go to bed at about the same time. She’s a tease and likes to touch my arm or my shoulder. (She’s actually trying to get me to put away my phone because it “blinds” her.) I shouldn’t respond the way I do, but I most often tell her not to bother me. I might even say, “Leave me alone!”
The Apostle Paul, in today’s passage, is answering the question has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? v1 He gives an emphatic, “No!”, but goes on to say that a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
They were faithful, but it was through God’s kindness…not by their good works that God’s grace was extended to them—free and undeserved. vs5-6 NLT
So, does this apply to us? Yes, it does.
My Life Application Study Bible notes state that, “the hearts of the rest were hardened” v7 – those who did not remain faithful – and the hardening of their hearts was God’s punishment for their sin. It was a confirmation of their own stubbornness. In judging them, God removed their ability to see and hear and to turn from sin; thus, they would experience the consequences of their rebellion. Resisting God is like saying to him “Leave me alone!”
Though we may not think it is so, the statement – “Leave me alone!” is, in essence, a prayer, and because God is always and everywhere present, his answer to that prayer might be to agree and make that person [us] less sensitive, more hardened to him. The very possibility of that happening ought to keep us asking God specifically for ears that really hear and eyes that really see openness and responsiveness to him.
May that be our prayer to avoid hardness of heart – God, may we have ears that really hear and eyes that really see openness and responsiveness to You. Amen.
July 20th, 2023, Thurs, 7:00 pm
Flashlight Tag!
It has been a day full of many things, the mundane, the planned, and the unexpected – some more trying than others. Help us, Father, to work our way through them all, following after Your will and wisdom. Amen.
Romans 10:16-21 (<<click here to read the passage)
In Middle School, my dad pastored in Mason, Ohio. We lived at the head of Jefferson Drive and our home stood on a double lot, I think. There were a lot of kids in our neighborhood and our place was the designated spot for flashlight tag!
Play would begin after dark and the old willow in the far corner was our base. We would all start there and the person that was it would count to 100 and then slip out in pursuit of the others. The object was to get back to base without being caught in the beam of the flashlight.
I was often “it” and loved it – I’m pretty sure they loved me being “it” because I was very good at my job and could creep up on them without them even knowing I was there! We had such a good time!
This fun memory came to mind as I read through today’s passage. Verse 20, in particular, triggered my recollection.
“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” NIV
In our childhood game, we were trying not to get caught, but God showed Himself for who He is over and over again. Unfortunately, God’s chosen people – the Israelites – refused to see. It was their dream…their hope but when the reality of all their hopes and dreams stood before them embodied in Jesus of Nazareth, they refused to believe.
So, God – as He had proclaimed in millennia past – “was found by those who did not seek me; He revealed myself to those who did not ask for Him.”
We must be careful ourselves. Though God has been found by us, it is only by His grace and mercy that we have done so. Verse 17 reads,
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. NLT
That’s one of those verses that I distinctly remember learning from the King James Version in my youth and it reads,
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. NKJV
It is a gift. May we manage and may we cherish it well. Amen.
July 19th, 2023, Wed, 8:26 pm
Beautiful Feet?
Thank You, Father, for the kindness of others. We were blessed with the gifts today of an honorable man. Bless him for his willingness to share. Amen.
Romans 10:14-15 (<<click here to read the passage)
Recently I happened to be visiting an elderly woman in a care facility. Her daughter was there as well and while there did a beautiful thing for her mother – she trimmed her fingernails…but then she trimmed her toenails!
It needed doing and I understand that the foot doctor is to visit in the next couple of weeks, but she took the time and effort and humbly accepted a daunting and unpleasant task. At the same time, she did it knowing that her mother, being in the advanced stages of dementia, would not remember nor acknowledge that act of love.
The mother’s feet were anything but beautiful. The daughter’s feet on the other hand were radiantly beautiful – and in regard to her, I’m not speaking of the appendages on the end of her legs.
The last part of verse 15 of today’s passage says,
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” NIV
Now the daughter didn’t verbalize good news, but she most definitely lived out the Good News that she has within her heart.
James, the brother of Jesus, said,
But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning]… James 1:22a AMP
Living out our faith is extremely important – if we don’t “walk the talk”, as they say, people won’t listen to anything we have to say, but we must also freely share verbally what God is all about…what He has done and is doing in our lives.
We are to be purveyors of hope…and love…and peace. We are God’s earthly ambassadors. He doesn’t have to use us, but He chooses to use us. We are the way in which He predominantly communicates with the world…at work, at school, in our families…you name it, you are there for a reason – to spread God’s love to a world desperately in need of it.
Get those beautiful feet out there and get busy!
July 18th, 2023, Tues, 7:08 pm
The Importance of Maintenance
My body is weary this evening, Father. Some good and solid labor in the heat and humidity of the day has taken its toll. Thank You, for the ability to labor. Thank You for the energy to help see the task to completion.
********
One thing we were given many years ago by Karen’s dad was a “homemade” log splitter. Back in the 80s, he and several of his work buddies put their talents together and built it. It is constructed with an I-beam and is solid as all get out.
I cannot begin to tell you how many cords of wood he split with that thing. (A cord of wood is 4x4x8 feet or 128 cubic feet of wood.) And now we use it for the same thing.
Being that it is well over 30 years old, I’ve had to replace the engine (I am not mechanically inclined but amazingly I did it myself!) and for some time now we have needed to replace its tires – it has a hitch so it can be towed wherever it is needed.
One other thing I have thought about lately is that we needed to see about having the hydraulic system checked – that’s what creates the pressure to split the wood. Well, this afternoon, I came to the shocking realization that I had thought too long about it. Massey was feeding wood in to be split and I was running the lever to do so when suddenly, a hydraulic line blew, soaking my right side with warm hydraulic fluid! It wasn’t under enough pressure to hurt me, but I was an oily mess!
In life, we learn that it is important to have some knowledge of the things we work with and to make sure that we perform regular maintenance on them. Massey and I know how to operate the splitter, but we were negligent in its maintenance. I can honestly claim ignorance in that, as I mentioned, I am not mechanically inclined.
Spiritually speaking, especially those with experience around church and its practices, know what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. Up front, all we can do is accept his free gift of pardon – we cannot buy it or earn it. But as our relationship with Him advances, we come to realize that it requires an investment of time and effort on our part to maintain that relationship.
We cannot claim ignorance, we know – as with any relationship – what we must do to keep that relationship vibrant. If we neglect that “maintenance” we are the ones who lose out. Keeping those channels of love and communication open provides an immense amount of direction and guidance in our lives. When we neglect our relationship with Jesus, we can no longer receive direction and guidance in that the lines of communication are down and ineffective.
So, don’t forget a regular “maintenance” program with Your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – don’t blow it on the most important relationship of your life!
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding
In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP
July 17th, 2023, Mon, 7:50 pm