Tag: Psalm 68

He Has Always Been There

Jeff

Today is Monday, the eighteenth day of May, 2026, in the seventh week of the season of Easter.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always!

It is day 138 of 2026, and there are 227 days left in the year.

Day 24,903 of my life

Six days until Pentecost Sunday.

Today is International Museum Day. Interesting fact. Our library has a Museum Pass that can be checked out for a week, that, I believe gets one into all of the main museums in Fort Worth. It is a very popular item.

It’s also I Love Reese’s Day. Now, I do love me some Reese’s peanut butter cups. But I will tell you a secret. H-E-B’s peanut butter cups are better.

Daily writing prompt
If you could erase one movie from your memory and watch it again for the first time, which one would it be?
View all responses

It’s hard to think of just one, because I believe there are several that would fall into that category. However, the first one that came to mind was Jurassic Park (the OG). It is still, over thirty years later, my all-time favorite movie. Another one, though, that came straight on its heels in my memory, was Amadeus. That will always be in my top five. It would be very cool to be able to watch either one of those again, for the first time.

Today is a work Monday for me, so I will be in the circulation department of the Hurst Public Library from 9:15-6:15. If you are in the area, come see me and get a library card! It’s free, and you don’t have to live in the city to get one. My library bestie will be working with me today, so that will be very cool.

Immediately after work, I must go to Grapevine, to the church, to practice my solo for this Sunday morning. We have a flautist that will be joining us, who is not a member, so she couldn’t practice with us yesterday. That shouldn’t take too long, though, so hopefully, I won’t be home too late. C will either get our dinner heated up or she might make a run to McDonald’s. I told her either one would be fine.

My first cup of coffee, this morning, is CAFE Olé by H‑E‑B Snickernut Cookie. The flavor is supposed to resemble a snickerdoodle cookie, I think (I still haven’t figured out what a “snickernut cookie” is). I think have maybe two or three more cups of this one, then I will go back to Cinnamon Hazelnut for this spot in the Favorite Five. My second cup is Costa Rica Volcanica, by Angelino’s. “Silky cacao, tropical fruit, & vibrant citrus notes.”

JESUS TIME

I thank You, heavenly Father, for the gift of rest and for the refreshment of body and soul that You have granted me in my worship of yesterday and my slumber of the night. I pray, make me ready to commit restored energies to the tasks that lie before me. Forgive me all my sins for Jesus’ sake, and purge from my heart all selfish desires and purposes which would wrongly use my gifts and powers. Grant that I may, day by day, put forth efforts pleasing to You, helpful to my fellowmen, and sufficient to provide for my daily needs. Keep me mindful that my service to men is service to You. Help me to remember that in all things my sufficiency is of You and that whatever I do is to be done to Your glory. Give me joy in my labor, sincerity in my service, and unselfishness in all my striving. Help me to be faithful in all things; for the sake of Him who died for me. Amen.
(Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 20, Monday Morning)

With You, Lord, I begin my task, praying You direct it. For Your aid and counsel, I ask, knowing You will perfect it. Every morn with You I rise, and when this day is ended, in Your name I will close my eyes and be to You commended (see LSB 869:1). Lord Jesus, may such words always jubilantly ring in my ears that I never lose confidence or hope. Amid the stresses that arise with work and life, let my heart not be filled with anxiety or impatience with You or others. Bless all my family and especially protect all those whose work is dangerous or life-threatening. Amen.
(Portals of Prayer, Prayer for Monday Morning)

Lord, send the power of your Holy Spirit upon us that we may remain faithful and do your will in our daily lives. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(For All the Saints, Monday of the Week of Easter 7, Opening Prayer)

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
(1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

  1. For the level of contentment in my life at this time
  2. That with Christ as my Shepherd, I lack for nothing
  3. For a wonderful day of worship and fellowship, yesterday
  4. For friendship
  5. That God has been walking with me my whole life, through even the most ordinary and mundane parts, as well as through the confusing and unsettling parts
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

I’m changing things up a little today. I’ve threatened to do in the past. We’ll see how it goes. As it turns out, though, I’m going to use the Scripture passage from today’s Psalm reading, to begin.

O God, when you went out before your people,  
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah  
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,  
    before God, the One of Sinai,  
    before God, the God of Israel.  
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;  
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;  
your flock found a dwelling in it;  
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.  
(Psalms 68:7-10 ESV) 

Here, we see the psalmist recollecting the events around Mt. Sinai when Moses was given the Ten Commandments. Earthquakes, lightning, thunder . . . so upsetting that Moses said, “I tremble with fear” (Hebrews 12:21).

And, as we approach Pentecost Sunday, we remember the scene on that first Pentecost, when disciples from all over were gathered together, and the Holy Spirit made His first appearance, birthing the Church. Tongues of fire, a rushing wind, quite a commotion.

But those kinds of events are few and far between. I mean, sure, we see a lot of them in the Old Testament, and we see miracles and other “disturbances” in the New. But the Lord tends to veil Himself “in the ordinary” (Chad Bird, Untamed Prayers). “Jesus typically shows up under simple, earthly things like words preached, baptismal waters outpoured, bread and wine consumed in the Lord’s Supper. . . . The divine extraordinary is camouflaged in the human ordinary.” 

One event, though, of which there was nothing veiled “in the ordinary,” was the resurrection of Christ. Both the crucifixion and the resurrection were accompanied by earthquakes (Matt. 27:51-54; 28:2). Here was God for us, no longer on Sinai to boom down words of law, but to enliven us with words of hope, peace, and forgiveness from him who fulfilled the law in our stead.” (Bird)

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, that pouring out of the Holy Spirit was promised, as we know, centuries before Christ, by the prophet Joel.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.”  
(Joel 2:28-29 ESV) 

Jesus, Himself, then gave a promise of the coming Spirit.

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”  
(John 16:7 ESV) 

And it is important to note the word “pour” in that OT prophecy. Not a sprinkle, not a little bit, but abundance. And, contrary to some erroneous teachings, the Holy Spirit is not “a bonus feature of the Christian life. Never an upgrade for the spiritually ambitious” (Jen Weaver, You Version Bible Plan – From Promise to Presence: 50 Days of Living the Resurrected Life). Our future in Christ always included His presence. God promised Himself to us. Always and forever.

And this promised presence is constant. Maybe I should have said “prevalent” or “pervasive” so I could be more alliterative, there. The promised presence is prevalent. Anyway . . . Not just in those “dramatic scenes of life – He is present in the ordinary ones, too” (Grant Fishbook, A Miracle Every Day). Ironically (if I’m using the word right), my pastor/sister/friend and I were talking about this very thing, last night. As we looked back at our past, she being raised Catholic and me Baptist, we agreed that we would not go back and change anything from that, because everything we have gone through has brought us to this exact moment. And the Lord has walked with us the entire time.

Sure, there are moments that don’t make sense, and times when it seemed that things were going awfully. But here we are, still standing, still breathing, still moving forward. Not an accident. The same God that walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden has been walking with us throughout our entire lives. Even when (and, perhaps, especially) we didn’t recognize His presence. God was with me, then, and He is with me, right now. And He will be with me for all eternity.

Almighty God, Merciful Father, who art the giver of all good, enable me to return Thee due thanks for Thy great mercies, for relief from diseases, for all the comforts and alleviations with Thou hast provided; and O my gracious God, make me truly thankful for the call by which Thou hast awakened my conscience, and summoned me to Repentance. Let not Thy call, O Lord, be forgotten or Thy summons neglected, but let the residue of my life, whatever it shall be, be passed in true contrition, and diligent obedience. Amen. 
(For All the Saints, Monday of the Week of Easter 7, Closing Prayer, Samuel Johnson) 

Thank You, my Christ, for Your continual presence in my life. I thank You for being there with me since the beginning. You have always been my Brother, a truth that I realized a few weeks ago, and You have been with me since I was born. I thank You for parents that instilled Your love into me, and taught me to love and trust You. I thank You for many friends along the way, who have walked with me. I especially thank You for the pastors that now lead me in this walk with You.

I also thank You that You are with us in all of the ordinary, mundane events of our lives, and that we can, like Brother Lawrence of days gone by, practice Your presence in the smallest of tasks, even things like washing dishes and cooking meals for people. Anything we do can be worship, when we keep our minds focused on You. Help me, Lord, to go through this day with that in mind. Remind me today, as I serve you at the public library, that everyone I encounter is created in Your image, and worthy of love and respect in Your name.

Thank You for the love that You have poured into me, and for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, and Your Word and Sacrament, which sustain me from week to week.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters! Walk in His presence!

CHRIST IS EVERYTHING!!!

Into the Light

Jeff

Today is Sunday, the seventeenth day of May, 2026 in the seventh week of the Easter season. It is the seventh and last Sunday of Easter.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Today is the fifteen month mensiversary of the beginning of my transformation.

It is day 137 of 2026, with 228 days remaining in the year.

Day 24,902 of my life

193 days until Thanksgiving!

Today is National Graduation Tassel Day. I think we may be celebrating graduates in one of our worship services, this morning. Today focuses on that swishy little dangly thing that hangs from the weird hat that graduates wear. It’s also Emergency Medical Services Day. If you know someone who does that, show them some love. And it’s National Idaho Day. Why May 17th? That’s a really good question.

Daily writing prompt
How do you stay motivated when learning something new?
View all responses

That’s also a really good question. At this stage of my life, it’s not difficult to stay motivated when learning something new, because if I’m learning something new, it’s because I really want to learn something new. For example, I’ve been learning Spanish for close to a year, now. One way I stay motivated is by doing it in community. I use an app to learn, and I have several friends who also use the app (they are not all learning Spanish; some are learning French and other languages). But the app makes a game out of it, so there are motivational “quests,” some of which involve my friends, and we also have “friend streaks” to keep alive, so we “nudge” each other, along the way.

Today, S and I have to be at church by 8:05, to practice with the choir and instrumental ensemble. We sing in both services. I also have a solo rehearsal between services. It is right after the first service, so I should be able to be present for most of the Sunday School class, as it is the final one for this season. Then, right after the choir sings in the second service, we will leave and pick up our grocery order on the way home.

My first cup of coffee, this morning, is CAFE Olé by H‑E‑B Taste of San Antonio, one of the Favorite Five. “For a trio of cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla flavors, try CAFE Olé by H-E-B Taste of San Antonio coffee.” My second cup is Moka Java, from Angelino’s. “Full-bodied with nutty and chocolate notes.”

This week’s cup

JESUS TIME

Heavenly Father, who on this first of days called forth light out of darkness, shine into my soul with the power of Your love, give me a new heart, and create a clean spirit within me. Enlighten also my heart through Your Gospel to know You.

Glorious Savior, on this day You rose from death and the grave and proved Yourself the Redeemer of all the world; give me faith to trust You wholly for the forgiveness of all my sin, and grant me grace to rise to newness of life.

Holy Spirit, who on this day charged the Church with joyous faith and vigor, fill me also with Your healing, Your gift to speak, and Your strength to love.

O Holy Trinity, my glorious God, my strength and shield, set apart my heart to Your service this day, give to my worship sincerity and earnestness, and to my praise joy; grant that my fellow believers and I be kept at all times in the unity of faith, and refresh me with Your Word; in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 18, Sunday Morning)

Heavenly Father, this is the day of resurrection and rest. Thank You for this day to hear Your living Word and obtain the blessed Sacrament of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! Forgive me all my sins and prepare me rightly in heart and mind to joyfully receive all Your generous gifts so that I may serve You well in Your kingdom. Bless all pastors who powerfully proclaim the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection that all may come to repentance and new life! Bless Your church throughout the world in order that it may be a burning lamp, attracting all who see it to You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
(Portals of Prayer, Prayer for Sunday Morning)

Father, help us keep in mind that Christ our Savior lives with you in glory and promised to remain with us until the end of time. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(For All the Saints, Sunday of the Week of Easter 7, Opening Prayer)

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
(John 7:38 ESV)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
(Romans 11:33 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

  1. For another opportunity to gather with the community of saints, worship the Lord, sing His praises, and be fed by Word and Sacrament
  2. That rivers of living water flow out of my heart
  3. For the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God
  4. That I am not fighting for freedom, but learning to live from it
  5. That it is promised: We WILL be like Him! (1 John 3:2)
  6. For breathing new life into me!
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

Psalm of the Day – Psalm 68:4-6

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD;
    exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
(Psalms 68:4-6 ESV)

Untamed Prayers – Father of the Fatherless, by Chad Bird

“Our God is the ‘Father of the fatherless and protector of widows . . . [who] settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners into prosperity’ (Ps. 68:5-6). This does not mean, of course, that he is deaf to the prayers of millionaires, or that he leaves healthy, intact families to fend for themselves. No, our Father is concerned for all, from the highest to the lowest, the haves and the have nots. The lowest, however, such as widows and orphans, the hungry, and the weak, are often singled out as the special recipients of divine compassion – and as those who are to be the recipients of our compassion. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted; let’s make sure we are, too.”

“Father of the fatherless is he, as well as Friend of sinners. He makes us his own, fills us with his Spirit, and bids us love and care for those around us.”

For All the Saints – Sunday of the Week of Easter 7

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
(Exodus 3:1-12 ESV)

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
(Hebrews 12:18-29 ESV)

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
(Luke 10:17-24 ESV)

“[Writing in a novel about the curate, Thomas Wingfold] The weeks passed and seemed to bring him no light, but only increased the earnestness of his search after it. He would have to find an answer before long, he thought, or he would have to no choice but to resign his curacy and look for a position as a tutor.

“Of course all this he ought to have gone through long ago. But how can a man go through anything till his hour is come? Wingfold had all this time been skirting the wall of the kingdom of heaven without even knowing there was a wall there, not to say seeing a gate in it. The fault lay with those who had introduced him to the church as a profession, just as they might introduce someone to the practice of medicine, or the bar, or the drapery business – as if the ministry were on the same level of choice with other human callings. Never had he been warned to take off his shoes for the holiness of the ground. And yet how were they to have warned him when they themselves had never discovered the treasure in that ground more holy than libraries, incomes, and the visits of royalty? As to visions of truth that make a man sigh with joy and enlarge his heart with more than human tenderness – how many of those men had ever found such treasures in the fields of the church? How many of them knew, except by hearsay, whether there be any Holy Ghost? How then were they to warn other men from the dangers of following in their footsteps and becoming such as they? Where in a community of general ignorance shall we begin to blame? Wingfold had not time to accuse anyone. He simply had to awaken from the paralyzing struggle between life and death. He thought afterward, when the time had passed, that surely in this period of darkness he had been visited and upheld by a power whose presence and even influence he was completely unaware of. He did not know how else he could have gotten through it. Strange helps had come to him from time to time. The details of nature wonderfully softened toward him, and for the first time he began to notice her ways and shows and to see in them all the working of a different humanity. He later remembered how a hawthorne bud once set him weeping; and how once, as he was walking miserably to church, a child looked up in his face and smiled. In the strength of that smile, he had been able to confidently approach the lectern. He never knew how long he had been the agony of his most peculiar birth – in which the soul is at the same time both the mother that bears and the child that is born.”
(George MacDonald, The Curate’s Awakening)

I include this excerpt from George MacDonald, today, because of its relevance to the day. Again, I note, it is the 15th mensiversary of the beginning of Christ’s transformation of me, that began in February of last year. And MacDonald’s excerpt seems so on point to that event. 60+ years, I went . . . I do believe I was “in Christ” through all of that, having been baptized into Him at the age of 9 (March 19, 1967). But missing so much, because I had no one to “mentor” me through all of that. Then I got to this Lutheran church, with this pastor of discipleship that blew into my life like a hurricane, with her vibrant, living love of Christ and His Word! Through her influence, the Holy Spirit began breathing new life into me, and hasn’t stopped since.

Jesus,
You came not to be ministered unto
    but to minister.
Your ministry was your presence,
    and it still is.
So we thank you for your presence
    among us and within us.
Since we are most ourselves
    when we are most attentive to you
    and obey you,
Help us to go about our daily business
    with your spirit
and to know that when we pray,
    it is you praying within us.
So may we carry out our ministry
    and yours.
Amen.
(For All the Saints, Sunday of the Week of Easter 7, Closing Prayer, John B. Coburn)

Thank You for loving me, Jesus; thank You for filling me with Your Spirit; thank You for teaching me to love others as You have loved me (I’m still learning that one). Thank You for being near to the broken-hearted and working on me to do the same. You are the Friend of sinners, of whom I am one of the worst. You have loved me, You have made me love You more than I ever have before, and You are helping me love others.

Thank You, thank You, thank You. And even though it often looks like the light is not making progress, not winning, You have kept on loving us. We have faith and confidence that the Light will win. The Light has come and shined into the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it. You have loved us; we are the beloved, even though we are still sinners, and You have made lovers out of us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Breathe it in, soak it up; You’re surrounded by beauty and love!”

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters! Drink deep of His love!

CHRIST IS EVERYTHING!!!

Christ Leads Us Forward

Jeff1 Comment

Today is Saturday, the sixteenth day of May, 2026, in the sixth week of the season of Easter.

May the peace of Christ dwell within you today!

It is day 136 of 2026, and there are 229 days left in the year.

Day 24,901 of my life

223 days until Christmas!

Today is World Wisky Day. That looks weird. I spell whiskey with an “e.” Oh, well. It’s also Wear Purple for Peace Day. I can do that. And I am going to leave the house today for something, but more on that later.

Today is also the official beginning of my library’s Summer Reading Club! This year’s theme is Dig Up A Story! If you live in Texas, you can get a Hurst Public Library card and join the challenge!

Daily writing prompt
What’s a book that completely surprised you?
View all responses

Speaking of reading! Probably my favorite topic. Maybe even more than music. But that’s a close call, there. A book that completely surprised me . . . there have been so many. I think I will say The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern. I had no idea what to expect going into that book, and it totally floored me. I cried because it ended. I think it’s the first book that ever did that to me.

Today is an off-work-Saturday for me. C has successfully worked two days, this week, and gets to work from home on Monday, before heading back to the office for three consecutive days. We will have to make some adjustments to our Wednesday schedule, but our last choir practice has already happened, so Wednesday evenings will be clear for the summer. I will be cooking burgers for dinner tonight (that reminded me that I needed to get the meat out of the freezer!), and I will also be going to the kickoff event of the Summer Reading Challenge, which is happening at an area football field, from 10:00-1:00 today. So I’d better get moving with the devotionals.

My first cup of coffee is Cinnamon Twist, by Angelino’s. Very simply, “Cinnamon infused flavored coffee.” Probably my second-favorite of their varieties. My second cup is Mad Professor, also by Angelino’s. “Dark chocolate, nectarine & plum notes.”

JESUS TIME

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me! Protected by Your mighty hand, I have passed the night. Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies You have shown me. As I thank You for all the gracious protection, I think of all those who are in sorrow and tribulation, in sickness, in poverty, in shame, in anguish of soul. I beseech You, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, to comfort my brothers and sisters with the assurance of Your unchanging grace and loving-kindness. Strengthen their faith. Preserve them from misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Teach them to humble themselves under Your mighty hand by recognizing Your gracious purpose to work through tribulation patience, through patience experience, through experience hope that will not make them ashamed. Help all sufferers to best their trials until at last Your kingdom comes. Deliver us all from every evil work and preserve us unto Your heavenly kingdom; in the name of Jesus. Amen.
(Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 16, Saturday Morning)

Father, today is another gift from You. Every good thing I enjoy is from You, and I thank You for Your abundant blessings. All I own is Yours, to be used for Your good purposes and especially for the good of others. Where I would take these blessings and use them selfishly, move me instead to generosity, kindness, goodness, and love. Among the greatest gifts You’ve given me are the people in my life—especially my family, friends, and neighbors. I want them to know Your love and to feel cared for and blessed when they are with me. Fill me with Your Spirit that they see Jesus through me today. In His name. Amen.
(Portals of Prayer, Prayer for Saturday Morning)

Father, may we always give you thanks for raising Christ our Lord to glory, because we are his people and share the salvation he won, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(For All the Saints, Saturday of the Week of Easter 6, Opening Prayer)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
The LORD your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
(Zephaniah 3:17 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

  1. For the Word of God, living and active, molding me constantly until the day when I stand in His presence
  2. That He is in our midst, loving us, singing over us (Zephaniah 3:17)
  3. That God showed this love for us, in that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8)
  4. That Christ goes before us, just as the ark went before Israel, leading us homeward, to our eternal reward, our Promised Land
  5. For friendship
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

Psalm of the Day – Psalm 68:1-3

God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
But the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!
(Psalms 68:1-3 ESV)

Untamed Prayers – Let God Arise, by Chad Bird

When Israel finally left Mt. Sinai, the ark of the covenant led the way, according to Numbers 10:33. Whenever the ark would begin to move, Moses would sing out, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you” (Numbers 10:35).

That little chant was adapted into the opening line of Psalm 68. The NASB translates it, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered, and let those who hate him flee before him.”

“The ark, where God was present for and with his people, where the blood of atonement was sprinkled on Yom Kippur, which encased the word of the Lord, and led the people forward, was a foreshadowing of Jesus. He is God for us and with us, the one ‘whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood’ (Rom. 3:25 NRSV), ‘the Word [who] became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14). He leads us forward through the wilderness of this life to the promised land of rest in his Father’s kingdom. All the wicked who reject him will perish, melting like wax in the fire. But those who are righteous in him, baptized into his body, shall exult everlastingly before God, jubilant with joy. Let God arise! Indeed, he has. Jesus has risen from the dead, and we live in him.”

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:11-22 ESV)

A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
(Proverbs 17:17 ESV)

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18:24 ESV)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

Lord, help me trust you even when your instructions challenge my pride or my plans. Give me the courage to obey you fully. Teach me to surrender my understanding and follow your wisdom. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
(Grant Fishbook, A Miracle Every Day)

My Lord, I do trust You; I trust You with my life, my family, my everything. All that I have belongs to You; I belong to You! I thank You for Your Word, Lord; Your Word is Truth; Your Word is Life! It is Life everlasting, and it endures for all time, Your steadfast love endures forever, just as Your Word will never pass away or fail us. Thank You, Lord! It is living and active and constantly at work within me to transform and mold me.

I thank You that You are in our midst, always; that You are constantly showering Your love down upon us and singing over us, as that beautiful verse in Zephaniah tells us. I will always trust You, Lord, and when that trust falters, I believe that You will stay near and that Your Spirit will remind me of that trust.

I thank You that Christ, our Savior, Your dear Son, goes before us, just as the ark went before Your people Israel, leading us to our Promised Land, our eternal inheritance, that cannot be corrupted or stolen from us. Keep me faithful, Lord, as I follow Christ in my life. Keep me walking in that easy yoke, into which He invited us.

I will give thanks to You, O Lord my god, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever. Thank You, thank you, thank You!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters! Drink deep of the love of God!

CHRIST IS EVERYTHING!!!

Never Alone

Jeff

Today is Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Wednesday of Holy Week. Day 21,930.

ONE DAY UNTIL OPENING DAY!!!!!

FOUR days until Resurrection Sunday!!

It’s the birthday of Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), who said, “My good works, however wretched and imperfect, have been made better and perfected by Him Who is my Lord: He has rendered them meritorious. As to my evil deeds and my sins, He hid them at once. The eyes of those who saw them, He made even blind; and He has blotted them out of their memory.” (BrainyQuote)

The word for today is timeserver, a noun which means, “a person who shapes his or her conduct to conform to the opinions of the time or of persons in power, especially for selfish ends.” Is that another word for “politician?”

It is with not a small amount of dismay that I realized, yesterday morning, that our April Night of Worship conflicts with the Southlake Art in the Square concert. That is partially my fault, as I told the NoW leader that April 28 was good for us. It actually did not take me long to make the decision. I will be at the Night of Worship, as believe it is the more important of the two. I haven’t decided if I will go ahead and go to rehearsals in April. I might go to some, but not all. I told our section leader that I would let him know by Monday. So far, nothing conflicts with our May performance, which is on May 19th.

Opening Day is tomorrow! The Rangers will play the Astros at home, and the Red Sox will play the Rays in Florida. 162 games to go. It’s a long season, anything can happen.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary— 
the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines: 
“Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!” 
There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 
Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us. 
Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you. 
Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war. 
Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God. 
O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah. 
to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 
Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. 
Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
Psalm 68:24-35

Sing praises to the one who rides in the heavens!

(From Daily Guideposts 2018)

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:20

Carol Kuykendall’s friend, Leslie, spoke of being lonely. She said her world was growing smaller. She even said that, even though people wanted to stop by, she didn’t really want them to, because she didn’t have the energy. Plus, people don’t know what to say to someone who is dying. That’s true. It’s hard to have a conversation with someone who is dying.

How many times are alone, during our day? In a few minutes, my wife will leave for work, and I will be alone. Sure, S in is the house, but asleep in her room. I’ll be alone in my car as I drive to work. During my breaks and lunch, I make myself “alone” by putting on earphones and playing meditation music while I read. Then I’m alone again, on my drive home.

There have been numerous times, however, during those “alone” times, when I have realized that I am most definitely NOT alone! I have felt the presence of God in the car with me. I have felt the presence of God as I walk back and forth to the break room at work. Of course, those moments are just snippets of the real truth that God is never NOT with me! He will never leave me or forsake me!

Even in, and most especially in, death. My father was alone when he died. (Machines kept him “alive” for a few hours after that, but I believe in my heart that he was long gone before we got there.) If I dwell on that too long, it makes me very sad. But he wasn’t alone, at all, was he? He was ushered into eternity by Jesus, I firmly believe. And if what Dallas Willard says is true, he may not have even realized that he had died. Ponder that for a few moments, if you will.

Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took three of his closest friends with them, and asked them to pray. They fell asleep. He was alone in the Garden. Only he wasn’t. He was with his Father.

“Maybe God wants us to get used to knowing He is with us always, even when we think we are alone. Because there are places we must go alone. Like heaven.” (Carol Kuykendall)

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
1 Kings 19:1-8

As Elijah fled from a crazy woman, he thought he was totally alone. Actually threw himself quite the pity party, if you keep reading. God, essentially, told him to quit his whining and gave him a job to do.

In Christ, we are never alone. Never.

Father, I praise you that I am never alone! Even when I think I am alone, you are with me, and that will always be true. I thank you for your constant presence, for without it, I would surely cease to exist. You are in the air that I am breathing. You are all around me, in front of me, behind me, just like “St. Patrick’s Breastplate.” I pray for constant knowledge of your presence as I go through this day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23

Grace and peace, friends.

Regrets

Jeff

Today is Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Tuesday of Holy Week. Day 21,929.

TWO DAYS UNTIL OPENING DAY!!!

FIVE days until Resurrection Sunday!

Nathan Fillion turns 47 today. He said, “Whatever our bedtime was as kids, we could stay up an extra half hour if we were reading. My parents didn’t care as long as I was under the spell of a Stephen King or a Douglas Adams. Now I read in bed. I read at work. I read standing in line. It’s like, ‘Hello, my name is Nathan and I am a reader.'” (BrainyQuote)

The word for today is kismet, a noun which means, “fate; destiny.” Also a dice game introduced in 1964, very similar to Yachtzee.

Band practice went well, last night. We’re playing mostly marches, preparing for the Art in the Square performance, which happens on April 28. The concert begins at 5:30 PM, I’m told, which is nice. Means we’ll be done by 7:00 PM and have time for some rest before Sunday morning.

I’m looking forward to Resurrection Sunday (Easter). I’m enjoying thinking through this Holy Week. When I was growing up in our Southern Baptist Church in Mineral Wells, I don’t recall Holy Week being emphasized, or even acknowledged. But back then, we Baptists tended to categorically reject anything that remotely resembled Catholicism. I’ve learned that it was our loss.

I’m still, however, not convinced that Jesus was crucified on Friday. The math just doesn’t work. On the other hand, it’s not a huge issue for me. So that’s all I’m going to say about that.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host: 
“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!” The women at home divide the spoil— 
though you men lie among the sheepfolds— the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold. 
When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon. 
O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! 
Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the LORD will dwell forever? 
The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary. 
You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. 
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah. 
Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death. 
But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways. 
The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 
that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
Psalm 68:11-23

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.” Indeed. Blessed be the Lord!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

In today’s Daily Guideposts reading, Carol Kuykendall continues sharing about her dear friend Leslie. This reading, for Tuesday of Holy Week, has the topic of dealing with life’s regrets. Carol shares that one of Leslie’s life regrets, as her life was nearing its end, was being so much of a “people-pleaser” that it hindered her writing. Or at least hindered what she made public.

Carol noted that she has heard that the “number one regret of dying people is about living a life others expected rather than living true to themselves.”

As we examine Jesus’s last week before being crucified, we see that he most definitely did not live up to the expectations of people around him. Dallas Willard once said that if you follow Jesus long enough, he will disappoint you. Note that he did not say that Jesus will fail you. He said that Jesus will disappoint you; probably because you were expecting something that he won’t do. But Jesus was a “God-pleaser,” not a “man-pleaser.” (Reminds me of a Petra song.) Jesus did not fear what others thought of him.

I don’t want to live true to myself. There’s a little too much “be yourself” philosophy floating around Christian circles. I don’t want to be “free to be me.” I want to be free to be who God wants me to be, without any fear of what others might think. I would like to get to the end of my life without any regrets. But, since I already have some (I don’t dwell on them), that’s not going to happen. But I do desire to get there and, hopefully, know that I lived a life pleasing to God, not men.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me! 
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. 
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 
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. 
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. 
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! 
Psalm 139

Father, as I grow older, I pray for less concern about what people think about me. Not that I want to be a sociopath, but I want to please you and be true to you and who you made me to be. And to do that, I need to know, certainly, who you have made me to be. I will learn this by study and meditation, by prayer, listening to you, reading your words. I have confidence that you will teach me. May I not live a life of regret.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

Not My Will . . .

Jeff

Today is Monday, March 26, 2018. Day 21,928. Monday of “Holy Week.”

THREE DAYS UNTIL OPENING DAY!! The Red Sox open against the Rays in Florida, and the Rangers open against the Astros in Arlington.

SIX days until Resurrection Sunday! Our church will be sharing breakfast together as we celebrate the resurrection.

It’s the birthday of poet Robert Frost (1874-1963). He said, “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.” (BrainyQuote)

The word for today is genethliac, an adjective which means, “of or relating to birthdays or to the position of the stars at one’s birth.” An astrological term.

I’m having a little struggle waking up, this morning. In fact, I had to sit and think a couple of seconds before tying in what month it is. That’s pretty sad. Or funny. Take your pick.

Monday, back to work, and back to band practice tonight. It will be a short week for C and me, because of Good Friday. It turns out her company is giving them Good Friday for a paid holiday, this year. I’m taking PTO to have the day off with her.

And it’s a good thing, as the weekend will be crazy busy. Saturday, most of the day will be spent on an event in Granbury where our Night of Worship band will be leading worship. I’m not really sure what kind of event it’s going to be, but a pastor down there has organized (I hope it’s organized) a community outreach event. So we will be playing outside somewhere. We’ll have to be down there around 2:00 PM, the official event begins at 6:00, I think, so I figure we won’t be home until close to 10:00. Then, of course, we will have to get up at our normal Sunday morning time to get ready for Easter Sunday’s worship gathering.

I don’t expect we will do much at all Sunday afternoon.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 
As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 
But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy! 
Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him! 
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 
God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 
O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah. 
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished; 
your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
Psalm 68:1-10

“Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song . . . exult before him!” Do you know what “exult” means? It’s an old word, we don’t see it much any more, except in the Bible. It means, “to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant.” How often do we see anyone doing that?? Maybe when someone’s team wins a game or a championship. Sometimes, the reaction to simply winning a game is as if the team won the championship. When’s the last time we exulted before God? Just something to think about. We have an awful lot to exult about, in my opinion.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
Luke 22:42-43
This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.
2 Samuel 22:33
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus made the choice to surrender to the Father’s will. He prayed that it might not be so. He prayed that, if there were any other way, let the “cup” pass from him. But he finished that prayer with these famous words, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” He prayed three times. He sweat drops of blood, he prayed so hard. Then he got up and surrendered his life.

We think we have difficult choices to make. In light of what Jesus endured, my choices don’t seem so tough. Why is it so hard to surrender? I think I’m learning how. I think it might be getting easier. I hope so.

Father, teach me to “exult.” I do, sometimes, on Sunday mornings, during worship gatherings. But, truthfully, aren’t there many other times when I could show the kind of “lively or triumphant joy” that should come from simply being in your presence? Like when I see a beautiful sunrise or sunset? Teach me to be more joyful in you. Then teach me to surrender. As I said, I think I’m getting a little better at this “surrender” stuff. I’ve far to go, but your Spirit is drawing me, leading me onward and upward. Help me to stay focused on you throughout the day, learning what true surrender is. Not my will, but yours, be done.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

Nothing Can

Jeff4 Comments

“Maybe who we are isn’t so much about what we do, but rather what we’re capable of when we least expect it.” ― Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
(Goodreads)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is furphy, which is “a false report; rumor.” So don’t go making up furphies about me!

Today is Notebook Day. This is a brand new holiday. You who read this are among the elite few who will know about it on its very first observance! Not surprisingly, it was begun by a company that sells notebooks, May Designs. But why not, right? Anyway, they are trying to encourage people to engage in journaling. Not keeping a diary, mind you. Journaling.

The Red Sox split a double-header with KC, yesterday, which means they lost the series. But at least they took the nightcap, 5-2. On the plus side, Jackie Bradley, Jr. extended his hitting streak to 24 games! He almost didn’t get one in the first game, but managed a single in his last at bat, in the top of the ninth inning. He is a looooooooong way from Joe DiMaggio’s record, though. 56 games. That’s almost unreachable.

The Rangers, in the meantime, got swept by Oakland. That’s unfortunate, and I can’t help but believe it had something to do with the brawl in Sunday’s game. As fun as it was to watch Rougie punch the punk in the face, things like that seem to have a negative impact on the team. Especially when the punishments start getting doled out by MLB officials who favor northeastern teams, aka Joe Torre, ex-manager of the Evil Empire. Am I saying I think the penalties were inequitable? You bet your sweet bippy, I am! I don’t think there are any Rangers fans who would deny that Rougie deserves suspension. But the Boo Jays hardly got anything, and the punk only got one game, even after a history of dirty slides.

That’s all the time I have for my editorial portion. Today is Thursday (pre-Friday). It’s supposed to rain most of the day. But it did that all the way to work, yesterday morning, and I wasn’t expecting that. The weather people seem to be struggling, these days, and it seems that they have become overly dramatic, coming up with new acronyms (PDS) and largely “crying wolf” about severe weather.

Oops. That was more editorial, wasn’t it? Ah, well. On to what’s truly important.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah.
to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
Psalm 68:32-35

“‘This superb hymn is unsurpassed, if not unequalled, in grandeur, lyric fire, and sustained rush of triumphant praise. It celebrates a victory; but it is the victory of the God who enters as a conqueror into His sanctuary’ (Alexander Maclaren, The Psalms, 1:271).”

“‘Let all the world in every corner sing, “My God and King!” The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly; the earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. Let all the world in every corner sing, “My God and King!”‘ (George Herbert, ‘Let All the World in Every Corner Sing’). Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

“Out of the Wreck I Rise”

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Romans 8:35

God will not make us immune from trouble. Instead he proclaims, all through Scripture, that he will be with us in our trouble. And no matter what troubles we encounter, there is not a single one that can separate us from our relationship to God in Christ Jesus! When Paul says that we are “more than conquerors,” he not thinking of imaginary dragons. Nay, he is speaking of reality, “things that are desperately actual.” But it is not courage or talent or strength that makes us more than conquerors. It is “the fact that not one of them affects our relationship to God in Jesus Christ.”

Shall tribulation . . .? “Let tribulation be what it may – exhausting, galling, it is not able to separate us from the love of God. Never let cares or tribulations separate you from the fact that God loves you.”

Or distress . . .? (Chambers uses the word “anguish.”) “Can God’s love hold when everything says that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?”

Or famine . . .? Can we keep believing in the love of God even when we don’t have enough to eat?

“Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver and Paul is deluded, or some extraordinary thing happens to a man who holds on to the love of God when the odds are against God’s character.”

Nothing can separate us, we shall rise, “Out of the wreck,” every time!

Hallelujah, my God! I praise you for the truth in this reading, and in Romans 8! So many times in my life, I have found this passage to be true! Keep it right in front of me, Father, as I walk in your kingdom today.

Come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends.

On Trying Harder

Jeff

“Believe something and the Universe is on its way to being changed. Because you’ve changed, by believing. Once you’ve changed, other things start to follow. Isn’t that the way it works?” ― Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard
(Goodreads)

Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is nunc stans, a rather weighty phrase, meaning, “Eternity or eternal existence, esp. as an attribute of God, conceived not as infinite temporal duration but as a form of existence not subject to the limitations of time, and hence involving neither change nor succession. Also occasionally in extended use, esp. with reference to mystical experience.”

Today is No Dirty Dishes Day. Too late. I wish I had known this before I cooked my egg, this morning.

Yesterday was a pretty unremarkable day, over all. However, I will make note that my wife received some much-needed appreciation from her bosses. They had been kind of rough on her and her team, the day before, and both of them stopped by to make sure she knew how much they appreciate her and what a great job she is doing.

The Red Sox lost 8-4, yesterday. The Sox, who played the Royals, were ahead briefly, then down 5-1. They came close to tying the game, but then gave up more runs late in the game. Porcello was the loser, making his record 6-2 on the season. Fortunately, Baltimore also lost, so they remain in a virtual tie for first. The Rangers lost their second in a row to the Athletics, 8-5. They, too, were ahead briefly, 3-2 in the fourth inning. But they gave up runs in the sixth and seventh. They tied the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the ninth, only to have Shawn Tolleson come in and blow yet another game. Gave up a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. Seattle beat the O’s 10-0, so the Rangers are a game out, now.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you.
Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
Psalm 68:28-31

As God resurrects and delivers, it develops, within us, an appetite for more. It’s not so much a greediness, which would be bad, but, rather, a healthy lust for the working of the power of God in our lives. And, yes, I firmly believe that “lust” can be a good thing. It all depends on what you are lusting after, right? “The more god does for us, the more we want him to do.” And, hopefully, the more we simply want him.

“That which you have done in me, O God, do in others. Use me as a connection by which others can be brought into relation with your love, your healing, and your salvation. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

“Careful Unreasonableness”

Look at the birds of the air . . . Consider the lilies of the field . . .
Matthew 6:26, 28

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars and the moon – all these are, and what a ministration they exert. So often we mar God’s designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful.” Let’s read that last sentence again.

“So often we mar God’s designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful.”

This is the kind of thing that I believe Dallas Willard would refer to as “trying harder.” We cannot become more useful to God by “trying harder!” There is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by focusing on God and Jesus. We cannot get there by “common sense.” We’ve heard the phrase “a watched pot never boils.” Of course, it’s not true, but the truth is that if you keep watching it, it certainly seems to take longer. We don’t increase our spirituality by focusing on our spirituality. We must look at the Source.

Who has the most influence on us, in human terms? It is not the people who do nothing but talk at us. It is the people we watch whose lives are lived in the kingdom of God. I can think of one or two in my life, not very many. We are called to the “easy yoke;” called to walk in the kingdom of God.

“If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live.”

Father, I read these words, and I find great inspiration in them. Everything I have been reading along this line, lately, has led me down the same path. Spiritual formation requires that I concentrate on you and Christ, and leave the results to you. I need not “try harder.” I need only to focus on you and on the words of Christ, and put his words into practice every day of my life. May your Holy Spirit move me and enable me to do this. Help me to put away any notion that I can make myself more useful to you.

Come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends.

Victory Celebration

Jeff

“Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.” – Gustav Mahler
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is panjandrum, which is “a self-important or pretentious official.”

Today is World Baking Day. Too bad it’s on a Tuesday. I don’t have time to bake, today.

Band practice was a little bit of a downer, last night. I enjoyed being with my musician friends, but it seemed as if the director did nothing but yell at us last night. As I talked to another trombone player, he opined that it was about the same as always, and laughed. I suppose I was a little more sensitive last night, for some reason. Who knows? Maybe part of it is that we are playing a piece that is a medley of music from Dances with Wolves, which has the most boring trombone part I have ever played!

The Red Sox got rained out in Kansas City, last night, and Baltimore didn’t play, either, so nothing changed in the AL East. The Rangers lost to the A’s (what??) in Oakland. Maybe it was jet lag. Or starting the game at 9:00PM Central Time. But that drops Dutch Oven to 3-3 on the season. Fortunately, Seattle didn’t play, so they are now in a “virtual tie,” like the Red Sox and O’s, with a mere 4 percentage points between them.

It’s Tuesday. Post-Monday. One of my work friends and I decided, yesterday, that Monday is really “Hump Day.” If we can get through Monday, the rest of the week is downhill. 😀 My wife doesn’t agree. She feels like the whole week is uphill until Friday. I totally get that.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines:
“Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
Psalm 68:24-27

We can learn a lot about worship from Israel, as they are frequently seen worshiping with “exuberance and jubilation.” Our public, corporate worship should be, every time we gather, “a victory celebration!”

“Great God, whose name is praised by faithful men and women in every land, take my songs of gratitude and words of witness and fuse them into what all your people celebrate. In the strong name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

As we prepare for a “Night of Worship” this coming Saturday evening, I want my heart to be in that kind of place, where this gathering of God’s people, Christ followers, is, indeed, a victory celebration.

Father, prepare my heart, as I have been praying for you to prepare everyone’s, for this worship time, this victory celebration. This will be the first event of this type that I have participated in. Sure, I have been involved with nights of praise and worship before, but this is different. This will be a more “eclectic” gathering, of people that I know and don’t know, as we gather to celebrate that which we have in common, a union with Jesus Christ, our Savior. May we walk in your Kingdom as we move toward this night, and may your Holy Spirit “show up” and radically change us.

Come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends!

Don’t Put Self-Interest on the Throne

Jeff5 Comments

“When a woman is talking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.” – Victor Hugo
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is waybread, “Chiefly in fantasy fiction (after J. R. R. Tolkien’s use): a kind of sustaining food made for eating before or during a long journey, typically in the form of flat bread or wafers.”

Today is Drawing Day. I don’t know about that. I don’t draw well, at all. I got musical talent from my parents (and the Lord, of course), but I did not get my father’s drawing talent.

It’s Monday again, which means band practice tonight.

The Red Sox pulled out a 10-9 victory over the Astros yesterday afternoon. After a serious pounding on Thursday (11-1), the Astros fought back hard in the rest of the games in the series, winning only one of them. The Orioles lost yesterday, so the Sox are back in that “virtual tie,” seven percentage points behind the O’s. Meanwhile, the Rangers pulled out a 7-6 victory over the Boo Jays in a game which included an ugly brawl during the eighth inning. Rougned Odor got in one seriously good punch, though, smacking Joey Bats squarely in the jaw, sending his glasses and helmet flying. Of course, I cannot condone this type of behavior, but someone has needed to do that to that punk for a long time. Oh, look! There’s already a video on You Tube!

And there’s already a t-shirt!

Anyway, the Rangers won and Seattle lost another game to the Angels, so the Rangers are back in first place, a half game up! Unfortunately, they now travel to the west coast to play the A’s, so I won’t know until tomorrow morning if they won, because I don’t stay up that late on weekdays.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
 that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
Psalm 68:21-23

God’s deliverance of Israel included a miracle at the Red Sea, as well as victory over “warlike giants.” He is more than an expert at delivering his people from “formidable dangers.” And the Bible is filled with memories of the salvation of God, fueling our faith.

“Father, stock my mind with the remembrances of your victories, your resurrection ways among your people, that when I encounter danger or difficulty I may confidently trust your power to save me in Jesus Christ. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

“The Habit of Wealth”

. . .partakers of the divine nature, . . .
2 Peter 1:4

“We are made partakers of the Divine nature through the promises, then we have to ‘manipulate’ the Divine nature in our human nature by habits, and the first habit to form is the habit of realizing the provision God has made.” It is a terrible mistake (and lie) to say that we cannot afford to do whatever it is that God is calling us to do. This is not referring to a “name it/claim it,” health and prosperity “gospel,” either. It is simply calling us to have faith in the provision that God has given us and to have faith in the promises of Scripture that God will act on our behalf. “He will tax the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will obey Him.”

The danger is to give way to self-pity and “indulge in the habit of misery.” When we allow this to happen, we “banish God’s riches from our own lives and hinder others from entering into His provision.” When we indulge in self-pity, we put “self-interest upon the throne.” So what if circumstances are hard? It may not be “Scriptural,” but it’s true; we were never promised a “rose garden.” Because, as another popular song put it, “every rose has its thorn.”

Father, increase my faith in your provision. Help me develop the habits that Chambers has spoken of in the past few days, most especially that one about enjoying the disagreeable. I still need to work on that. But I also need to work on the habit of realizing how great your provision is in my life. Help me to walk in your Kingdom, strengthening the habits of spiritual formation, that I might draw others into your Kingdom, as well.

Come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Grace and peace, friends.