Worth Repeating - November 14, 2017

Psalm 27: 8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. (NIV)

Once you have seen his face you will forever long to see it again.*

My daughter-in-law posts pictures of my new granddaughter almost every day. All I have to do is login to Facebook and I can see that precious little girl. I am thankful for modern technology which allows us to stay in touch even when we can’t be together. But nothing can take the place of face-to-face, in-person interaction with someone you love. In this psalm, David expresses that longing to be in the presence of God and to see his face. But in Exodus 33: 20, God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

In the 1985 movie Cocoon, a group of extra-terrestrial aliens has come to earth on some unfinished business. They don’t actually have bodies – they’re just wispy, shapeless beings – so they inhabit human bodies in order to accomplish their mission without alarming the people around them. Similarly, God is spirit and he has no physical body in which to move about among his people – until he inhabited the body of Jesus. Before Jesus shed his physical body, he promised to send his Spirit to dwell in his people.

In Ephesians 2: 22, Paul writes that we are being built to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Now, when we long to seek God’s face, we find him looking out from the faces of his faithful followers. If we find God’s face by looking into the faces of his people, then we should also see his face looking back at us from the mirror. Next time you work on your hair or brush your teeth, examine your face more closely. If you don’t see the face of God, perhaps you need to take some time to seek his face and his presence in your life. He rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11: 6).

He takes his children to higher levels of fellowship so they may hear him speaking “face to face.”*

Worth Repeating - November 13, 2017

I John 5: 3 His commands are not burdensome. (NIV)

His laws are not unreasonable; the duties which he requires are not beyond our ability; his government is not oppressive.*

When the Pharisees asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment, they were hoping to trick him into saying something they could use against him. He answered their trick question with a “trick answer” – he named the two greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22: 37-39). And then he added, “All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 40)

So whatever else Jesus may have commanded us; whatever Paul and James and Peter were inspired to write; and of all the laws of the Old Testament era – would we need any of those words if we knew what “love God and love your neighbor” looked like? And yet, Jesus has shown us clearly what it looks like:  “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (I John 3: 16)

There is no doubt that trying to keep the commandments in the law was burdensome - lots of stuff to remember and do; but Jesus came and simplified the rules. As a single mother, caring for my twin toddler boys was – shall we say, challenging? – but never burdensome. Loving God should be even less so.  Look how he loved us!

If you maintain these two top priorities – love God and love others – they will guide you in setting all the other priorities in your life.*

Worth Repeating - November 12, 2017

II Timothy 2: 8, 9 This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. (NIV)

How trivial and selfish my concerns are compared to those of people who seem to have stepped right out of the pages of the New Testament.*

Thanks to Facebook posts from “Voices of the Martyrs,” I am often reminded to pray for the persecuted church around the world. I read of Christians who are beaten; imprisoned; forced to watch as loved ones are tortured. But not all persecution involves brutality - there are many nations where religious freedom is limited or nonexistent. These brothers and sisters manage to stand firm in their faith in spite of being deprived of a complete Bible in their own language (if they are even able to read at all!), and the freedom to gather with fellow believers. How do they do it? Access to the word of God and fellowship are so essential to my spiritual growth, how would I manage without them?

Paul answers my questions with one statement: God’s word is not chained. God’s word is not limited to paper and ink or biblegateway.com.  Its power cannot be defused by laws. Incomplete knowledge does not deter the Holy Spirit. The gospel is not confined by prison bars.

Pray with me for the persecuted church. Be mindful daily of the absolute luxury you have to pick up a Bible and read it. Take advantage of your many opportunities for sweet fellowship. Pray that the Lord will send workers where the gospel is needed most. Prepare yourself to be one of those workers.

I can pray that Lord of Heaven can so alter the affairs of earth that His spokesman will have special opportunity to speak for Him.*

Worth Repeating - November 11, 2017

Isaiah 65: 24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (NIV)

Don’t think thoughts you don’t want Jesus to hear.*

My husband will bring up a subject as we are riding in the car or hiking along a trail and I will say, “I was just thinking about that!” Just last night as he was presenting the lesson to our small group, he asked a question that I answered with one of my typical smart remarks. He said, “When I was writing the lesson I knew that’s what you were going to say!”

Sometimes we’re just attuned to another person’s train of thought. Whatever triggers a notion in one mind fires the same brain waves in the other. It’s nice to be close to someone who knows us so well. It’s even better when the other person is God.

We are not the original intended audience for this verse in Isaiah, but it expresses a truth that can be found throughout scripture. God is so in tune to us, so anxious to hear from us, that he answers before we have even called. He hears what we have to say before we’ve finished saying it. Sometimes we forget how interested God is in our thoughts. When we allow unwholesomeness to occupy space in our minds, we are crowding God out.

How do impure thoughts get into our minds? We put them there with what we see and hear. Sometimes we don’t mean to expose ourselves to bad influences – life happens all around us if we aren’t living in a cave – but we contaminate our own minds by what we read, watch, listen to, and dwell on. The antidote to a dirty mind is to fill it with cleanliness. We must be selective in what we put in there. Read Philippians 4: 8 for some helpful hints on what to think about. Then perhaps when God leans in to listen to your thoughts, you won’t be embarrassed by what he hears.

It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We’ve got to let the good stuff in.*

Worth Repeating - November 10, 2017

Proverbs 12: 18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (NIV)

Even truthful words can damage.*

I find it easy to recall some of the reckless words that have pierced my spirit. Sadly, I can remember a few occasions when such words came from my own mouth to cause damage to others. Whoever came up with, “Sticks and stones may break my bones . . .” didn’t know what he was talking about. We might wish that we were so thick-skinned that harsh words couldn’t penetrate to our heart. And I wish that my idle, thoughtless speech didn’t have the power to hurt others.

If words can have such power for evil, can’t they also have power for good? Yes; it just seems to take a little more prompting for us to recall those words. This proverb’s reminder that “the tongue of the wise brings healing,” was just what I needed to bring to mind some of those soothing words. I think of a Christian counselor who helped me when my first marriage was coming to an end. I often say that he wasn’t able to save my marriage but he saved me. My parents helped soothe my soul during that same chapter of my life. Many sermons have spoken words of wisdom just when I needed them. And God’s word has never failed to be the voice of comfort, encouragement or admonition according to my need.

If you have been bruised by someone else’s words, immerse yourself in the word of God. Let his Spirit speak to you and soothe your soul. If Jesus can calm the sea with a simple command, he can certainly bring peace to the storms of your life. And when his healing has washed over you and restored your soul, allow yourself to be his instrument – his wise mouthpiece – of healing for others.

I am often amazed at the power of God’s Word, but I shouldn’t be.*

Worth Repeating - November 9, 2017

I Samuel 3: 9 “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (NIV)

God speaks in our world. We just have to learn to listen for him amidst the ordinary.*

By the time Samuel spoke these words, God had already called to him four times. The first three times, he thought it was his mentor, Eli, calling him. After the third time that Samuel had run to where Eli was sleeping, Eli realized that it must be the Lord speaking to the boy, so he advised him to say the words quoted here.

In Samuel’s defense: he was young and he “did not yet know the Lord.” (verse 7) In our defense: I don’t think we have one. If we don’t hear God calling, it’s because we’re not listening. We specifically ask him to reveal himself to us then we rush off without waiting for his answer. How rude is that?

Sometimes, though, God answers and we ignore him. I can testify to that. For years, I have had the idea in the back of my mind to write. I was busy working and raising my kids so I mostly only thought about writing. I got to do some writing as part of my job – business letters, procedure manuals, grant requests, press releases – but nothing that brought satisfaction. After my job ended and after I had determined that I was not going to be returning to the daily grind of a full-time job, I constantly asked God to reveal to me what he wanted me to be doing for him. Write. Write. Write. The answer came up time after time, but I wasn’t listening. I can’t tell you what finally opened the ears of my heart but here I am. I still have questions about the direction I should go. Publish or not? Continue blogging? Try something other than daily devotionals? Look for ways to reach a larger audience or be content that I am reaching the audience that needs to be reached? I believe that I am a better listener now and God is telling me this: Do what you’re doing. I’ll let you know when you need to do something else.

Have you asked God to reveal his will but he hasn’t? Perhaps you aren’t listening. Next time you speak to him, give him a chance to speak back. Try Samuel’s approach: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Give him some time. In the meantime, do what you’re doing. He’ll let you know when you need to do something else.

Faithful servants have a way of knowing answered prayer when they see it, and a way of not giving up when they don’t.*

Worth Repeating - November 8, 2017

Luke 18: 1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. . . . And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. . .” (NIV)

Trust means we are relying upon Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.*

I have always thought of this parable as The Nagging Widow. Read the whole passage and see what I mean. It sounds to me like Jesus is advocating nagging as a spiritual discipline. I do not nag! I have even been known to speculate about the necessity of persistent prayer. If I tell God what I want or think I need, why do I have to keep reminding him? Is he going to forget?

Clearly, I have missed the point of this story!

If you are with me on this, then let’s confirm the purpose of prayer. God wants to hear from us because he wants a relationship with us. We should pray in order to embrace and nurture that relationship – not just to get stuff. Through this parable, Jesus helps us to understand something about God, not about the Nagging Widow. She returned to the judge repeatedly because she knew he was the only one who could help her. If she was ever going to get justice, she had to get it from him. “Listen to the unjust judge,” Jesus says. If the widow could (finally) get justice from him, then why don’t we trust God to provide justice for his chosen ones? He is our source of help. Is the widow’s persistence even a factor in the point of the parable? One writer has observed (helpfully): “Hounding God doesn’t earn an answered prayer any more than faith or righteous living does. But persistence demonstrates our enduring trust.”*

How often and how frequently should you remind God that you are waiting for an answer? I believe that is a matter that is strictly between you and him, but I believe it is true that the more you pray, the better you pray.

There is no way to learn to pray except by praying.*