and it came to pass...

I learned a lesson this weekend...
seeking His presence...
as things went awry in my little world...

No hot water...
septic tank issues...
a checkbook that wouldn't balance...

None of these issues were resolved over the weekend...

In the midst of all... I continued the spiritual discipline of seeking His presence... trying to rest in Him... trying to listen... seeking His peace...

Monday...
hot water...
a checkbook balanced...
a septic tank cared for...

None of these were my doing...
all things out of my control...
all things He provided someone else to fix...

Then I realized...
it came to pass...

All trials...
He uses to refine our character...

How will you deal with an empty propane tank...?
a septic tank you're not sure is doing the job...?
or an error you can't find on your own...?

Will you trust He's in it...?
Will you trust Him to provide...?
Will you trust He is using each incident for your good...?

For this light momentary affliction

is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory

beyond all comparison, as we look not

to the things that are seen but to the things

that are unseen. For the things that are seen

are transient, but the things that are unseen

are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV

And it came to pass...
trials...
turmoil...
trouble...
in order to refine and grow character...
they come... they go...
we pass through them...

All for His glory...

things are not always as they appear...

A restless heart... aggravated by various difficulties... and challenges...

None really serious... just feeling their weight...

My spirit most upset with me... and the restlessness... tired of me... struggling to rest... wanting to trust... but feeling out of sorts...

That's when I grab up the Bonhoeffer devotional... Lord... speak to me...

 We all know that there are times in life when we grow tired of ourselves, when we become disgusted with ourselves, when we see all the wretchedness and weakness of our way of life... And it is the blessing of such times that in them there breaks through a longing for the face of God, for seeing God.

---Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You 

Yes... I know those times... right in the middle of fleshing them out...

God... He says to my restlessness... It's a blessing...

Thoughts go to my morning quiet... praising Him as the One who refines... removes impurities... unwanted material... coarseness...

I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.

Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

Isaiah 48:10 NLT

 suffering... also translated by others as... affliction... adversity...

Refining... it's what I desire... the blessing I seek... a pure heart...

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8

What I see... as a weakness... an aggravation... God... He says... is a blessing... a sign that He's at work... in and through... my life... 

Thank You... Lord... for the aggravation... the restless heart... that drives me to seek Your face... thank You... for revealing Yourself... in a way... that assures... and brings peace...

lay it down...

Too often... after an act of obedience... following through on the call... to speak... act... offer... I critique... analyze... think about way too much... what I've done... how I've done it...

Too often... I go back... consider... pick it up... pick at it... mentally... emotionally... and wonder if it was right... self-consciousness taking over... after the fact...

This thought pattern... an off-shoot of the critical spirit... needs to go...

The words that came to mind this morning... in the gray dawn... between wake... and sleep... as I currently wrestle with an offering... of obedience... from last night...

Lay... it... down...

When we act in obedience... by faith... to the call of that Still Small Voice... we need to trust... trust Him with the outcome... with the gift... because it's not about us... it's about Him...

Obedience is a love-offering... placed on His altar...

Once placed... leave it... allow Him to consume it... use it... how He sees fit... trust... His purpose... and... lay... it... down... 

A thought... that helps... in considering the opportunity given yesterday... words that will... release this heart... from self-torment... through self-analyzation... self-criticism... in something that wasn't even my idea to begin with...

In reality... the act of obedience... cannot be recovered... it is poured out... like water on the ground... a lamb slain on the altar...

To lay it down... is far preferable... than to find yourself standing in regret... holding the jar still filled... the bleating lamb still at your heels... facing opportunities missed... hesitation... doubt... stealing obedience...

Great Words... to help move forward... cleanse a thought life... and embolden... radical... obedience...

Lay... It... Down...

Fire came out from the presence of the Lord

and consumed the burnt offering 

and the fat portions on the altar.

And when all the people saw it,

 they shouted for joy

and fell facedown.

Leviticus 9:24

(my emphasis)

Father God... fill me with the awe... wonder... and joy... of offering acts of obedience on Your altar... help me to lay them down... for You to consume... according to Your will... and purpose... by faith...

thursday...

The Thursday... before... Good Friday...

a call to watch... The Passion...

the night of Jesus's arrest...

the time... when darkness reigned...

Then Jesus said to the chief priests,

the officers of the temple guard,

and the elders, who had come for him,

"... this is your hour --- when darkness reigns."

Luke 22:52-53

An emotional experience... the watching... a spiritual discipline...

Emotions... seen... journaled...

Anger... the chief priests and temple guard...

Anguish... Jesus at Gethsemane...

Assuredness... Jesus facing arrest...

Confusion... Peter... if he was not to fight... what was he to do?

Innocent... Jesus... He broke no temple law... He was the fulfillment of the Law...

Scorn... Jesus... He scorned the shame... 

Sadness... heartache... Jesus... for the priests...

Arrogance... the chief priests...

Liars... the chief priests...

Power struggle... Pilate... vs... the priests...

Fear... Pilate... facing civil unrest...

Brutal... the guards who scourged Jesus...

Love... Mary... His mother... who stood by...

Perseverance... Jesus...

Devotion... the women... John...

Obedient... a Son...

"...The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life --- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

John 10:17-18

This... the Son... we are to follow...

A hard lesson... in... obedience...

James 4: thoughts... part 5

Read James 4

He... the One who gives greater grace... than jealous wrath... says...

God resists the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.

It's just a thought... but the One full of grace... could even His resistance be a gift... a kindness...?

The proud... set on a path of self-destruction... in His wisdom... and love... He opposes... throws up stumbling blocks... in hopes of turning... and saving...

Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 18:12

The fall of the proud... may be just the gift they need... to bring about a saving grace...

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,

who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1Peter 4:10

ESV

It's just a thought...

an internal battle

Thoughts of James... continue... chapter upon chapter... verses building... bringing insight... seeing it made flesh... in me...

...resist the devil... and he will flee from you...

It's hard to resist when he sounds like you...

What about my rights?

I don't have to take that?

They made that mess... let them deal with it...

Well... at least my life isn't as big a wreck as hers...

I deserve to be recognized...

Discerning his voice is the first step to resisting... a battle that may make you feel bipolar... emotions the first evidence of his influence... discontent... envy... selfish ambition...

Don't be deceived... recognize the emotions he stirs... the thoughts he eggs on... resist... rid... replace with Truth...

Therefore... ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil...

humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you...

It begins in you... in me... identify the lie behind the emotion... the deception of the thought that judges... condemns... puts down... 

...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2Corinthians 10:5

It is our responsibility to resist... and rid... the evil from within...

Father God... help me to recognize... resist... and replace... the thoughts of the enemy... with Your Truth...

the woe of seeing

When the Light of Truth shines... into your own heart... revealing... sin... corruption... perversity... then seeing the Word made flesh... in yourself... can be hard...

Such truth... leads to denial... justification... laying blame... or... as God intends... confession...

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

Isaiah 6:5

...and repentance...

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

2Corinthians 7:10

A woe... a pain... for good... when we choose to stand in the Light... and let it do the work... of transformation...

Father God... provide the faith needed... to stand in Your Light... to receive the truth of my sin... no matter how painful... and allow You to redeem the dark... for Your glory...

words... handle with care...

Thoughts from yesterday... linger today... echoing in my heart...

...careless words... those that bring judgment... what exactly are those words... what do they look like...?

First to Merriam-Webster... careless... free from care... indifferent, unconcerned... negligent, slovenly... unstudied, spontaneous...

The care... the careless are free of... a disquieted state of mixed uncertainty, apprehension, and responsibility... painstaking or watchful attention...

The Greek... argos... translated as... careless... according to Enhanced Strong's Lexicon... lazy, shunning the labor which one ought to perform... Dictionary of Biblical Languages says... idle, not working... without thought, careless in consideration...

Careless... thoughtless... words... words that don't work... words we use... not making any effort to consider before we speak... lazy words... dangerous words...

Reckless words pierce like a sword...

Proverbs 12:18

What happens... to those careless with sharp objects... knives... swords...? They hurt themselves... and others...

Watching someone wielding a blade carelessly... what do you do...? Retreat... back away... careful not to turn your back on the one with the blade...

The same is true of those with careless... reckless... words... Have you been stabbed in the back...? Have your own words... returned... to pierce your own heart?

Being created... in the image of the One who created by His Word... our words... have power... to heal...

and to destroy...

Reckless words pierce like a sword,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Proverbs 10:11

ESV

A gentle tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 15:4

ESV

Words... like power tools... must be used with care... work with your words... care-fully... labor over every word... that it might build up... and not tear down...

How do you handle your words...?

Consider... who receives your most careless words...? ...your most thoughtful words...?

James 3: thoughts... part 2

Read James 3

What do you do... when the revelation of the morning... is confirmed... hours later... through a nationally broadcast message...?

I simply smiled when I heard him... through the car radio... speaking the same verses recited on the treadmill this morning... but... when his message... was the same message spoken to me by the Spirit... confirming the truth I heard... the one I jotted down... for the posting today... I'm now a little stunned...

Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites.

And the tongue is a fire.

The tongue, a world of unrighteousness,

is placed among the parts of our bodies.

It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire,

and is set on fire by hell.

 ...no man can tame the tongue. ...

James 3:5-8

HCSB

Continuing the treadmill recitation... the rolling over of words from mind to heart... leads to revelation... the connecting of verse to other verses... revealing a picture... a truth...

The tongue... a window to the heart...

The heart... the wellspring of life...

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

(my emphasis)

The tongue... spewing forth from that spring...

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 12:34

The words formed by our tongue... the ones that pour out of our mouths... reveal the state of our hearts...

The speaker on the radio advised... listen to your words... pay attention to what you say... and consider what they reveal about you...

Not necessarily an encouraging exercise... examination of our own heart... but one that is necessary... knowing the truth... the true state of our soul... makes way for freedom...

There is no taming of the tongue... for there is no changing of the heart... we cannot change... For a time we mask... pretend... act out what we want to be... but only God transforms...  stone to flesh... bitter to sweet... filthy to clean...

Our only part... is to willingly crucify... deny... kill our will... and let the Lord truly reign!

Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me,

he must deny himself and take up his cross

and follow me. ..."

Matthew 16:24

Follow Him... to the cross... the crucifixion of self... building up the Father's kingdom... The first step... recognizing the need to crucify... restraining words... biting the tongue... yielding the way to others...

The radio speaker... pointed out the gravity of our words... how the Father takes each and every word we say seriously...

"... I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." ---Jesus

Matthew 12:36-27

HCSB

(emphasis mine)

Lord... this message... words revealing hearts... let me not dismiss it... May the only fire setting my tongue ablaze... be the fire of the Spirit... in Jesus's name...

James 1: thoughts... part 1

One thing I've learned about eating the Word... is to take note of words that repeat... connecting one book to another... echoing throughout the Whole... connections that add insight and deepen meaning...

Read James 1

Last week... a word from the trail... on the not quite right day... connected with a word in James...

...wither... according to Webster's... to become dry and sapless... to lose vitality, force, or freshness...

The Word from James filling my thoughts...

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass;

 its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed.

In the same way, the rich man will wither away

while pursuing his activities.

James 1:11

HCSB

(emphasis added)

Now... before leaving the trail... I knelt... opened the small Bible I'd taken from the car for the walk... just to see if there was one more thought to take home...

Matthew 13... the sower... the seed that fell on all sorts of ground and the outcome of those seeds...

The connection...

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched,

and they withered because they had no root.

Matthew 13:5-6

(emphasis added)

The thought struck... deepened... the rich man... connected to... rocky places, where [the seed] did not have much soil...

Those who are rich... [and of course in the world-wide economic picture... anyone reading this is rich...] make rocky ground for God's Word... no place for roots to take hold...

The rocks... could they be... material possessions... distractions... pursuit of entertainment... pursuit of more... ?

...the rich man will wither while pursuing his activities...

He has a personal agenda to attend to... we have personal agendas... no room for God's Word... for God's Way...

The scorching... does it come from lack of trust in God... trusting wealth... more than the Savior...?

Jesus explains to His disciples...

The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places

 is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time.

When trouble or persecution comes because of the word,

he quickly falls away.

Matthew 5:20-21 

The rich... the rocky... too much stuff to take root... no time to grow deeper in relationship with the One who brought joy... When trouble comes... does he return to his own way... to his own form of security... or is he the one who bought into the whole prosperity gospel... thinking God does not allow trouble to come to those He loves...? No time to pursue... and seek... the true God...?

It makes me think... do I know some who deceive themselves... thinking they are rooted... but distracted by their own activities... am I one...? Are we all just withering... not planting anything eternal... ignoring His call on our lives... too busy... too important...?

The rich... those who appear to have much... are rocky... lacking... no place for spiritual roots to grow...

Just a thought...

Psalm 119: Resh

Only three letters to go... approaching the end of Psalm 119... the twentieth serving... Resh (pronounced "raysh")...

Read Psalm 119:153-160

Resh is for "look"... "see"...

Look upon my suffering and deliver me,

for I have not forgotten your law.

Psalm 119:153

The cry of the psalmist...

Look at me God... Do You see me...?

Don't forget me... I have not forgotten You...

The cry of the faithful... following God's Way... in a broken world... the world that promises trouble for those who follow... the world that provides the cross to carry... all the way to death...

Even this side of the cross... death defeated... Satan disarmed... Jesus sitting in the place of Supremacy... the righteous suffer... the road rocky... refinement... painful... in the midst of Good News...

In putting everything under [the Son], God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.

Hebrews 2:8

(emphasis mine)

A unique time in history... a time to live by faith... sure of what we cannot see...

We cannot see the world subject to the Savior... we cannot see His absolute authority over evil... we cannot see how all works for good...

So we cry with our Hebrew friend... Look at me... deliver me... defend me...

I look on the faithless with loathing,

for they do not obey your word.

See how I love your precepts;

preserve my life, O Lord, according to your love.
Psalm 119:158-159

(emphasis mine)

In pain... we look with loathing on the lost... we cry out... reminding God of His promise... of His Good News...

But His Word says... live by faith... not by what we see... look at His Word... with eyes of faith... look at the lost... with compassion...

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2Peter 3:9

By faith... choose to see the Lord at work... by faith... choose to identify with Him in suffering... by faith... choose to continue to follow... a Savior whose reign we cannot see...

From our psalmist friend... we learn... experience... God's patience... He can take our ranting... our complaining... we can come to Him with our heartache and pain... He calls us to...

In the coming to Him... we take our eyes off self... and place them on Him... look...

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrew 12:2-3

(my emphasis)

refinement... an intimate walk...

Refinement requires reading... a steady diet of God's Word...

Scripture... the script for life... reveals what needs refining...

Without the light of the Word... we walk in the dark...

The path unlit... we can't see what makes us stumble... what needs to be removed...

Refinement is personal... a process requiring time spent with God... the Word made flesh... forging intimacy... trust...

A fresh reminder swept through my heart today... going back to the Book... the one I ate from for fifteen years... the one I put aside for a thinline a year ago...

NIV Study Bible...copyright 1985... a gift from loved ones... part of a survival kit...

It sat on the shelf... at least three years... before the crisis... before the dark closed in...

Today... I went back to that Book... a day of wrestling with words for ministry... a need to see evidence of the walk... fifteen years of notes... underlines... brackets... epiphanies... tears...

A tangible reminder of His faithfulness... His refining Hand... in my life...

Intimate refinement... a Book smelling of God... speaking His words... revealing our history...

When your words came, I ate them;

they were my joy and my hearts delight,

for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.

Jeremiah 15:16

Do you have a tangible reminder of refinement?

...of intimacy?

...of His faithfulness?

What is it...?

Can you smell Him...? ...hear Him? ...is He real to you?

What helps you connect to Him... intimately...?

refinement... a life unfolding...

Life in Christ... begins a journey... marked first by baptism... a surrender... to something new...

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ..."

John 3:5-6

ESV

Just born... a life unfolding...

a spiritual babe... hungry...

a diet of milk... moves only to meat... with growth... maturity...

Refinement... through hardship... the road to maturity... obedience...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

How is your life unfolding these days?

Finding joy in the growing pains?

Or... Are you refusing to grow up?