Our Daily Bread

 

We pray “Give us our daily bread” and God supplies us with this and an abundance!!! Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread...not monthly or yearly or lifetime but just for today. We have become so used to so much that we have lost our contentment with today. We are driven by not the tyranny of the urgent, but by “the tyranny of our desires.” I must have more....not satisfied that I have enough for today. Lord, teach me to be content today and not be grasping and greedy for more and more.

What Precept Bible Study Means To Me

I have been studying the Bible Precept method since 1977. It has made a huge difference in my life. In fact my life revolves around Precept....How? It is my present homework. I am looking always to see how it ties to things I’ve learned in past studies and constant watching for God’s leading in what to lead our group to study next. I have repeated some courses but love the freshness of a new workbook even if I have done it before. It amazes me that the next time around I see new truths that I’ve never seen before. The Word of God cannot be exhausted. I see everything I read with new eyes because I have been trained by Precept to really see words, repeated words, which meant emphasis—synonyms, which often give greater understanding. I am eager to get into God’s Word for it is like a treasury to me....rich resources for living, for dealing with circumstances and relationships. God’s Word influences every aspect of my life—my time, relationships with friends, family, strangers, my finances, my responses to difficult circumstances and losses: plus a greater appreciation of the blessings I have received. The immersion of my life in God’s word via Precept is like dipping a cloth into dye. It comes out a new color, if I have allowed it to be receptive, spread out before Him, unfolded from myself, ready to absorb and be saturated with His truths.

 

Puzzels

The Puzzles of Life

I love jig-saw puzzles. I have one that has pieces that look like they fit, but are slightly wrong. This puzzle also has a pattern on the back that makes it easy to see if you are putting it in the right place.  It has been a help to look on the back and know if it fits the other pattern.

I began to see how easily it is, in life to fit things into the wrong place....to make decisions that look right but don’t fit God’s big picture. For life is not that easy. We cannot ” look on the back”  of each decision or choice we make to know if it is the right one. But we can go to the Lord for guidance and direction. Sometimes the direction is not easily found or we are not ready to see it and we must wait....wait until another “piece” is put into place. If we are patient and do not run ahead, if we persevere and do not give up asking, seeking, knocking we will be given directions. ...”Place it here.” “Wait a while.” “Look for another piece.”  He is always ready to answer. Are we always ready to ask?

Seeing

Seeing

There is much in the natural world that corresponds to the spiritual world. This was brought to my attention recently as I had cataract surgery. I came away from that experience with the words to a song skipping around in my head---”I can see clearly now---” I had not realized how much true vision I had lost  because it was so gradual. My new world has color magnified, greater depth----I can judge distance between things instead of seeing a flat “paper doll” world--- and everything has sharply  defined lines.

In the same way we can gradually lose spiritual sight and discernment. God’s ways can become faded and flat and we see things from the world’s perspective and not His. At these times we need to go to the Great Physician and ask for  a new “lens.”  A lens that sees as He sees with sharp delineation between right and wrong- true color and not faded or “off color-”and discernment to see how far we are from our goals.

The words from “Amazing Grace” are so true for the believe---.”Was blind, but now I see.”

God’s Word speaks to spiritual blindness. In  Isa 6: 9  And He said, "Go, and tell this people:  'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.'  10  "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Lest they see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed." 

 Jesus had the remedy for that spiritual blindness in Rev. 3: 18  I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and [that] the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

Eph 1:18  [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

What Will Our Generation Do?

Recently while on an ocean liner I watched the swells in the ocean. They came continuously---never stopping---never a break. I began to liken them to the generations of man---a continuous flow of life. Some were larger than others. Some were even so large they broke into white at the crest. I thought of the generations of mankind. Some have been mild generations where life was placid. Others have been filled with turmoil. Some were "crests" in history. The generation of Moses, the generation of Daniel, the generation of Jesus which gave a new direction to history, the generation of Martin Luther. I can see the generation of 1776 made a large crest as did the generation of WWII. What will our generation do? Just barely make a swell or will we crest and truly make a difference?

Tree by the Rivers of Waters

In Psalm 1:3 the blessed man is described as a tree by the rivers of waters, which yields its fruit in season. Whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

I  keep seeing a principle in scripture about being rooted and  grounded. It reminds me that great trees do not appear overnight, but through steady, daily, yearly growth...growth brought about by extending their roots deep into the ground, searching for food and water. This root system creates stability. Paul uses this metaphor in his letters. Col 2:7...”rooted and built up in Him;” Eph 3:17 ...rooted and established: Col 1:23...”continue in the faith, grounded and settled.” This demands time. Time to extend our minds deep into His Word; to draw nourishment from it; to feed our souls with it; to draw on it when calamity strikes; to turn to it for comfort; to search it out for guidance and direction when choices loom before us; to look into it for encouragement when we get weary.

The tree of Psalm 1 is planted by the water. When winds of adversity blow, it anchors itself against the onslaught. It may become gnarled from the fight but it stands and is strengthened because of its deep roots. This tree produces fruit. It becomes mature and reproduces itself. There is no shortcut to this kind of tree or this kind of fruit.

The Bread of Life

I came home yesterday from a conference, led by a godly young woman of God, in a state of awe. I had just observed a supernatural event. She broke the Bread of Life of just a few verses and fed hundreds of women just what each one needed.  It is amazing what God’s Word accomplishes in the hearts of those who are instructed by it. We are led, comforted, challenged, admonished, humbled, exalted and taught by it. Just as Jesus when He fed the 5000, she took what she had, asked God to bless and multiply it and fed us to satisfaction. 

What a gift to be called to feed others with god’s Word. 

What a calling. 

Women of all ages, cultures, backgrounds heard the same words expounded and each took to herself a different meaning and application for her own life. God Word speaks to every situation of our lives, no matter our age, position, circumstances or maturity.

Majestic Words

MAJESTIC WORDS

Romans 1:1  Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called [as] an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  2  which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,  3  concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,  4  who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,  5  through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about [the] obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake,  6  among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;  7  to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called [as] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

LORD, as a “word hound” I stand in awe when reading Paul’s letters. He was so full of Your Spirit that words rushed out of him at breakneck speed, tumbling over one another into long meaty sentences with each phrase full of knowledge, wonder and awe at what You have done

for us,
to us,
in us, and
with us
to transform us into the image that You originally intended in Eden.

Goodness, I just made one of those sentences, but it comes naturally to use wondrous language when we describe You and Your work in our lives.

May I always think of You in the superlative...most, best, grandest, all powerful, all knowing, always present...most caring most just, greatest, majestic,

Psm 145: 5  On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty, And on Thy wonderful works, I will meditate.  6  And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; And I will tell of Thy greatness. 

Eph 3:20  Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,  21  to Him [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Pain Can Change Our Focus

I have not written for my blog in about two months. Why? I have been consumed by thoughts about my body. (My hip slipped out of place and caused pain with every step) I am not accustomed to considering pain in planning my daily routine. But a trip to the doctor and, by his recommendation, a physical therapist, put “pain” treatment on my calendar. I have never been one to constantly take my “temperature” of how I feel. I have been blessed with health and energy and many interests that fill my thoughts. So this has been a new condition for me. As I have slowly gotten better I have realized how I have allowed “pain” to dictate not only my behavior, but my thoughts. Then I remembered something I have taught many times in the past...”Belief (thought life) controls behavior.” This experience has given me an empathy toward others who live in chronic pain and hopefully has reminded me that I can choose my thoughts to redirect my focus...even when pain is knocking at the door of my mind.

Heb 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus”...this is where I find comfort and purpose in the midst of pain, not in the focus on my pain. For it blinds me to His working in my life.

Father, do not let the painful circumstances take my focus from You or blind me to the things You are doing in my life.

Be Still And Know That I Am God

Isaiah 30:15b In quietness and trust is your strength.

As I lay in the MRI machine (an enormous noise making monster) I tried to put my anxious thoughts behind me.  What was the doctor looking for that would cause her to order this test on my head?  Was there something terribly wrong?  I was wearing head phones to dampen the unrelenting noise.  I decided to pray and praise the Lord to ward off the “vain imaginations” I was plagued with, but it was impossible to concentrate, to focus on God.

Then God spoke to me....causing me to correlate the noise surrounding me with the noise of the world that keeps us from focusing on Him.  Worries, anxious “what ifs,” concerns about our finances, our health, or our loved ones can consume us and leave no room in our minds for Him.  There are so many things clamoring for our attention.

Jesus told Martha in Luke, when she was anxious about many things, that “only one thing was necessary” and that was turning our attention to Him. I have learned through the years that there is room in our minds for only one thing at a time.

We must make a quiet place in our heart and mind where nothing else can intrude and spend time with Him; shedding all our concerns and laying them at His feet where they belong...for He is capable of dealing with them and we are not.

He says “Trust Me. I love you. My purpose for you is not to be a “burden bearer” but to be a lover of  Me.”  We must learn to shut out the continual noise of the world and listen for His voice. It brings about the “peace that passes all understanding.”

 He is constantly thinking about me; should I not direct my thoughts toward Him?

Phil 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Our Misplaced Trust

Our Misplaced Trust

 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 your paths straight. Prov. 3:5-6

As I drove on one of our city’s six lane expressways going sixty-five miles per hour I was awed by the fact that  all these cars going around me at breakneck speed and there were no accidents. I remembered driving through Atlanta at rush hour with six lanes going both ways at eighty miles per hour. No one hit anyone else; everyone stayed in their own lane unless there was an opening and they wanted to move over or someone needed to exit. How did this “mass of moving of metal” do it? What was the key? Then it dawned on me! Trust!! I trusted the driver next to me to remain in his lane; we all had a common direction; we were all maintaining the same momentum. I trusted people I didn’t even know. I trusted the laws we were obeying. I trusted my vehicle to perform as it was supposed to. As I turned off the expressway and drove on city streets I trusted that the other driver would stop at the red light or a stop sign at the intersection as I went through.

So much of our lives is based on trust. We trust the pharmacist to fill our prescriptions correctly. We trust food manufacturers to package safe food. We trust the gas we put in our cars is what is advertised. We trust the water piped to our homes to be safe. We trust the bank to take care of our funds.

Why do we not trust God???  This is the God who created us.   Psalm 139:13 For Thou didst form me in my mother’s womb. This is the God who loves us.  Jer.31:3a I have loved you with an everlasting love;  John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.

Why do we trust everything and everyone but God?  Is it because we can’t see and hear Him?

I see Him! I see Him in His Word. I see Him in Gen 1 as he creates with such planning and purpose for a perfect place for man. I see Him rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt. I see Him providing for them for 40 years in the wilderness...guiding,  leading, feeding, and keeping their clothes from wearing out. I see Him feeding 5000 people who had followed Him into the countryside to listen to His teaching. I see Him turning water into wine to keep the bridegroom from being embarrassed. I see Him lifting a woman who had been accused of adultery and sending her on her way forgiven and cleansed.

I see Him changing my life of emptiness into an exciting life of learning and teaching His Word and watching Him work in so many lives. I see Him bringing me through changes and challenges with peace and confidence and poise. Trust Him??!!?? Yes!! I trust Him!!

I hear Him speak to me through His Word...words of encouragement, comfort, conviction, love. I hear Him in my heart when things are changing. He reminds me that “I change not...Malachi 3:6; Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Heb 13:8; He is...”the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. James 1:17

What a God!! I trust Him!!

My Psalm

My Psalm

How my soul desires complete communion with Thee, O LORD!'

How the world crushes in to destroy that union.

It unties the cords of trust that bind me to You.

It rushes in to fill the gap between us with concrete,

Which must be chiseled out with determined prayer.

It seeks to blind me to Your glory, with pride colored mist.

It is only when I wrap the arms of my heart around You,

And keep the eyes of my mind upon You

That I can withstand the world's invasion of my soul.

SIGHT AND SOUNDS OF THE HEART

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled......

As I lay on the table with the cardiac technician, Janet, rubbing her stylus over my chest to record the shape, movement, and sound of my heart, I was reminded of how everything in my body is dependent on the function of this organ.  I began to compare this to our Christian life in which every part of our life with Christ is dependent on the condition of our spiritual heart.

In our culture the biblical “heart” can be translated mind, will and emotions, the seat of our being.  We live in a world of “heart trouble” for sin damaged our heart from the beginning. People’s minds are full of lies; their wills are enveloped in “I can’t,” and their emotions control them instead of them controlling their emotions.  Until we transfer our heart to Jesus’ control we will continue to have this “heart problem”....seeing everything from our selfish me, myself, and I perspective.  Until my heart beats in rhythm with His it will never be completely healthy. He tells us in Proverbs 4: 23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.”

What does God see as He looks into my heart? One likeminded, whose heart beats in rhythm with His or one whose heart beats in rhythm with the world around me? 

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.