HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?

Over lunch the other day, I asked one of our men what he does for his spiritual growth. It became evident that other than attending church and quizzing his children as to what they've learned at Sunday School, he is not doing much. I can understand this since he is just "coming back" to church attendance after years away from the church. He is still dealing with a question as to whether he will become a fully devoted follower of Jesus.
However I can't understand how many seemingly serious Christians "starve themselves" spiritually by their own choice. Jesus said "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The only fully trustworthy words from God are found in the Bible. If we are to live spiritually and eat enough to keep growing, we must spend time with the Bible.
I am in the middle of Psalm 119 right now. I will read the second half of this psalm tomorrow. What a great emphasis this psalm places on the Word of God. I am so glad that at age 16 I was challenged to memorize vs. 9 - 11. That same summer I was challenged to begin a daily Bible reading and prayer time. That lifelong habit is surely the most important habit I formed as a teen.
If you don't spend time regularly reading and thinking about Scripture, you are starving spiritually. Come on - carve out at least 10 minutes a day. Then after a few weeks up it to 20 minutes. After a while you will find that 30 minutes a day of Bible and prayer is really a minimum to stay healthy.
God is waiting to meet with you daily. Make the time - keep growing!

PROCRASTINATE OR REFUSE

We discovered a significant leak in two of our windows a week ago. Strong rain with strong wind made it very evident that our south facing windows need some significant repair. Unfortunately the management has not repaired them during the last week. The window sill and walls need to be really dry before repairs and we get just enough rain each day or at night to keep things moist. So they have a valid excuse for procrastination. But if we get another strong windy rain from the south, we will be soaking up the water with towels.
Last night I needed to take a short, 75 cent taxi ride to a meeting. I flagged a taxi, got in and told him where I needed to go. He immediately said $2.50. He did not want to charge the meter price because he knew it was a short ride. Fortunately I knew the right price, suggested $1, but he would not budge. I smiled, said goodbye and got out. Caught the next taxi. I am glad it wasn't raining.
I think of these incidents and I remember how often in my life I have said "Just wait" or "No" to God. Sometimes I've felt I had a legitimate excuse. Sometimes I simply did not want to do what I knew I should do. How stupid for a creature like me to disagree with and disobey the One who made me and loves me.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10

GOD SENT A MAN

In Psalm 105, the author is recounting God's special ways with His covenant people. He begins by mentioning the covenant he made with Abraham (vs 9) and near the end mentions again the "the holy promise" He gave to Abraham. (vs 42) God had a special role for Abraham's descendants.
What caught my attention today, was the wonderful, mysterious, painful way in which God "sent a man before them - Joseph, sold as a slave." (vs. 17) The author is simply repeating the description of God's action by Joseph himself. Three times to his brothers, Joseph says "God sent me". Genesis 45:5, 7, 9
It was not an easy sending that Joseph went through - sold as a slave at age 17; later on, thrown unjustly into prison. Not for 13 years did Joseph obtain the position as the most powerful man in Egypt next to the Pharoah. Not until his brothers appeared years later did Joseph finally understand that all those years before God, in His Sovereign plan, had sent Him to Egypt for a special purpose. Joseph alone was in the key position to provide for Jacob and his descendants who would become the nation of Israel.
The Bible makes it clear that God places different people in a variety of positions, sent to play the role He has for them. You may not realize it - or at least not yet - but you may be where you are right now because God sent you. He may have you there to influence one person, or many: someone (s) who needs to hear the Good News, or needs special help, or needs godly leadership. God sends women and men: even though from a human point of view it may appear accidental, or even by mistake that you are now where you are. Are you a sent woman? A sent man? Don't miss God's purpose for you this year - wherever you have been sent.

By the way, sometimes I miss a blog day because of a tight schedule. Sometimes (like yesterday) because I am not able to get onto the blogger website. I do my best to write at least five times a week.

AN UNDIVIDED HEART

Personal note: we have had our windows open all day today. Normal temperature these days is 30 - 32 degrees (86 - 90 F). But today with a cool breeze from the west in mid-afternoon it is overcast and 25. How comfortable. What a nice change.
Now to a Scripture for today.

"Teach me your way,Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; 

give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11 (NIV)
¹² 

"Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you." (NLT)

"Unite my heart to fear Your name." (NASB)

"Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name."(Holman)   

"Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear.

                                                                  (The Message)    

Every disciple of Jesus needs to pray this kind of phrase regularly. "Lord, please give me an undivided heart, purity of heart, one heart and mind, undivided. I am so prone to organize my thoughts, goals, values around other things or people instead of you Lord. I know you should be the center of my universe for you are the Center of the Universe. But I so easily move myself back toward the center, and when I do, everything becomes unbalanced; like a spinning top that wobbles because its with weight is not centered." 

I want to keep first things first. I want to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. I know that if my heart is undivided then life will not wobble.

¹

¹² 

HAS GOD FORGOTTEN

Yesterday a brief look at doubt about whether loyalty to God and His ways is worth it. Today a brief look at doubt about God from Psalm 77. The psalmist was in turmoil. He experienced so much stress that he could not sleep. And he wondered if God had rejected him.
"Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful?" Psalm 77:8, 9


But like you and me, like all people of faith, he and we know better. God cannot change. We know our God's loving, merciful actions have been displayed in history. Our faith is in the God who acted in and through the nation of Israel. He is the God who acted in and through our Lord - Jesus Christ. In history He has displayed his love, His mercy and His power.
Therefore, when life is painful and God seems distant, we need to return to Scripture. We need to listen to music that conveys biblical truth. We need to reflect on what we know of God and His loving actions in history - and in our own lives. Then we are able to join with the psalmist as he comes out of his doubting and depression and says:
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?" Psalm 77:11 - 13

FEET ALMOST SLIPPING

We are moving into rainy season here in Hanoi. While the entrance to our apartment is very nice, the smooth steps and the smooth cement, when wet can be very slippery. The psalmist says that his "feet had almost slipped" and "I had nearly lost my foothold". I suspect he was using the picture of climbing a steep hill and starting to slide.
He uses this picture language to speak of losing faith; of questioning his loyalty to God. Why? Because he was noticing how good life seemed to be for those who paid no attention to God. They seem healthy, wealthy, care free and independent. They don't seem to suffer yet they live with no loyalty to God.
So it seemed that it was vain to live a morally pure life. Why be honest?  Why be a person of integrity? It doesn't seem to make a better life. The life of the unbeliever seems better than the life of a committed believer.
The first half of Psalm 73 puts into words what many Christians in moments of discouragement or loss really feel. It is common yet also frightening to feel that your faith in God is slipping. What good is a life loyal to Christ?
In this and several other psalms, it is clear that the author is painfully honest with God. It is also clear that he regains the biblical perspective, the spiritual perspective, the long range view of life and eternity. Yes, those who ignore and/or oppose God may prosper; they even seem to have all that life offers. But that is only a sensual and momentary perspective.
A relationships with God provides much deeper meaning and deeper joy. The psalmist regains this perspective and writes: "And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25, 26
When you feel like you are "slipping" it may be you've lost an eternal and spiritual perspective. You need to get your eyes once again firmly fixed on the One who has gone ahead of us. Hebrews 12:1 -3 

PRAYING FOR GOD'S BLESSING

Psalm 67 begins with words that everyone has ever prayed - or at least we have prayed the sentiment.
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—" 
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We want God's blessing and His smile. If God blesses us we know our lives will be full and content. So we pray this for ourselves and for our loved ones - perhaps every day. But how often do we pray the sentiment of the next sentence in Psalm 67?

"- so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations."

What a large view of life the psalmist has. His prayers are so often God-centered. So he prays for God's blessing in order that others will be blessed through him and those with him (probably meaning the nation of Israel). In effect he prays, "God bless us so that many others will come to know you among the nations."
As God blesses you, your family, your faith community - are you frequently praying that His blessing will flow through you to bless others? How is the health, the skills, the opportunities, the money that you and yours have been given - how is it being used so that others will come to know our God - where you live and among the nations?