I Can’t Type

If you are reading this, it means I can’t type this morning. Thursday I had my thumb operated on. I mentioned that in an earlier blog. Since I’m not certain how quickly the incision will heal, I’m posting this a bit ahead of time as a precaution.  If my blog doesn’t get updated, it’s due to a certain amount of pain – not to a lack of interest, or a lack of Bible reading.  Here’s what came to mind when I wondered what verses to use:

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband.

Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(John 4:7-26 KJV)

Psalm 19

Whenever I begin Psalm 19, this song runs through my mind:

The spacious firmament on high,
with all the blue ethereal sky,
and spangled heavens, a shining frame,
their great Original proclaim.
The unwearied sun from day to day
does his Creator's power display;
and publishes to every land
the work of an almighty hand.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (Psalms 19:1-3 KJV)

That’s powerful praise for our Lord as His handiwork appears evident before us. This Psalm gives so much more in its few verses.  Robert Lloyd Russell’s Abundant Life blog recently included these verses from Psalm 19:

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalms 19:8-11 KJV)

He focused on some specific words, highlighting and delving into their meaning. I enjoyed his article. The verses, though, separated a bit differently for me – looking at each subject (statutes, commandment, fear, judgments, desires) and their results (rejoicing, enlightening, enduring, true and righteous) when viewed with Him as Lord.

Then comes the bottom line, their reason for existing – they warn us. Each of nouns carry a warning. There are statutes that must be kept. They are few, but defined. The commandments are boiled down by Christ to two relationships – one with God, another with mankind. The fear is a matter of acknowledging and respecting the Lord’s power and authority. We have been warned, over and over, from Genesis to Revelation, that there will be judgment.

We have also been told throughout the Bible that there are great rewards. While some may be seen here on earth, they have not been promised to us.  As Jabez, we may request that our ‘coasts’ be enlarged, but we are not promised they will be.

This Psalm closes with a prayer I need to keep in mind:

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalms 19:14 KJV)

Our Lord’s creation shouts His ability, and we too often ignore it. We forget that we are to live our understanding of His power and His authority. The words of our mouth should be the evidence that we are meditating on Him in our hearts. Those words, and our actions, should acknowledge Him as our Lord. People should tell from what we do, what we say and where we go that He provides our strength.  Most importantly, we know Him as our redeemer.

Courage

With thanks to Beth Amatelli, author “I Talk … God Listens”

Our lesson in Sunday School mentioned that nothing in the Bible promises God’s children an easy life. We will have trials and tribulations that are a part of this world and happen to everyone.

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 KJV)

We are promised an abundant life, and I can set you down with a large number of Christians who believe their life would be classified as abundant in spite of aches and pains and incurable diseases.

Our Sunday sermon covered the last two chapters in Joshua, where we read:

Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; (Joshua 23:6 KJV)

Courage is required. We can be encouraged by others who know what we’re experiencing:

And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. (Acts 28:15 KJV)

Look at the verses that speak of exhort, which means to encourage, from Christ exhorting in Luke 3:18 to Jude exhorting us in 1:3. Thirty words in 29 verses, instructions to encourage one another:

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13 KJV)

I like the way Matthew Henry put it – Paul is telling his readers …

to give a speedy and present attention to the call of Christ. “Hear his voice, assent to, approve of, and consider, what God in Christ speaks unto you; apply it to yourselves with suitable affections and endeavours, and set about it this very day, for tomorrow it may be too late.”

He continued:

(1.) We should be doing all the good we can to one another while we are together, which will be but a short and uncertain time.
(2.) Since tomorrow is none of ours, we must make the best improvement of today.
(3.) If Christians do not exhort one another daily, they will be in danger of being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Having courage for those around us will allow our courage will grow. We will need it for the trials and problems that come our way. We will be tempted, everyone has been and that will not change. It can be overcome:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV)

That escape route takes courage to walk with Christ.

Please Pray For This Family

They have a lot to do. They were at our church Sunday night. If you’ll look at their calendar on the website, you’ll see that they stay busy.

Take a look at their Mission Statement, too.  It starts out much as mine does, with our belief as to the truth shown by the Bible. It is God’s message, my guide for living God’s will. That’s the message they carry to nursing homes across America.

How many nursing homes have you entered? Why? I’ve been to visit relatives, friends and just to sing along with a group. I’ve carried in flowers, cards and I’ve gone empty handed, but never with an empty heart. The Hinkle Family goes with gospel sounds and words to uplift residents.

Visit them on Facebook, too. You can travel virtually with them as they make their way from one city to another, visiting those whose lives have become limited to a small area, often with few visitors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control’s 2004 figures (the latest they display) there are 16,100 nursing homes in the United States with 1.7 million beds and an average occupancy of 86%. The average stay is 835 days. There were 936,000 workers in these homes.

Can you imagine living in one room for 365 days, much less for more than twice that much? How long does it take us to reach ‘cabin fever’ stage during a winter ice storm. Two winters ago, we were iced in for five days. That was more than sufficient – we wanted to go, anywhere. For the most part, they can’t.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27 KJV)

The Hinkles do visit the widows – and residents would fall under the fatherless category, too, but they do more.  They have three goals:

1. To encourage the saints and lead those who are lost to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
2. To take young people on the road and expose them to a ministry caring about the Elderly.
3. To encourage churches to get involved in caring about these Senior Saints. Through Bible Studies, Music, etc.

I will admit that I fall into that ‘Elderly’ category and it sounds very good to me that there people who will come to visit me, sing to me and bring comfort through God’s word and His message. Doesn’t that sound like something good for all?

We can help them. We can join in prayer. We don’t need to pray for their specific needs – we have help through one who knows exactly what the Hinkles need:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26 KJV)

Come, join with them in ministering to others.

Nothing’s Too Hard For God

Perhaps you’ve seen the billboard. Did you know there was a website? Simply, NothingstoohardforGod.org. This isn’t a new thought:

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. (Luke 18:27 KJV)

Paul put it a little differently:

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)

Why, then, do we wait to work with Him? We’ve seen people who believe they aren’t good enough. Just as soon as they get their act together, get their budget straightened out or simply finish sowing some wild oats. There’s plenty of time, right?

Maybe – or maybe not. Want to gamble? How many other things have been put off and didn’t work out? Homework – plenty of time, but that didn’t work out very well, now did it? Putting off going to work – how did that work out?

Some things shouldn’t be delayed, even when we don’t think we can do it on our own. We have been shown through many stories over centuries that He accomplishes what He sets out to do, even when people know it can’t be done.  Remember Sarah’s laughter?

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? (Genesis 18:12 KJV)

She wasn’t the first to laugh over that impossibility:

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? (Genesis 17:17 KJV)

Perhaps the impossible thing is to believe that God is. Many have failed to accept that He exists. If He doesn’t exist, He can’t help. Each one has to get past that on their own.  Evidence exists in the lives of too many people to ignore. Proving He does not exist is as impossible as proving He does. It requires faith on both parts.

The atheist finds faith somewhere that he will not be held responsible for his life. His faith tells him there is nothing after the moment of death. Neither of us can prove our point to the satisfaction of the other.

I choose, deliberately choose, to believe God is. Never ending, never beginning, always is. Just as He said, “I AM.”

Once we believe that, we can believe nothing’s too hard for Him. Then the question becomes, will we allow Him to do His will in our lives? Things change when we do. I wish I could introduce you to people I know whose lives were changed when they placed Him first. But you know people just like that, too.  They’re happy to tell you about it:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

Personally, I don’t wait until I’m asked – I’ll look for a way to work a question into our conversation. If it goes unanswered, I won’t press – but I will pray for you. Sorry – that’s just what I do. It’s another verse, you know.

Just Look At Him Now

All of my CDs are now on an iPod my Second Daughter gave me. It connects through my car’s radio and I have my own selections to hear any time we drive. Since our car was purchased 12/29/11 and now has over 12,000 miles on it, you can tell that’s often. Our trips are in and out of Fort Worth’s hospital district, though, with Beloved Husband’s health issues.

I have favorite songs, of course, and favorite artists. Some are more musically talented than others, some I don’t care if they can carry a tune or not – their passion for the message is powerful. One such song is “Just Look At Him Now” sung by our Youth Choir.

I found it on line by the Hayes Family, and one of these days I’ll purchase their version. In the meantime, I’ll listen to these young voices singing their hearts out for the triumphant Christ, so important in their lives.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:11-14 KJV)

The lyrics call for us to look at Him now, no cross to carry. No crown of thorns, either. Instead, He’s presented the royal diadem. Just look at Him now!

The “name written, that no man knew” reminds me of another such name:

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17 KJV)

Years ago I wrote about going to pick up my white stone. I believe that because I believe He is both Faithful and True, for He is God. Non-Christians do not understand the Oneness of the Trinity and even Christians tend to separate God as that’s easier for mankind to visualize. Never forget, even picturing Him on the cross, that this is the Lord God, Creator of the universe. The I AM of all time and He was, is and will be triumphant.

We visualize Jesus in many ways – the babe in the manger, the child at Jerusalem, the descending dove at baptism, the teacher before multitudes, the healer touched by the sick, the betrayed, the slain. Those are all true. We need to spend as much thought on the resurrected, the glorified and the absolutely triumphant Christ that John saw.

How do you see Jesus today?

Repeatedly

Two days ago I wrote Again, so I couldn’t use that word – but some things not only bear repeating, but God repeats them. He did for me fifty years ago.

There was an issue, a difference of opinion, an open rift between me and what had been a close friend. It was so wide, and the edges so painful, that I didn’t even want to look back at the quake that opened it.

When my mother-in-law mentioned that I would have to be the one to reach across the gulf, I touched the painful edges and decided she could be ignored. You know how mothers-in-law are, somewhat interfering, right? When we got home from that visit, my mother made a similar comment. Not a problem, I wasn’t far out of my teen years, I was used to ignoring her. But – that Sunday the sermon was on forgiving seventy times seven. Third time the admonition was repeated, I got the idea. We healed the rift.

Last Wednesday night we had preacher drop in with his youth department. Their church was under construction and could not be used for that particular service, so the whole group came and joined with us. He sang for us, then preached on the parable of the sower – the first part of Matthew 13.

Last night during my Chronological Bible Reading in YouVersion, Matthew 13 was one of the chapters.  This time it didn’t take the third repeat for me to take a close look, not only at the parable, but at the explanation.  Jesus didn’t explain much, though he spoke often in parables.  In Matthew 13:18-23, Jesus explained the seed was God’s word, the parable was how it was received.

There is the very real wicked one (mentioned him yesterday) who works to remove the word that was heard. Satan misuses verses, lies about the word of God and remains alert to work to keep hearers from learning more.

Then there’s the hearer that likes what is said, but is so ready to forget it when it causes problems. Perhaps he says grace, and someone makes fun of it. Perhaps he speaks of Jesus, and is told that’s a fairy tale myth. Perhaps he does offend someone, and he becomes politically correct. He stops learning.

Now the third trusts more in what the world has to offer. The ‘Now’ person who cannot see beyond the next paycheck and what it can buy. The one who see’s what is growing along side, and not the harvest that is to come. He has no time to learn more.

Finally, the fruitful example – heard, understood and bore fruit.

All heard, one understand. Instead of applying themselves, learning more, spending time looking for the answers, seeking God, the others gave up. It really didn’t matter where the seed fell, what mattered was the desire to come to an understanding of God’s word.

I leave it up to the reader to continue to Matthew 13, read both the parable and the explanation, then continue studying until an understanding is reached. Understanding is available to those who seek it. The Bible says so.