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Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 25, 2022
 
[Every day I must appeal to you, Lord Jesus, to rescue me from my powerful enemies, from my foes who are too strong for me. Thank you that, instead shaming us,
you offer us honor
 
–the honor of being your children,
of belonging to your Kingdom,
of joining you in your work,
of keeping on the armor
of standing against the enemy,
and of living with and for you.]
 
“for I take refuge in you.”
 
[This is my part, I must flee to you, my High Tower, my Rock of Salvation, instead of trusting in myself.
 
I do this by recognizing my weakness and need, and offering praise and thanksgiving for whatever comes, asking for your help and obeying what I know to be true.
 
You only, Lord God, are my mighty Shield, my high Fortress, my powerful Defender, standing firm against the attacks of the enemy.
 
You are my Redeemer,
my great Rock in whom I take refuge,
my Protector,
the Provider of my salvation
and my Stronghold.
 
I call to you, O Lord, who are worthy to be praised and so I am saved from my enemies! (Ps. 18:16-19).]
 
Psalm 25:21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me,”
 
Help me to live in your integrity (doing what I say I believe) and in your uprightness (obeying what you say is right) so I can give you honor and glory in all.
 
“because my hope is in you.”
 
Praise you that I can do what is difficult and unnatural (like offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving in the midst of trouble), because my hope is in you alone Lord Jesus. Every day In you there is the certainty of help, guidance, and protection!
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(Untitled)

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 23, 2022
[Satan, who is the great angry dragon as in the picture below, is always after me, seeking to trap me, to trip me up, even to take me out–if you, Lord, gave permission. I am too weak to stand against him and the people he uses. But I praise you that you are very aware of my situation and are protecting me moment by moment in your great Power. As your Word says, “The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Ps. 34:7).]
 
Psalm 25:20 “Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame,”
 
[Every day I must appeal to you, Lord Jesus, to rescue me from my powerful enemies, from my foes who are too strong for me. Thank you that, instead of shame, you offer us honor–the honor of being your children, of belonging to your Kingdom, of joining you in your work, of keeping on the armor and standing against the enemy, and of living with and for you.]
 
“for I take refuge in you.”
 
[This is my part, I must flee to you, my High Tower, my Rock of Salvation, instead of trusting in myself. I do this by recognizing my weakness and need, and offering praise and thanksgiving for whatever comes, asking for your help and obeying what I know to be true.
 
You only, Lord God, are my mighty Shield, my high Fortress, my powerful Defender, standing firm against the attacks of the enemy. You are my God, my great Rock in whom I take refuge, my Protector, the Provider of my salvation and my Stronghold. I call to you, O Lord, who are worthy to be praised and so I am saved from my enemies! (Ps. 18:16-19).]
 
Psalm 25:21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me,”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, for the integrity and uprightness of your character and that you have imputed these to us, your children. Help me to live in your integrity (doing what I say I believe) and in your uprightness (obeying what you say is right) so I can give you honor and glory in all.
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Psalm 25:19 “See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!”

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 23, 2022
[Satan, who is the great angry dragon as in the picture below, is always after me, seeking to trap me, to trip me up, even to take me out–if you, Lord, gave permission. I am too weak to stand against him and the people he uses. But I praise you that you are very aware of my situation and are protecting me moment by moment in your great Power. As your Word says, “The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Ps. 34:7).]
 
Psalm 25:20 “Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame,”
 
[Every day I must appeal to you, Lord Jesus, to rescue me from my powerful enemies, from my foes who are too strong for me. Thank you that, instead of shame, you offer us honor–the honor of being your children, of belonging to your Kingdom, of joining you in your work, of keeping on the armor and standing against the enemy, and of living with and for you.]
 
“for I take refuge in you.”
 
[This is my part, I must flee to you, my High Tower, my Rock of Salvation, instead of trusting in myself. I do this by recognizing my weakness and need, and offering praise and thanksgiving for whatever comes, asking for your help and obeying what I know to be true.
 
You only, Lord God, are my mighty Shield, my high Fortress, my powerful Defender, standing firm against the attacks of the enemy. You are my God, my great Rock in whom I take refuge, my Protector, the Provider of my salvation and my Stronghold. I call to you, O Lord, who are worthy to be praised and so I am saved from my enemies! (Ps. 18:16-19).]
 
Psalm 25:21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me,”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, for the integrity and uprightness of your character and that you have imputed these to us, your children. Help me to live in your integrity (doing what I say I believe) and in your uprightness (obeying what you say is right) so I can give you honor and glory in all.
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Exits. More Autobio

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 22, 2022
We enjoyed getting together regulalry with our friends, Dan and Nancy, and Betty and Dolly. They were still in full time language study while Barbara and I were very involved in the work of the foundation with Charles and Henry.
 
One big positive in this situation was that I was not teaching English anymore. When we had gone to Germany, I’d had to leave my job, so we now stayed on tourist visas.
 
I talked with the foundation’s lawyer about getting another job but he told me that it would be impossible. However, he did not know the Sovereign Lord we served.
 
For the time being we just made an exit every three months to renew our visas. This was the boys’ favorite time of our stay in the country, as we often made our exits to an island in the Med. Sea and had to “suffer for Jesus” on the beach for a few days!
 
At the end of December in 1981 we decided to make our next visa renewal exit to an Arab country to the East. We got our visas from the embassy in Ankara and set off in our faithful car down toward the coast. There we turned towards the East and followed the sea towards the place to exit.
 
It took us two days to reach the border, the last part being through a mountainous area where we were stopped several times by soldiers who searched the car, counted our money and asked lots of questions. We found out later that this was an area known for smuggling as well as for other nefarious activities.
 
We reached the border in the evening and passed through the our country’s formalities without any problem. However, on the other side the policeman looked at our passports and shook his head. “There is a problem,” he said. “You have a tourist visit, but your wife has a transit visa.”
 
“What does that mean?” I asked.
 
“You can re-enter the country you just exited, but your wife must go to another country first.”
 
I took the passports and looked at the visas. “They both look the same to me,” I said.
 
The policeman pointed to the Arabic script on the page, “Look here, see this little mark on yours; it is not on your wife’s. That’s the difference.”
 
We could not go back to home without getting entry and exit stamps to this Arab country, and if we went into it, how would Barbara get back?
 
I went out and told Barbara about it. We took it to the Lord and began by praising Him for the situation, thanking Him for what He would do and asking for guidance. As we were praying, a man came and told me to come back inside.
 
The policeman asked for our passports again, “I will help you,” he said. “But you must go to the police in the city where you will stay and have this transit visa changed. Ok?”
 
“OK!” I said, and praised God for His quick answer.
We passed through the border and drove to the nearest city. This country had earlier been under French control, so many people spoke French. I was looking forward to having Barbara make use of her considerable French studies to be our interpreter here.
 
However, when we came to a hotel, Barbara could not remember one word of French! Her newly learned language had covered it over! So I had to make arrangements for a room using pantomime.
 
The next day we went to the police and were not surprised to find several other foreigners there, also having their transit visas changed to tourist visas. It seems it was part of an agreement between the embassy and the border in an attempt to get bribes. But the Lord had used that merciful policeman to protect us from having to give any.
 
One interesting thing about this trip was the great difference we saw between the culture of our host country and Arab culture. Our people are curious, ask lots of questions and are quick to offer help and hospitality to strangers. The Arabs simply ignored us. It was like we were invisible!
 
We were approached by only one local, an Armenian nominal Christian. He took us under his wing and dragged us to a number of places. One was to a farm where the owner gave us a nice meal and in the evening we drank tea around a big, roaring fire. It was wild and romantic.
 
On the way home our headlights picked up a man standing beside the road. He had a beard and long hair, was dressed in shabby jeans and held a machine gun. He waved for us to stop. I stepped on the gas and kept going.
 
Our local “friend” said, “You should have stopped, that was a policeman.” Could have fooled me! I was not going to take a chance on a lonely dark road in the middle of nowhere with someone holding a big machine gun!
 
On our trip back into home we went through a police check and all of the men had beards, long hair, and shabby blue jeans, both pants and jackets. Our guide had probably been right.
 
It was a real pleasure to come to the border and pull up to the customs man, to hear him say, “Welcome! We found your coming pleasant!” Back to the land of hospitality and visibility!
 
Picture: the boys in the crystal clear water of Med. Sea
 
May be an image of one or more people and outdoors
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Idle Worship

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 21, 2022
Psalm 4:2 “How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?”
 
[It is the nature of human beings to worship, and you, Lord God, are the only One worthy of such adoration, honor and obedience.
 
Yet we so often leave your glory to worship the tinsel and lights of this world: shiny new cars, flashy new electronics, exciting sports events, absorbing work, stimulating relationships, a focus on food, the slippery slope of sensuality, or the latest electrifying entertainment.
 
The wrongness in this is that we seek our fulfillment, our excitement, our security, our significance in these things. We worship them as our idols, meaning we demand these things to be happy. I get so absorbed in a project that I will snap at anyone who interrupts me. I focus on the feeling of accomplishment, not on my fellow followers.
 
In seeking elsewhere for what only you can give, we turn our backs on you, shaming the Creator and Source of all, the Provider of the possibility of these momentary pleasures. We willfully forget that it is you alone who are Eternal, it is you alone who are Almighty, it is you alone who holds time in your hand, who sets up and takes down kings, who breathes out stars and fills the heavens.
 
Yes, you alone are the glorious One to be worshiped, adored, exalted and obeyed, yet we let the momentum of the moment divert us away from your majesty to focus on the microscopic.
 
Forgive us, Lord, lift our eyes to your greatness and free us from our idol worship so that we may fulfill the purpose of our life, to exalt you.]
 
May be an image of nature, tree, sky, lake and snow
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The God who Sees Me!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 20, 2022
 
I praise you, O Lord, for you are “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13). You are a shield around me (Ps 18:30), you shut me in behind and before and lay your hand over me (Ps. 139:5). You are my refuge and strength (Ps. 18:2).
 
I praise you now, Lord Jesus, for what you are going to do today: the events you will allow, the positives as well as the disappointments, the difficulties and the downers, for these valleys bring death to self and growth to your children.
 
To you I am
a valuable inheritance,
a beloved son,
a cherished family member,
bought with a price,
adopted with fervor,
loved with passion,
sung over with joy
and cared for with power.
 
In you there is safety, in you there is help, in you there is goodness and grace.
You are the great Transformer, using the attacks of the enemy, the power of sin, the consequences of our rebellion to bring growth and goodness to us and glory to your name. You use them to unmask our sin, break our crookedness and undo us so you can reshape, redo and restore us towards the original image of yourself, to make us more like Christ.
Therefore, I choose to live today in the truth that “Knowing Jesus is enough for joy!” I choose to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for each thing that comes–as all comes with your permission and in your plan–and thereby fulfill the purpose you have given me of bringing honor to your Name!
 
I pray that, in the power of your Spirit, my thoughts, motives, words and actions will bring joy to your heart today, my Lord and Savior!
Picture: Barbara at her mother’s grave

 

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Psalm 3:8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 19, 2022
Psalm 3:8 “From the LORD comes deliverance.”
 
[From you alone, Lord, by you alone, for your glory alone comes deliverance. “He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him…” (Ps.145, 19,20a).
 
We must look to you, LORD, the great I AM, the King of glory, the Lord of all, for deliverance–not to people, to our own efforts or some other source. Forgive me for looking first elsewhere for help–to medicine, to friends, to influential people, to money–before coming to you. You may use these to help me, but I must first come to you.
 
You are the Source of all good, the Creator of all existence, the Sustainer of all life. Praise be to you that you are the answer and the Answerer; you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. You are the Lover and LIght of my life. Help me to keep you as the focus of my existence!]
 
“May your blessing be on your people.”
 
[You are the One true source of blessing—genuine happiness and true joy come only from you—all other sources are temporary and inadequate. And many are destructive, addictive and harmful. With you, however, is the fullness of joy combined with the freedom to live in ever-growing obedience to Truth.
 
You are worthy of worship, Lord Jesus, and I give you honor, praise and glory now; I give you obedience, respect and joy.
 
May you be glorified and honored this day in me and before me. Bless me with reminders to check in with you at each juncture for your direction and wisdom that I may join you in your great plan to reach the world.]
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More from the Cowboy with Heavenly Wisdom

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 18, 2022
More from the Cowboy with Heavenly Wisdom
 
Out hunting
 
They rode over to the two antelopes lying on the plain and dismounted. Cody showed Sam how to skin and butcher the animals, all the while frequently looking around.
A bit later he said quietly to Sam. “The Indians are here. Let’s load up our meat.”
 
“How do you know,” asked Sam, looking around and seeing nothing.
 
“I feel that we are being watched; they are behind a hill observing us.”
 
They each tied a bundle of meat wrapped in a hide behind their saddles and mounted up. They hadn’t gone far when the Indians appeared from behind a hill. Cody rode directly towards them.
 
Sam could see the Indians talking amongst themselves, uncertain of what this meant. Cody called to them and when he was close enough, used sign language to call them to himself.
One brave carrying a rifle came closer. “You brave warrior,” he said, “why you not run?”
 
“Because I have done nothing wrong. I am Tall Warrior and I bring you and your people a gift,” said Cody, pointing to the pack of meat behind his saddle.
 
“Tall Warrior, we hear of you. You good man!” The brave came closer and Cody took the bundle of meat from behind him.
 
“This is for your squaws and children,” he said. “Tell chief
Buffalo Head I said hello.”
 
The brave took the meat, “I do that,” he said and rode back to his companions and they all turned their ponies and rode off.
 
Sam watched it all in amazement. It was so different than all the stories he’d heard about Indians. “Why did you ride to them instead of getting as far away as possible?”
 
“Well,” said Cody, “To start with, I applied the first three qualities of Heavenly Wisdom. I had good motives, wanting to do good to them and to keep us alive. Second, I was peace loving, not shooting, not threatening. Third, I was sweetly reasonable, bringing them a gift. And I sought to be approachable, ready to talk with them.
 
Along with this, I knew that if we ran, they would have caught us. They don’t mind running their ponies into the ground if there’s a chance for a scalp.
 
“Also, they respect courage. As you saw, going directly at them without firing confused them, and impressed them. In addition, I am known among their people.” “How is that?” asked Sam.
Cory related his fight with Chief Buffalo Head and how he had spared the Indian’s life.
 
“That story, of course, was told over many a campfire. Now the Indians know that I am not against them.
 
If they know who I am, they will probably leave me alone—and they weren’t going to find out who I am if I had run from them!”
 
Picture from internet: Cody and Sam heading back to John’s ranch.
May be an image of 2 people, horse, nature and sky
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More on Psalm 1:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 17, 2022
“For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,” Psl. 1:6
 
In you only, Lord God, is what we need:
the goodness and grace,
love and care,
protection and security,
significance and peace,
hope and joy
that every human being longs for.
 
How sad that so many, for the sake of feeling independent, reject all this and end up in utter darkness and total destruction. “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness….” (Prov. 4:19).
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the opposite: the Lord of Light, who is worthy of praise. You shine your light upon every human being, you call all, you chose those who respond, giving us more and more light.
 
Truly, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining on every more brightly til the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18).
 
Praise you for your grace, Lord Jesus, undeserved by us, but continually poured out on us in great waves of love. You are worthy of worship, of praise, of glory, of honor. I bow before you now in surrender, and I rise up to join you in obedience, to follow your leading today.]
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Psalm 1:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 16, 2022

Psalm 1:6 “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,”

[You, Lord, the infinite and eternal One, are abundantly able to actively attend to all the needs of your children, whom you have made righteous in Christ. You are consistently, powerfully, intimately involved in protecting, providing, and carrying us forward in this life. You lead us beside still waters.

As we walk in the way of the righteous, you give us multiple opportunities every day to fulfill the purpose of our lives in offering thanks in every situation—especially the ones we don’t like—and thereby honor you before all the unseen hosts as well as humans. You are our Good and Gracious Shepherd.

Every day we get to see your hand at work in our lives as you guide us along the way. You provide God sightings every day so that we can know your love that surpasses knowledge, experiencing your grace. Open our eyes to see all the good you continually shower out on us.

“but the way of the wicked will perish.”

[The way of the wicked spirals downward into ever increasing darkness, for they have rejected the light-giving Grace and Mercy you offer. O Lord, you want to watch over the way of everyone, but sadly not all will enter your path.

Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you came as Savior first, and that you will come again as Judge to end wickedness, sin, evil, suffering, pain, sickness and death. You will usher in the New Heaven and the New Earth with all their beauty and sinless glory.

Help us to live in the light of the great future you have in store for us.

 

May be an image of flower and outdoors

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