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Psalm 37:5-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 24, 2021
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:5-6
[Praise be to you, Lord God, for you truly know where we are right and where we are wrong. When we are falsely accused, unjustly condemned, or wrongly attacked, we are to entrust ourselves to you, because at just the proper time, you will clearly and publicly reveal where we are right in you.
The key is that we need to wait for your timing. This means to be willing to endure wrong, to pass through the tension of others’ disapproval and condemnation, believing that you, Lord, know the truth and will bring it out at the right juncture.
I praise you for the times in my life where you did exactly this, with those attacking me admitting in the end that they were wrong, without my forcing their hand in any way. You brought along the right person to intercede for me, or you opened the eyes of those opposing me. I praise you, Father of Truth, that you are faithful to bring timely vindication of those who trust in you.
Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;”
[That can be so hard, so difficult when we want to act, or you to act right now. We want help and justification immediately! But you, Lord, in your wisdom and complete knowledge, will move in your perfect timing–which is usually different than ours.
“Why do you wait so long?” we cry. Yet you are at work, preparing all for the right time of revelation and deliverance. Again, a good example is Joseph. You kept him in captivity “till the word of the LORD proved him true.” (Psalm 105:19). When Joseph had learned all he needed, then God acted and brought him out to Pharaoh for service.
And it wasn’t until more than eight years after becoming the ruler that Joseph was justified before his family, when they came to Egypt for food. Then his prophetic dreams came true as they all bowed down to him. It was God’s time.
Am I willing to wait for His timing? Things work out much better that way! Help me, Lord, to rest in you, to patiently trust you, to join you in waiting for the perfect time for you to answer my prayers–and thereby bring you honor before the great cloud of witnesses that surround all believers (Heb 12:1).]
May be an image of tree, nature and covered bridge
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(Untitled)

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 23, 2021
When things look bad it is important to remember God is good, and that He has a plan in all this turmoil.
 
So what is God doing in our lives with the difficulties He brings to us? Are we, through worship, looking at God’s glory daily, and thereby getting glimpses of the great things He’s doing?
 
Are we grasping that our disappointments, hurts and sufferings are all being used by Him in the big picture in significant ways we can’t understand, and therefore we can praise Him for these problems?
 
As an application of this, a doctor comments that getting “over an illness should not be the primary goal” for a Christian. “What glorifies [God] is what is best for all believers; therefore what glorifies Him will be the best for the sick believer.
 
Getting well is not necessarily the best thing…The hope for the believer is victory, not relief. Relief is not inherently wrong, but it becomes wrong when it is the primary goal [an idol].
 
God promises victory in illnesses and trials, not deliverance from them.” (Dr. Robert Smith, The Christian Counselor’s Medical Desk Reference [Stanley, NC: Timeless Texts, 2004]). The real goal is God’s glory!
 
Prayer: “Lord, I confess that my glory and comfort has been my goal, not your glory. Forgive me for pursuing personal comfort as my goal and idol instead of your glory.
 
Help me today to live instead with the desire to bring you glory and honor through my motives, thoughts, words and actions, trusting you to carry me along in your great plan to end history, eliminate evil and bring in the new Heaven and Earth. Amen.”
 
May be an image of flower and nature
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Consistent Provision

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 23, 2021
Lord, in a world that is going rapidly down hill, we can be confident that you know exactly what you are doing. You are going to bring about your great goals no matter what the enemy, Satan, wants, no matter what your enemies (unbelievers) do, or how your children rebel. As your Word says, “The Lord foils the plans of the nations and thwarts the purposes of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10).
 
I praise you with my whole heart, with all that is within me,
for your wisdom,
your power,
your love
and your faithfulness–
 
all of which are displayed in
your planning,
promises
and past performance.
 
These give me great security, for when all seems to fall apart around me and in me, I can know that you are at work, bringing to pass your plans for the future, for the universe, and for me.
 
Just as you were with Joseph, so you are with me. You were with him when his brothers sold him, when he trudged through the desert sand in shackles, when he was sold again in Egypt to just the right man, when he was put in prison, when the man who promised to help him forgot—you were at work, preparing Joseph for the great task of saving many and preserving the line of Christ, playing the role you had for him.
 
So you are doing in my life. I can trust you, no matter how bad things seem to get. I can know that you are carrying me forward, not because I deserve it, but because you are the God of Love, Light and Life who has proven your care for me and every other person in the world, over and over again. I can rest in your Truths when, from my perspective, everything is going wrong.
 
You only, Lord God, are
my Rock,
my Salvation,
my high Tower,
my Fortress,
my Sanctuary.
 
In you I am safe, in you I am protected, in you I have refuge. I praise and thank you for your goodness to me in every way, none of it deserved, all of it appreciated.
 
I thank you for the care and protection you will provide today. I bow before you in worship. I surrender to you my will, my life, my future. I rise up to obey you no matter how I feel. Help me to keep on the armor, to stand firm in your Truth, to follow you consistently. To you be glory in my life today. Amen!
May be an image of twilight, tree, sky and nature
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More from my autobio

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 21, 2021
 
More from my autobio
 
In October of 1979 we got approval to buy our tickets and we opted for the least expensive. This meant that the airlines would pick the date for us within a certain time period.
 
When we got the news that we would fly the first week of November, we went to the church and spent most of the day in prayer and praise, wanting to begin this new phase of our lives by seeking His face and putting it all in His hands.
 
Our church family and home family gathered around us to help with the packing and preparing. We were blessed in being able to keep a lot of personal things in the attic of the old house where we were living. Other things we wanted to get rid of were put aside for friends to sell for us in a yard sale the next spring.
 
Mom and Dad drove us to JFK Airport in the business van. As we walked down the ramp onto the plane, Mom cried, knowing this was an end of an era for our family. Barbara also cried, not just for the separation, but also for leaving the farm and her life in Connecticut. She said it was harder for her than when she’d left her parents in Germany.
 
I led the way down the walkway, but I was not thinking about the past, but about the future. I did not cry.
We flew initially to Germany to spend some days with Barbara’s parents. My first task there was to buy a car. I found an old VW variant, a small station wagon with the engine in the rear. When I told the salesman that I planned to drive it to the Middle East, he laughed.
 
“It may make it there, if you’re lucky, but don’t expect much more from it.” he said. However this faithful little car not only got us safely to the Middle East, but made the same 1800 mile (3000 kilometer) trip another four times as well.
 
While in Germany we attended a conference for people working with Ts in Europe and were warned that the main road through Yugoslavia to our new country was really dangerous. Everyone said that it was better to take back roads instead.
 
We also heard about the shortage of basic supplies in the country, so we stocked up with toilet paper, light bulbs, cooking oil and a tank for extra gasoline.
 
We packed what we could inside the car and tied the rest to the roof rack, including a plastic tricycle for Nat who was now eighteen months old.
 
We set off at the beginning of December making our way slowly down through Germany, stopping to visit several of Barbara’s friends. We also visited Litzen, the town in Austria where we’d worked three years before.
 
Climbing the switchbacks over the Alps, we left Western Europe behind and descended into Yugoslavia. We were following the main route between Europe and the Middle East, so the two-lane road was filled with many trucks traveling in both directions.
 
It was a constant game of catching up to a line of trucks, looking for an opportunity to pass them, then dropping back to pick up speed and zoom by. In some places the road was so straight that it was hard to tell how far away the oncoming traffic was, or how fast it was approaching. “Should I pass or shouldn’t I?” was my constant question to myself.
 
Along the sides of the road were the wrecks of cars and trucks whose drivers had misjudged the traffic and not made it. Grim warnings of the dangers we faced.
 
We decided to get off the main road, so Barbara, being an excellent map-reader, took out our map and began to navigate for us.
 
The side roads had fewer trucks, but lots more tractors and wagons, most of which came out of the muddy fields and spread a thick layer of mud over the road, making it slick and dangerous.
 
We stopped to get gas and I was pleased to find that the attendants spoke a little German, enough to communicate about gas and bathrooms.
 
Shortly after leaving the gas station we were pulled over by a policeman. He came to the window and said something totally unintelligible to me.
 
“He wants the car papers,” said Barbara.
“How do you know that?” I asked in amazement.
“He used some words similar to German,” she replied.
 
The policeman took the papers, looked them over. Then leaned back and said something else, pointing off to our right.
“He said we should go back to the main road,” said Barbara.
“How do you know that? He wasn’t speaking German!” I asked, amazed again.
“I just understood it,” she said.
 
I thought to myself, “It is really great having an intelligent German wife!”
 
So we returned to the main highway. That evening we stopped in the small city of Osijeck and stayed in a hotel, which was another adventure.

Pictures: just before we left, and leaving with Mom and Dad

May be an image of 2 people and indoor   May be an image of 4 people, people standing, car and outdoors

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Our Amazing God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 20, 2021
 
 
Written a number of years ago in my worship journal
 
Lord, I praise you this morning for the great and high privilege of knowing you, of being your child, of knowing how I fit into your creation.
 
It is wonderful to have in you
acceptance, adoption and approval,
position, power and privilege,
holiness, help and happiness.
These are your gracious gifts to your children; I can find them in no other source.
You, Lord Jesus, are
my Savior,
my Shepherd,
my Sovereign.
 
I praise you
for your great Love,
for your Faithful follow-through,
for your pure Perfection,
for your high Holiness,
and for your full Forgiveness.
 
You are always there, always loving, always good, always effective–especially when I cannot see or sense any of this. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them” (Psa. 34:7).
 
I praise you that you help me as I need it—which is all the time. I thank you for the difficult times you lead me through, I thank you for the problems, the disappointments, the anguish that are important for my growth and deepening (James 1:2-4) and provide opportunities to give you honor (Psa. 50:23). I praise you for your care, your protection and your provision in the midst of it all.
 
You, Lord God, are
Mighty, Majestic and Magnificent;
you are Great, Gracious and Good;
you are High, Holy and Humble.
 
You are worthy
of worship,
of obedience,
of glory,
of exaltation,
of magnification,
of honor,
of praise.
And I want to give all of these to you today.
 
Lord, at this time of difficulty in my life [a situation that occurred some years ago] one of the most comforting, encouraging things about you is that you have a plan and a purpose in what you do: “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever and the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Psalm 33:11). You are my rock, my security, my refuge.
 
So I praise you for what you are doing in my life at this moment, moving me through what will make me grow and what will, in the end, bring honor to your name. Guide me today to live out the truth that Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy.
May be an image of nature
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Sleeping late

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 19, 2021
When Nat and Abby were visiting us in Germany in 2011, their little son, Benaya, was awake quite a bit in the night, crying. So shortly before 5 am, I got up, took him into the living room and comforted him. Shortly we both fell asleep as we sat in the easy chair, waking up about 7:30. He felt much better and so did I!
However, this gave me a late start in the day, which I don’t like–but it is your day, Lord, and I praise you for it. It is so good to be flexible and let go of things easily and quickly, moving on with you in what needs to be done.
Thank you, Lord God, that you are Sovereign, in control, moving things ahead, working with our errors and even our sins and the rebellion of mankind to bring about your over-all plans.
 
Praise you that no detail escapes your attention, that you arrange the smallest aspects of life to give all people the opportunity to hear and believe. Praise you that you love all, have provided the possibility of salvation to all, and work with all to bring understanding.
I praise you that you call us into partnership with you in this, giving us truth and wisdom, desire and guidance so we can be carriers of the gospel, purveyors of light and sharers of truth. Praise you for your graciousness in including us in such a great and wonderful work.
 
You, Lord God, the triune One, are worthy of worship and glory, honor and praise, all the time. I thank you for your Word that gives revelation and insight, light and direction. I am so thankful for how, over the years, you have gotten me into your Word in memorizing and mediating, in reading, in studying and thereby bringing continual growth.
You, O God, are the great and good One, before whom I want to bow down and worship, whom I want to fear and obey, whom I want to honor and exalt before all I meet today. Help me in this, Lord. Truly, it is a delight to delight in you!
May be an image of 1 person, child, sitting and indoor
 
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Responding

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 18, 2021
“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers [of the attacking king, Sennacherib] and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: ‘O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.’”
2 Kings 19:14, 15
 
Thank you, Lord, for drawing my attention away from the issues before me to yourself. King Hezekiah is my example; he immediately went to you with his problem of the attacking armies, first remembering who you are, the “God over all the kingdoms of the earth,” as did King Jehoshaphat when he was in the same situation—and you protected both. Part of tasting and seeing that you, Lord, are good is remembering how you have answered prayer for others in the past.
 
Praise you, my Heavenly Father, that you work what is right and good in our lives: you lead us in paths of righteousness, you warn us, convict us of sin, show us where we need to change, and give us the strength to cooperate with you.
 
I praise you for your help, your direction, your insights, your understanding of what you share with us in your Word and through your Spirit; I praise you for the power you provide to increase faith, bring transformation and give us your view of reality.
 
You are wonderfully patient with us, graciously kind to us, faithfully firm with us. I praise you for your rod, with which you keep back the enemy; and for your staff, with which you keep us in line—we need to be protected from both the enemy and from ourselves!
 
I praise you for your infiniteness, working in so many lives simultaneously, listening to so many prayers at the same time, being able to weave our wrong and sometimes right choices into the fabric of your plan. I praise you that in you all will work out somehow in your time, in your way.
 
I praise you that your goodness and mercy are always there. You stoop down from on high and hear us, for we are poor and needy. You are Glorious, you are Good, you are Gracious, you are Great, you are God. Only you are worthy of worship!
 
Prayer: “I bow before you, Lord God, eagerly agreeing to follow and honor you today in obedience, in right thinking, in right priorities. Guide and empower me in this for the sake of your Name. Amen.”
May be an image of nature and cloud
 
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More from “A Cowboy with Heavenly Wisdom”

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 17, 2021
 
 
Cody’s outfit had pushed this herd through the panhandle of Texas, up through Oklahoma into Kansas. They were on their way to Abilene and the rail head, the place they could get top dollar for their stock.
 
It was a long, long trip, each day spent eating the dust of six thousand cattle under the hot summer sun, always looking for watering holes and grass enough for them all. Then at night taking turns on watch because of the Indian threat. It was a hard work and a lot of strain for the ten of them.
 
There was one young cow puncher on the drive named Andy who didn’t like Cody–not that Cody had done anything to rile him, he was just ornery and found Cody a good target for his irritation.
 
He would trip Cody around the campfire, tip over his coffee cup, make bad jokes about him and refused to take his turn on guard duty if he was relieving Cody—anything he could do to aggravate him.
Cody, however was a peace-loving man and chose to ignore this young trouble maker, hoping that the hard work would take some of the ginger out of him.
 
Cody, being a follower of Jesus, took some time to pray and think about this challenge Andy presented. Cody’s Pa back in Tennessee had taught him the importance of the Bible and prayer. “Whenever you have trouble, get God involved,” he would say, and then add, “Of course you should be involved with Him all the time!”
 
After he’d spent time praying, it came to Cody that probably something was eating away at Andy and he was taking it out on Cody as a result.
 
“He might have bad motives, but I have to have good ones,” Cody said to himself. After thinking about it, the good motive he came up with was to protect Andy and others from harm, and he would do this by not taking Andy’s bait.
 
Cody wanted to be peace loving in his interactions with Andy, and to be sweetly reasonable, not opposing him when he could say yes to him, letting his have his way as much as possible.
Cody made up his mind that he was going to be merciful to Andy, but he wondered about how he could do good to Andy, beyond what he was already trying.
 
As he continued to pray off and on about this problem, it came to Cody that one good he could always do was to set limits for people, helping them to see where they are off base. Cody decided to do that, and he didn’t have to wait long to implement that decision.
 
One night, Andy got some hard stuff from somewhere and after drinking a bit was feeling pretty good. As the evening wore on, he became louder, more boisterous and belligerent. He began maligning Cody, who ignored it. Some of the other hands told Andy to back off, knowing that he was no match for Cody, but he ignored them .
Cody’s lack of response aggravated Andy even more, and suddenly he came up off the ground and took a swing at Cody, who was sitting on his saddle on the ground.
 
Cody ducked and the force of Andy’s swing took him right over Cody, who fell back. Andy landed hard and didn’t move for a bit. Cody stood up and quietly waited for him to get up.
 
Andy rolled over and came slowly to his feet. But he was not a quick learner, so came at Cody again, who used Andy’s momentum to throw him over his shoulder and Andy crashed to the ground. But he wasn’t ready to give up. He again charged at Cody and was met by a powerful left that knocked him clean over and down, cutting his lip badly.
 
Cody spoke, “Now that’s enough, Andy. I don’t want to fight you; I’ve got nothing against you, so quit it! Now you go wash that blood of your face and get to bed.”
 
Andy climbed to his feet and stumbled off to his bed roll. But Cody was pretty sure Andy didn’t know he was whipped, and he thought he had to watch out. But he didn’t know the coming events that would dramatically change his relationship with Andy.
picture from internet
May be an image of horse and outdoors
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The Lord is Good!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 16, 2021
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” Psalm 34:8
 
Truly, I have tasted and seen that
you are the King of kindness,
you are the Lord of love,
you are the Ruler of righteousness
and the Sovereign of selflessness.
 
I praise you that you are only good–stable, unshifting, sure good. In you there is no wavering, no toying with the fate of people, no partiality, no failure to pay attention, no being late, no compulsiveness, no capriciousness, no mood swings, no lack of knowledge, no hesitation, no uncertainty, no inconsistency.
 
You are the God who is
pure in motive,
perfect in planning,
persistent in values,
perceptive in understanding,
purposeful in love.
 
You are
flawless in execution,
abundant in mercy,
rich in resources,
overflowing in love,
generous in giving,
gracious in provision,
limitless in creativity,
slow in anger
and positive in patience.
 
You are a marvel, you are majestic, you are mighty, you are magnificently trustable. To you be glory both now and forevermore.
 
Prayer: “Lord, I praise you now for how you are going to work things out in my present uncertainties. I give you honor without seeing the end, for you are absolutely trustable.
 
Keep me thinking these truths, help me to respond with love and grace and goodness, to fight the real enemy with praise, prayer and persistence in obedience. Amen.”
Taste and see! (Picture from the internet)
May be an image of food and indoor
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Taste and see that the Lord is Good

Published by S.M. Wibberley on August 15, 2021
“When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10b
 
Facing me is a situation where others, who are at odds with me, are going to decide some aspects of my future. In this I am weak–and that is good. Yes, good, but uncomfortable. Praise you, Lord, that being comfortable is not the measure of anything important, spiritual or significant.
 
Knowing your Word, trusting you, living in praise, obeying what we know to be true, these are what is important.
 
We need to train our faith to respond biblically to whatever comes. As Lilias Trotter, pioneer evangelist in Algeria in the 1800s, said, “Swinging out over the abyss without anything other than you, Lord, rejoicing in this need to trust in you and your power, praising for your goodness before any solution can be seen, this is trained faith.”
 
Praise you, Father that you are at work in ways I cannot see or foresee. I praise you for what you are doing and what you will do in this, for you are great, you are good —you are God.
 
“Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him” (Ps. 34:8). I have certainly tasted and seen your goodness over and over again, Lord. You have protected me many times in near accidents; you have provided an inner stability that in my past has prevented emotional crashes (before becoming a believer), relational clashes and personal failure.
 
You have also guided me through a maze of difficulties in my life: the journey through depression, adjustments in marriage, transition to life in the Middle East, dark days of deprivation and difficulty, accidents and expulsion, team turmoil, arrests, trials and uncertainty.
 
You not only carried us through, but strengthened, deepened and matured us in all this while utilizing us in your Kingdom.
 
What a privilege it is to walk with you, to join you in the great plan you are carrying out to bring history to a conclusion and take us with you. May I continually join you in the journey.
 
May be an image of tree, twilight, cloud and nature
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