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God’s work in my parents

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 17, 2019

At this time (1999) my parents were rapidly declining in their health and were rapidly losing their ability to adequately care for themselves.

My brother-in-law, Jerry, had just retired from his many years of teaching English and coaching basketball. He and my sister, Andrea, had planned to move to Pennsylvania, where their son was living, but sensed instead that God was calling them to come to Canterbury to care for our parents.

Our little house in Canterbury made it feasible for them to make this move, because now they could have their own place to stay. God had known the timing of my parents’ coming needs and He led us, through Barbara’s insight, to build this house to be of practical help to them.

So, as we were leaving Canterbury to return overseas, Andrea and Jerry moved into our little house and began caring for Mom and Dad, who lived just across our pond. This was a wonderful demonstration of obedience and self-denial on their part.

Their stay expanded from the planned one of two years into four.  During this time Andrea was used by the Lord to lead to Christ both Dad and Mom in their eighties, as well as Mom’s eighty-seven year old sister. A wonderful answer to our prayers for them over more than 50 years.

Mom was in the midst of her Alzheimer deterioration, needing much care. Andrea was faithful in meeting all her needs, spending time, encouraging her in doing what she could. In one conversation Mom said she was going to heaven because she was good. This was a total surprise to all of us, for Mom had been a Sunday School teacher for 40 years, had been baptized and certainly lived a godly life. In fact, if anyone could go to heaven by being good, she would be the one.

Andrea talked with Mom about the gospel, but she was adamant that she was good enough on her own. Now Mom’s father, a faithful church goer, had finally come to Christ at 73 and became quite the evangelist. Andrea had one of the booklets he used to share his faith and gave it to Mom to read. When she finished she said, “Well, if my father believed this, then I’m ready to pray and accept Christ as my savior!” They prayed together, and Mom definitely changed.

Shortly after Mom said she wanted to go to St. Louis to visit her 87 year old sister who was in a nursing home. That didn’t seem like a realistic possibility, as Mom found it difficult to even go to the grocery  store with Andrea, but Andrea took her at her word and purchased plane tickets for the trip. They spent 3 days visiting Aunt Hazel, who was bed ridden. Like Mom, Aunt Hazel was relying on her goodness to get to heaven and had been resistant all her life to the gospel, which requires an admission of being a sinner.

During the visit Andrea asked Aunt Hazel if she’d like to accept Christ as her savior, and she answered with a strong “Yes!”  So they prayed together. After returning to Canterbury, Andrea got a letter from Aunt Hazel’s care giver, asking “What did you do to your aunt? She is so different after your visit!” Even in her state, being born again made a difference. She died three weeks later.

When both of my parents needed more care than my sister could give them, she move them into a nursing home in Ohio, where both my sisters were able to visit them every day until their death, giving them and many others in the nursing home wonderful, loving care and help.

As mentioned, Dad was not open to any spiritual input until he was totally incapacitated. Starting at 81, he had a long series of small strokes that left him sitting in a wheelchair, unable to do anything but put a fork in his mouth. The day after Mom died, he had another stroke and this robbed him of his speech; he could talk, but it came out all garbled. The doctor said his hearing was also affected so he could not understand what was being said.

I’d been praying for Dad’s salvation for 52 years and now this seemed impossible. I began to pray, “Lord, speak to Dad in the prison of his mind. Help him to remember all he’s heard over the years about you and salvation.

The Lord answered graciously, giving him times of half an hour or more where his mind opened up and he could both speak and hear clearly. In the first such incident, my brother-in-law Chris dropped by to visit and found Dad reading his Bible. Together they went through several chapters in John and Chris prayed with him. During another one of Dad’s lucid times, my sister Andrea asked if he’d like to accept Christ as his savior. Dad answered, “yes.” Andrea prayed for him, and even in his limited state he changed! He died peacefully two years later. It is wonderful to know that we will see him again in Heaven!

Pictures: Dad rode his motorcycle until he was 81. In his later years in a grandson powered type of wheeled transport.

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Wow!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 16, 2019
Praise you, Lord, that you are the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-loving God. You never lose your way, never lose your focus, never lose in the end, but always bring a just and positive conclusion. I praise you that you have the will and power to do so. This is possible because you live outside of time, because you are everywhere at once and exist forever.
 
After recently watching the film of the Gospel of John, I thank you for the reminder of the difficulties you suffered in living as a human being and revealing yourself as God.
 
It also reminds us of how naturally stubborn and negative we are as humans, protective of our position and status, willing to reject eternal truth in order to keep some temporary comfort.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, that, as the God-man, you did not shrink back from any challenge, that you did not move too fast, and that you did not give up.
 
I praise you that you pressed on to the conclusion of your task here on earth, suffering agony physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, dying so that we, your enemies, might be set free from the clutches of Satan, self and sin.
 
Praise be to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your noble, gracious, loving acts of redemption and restoration. To you we must give glory and honor and praise in and for all. Help us to live in the light of your lavish and luscious love all through this day.
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Psalm 37:38-40, the last verses

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 14, 2019
 
Psalm 37:38 “But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.”
 
[The certainty of your judgment, Lord, is absolute: sin and all who choose to remain in it will be condemned, taken from this world and removed from your presence forever. Then the new Heaven and the new earth will come, beautiful and pure with no evil, no sin, no wickedness–only beauty and purity like in the picture here, only obedience, love, glory-giving and worship of you, Lord God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are worthy, the only One to be exalted, for you are the wise and good God.
 
Psalm 37:39 “The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.”
 
[we should look nowhere else for salvation, protection or help, for no one and nothing else can save us, protect us, keep us as You can, Lord God. You are our Savior, our Shepherd and our Warrior King.]
 
Psalm 37:40 “The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,”
 
[You, Lord, are active, powerful and always present; you save us out of the pressures that are good for us and remove those which are destructive. We can trust you to work all things out, as you did in defeating the wicked at the cross.
 
“because they take refuge in him.”
 
And lastly, here’s God’s condition for protecting us. You call us, Lord, to find our refuge in you, our great and good God. When difficulties come, we so naturally and quickly flee to ourselves or others for help.
 
We run first to the doctor for a pill, to the banker for a loan, to the politician for influence, to a friend for comfort. These are not wrong at the right time. Bu first we must come to you in prayer, seeking wisdom, direction, help, protection and healing.
 
You give us direction here: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). After we seek you in prayer, you may direct us to human help that you will use, although many times you act without that help.
 
I praise you, Lord, for your calling us to partnership with you. Help us to remember to come to you first, all the time, displaying before men and angels our trust in you. You have proved yourself many times over to be our refuge, our fortress, our shield and our defender.
 
And then from this refuge, you will guide us in utilizing whatever human resources you choose to bring about the conclusion you desire for us in each difficulty you allow.
 
Praise be to you, the God of Abraham, the Lord of Joseph, the Shepherd of David, and the Savior of the world. May you be honored, exalted and glorified as we respond in all things with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, the calmness of faith and the obedience of trust.]
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Psalm 37:35-37

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 13, 2019
 
Psalm 37:35-36 “I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.”
 
[Think of Stalin, of Hitler, of Genghis Khan, and Napoleon. They all died and are no more. Their evil was dealt with, their powerful condemnation is now implemented, taken down like the huge tree in the picture below. You, Lord God, are just, working out proper punishment while using the evil of men to bring about your purposes in the lives of many.
 
As it says in Psalm 33:10 “the Lord foils the plans of the nations and thwarts the purposes of the people. but the plans of the Lord stand firm forever and the purposes of His heart through all generations.” Continue to do so in these days, Lord, to work against the designs of the devil, to destroy the plans of death and darkness. ]
 
Psalm 37:37 “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.”
 
[Think of Abraham, Joseph, David, Elijah and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Luther and Billy Graham–these all have an ongoing positive influence on the world. In spite of dying physically, they live on, having an endless existence and unlimited joy with you. So do we now, being safe in the arms of Jesus.
 
I praise you, Lord, for the certainty of our future with you, filled with life, light, love and lavish goodness. I praise you for your unending, undeserved, unreserved, unrestrained grace, flowing from your heart of holiness into our lives with light.
 
We stand in your presence, chosen, cherished, cleansed, dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in. You, Lord God are a wonder–no, you are THE Wonder of all existence, the God who lives in multi-dimensions, full of multi-goodness, operating out of multi-wisdom.
 
In the light of these great Truths, help us to consistently listen to your Word and respond to your Spirit, to grow in humility, brokenness, obedience and praise.
 
May we daily take up your grace, receive your wisdom, add endurance to our obedience, and grow in godliness, extending brotherly kindness and love to all those around us. May you be honored, glorified and pleased with our walk today.
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Psalm 37:34

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 12, 2019
Update: Barbara is doing well, her intestinal problems have dissipated, her pain is less and her abilities have increased (now able to climb stairs). We are thankful, and thank all who have been praying for her.
 
Psalm 37:34 “Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land;”
 
[The necessity of surrender is so clear: it is His timing and His way that are right, not mine. I must deny myself, take up His patience, obey what I know to be true and wait for His work. Guide me today, Lord, in walking in your way. Thank you that you will help us at the right time.
 
Yesterday in my quiet time I lifted my soul to God, telling him of the frustrations in my life, of the many mechanical problems I have with equipment, etc. Then I surrendered to His Truth and thanked God both for the problems and for what He will do, as well as His timing in it. Then during the day 7 different solutions came to pass!–the Lord just brought people along to help me. Surrender and trust open the way for His working.
 
What you do is always good, Lord, so your timing is good, your outcome is good as you lead us through the twists and turns of life. We can trust you and we choose to do so, praising you now for the outcomes of all before us.
 
“when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.”
 
[The outcome is sure–am I willing to wait for it and to join you in what you are doing now, Lord, leaving it to you to deal with the wicked. Help me to rest in the outcome you promise and to endure through the misunderstanding of others, the disapproval of others, the negatives of their responses. Help me to think and live in truth. Help those who oppose me to see truth also, to surrender to you, to come to walk in your light.
 
Praise you, Lord God, that you are the Winner, the Victor, the Triumphant One in the end–always. Praise be to you for your power, your wisdom, your patience, your grace and your goodness. We can wait for you, knowing that you will go before us, giving us light in this dark valley and leading us out the other side, strengthening and maturing us along the way.
 
Help us all to endure, to move through with your power, listening to you, doing what is right and best, cooperating with you rather than doing our own thing in our own timing. Help us to avoid the mistake of Abraham, who in his impatience, fathered Ishmael, bringing trouble to many. We submit to you, Lord, for you are the wise One, the good One, the holy One.
 
I thank you for the certainty of your being with me through this day, Lord Jesus, of my being able to join you in what you are doing. Show me continually how to do this and I praise you now for the help you will give.]
 
Picture: Barbara doing crossword puzzles
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Contentment

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 12, 2019
This excerpt from EDIFIED is very relevant to me today, as there are a number of large issues facing me, over which I have very little control–but in which I can be content.
“My soul finds rest in God alone.” Psalm 62:1
 
***************
 
The Puritan writer Burroughs says that contentment is not what we have when looking back, able to see what God was doing through a difficult time. It is being at peace in the midst of difficulty and suffering without any visible clue as to what our Shepherd is doing, and in that knowledge vacuum, resting in Him.
 
Knowing the character of God is enough. He whose wisdom created the world, made the complex human body and gave man dominion over the earth; He who did not give up when Adam sinned and twisted the whole of creation; He who secured salvation at huge personal cost, and loves us to the end–He is trustable when all else is hidden from our understanding.
 
Knowing You, Lord God, the great Yahweh, holy, glorious, entirely other, hater of sin, lover of the sinner—to know you is enough to give us contentment when everything goes wrong, when we suffer pain, when we are mistreated, when we fail and are, humanly speaking, hopeless.
 
Contentment is knowing the power of your right arm. You, Lord Jesus, spoke and created all that we see, with its incredible variety, beauty and vastness. You hung, spun and run the earth. You ride, guide and hide the winds. You hold, mold and unfold events. You send, bend and end history. Never defeated, never stretched, never inadequate, your power is immeasurable. In you we can trust.
 
Contentment is knowing the patience of your will. You have a plan, you will reveal it at the pace you know to be best. You will not rush, you will not be late, your timing is perfect. When nothing appears to be happening, you are at work on deep levels, persistently, patiently, powerfully bringing to pass events and conditions that will move history to the conclusion you have determined. We can trust you in your timing.
 
Contentment is knowing the greatness of your love. You are Agape Love itself: the commitment to act for the good of others, no matter how they may react. The wonder of your rich, deep, powerful, unending, gracious love is an ever-growing joy as we walk with you, learning of you from your Word, from your works, from your way.
 
As we climb the golden staircase of your grace, care and love, knowing you more and more each day, we can be content in you and in whatever you bring, whatever we suffer, whatever we lose, for you are good.
 
Prayer: “When all is meaningless, when all we do seems foolish, when pain obscures our vision, still our hearts to know your heart of love and grace. Help us then to rest in your contentment. Glory be to you, the Great God of contentment, worthy of all worship and wonder and trust. Amen.”
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House Finishing

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 10, 2019
Between visits to churches, we plunged into the work of finishing our little house. It is amazing the number of details that need to be taken care of before a house is ready to be lived in.
 
One big “detail” was building the chimney. I got a price from a mason, but it was so far over the costs of the materials that I decided to do it myself. We didn’t have much to spare and every $1000 saved was a huge help!
 
However, I was unable to find a book on how to build your own chimney. Around that time we visited a church in northern New England and after the service I was chatting with a fellow; when I asked him what he did for a living, he said, “I am a mason.”
 
When I told him about my project and of my total ignorance of masonry, he gave me a quick tutorial in chimney-building. He emphasized the wisdom of using round tiles instead of the conventional rectangular ones. The round ones, he said, were much less likely to crack in a chimney fire, because they would all heat up evenly. Here again was God’s provision just when we needed it.
 
So we set to work building the chimney, from the cellar up through the roof, about twenty-five feet in height. Although a mason said he could do it in one day, it took me two weeks, working for a couple of hours each day. When I was finished, I had a lot of respect for masons, hoisting those forty pound cement blocks all day long.
 
Near the end of the summer, our faithful helper/advisor John organized a group from our church to come on a Saturday and finish putting on all the vinyl siding. That was one full day of activity for which we were very thankful! Another church also sent a team on two separate days to help with the finish work. Without such help we would not have gotten it all done.
 
During the building process we saw many times when God’s hand protected us. When Nat and I were hoisting a large beam up to the peak of the roof, it fell from our grasp, cutting into the plywood floor, but completely missing both of us. Another time Nat fell from a high ladder but landed on his feet without any injury at all.
 
When the man from the electric company came to attach the wires from the street to our house, he was pointing out something to me by touching some wires in the main electrical box. When I reached my hand out to touch them also, he slapped my hand away.
 
“Those are live wires with 220 volts in them!” he exclaimed. “I can touch them because I have rubber gloves on and rubber boots. If you had touched them you would have been killed!” That gave me the chills.
 
At one point near the end of the day when we were all tired, I dropped some tools down from the roof. My hammer fell at an angle, bounced and spun down the cellar stairs, just missing my nephew who was on his way up.
 
Then God’s final act of mercy and protection came right as we were finishing the driveway. A friend came with his small pickup truck to help me gather up rocks to fill in the area.
After one trip his pickup got stuck in the loose gravel, so I went behind to push. As he gunned the motor, the spinning rear wheel dug up a rock a little smaller than a football and threw it at high speed right into my leg, hitting me full force on my shin.
 
The combination of the speed and size of the rock should have broken my leg. I looked down and saw that it appeared to be alright: no bones sticking out. I put some weight on it and it did not collapse. There was, however, a big gash and each time my heart beat, a large spurt of blood came out.
 
I hobbled to the porch. Barbara just happened to be looking out the window when this happened, and immediately came with two freshly ironed handkerchiefs. I sat down, and she wrapped one handkerchief around my leg, tying it tightly with the other. That stopped the “fountains of blood.” I rested there for five minutes and then went back to work without any further ill effects.
 
We were just two weeks away from leaving again for the Middle East. If my leg had been broken, it would have made it much more difficult— if not impossible—for us to finish things up. We were so very thankful for God’s intervention, not realizing that this event would bring both trouble and more praise in the near future.
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Psalm 37:32-33

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 9, 2019
Barbara hopefully will come home today from the hospital; they found a bleeding ulcer in her stomach, caused by her meds. It has stopped bleeding and they will give her a special diet and antiacids to help it fully heal. This should solve the problem. Thank you Lord!
 
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Psalm 37:32 “The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;”
 
[This is an unavoidable fact of life here on earth: those who reject your way, Lord, will attack those who follow Jesus. They hate the righteous, they are motivated and guided by Satan who seeks to use them for his destructive and evil purposes.
 
We should not be at all surprised when such attacks come. To expect them is to have a biblical view of things, remembering Jesus’ words, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).] But, like the frost on the board in the picture below, such suffering brings out the inner beauty Christ gives us.
 
Psalm 37:33 “but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.”
 
[You will rescue us, whether it be by some divine intervention, or by giving justice, or by giving grace to endure through, or by taking us to yourself. Praise you for the certainty that you will guide, direct and protect us in all. This is what we experienced in the Middle East, being arrested and put on trial for our faith in 1988. In the end, you led the prosecuting attorney to defend us and to define our freedom of religion widely and officially—all glory to you.]
 
I praise you, Lord, for the security, the rest, the peace, the joy that comes from knowing you, the great and sovereign King, Ruler of time and space and all that is in them. You are the truly good One, the wonderfully wise One, the gloriously gracious One, the infinitely patient One. In you we can trust, in you we can rejoice when all goes sour, for your grace and goodness are enough, lifting us above the evil and hurt of life. Thank you, Lord God, for your care which will come in each succeeding moment.
 
To you be honor and glory in my life today, Lord Jesus, through my listening to your Word, submission to your Spirit, obedience to what I know to be true and praising you in and for all.
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Psalm 37:30-31

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 8, 2019
Today Barbara is in the hospital where they are trying to resolve her intestinal bleeding (probably from her pain meds) and constant vomiting. Prayers appreciated.
 
Psalm 37:30 “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.”
[Lord, this certainly does not describe the “natural me.” Help me to move ever more in this direction, spotting and turning away from the ungodly advice I tend to give myself, abandoning my tendency to gossip, and refusing to sit in the seat of the scornful, not looking down on and criticizing others (Psalm 1:1) but instead thinking on what is true and good and pure and lovely.
Help me to be like Job who properly and positively rebuked those who gave him ungodly advice (I need to rebuke myself, too, when I am thinking ungodly thoughts). Help me to know how to talk to myself as well as to destructive people in a way that will be edifying, speaking wisdom, uttering what is just. May you be glorified in it.]
Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart;’
[Here is the key: when your Word is hidden in the heart of a righteous man, constantly bringing insight and rebuke to him, influencing his thoughts, motives, words and actions, then he can speak with Heavenly wisdom. Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for your great and wonderful work to bring such change in us through Scripture. Help me to cooperate with you in the process by consistently memorizing and meditating on your Word.
Thank you, Lord, for what you give us in your Word: your gracious wisdom, your careful instruction, your good direction. Help me to meditate on them, walk in them, to be alert to the wisdom you offer each moment rather than relying on my own thoughts and desires. Bring to mind the Scripture, the truth, the principles I need to heed.]
“his feet do not slip.”
[When we walk in your path, Lord, our feet will not slide, our ankles will not turn, we will not fall, for you open the way, bring the change necessary, protect us from our natural, sinful pitfalls.
I praise you, Lord, for the great and sweet privilege of walking on your way, of belonging to you, of being given such wonderful gifts. I praise you, Lord God, for the greatest gift of all: being your beloved son, dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in—the opposite of what I deserve.
This is the outpouring of what you are, Lord God: the great Creator, the great Lover of our souls, the great Forgiver, the great Transformer. Praise be to you for all you will do today out of your goodness and righteousness, wisdom and power. May I join you in obedience so that your Name may be lifted up before all the unseen hosts today.
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Feelings or Faith?

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 7, 2019
“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me….Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.” Psalm 43:3a,4
 
Dawn comes and I awake to have my time with God. But there is no freshness, He seems far away. What is wrong? Is it sin? (I confess all the Spirit brings to mind.) Work overload? Tiredness? Probably some of each, but mainly it is my feelings.
 
Emotions are definitely the least reliable part of my being. When I allow them to rule, I end up feeling like this fellow here on the left: out of touch and at the mercy of whatever emotional wind that might blow.
 
To combat these negative feelings, I need to keep an ear open to the Spirit’s conviction and guidance, and to press on with what is right: worshiping, confessing, reading, praying, trusting that God is near as He promised.
 
This is a chance to live by faith, to believe God’s Word when I have no inner confirmation. It’s a chance to be weak, to live by faith, to praise Him for what I don’t like (feeling far away) and to go again to Scripture to remind myself of Truth.
 
Psalm 43:2 expresses my feelings well: “Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” Then verse 3 gives me a good prayer to combat this: “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me [not my feelings], let them bring me to your holy mountain, the place where you dwell.” God’s Word gives light, and I can affirm by faith that I am with Him who is “my joy and my delight,” and I praise you, “O God, MY God.”
 
The advice in the last verse of Psalm 43 speaks strongly to me, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
 
He is at work and is carrying me along whether I sense it or not! He will work all out, so I can praise Him ahead of time for and in all.
 
All this brings to mind that beloved saying, “Knowing Jesus is enough for joy.” This is a chance for me to live it willfully by faith!
 
Prayer: “Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to believe and trust you when my feelings tell me the opposite. Help me to think Truth, to act on Truth, to praise according to Truth today. Amen.”
 
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