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Merry Christmas

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 5, 2019
Christmas is coming quickly, a time when we wish one another a “Merry Christmas”—and we have so many reasons for being merry, the main one being the great Love God poured out on us through Christmas.
 
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all participated in this marvelous event. The Father planned it, the Spirit prepared the way, and Jesus carried it out.
 
Think of what great a sacrifice Jesus was willing to make, way before the cross. He was willing to leave Heaven, the place of purity, worship and beauty, and come to earth to live as a human being among flea-ridden, unwashed people who persisted in rebellion and unbelief.
 
In order to do this, He, who filled the whole universe, condensed Himself way down to live in a very small womb as a very small baby. It is always amazing to me to see the tinyness of a newborn babe–and Christ restricted Himself to that small body.
 
And how big is the universe? Just recently I read that the nearest galaxy to the Milky Way is 2,000,000 light years away from earth! And there are billions of other galaxies beyond that one!
 
Scientists tell us that the diameter of the known universe is at least 24 billion light years across! Jesus filled all of that before He brought Himself down to live in the tiny form of a human.
 
Following his triumphal return to life, it says in Ephesians 4:10 that “He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”
 
What a God of love, of goodness, of grace! What an event to celebrate as we move towards Christmas, remembering Christ’s sacrifice in entering the world of woe to open the way so we can live in His lavish love! Merry Christmas!
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Knowing Jesus

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 4, 2019
Worship, for me, always comes first in the morning, taking time to remember who God is: the Great and Triune One, worthy of praise and honor, exaltation and focus. It is in worship that we are sustained and strengthened, transformed and enlightened, giving us the perspective that Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy! Here’s a poem about this that came out of such a worship time, thinking on Psalms 62:1 and 73:25. May it encourage you as it did me.
 
Whom have I
in heaven but you?
And Earth has nothing
I desire besides You.
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Elohim—Creator
Adonai—Master
Yahweh—Savior
Nissi—Defender
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Stars’ Creator
Day’s Designer
Life’s Sustainer
History’s Ender
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Creation’s Redeemer
Sinners’ Savior
Hearts’ Transformer
Mansions’ Maker
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Strong Shepherd
Living Bread
Church’s Head
Judge of all dead
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Day Giver
Need Provider
Spirit Refresher
Soul Purifier
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Heart Pursuer
Spirit Lifter
Soul Lover
Heaven Bringer
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Worthy of Praise
You Ancient of Days
Your name we raise
In endless praise.
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy!
 
Whom have I
in heaven but you?
And Earth has nothing
I desire besides You.
Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy, Period!
 
Prayer: “Lord, help me to live in the light of your glory and to volitionally choose to live in the truth that Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy. Amen.”
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Tripping along

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 3, 2019
On the road today, arriving home tonight. Here’s a prayer that my friend from Pakistan sent me and i pass it on to you.
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Jesus Curve

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 3, 2019
“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. “
Psalm 27:4
 
Life is a battle. Every day. Satan uses my own sin, that of others, events out of my control, sickness, difficulty, persecution and many other things to push me in the wrong direction. There is no end to it.
 
But I want to tell you that in the midst of this battle there is a great hope: life just gets better and better as we walk with Jesus.
Over the last three years there has been a pronounced upward trend in the trajectory of my life. I think I am experiencing a “J” curve; that is, a graph like the one below which for a long time shows just tiny incremental upward progress before there is rapid growth.
Over the years there has been slow progress in my life as God kept me consistent in quiet times, in memorizing and meditating on Scripture, in personal worship, praise, prayer and in persistent obedience. However, when this incremental progress of the J curve reaches a certain point, it turns a corner and begins to go up more quickly, then radically.
 
This seems to be what is happening in my life in every area: more growth, more patience, more positiveness, more grace, more joy. Barbara says I have definitely become easier to live with! This is more than just a “J curve,” it is a “Jesus Curve!”
 
I must hasten to add two things. First, this is of God, not me! I want to “boast in Him.” He is just fulfilling His promises of what He will do if we walk with Him (Psalm 1:1-3).
 
Second is that as the positives increase, so do the challenges. With more ability comes more responsibility. And with more grace comes more challenge.
 
One thing that has really stimulated this growth has been seeking to live the truth that “Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy, Period!” This flows from the truth that: “My soul finds rest in God alone” (Ps. 62:1) —you’ve heard that one a few times before, haven’t you? Repetition of powerful truth is a good thing!
 
Applying this verse has rooted out a lot of idols, has helped me to “let go” of the temporal, “hold on” to the eternal “and rise above” the everyday hassles as well as bigger challenges.
 
Today my reading was in Psalm 52 where verses 8 and 9 restate what happens as we faithfully walk with God through the years:
 
“But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
forever and ever.
 
Prayer: “Lord, help me to be faithful in cultivating my relationship with you: daily reading in your Word, daily worshiping you, daily confessing and moving ahead by prayer. Move me along on my Jesus Curve at the right speed and keep my eyes on you, seeking not growth, but you. Amen.”
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Iconium

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 1, 2019
It was good to get back to our country from all our travels in Asia, back to the familiar. But even there we were faced with uncertainty. We were not sure where it was that God was leading us to settle.
 
I’d been praying throughout the whole six years we’d been in the States for God to prepare things in the city He wanted us go to. This included asking for His opening the hearts of the people, bringing us into contact with those who would believe, providing us a place to live, good neighbors and other workers to team up with. We believed God had been doing just that, and now we just needed to know what that city was!
 
One offer came our way from a team working in the biblical city of Iconium, the city Paul had been chased out of. This is a very conservative Is.lamic city and our team had been working there for several years without any discernible results. The three couples on the team were struggling on a number of fronts and wanted us to come live there for a year to help them.
 
After getting input from the field council, we agreed to go, with one stipulation. They must accept the fact that we would be gone often on trips to other countries.
 
God immediately showed Himself at work to answer my prayers of the past years. Even before we arrived, one of our teammates found a furnished apartment for us—a rarity in this city. We were able to move right in with the few things we’d stored in Ankara.
 
During our time in Iconium we made many friends, including one who claimed to make a decision for the Lord, but unfortunately hasn’t displayed any discernible spiritual growth.
 
We worked to help the team, but in the end it was evident that things had disintegrated too much and two of the couples left. This was sad, but when people aren’t willing to change, adapt and trust God, there is not other alternative.
 
Even though we left Iconium in 2001, I’ve continued to pray for our contacts there, and my relationship with the man who made a decision continues to this day. He now has a group of 6 friends who meet to discuss the New Testament. So God’s work goes on.
 KONYA, TURKEY - JANUARY 20, 2015: The local jewellery shops offers the wide range of islamic style jewelries, on January 20 in Konya. Stock Photo - 50140104
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Amazing God!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 30, 2019
I praise you, Lord God, for your wonderful power and wisdom shown in Creation. You have made the human body so complicated that statically it shouldn’t work!
 
Starting with individual cells which are like intricate little cities with systems of communication, transportation and processing of energy. Then there are the nervous, blood, breathing and digestive systems, all managed by delicate electric and chemical signals–simply amazing.
 
Then, on top of the astounding engineering of the body, you made this complex creature able to reproduce–to be able to make from two cells a completely new copy of the parents. What a wonder that is, to have all the information and pattern included in the DNA of each cell, guiding in the development of every part of the body. As the optic nerve grows both from the eye and from the brain, the thousands of fibers join exactly correctly, making vision possible.
You are a marvel, Lord, and there are many more parts of the creation which show this. Yesterday I read that a trip at the speed of light to the nearest galaxy would take 2,000,000 years! And you, Lord, Jesus, easily fill the whole universe! As Ephesians 4:10 says about you, “He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”
 
I praise you for your great and deep wisdom and power to create and sustain all this. To you be honor and glory for your breathing the stars, hanging the earth on nothing, bringing the dawn each day and sustaining all til the end of the age.
 
Truly, knowing you in many of the beautiful and intricate facets of your character is enough for joy. You know the way, you have a plan, you run with us through each day in pleasure and pain, what is easy and hard, and will guide us on into eternity.
 
I praise you for these truths, Lord Jesus. Help us to keep them in mind as you guide us today in joining you in our interactions and conversations that you may be honored in all.
 
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Still on the road

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 29, 2019

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Persistence II

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 28, 2019
 
A Happy and Thankful Thanksgiving to you all! Continuing with yesterday’s subject of persisting through all.
 
The ultimate example of sticking to it is, of course, Jesus himself, as he wrestled in the garden with the temptation to draw back from the extreme suffering of death on the cross and abandonment by His Father. And He worked it through, sticking to the plan so He could redeem us all.
 
In the midst of the difficulties into which God has called each of us, He is doing some important things in us. James 1:2-4 is a familiar passage that gives us perspective: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
 
There is the same concept of perseverance again: “He who persists wins.” And what does a “persister” win? “… that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
 
The next time you are tempted to give up on what God has called you to, wanting to move on to something easier and more comfortable, remember these verses in James. He has not called us to comfort but to completeness—and this can only come by persisting in the face of trials. He who persists in obeying God wins.
 
Prayer: “Lord, I am so weak, so prone to seek comfort rather than your glory. Help me to persist in what you have called me to. Help me to take up your grace, your power, your endurance today and join you in the work you have for me. Amen”
Picture: persistence in fox trapping at 50 below zero
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Endurance

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 27, 2019
We are on a trip for a family gathering in Columbus, Ohio, and yesterday I had no access to the internet so was unable to post. Sorry. Here is today’s post.
 
Trials “have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:7
 
“He who persists wins!” This is a saying by which we lived in the Middle East. There were so many obstacles to life and ministry that it would have been easy to give up and go home.
So often we were denied permission or presented with further obstacles when we tried to do the right thing. The government didn’t want us there, most locals didn’t want us there, some of our supporters didn’t even want us there! But we stayed in obedience to God.
 
Sadly, many workers did give up and leave. And this is not unusual, for in Christian circles many believers fail to persist in difficulties, moving from relationship to relationship, or church to church because things get difficult.
 
I believe that when God specifically calls us to a relationship, or church, or ministry, we should stay there until God specifically calls us away. We should not let Satan drive us away with hardships.
Parenthetically, let me add that when a person is in an abusive relationship or abusive church, the wisest thing often is to leave; that is a different situation. Clear doctrinal error can also be grounds to leave.
 
And there comes a time when God may call us on to new situations, as He called us to Germany for a time—but never in opposition to His stated will.
 
Paul had this attitude of sticking to it. In Philippians 3:14 he said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
 
Paul wasn’t about to give up because things were difficult (such as getting 39 lashes multiple times, being stoned and imprisoned, ship wrecked, being hungry, cold and sleepless) or because there are no results or he was left alone, as when everyone abandoned him when he was in prison.
 
He went on to say, “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.” And maturity comes through making many small choices to obey God rather than culture, our feelings or the thoughts of man.
 
Paul prayed in Colossians 1:10 that we would be “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might SO THAT you may have great endurance and patience” Let’s pray that for ourselves and for our fellow believers, especially those being persecuted for Christ’s sake that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.
 
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Psalm 119:161-165

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 25, 2019
“Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word.” Psalm 119:161
 
This is an astounding statement. When persecuted by powerful rulers, the psalmist is not afraid, he is not shaken—but it is his fear of God, his awe and fear of God’s Word that causes him to tremble.
 
This is faith in the unseen, believing and obeying the intangible in the face of very present pressure. I am not there yet—I am very aware of and responsive to what I can see, and am only developing the life in the unseen, beginning with praise in and for all things.
 
“I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil” (Ps. 119:162). This is another statement of faith. Think how I would rejoice in getting 100 million dollars. Yet your Word, Lord, is far more valuable than that. I should treasure it thusly, spending time in it, thinking about it, delighting in it, rejoicing in it.
 
“Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble” (Ps. 119:165).
 
Praise you, Lord God, that your law clarifies reality for us. You are absolutely sovereign: no wisdom, no insight, no plan can succeed against you (Prov. 21:30). You control and filter all that comes to us; and along with your protection, you give us, who are weak in ourselves, more than enough grace to deal with it.
 
You have purpose and meaning in whatever comes. The greatest purposes are our being able to give honor to you, and our spiritual growth along with shining the gospel to all those around us. With these truths as our light, we needn’t stumble into the traps of complaining, fear, selfishness and pride.
 
You are moving all events to a conclusion and are carrying us along at your side in the process. The outcome of our lives is certain (an exit from this world into your arms) and the outcome of history is certain (all evil will be confined to Hell, creation will be “untwisted” and all will be made anew) and our future is secure (we will spend eternity with you).
 
The confidence that you are at work—deeply, mightily, inexorably—brings growth in faith, rest in you and joy in life. We can know through your law of your great and mighty working, of your powerful, perfect, persistent plan for the universe. We can know of the significant role you have for each of your children, including a personally prepared place in Heaven.
 
“I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands” (Ps. 119:166).
 
Knowing what is coming, we can patiently wait for what you will bring, and while waiting, confidently follow your commands. You, Lord God, are Light, you are Love, you are Life. You work for good, you bring about good, you are only good. Your wisdom is right and true, solid and sure, far beyond our comprehension and totally trustable. You are the only One, the only purpose worth living for.
 
Prayer: “I exalt you, King of Glory, I honor you, God of Love, I praise you, Lord of Justice, I adore you, Ruler of Mercy. To you may there be honor and glory today in my motives, attitudes, thoughts, words and actions before you, before the unseen spirit world, before men, before myself. Amen.”
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