Uncategorized

Uncategorized

God’s Great Love and Faithfulness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 20, 2025 Respond

Psalm 2:7 “…the LORD…said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’”

 

[These mysterious words, written in 1000 BC, are quoted again in Hebrews 1:5, and clearly refer prophetically to the Lord Jesus.

 

I praise you, my Savior, that you are not only the Son from eternity past, but that you became the Son in a more specific way by being born as a baby, fathered supernaturally, living as both the human and heavenly Son of your eternal Father.

 

Your relationship was and is doubly unique in a trinity of ways:

twice the Son (in eternity and in time);

twice the Savior (saving us from our sins in your death, saving us from eternal separation in your resurrection in giving us everlasting life);

twice incisively entering this world (once as Savior, once to come as Judge and Conqueror).

 

I praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your deep and long wisdom displayed here, for your unshakable commitment to love us stubborn rebels, and for your perfect follow-through on your promises (to save us) and predictions (to take us to Heaven).

You, Lord God, are The Trustable One. In you we have all the security and significance we need. Help us to rest in that!

Picture: the beauty of God’s love

No photo description available.

Filed under:

The Battle to be Won

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 19, 2025 Respond

“The Lord watches over all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy” (Psa. 145).

 

I praise you that you not only offer us all that is needed to fight in the evil day and having done all to stand (Eph. 6:10-18),

but you have also command us to do this.

You make full provision and you call us to full obedience.

 

In this day, I want to join you in the battle, Lord.

In the midst of my present physical limitations of old age,

I want  to keep on the full armor

and stand in your strength against the evil in and around me,

against my corrupt natural heart, against the devil and his forces.

Without your provision, your power, your presence, this is impossible.

 

Help us today to heed your call, to bow down in worship and to rise up in submission,

to be filled so full with your Spirit that He spills over on those who meet us,

washing wickedness from relationships,

bringing peace and grace.

 

Praise you, Lord Jesus, for what you will do in our lives today.

Picture: Hold me in your hand, keep me safe.

No photo description available.

Filed under:

Building a Faith Bridge

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 18, 2025 Respond

Faith Bridge Building: Defeating Spiritual Amnesia

 

The floor of the faith bridge is:

  • remembering the promises and character of God;
  • and we can see these revealed in:
  • His Goodness
  • His Greatness
  • His Grace

And the fact that He has a plan for us.

 

The railings of the faith bridge are made up of God sightings:

  • Remembering how God has helped us and others in the past, such as the
  • God sightings of the Israelites in Egypt
  • Plagues (Ex. 4:12).
  • Red Sea escape (Ex. 14:15).
  • Provision in the desert, water and food.

AND REMEMBERING OUR OWN GOD SIGHTINGS

 

WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THAT

  • What God did for Abraham and Moses,
  • for Joshua and Joseph,
  • For David and Daniel,
  • He  will do for us!

 

SO, WE NEED TO BE BUILDING OUR FAITH BRIDGES BY:

  • Regularly reading, memorizing the Word
  • Regularly Offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving
  • Noting God sightings,
  • Sharing them with others,
  • And Reading biographies of believers.

 

Then we will be ready for whatever gully appears in the road of life!

May be an illustration

 

Filed under:

Spiritual Amnesia 3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 18, 2025 Respond

Here is a third help to eliminate spiritual amnesia.

Remember how God has helped you in the past—and certainly the longer you have been a believer, the more you have to remember.
I’ll give you three very simple ones from my very recent past.
I was trying to help a friend with a legal problem and went to a lawyer I’d used earlier. He wasn’t there when I arrived, so talked with his secretary, explaining the situation. “I don’t think he can help you,” she said. Just at that moment the lawyer walked in and said he certainly could help. The Lord guided me by having me be there at the right time to meet the lawyer.
Recently I went to Home Depot to buy eleven 80 pound bags of cement. This is a lot for me at 79 to load onto the cart, then into the van. I asked a clerk for help and very shortly a rugged young fellow came, helped me load th cart, waited for me to check out and put all the sacks in my van for me. A great help! That is an unusual happening there, but I had a need, the Lord supplied.
Last night we went to visit our son at the churches’ house for guests. Uncharacteristically, I decided to park in the church parking lot, not at the guest house. After our visit, we got  in our car, and here came the pastor back from walking his dog. He stopped at the car and I could ask him about a project I was thinking of starting. If I had parked at the guest house I would have missed him. A small thing, but God helping me in it.
Now, the next time I’m in a bind, instead of panicking and worrying, I can say, as the Lord helped me there, He can help me here!  And you can do the same. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon you, Lord, for you  WILL answer me!” Psalm 86: 7.
Picture: Like the good Father He is, God leads us through all that comes to us.
Filed under:

Spiritual Amnesia 2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 16, 2025 Respond

Here is the second help to banish spiritual amnesia before and when a crisis comes:

 

Remember and focus on the character of God.

 

We see His character in His Goodness, His Greatness and Graciousnesse.

 

HE IS GOOD.

As it says in Psalm 86:5: You are “forgiving and good, O Lord,

abounding in love to all who call to you.”

Yes, He is faithful in His goodness, never abandoning us.

And we can that in His goodness, as He helped me in the past He will help me now.

 

HE IS GREAT.

Remember that He created “the stars by the breath of His mouth.” Ps 33:4

He hung the earth on nothing, spinning it at the right speed.

He is the dawn bringer, the time watcher, the history ender.

He fills the whole universe

He is incredibly Powerful

And he is eager to help us.

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.”  Ps. 23:1

 

He IS ABSOLUTELY GRACIOUS

Grace means giving us the opposite of what we deserve.

In His grace He hears and answers our prayers, as it says in Psalm 86:5-7

  • “Hear my prayer, O LORD;
    listen to my cry for mercy.

In the day of my trouble, I will call to you,

for you will answer me.”

With a God like that, what reason do we have to worry?!!!

As He has helped me in the past, so He will help me now.

 

Picture: He is the Spinner of the earth, the Bringer of dawn.

May be an image of 1 person, nature, twilight, horizon and ocean

Filed under:

Spiritual Amnesia

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 15, 2025 Respond

We all tend to suffer from Spiritual Amnesia. This manifests itself when we face a crisis, like the Israelites caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. Did they remember God’s power displayed in the 10 plagues? Did they remember that God forced Pharaoh to let them go? Did they remember the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day? No, they forgot all this and focused only on the threat of the moment.

God knows that we have this tendency, which is why there are 365 commands in the Bible to “fear not!” This is why Peter urges us 3 times in 2 Peter 1:12-15 to remember:

“So I will always remind you of these things…

“I think it is right to refresh your memory…

“And I will make every effort to see that…you will always be able to remember these things.”

So, when we are faced with a crisis, how can we prevent this spiritual amnesia? I will give you one aspect now and more tomorrow.

First is to begin  to make yourself aware of complaining and begin to replace it with giving thanks.

++Traffic is slow? “Thank you, Lord, for this delay. My times are in your hands, I repent of my impatience.”

++Prices too high? “Thank you, Lord, that at least these things are available and I do have enough money to buy a few of them!”

++People unkind? “Thank you, Lord, for the chance  to forgive and let go, to rest in your love.”

++Broke a glass while washing the dishes, “Thank you, Lord, that you allowed that, to teach me to be more careful.”

++Hit your thumb with a hammer, “Ah! Thank you, Lord, that I have a thumb to hit!”

This utilizes this basic truth to banish Spiritual Amnesia: What God allows He does so for a purpose. I can trust Him to use whatever situation I don’t like  for good. He will carry me through. When we learn to think like this, freedom from  complaining will begin to  come, taking a big bite out of our spiritual Amnesia. Tomorrow more help with this.

Picture: Praising during a drought

May be an image of 1 person, twilight and horizon

Filed under:

Opportunity for Worship

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 13, 2025 Respond

“I will bless the Lord at ALL times, His praise shall CONTINUALLY be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

We had just passed through the security check at the airport in Charlotte, NC. I got Barbara seated at a restaurant for a snack while I went and checked on our gate. As I was leaving, I glanced at my shirt pocket, and saw that my passport and boarding pass were not there where I always keep them! Wow, that was a potential glitch! Immediately the Spirit spoke: “This is a test! Will you trust me in this?”

“OK, Lord, I praise you for this new challenge, for the chance to give you glory by trusting you. You know what you are doing and I can rest in you no matter what the outcome!”

I told Barbara about it, and went right back to security where all the bins were searched, but no passport or boarding pass. “Well, Lord, this is another chance to give you glory in praising by faith. Thank you for your goodness in this, for however you are going to work it out.”

As I walked back to the restaurant, Barbara happily came towards me with my passport! It turns out that in the rush to get everything back in place after going through security, I had uncharacteristically stuck the passport and boarding pass into my backpack. “Thank you, Lord!” we both said.

Upon reflection, I realized this happened because I had been worried about getting through security quickly and was rushing, not being careful. Finding my passport was a great relief; however, there was more to come, and I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

May be an image of aircraft

Filed under:

Purpose of Emotions

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 12, 2025 Respond

Last night I posted about the joy and freedom in believing that God has a plan and will work out things, that He will help us in  time of need, “In the day of my trouble, I will call upon you for you will answer me.” Psalm 86:7

This reminded me of the three purposes of emotions. We hear so often the phrase, “Just follow your heart.” This is about the worse advice you can get, for the Lord says our heart is deceitful and wicked. Emotions are not to lead us. I believe that God did give them to us for a purpose, three in fact. This is from my observation, and study of scripture, but not exactly biblical.
First, emotions are for us to enjoy: a beautiful sunset, a fine concert, an enjoyable evening with friends, a delicious meal. God Himself enjoys such things. It is His good pleasure to have us as His children. Ephesians 1:5, “…Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
Second, emotions are  to warn us, especially the “negative” ones: anger, jealousy, fear, pride, revenge, unforgiveness. They warn us that we are thinking and desiring wrongly. They are like red lights on the dashboard of life, intended to warn us of some  impending danger, not to guide us. The red oil light does not mean turn right at the next  corner, it means, “Stop right now and check things out!”
The third purpose of emotions is to encourage us, motivate us, arouse us to positive action. We’ve all been in a situation of hopelessness, when someone spoke up, “Come on, we can do  this! On your feet, let’s go!” Our emotions arise and we press on to the task.
This is what happened to me as the Lord reminded me that He will help me. It is our part to listen and allow our emotions to be stirred to obedience, not to lead us, but to encourage us.
So, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, mind and soul, and love your neighbor, no matter how difficult he may be!
Picture: something to stir your positive emotions:
May be an image of tree and grass
Filed under:

Looking Up

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 11, 2025 Respond
The last two months have brought some difficulties with people not following through on their promises. This failure on their part has put me into a  bind (actually several binds).
 In the midst of this I have sought to consistently offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, to trust God to work things out–and yet, on an emotional level, the dark shadows of worry were always lurking on the edges of my mind.
Then today the Lord brought a change of perspective. These “binds” are actually exciting opportunities to see God act into my life. These difficulties are actually invitations to join God in His great plans. They are the chance to live the truth that God’s power is made perfect in my weakness, it is the opportunity to let go and let God’s power carry me forward into the unknown, doing what is my part, not His!
This insight, this reminder and revelation rejuvenated my  joy. They nurtured my first love for God, and fanned  my flagging faith in the totally faithful One.
He is helping me to more deeply  live Psalm 50:23 where HE says, “he who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord!”
Picture: the path disappears, but God will reveal the next stage at the right time.
May be an image of road, tree and grass
Filed under:

Dirt or Flowers?

Published by S.M. Wibberley on June 10, 2025 Respond

It was a “bumpy” day with a lot of small projects not working out, couldn’t find the right tools, got parts that don’t fit, the pipes I “fixed” leaked, and it rained a lot! All reasons to be discontent, to complain, moan and groan. It seemed to be an appropriate time to talk about the terrible weather and the distressing events in the world (like the price of houses). So natural. Each of these negatives is like a rock and in complaining about them, we put them into a sack one at a time: by the end of the day we end up carrying a big burden.

But, in reality (spiritual reality), these little events (and they are little) are opportunities for good. Opportunities to trust God, to act in faith, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and to honor God by doing so. What a difference that perspective brings. Each negative then becomes a step up in faith, in maturity, in usefulness for God. So at the end of the day, instead of being weighed down with a bag of rocks, we are rising above things, walking with Jesus and joining Him in His great plans.
The choice is ours, every minute!
“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord!” Psalm 50:23
Picture: will we focus on the flowers or the dirt?
May be an image of scorpion grass and French lavender
Filed under: