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Lavish Love

 
You, O God, are the Lord of lavishness, full of Love and Life, Laughter and Light.
 
I praise you for your wise working in us in very practical ways, dealing with all the details, right down to the subatomic level, keeping everything humming along, keeping it all together—”He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). You care for us wonderfully, persistently, lovingly and graciously.
 
It is especially warming to think of your loving care for us in contrast to what we deserve. I give you honor and glory for your personel and powerful, persistent and perfect agape Love.
 
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for what lies before us today: on our part partially planned but truly unknown, while on your part it is fully planned and fully known. What an amazing thought: you have gone through the day of each one of your children—hundreds of millions of them–preparing things in detail, planning personalized lessons, readying guidance, protection, chastening, blessing and provision.
 
And you do the same for the non-elect, pouring out your goodness and attention on those whom you know will never believe. “…your Father in heaven…causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45).
 
You are truly the God of Grace, the God of Goodness, the God of Giving. To you belongs all glory and honor, all praise and applause, all worship and exaltation, all obedience and reverence, all fear and love. Such care, such compassion, such cherishing, such comprehensive love is found in no one else.
 
We fall to our knees in wonder, we bow down in awe, we rise up to surrender, to give you honor in belief and obedience. May you be exalted in our lives today.
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Psalm 28:2-3

 
Psalm 28:2 “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,”
[Where else can I look for mercy and help but you, O Lord? , You are the Source of all help, you are the Spring of all mercy. In the midst of raging wars, stricken refugees and political upheaval, in the midst of suffering, sickness and sadness, you hear our cry for help.
As we look away from the negatives to the goodness and beauty here on the earth–the green of Spring, the fruitfulness of Summer. the colors of Fall, and the white blanket of Winter–this all is but a reflection of your great, faithful and wonderful character, reminding me that I can trust you to hear, to answer, to protect and guide.]
“Hear…as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.”
[To focus on you, the One who dwells in the Most Holy Place of Heaven—and also within me–is the right thing to do, for there is no real help in any other place. You are the one who is moving History to a conclusion and taking us with you.
You are the Holy One who knows what is good and edifying for us, whether it be relief or regret, what is peasant or difficult. I can trust you to bring, in your mercy, what is needed. In you I can hope and therefore I can praise you before there is any sign of your working.]
Psalm 28:3 “Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil,”
[Lord, keep me from joining the wicked, from doing evil whether in thought, word or deed. Help me to live according to the position you have given me, being a son of the Most High, a child of the mighty King and an appointed ambassador of Jesus. Help me to live in your power, to be filled with your Spirit, to be obedient and diligent in doing what is good.
I praise you that you help me every day, guiding me in deciding ahead of time to be gracious, kind, helpful, servant-hearted, and then, when the moment comes, to immediately respond with those qualities, along with thanksgiving and gladness.
I praise you for how you are changing me in this way instead of dragging me away with the wicked; in my old nature I do deserve to be cast out, rejected, judged and condemned.
 
However, in you, Lord Jesus, I am forgiven, cleansed, loved, helped, guided and protected. I am being transformed, growing, deepening and changing through your working in me in your mercy, strength and love. Praise be to you for your gracious and great provision; may you be exalted in my life today.]
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Psalm 28:1

Psalm 28:1 “To you I call, O LORD”
 
[You are the great I Am, the LORD of all, Yahweh, the Holy One who is totally other, totally self-sufficient, without need of anyone. You are pure and sinless, spotless and good, your glory is in your holiness. You hate sin and will punish it but love the sinner and provide a way of forgiveness and escape. You are the LORD, worthy to be worshiped, worthy of praise, worthy of reverence and awe, fear and obedience. Glory belongs to you; may it flow from my life to you today.]
 
“You are…my Rock;”
 
[You, the Great and Mighty One have made yourself to be my Rock: impregnable, unshakable, unmovable, unassailable, undefeatable. In you there is security, in you there is safety. Nothing can get through you to me expect what you allow in your wisdom and love. I can rest in you, be secure in you, trust in you. You are the everlasting eternal Rock, ever the same, ever trustable, ever good.]
 
“do not turn a deaf ear to me.”
 
[I praise you, Lord, that your ear is ever listening, never deaf towards your children. You are the prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God. You delight in having us come to you in prayer, and you delight in answering. You may chasten us by not answering when we are willfully living in sin, but the problem then is with us, not you. Praise you for your faithful, loving, Fatherhood commitment to hear and answer your children.]
 
“For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.”
 
[This is true: if we had no access to you, how would we be different from those who don’t believe, who live in the land of death, from those who have already died? In you, Lord Jesus we are given access to light, life, love, and lasting goodness—for that is what you are. And you are always there in our lives.
 
Praise you that your Word ever speaks to us, that you are active to bring us through each valley, through each dark night, through each difficulty and danger, for you are our great Shepherd who speaks and is not silent.]
 
Lord, today I lay my life before you on the altar of obedience. I praise you now for what you will bring, for how you will guide, for how you will protect. Because you are only good, I can trust you to do what is right, to bring what is best, to lead in what is wise.
 
May you be glorified in my life today, Lord God–honored, lifted up and exalted in my thoughts, motives, words and actions. Protect me from the evil one and evil men; protect me from myself; protect me for your own glory. I praise you now for all you will do in this day. Amen.]
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More on Psalm 27:1

 
Further thoughts on Psalm 27:1,
 
“The Lord is my light”
 
[In my darkness, when I can’t see the way, when confusion reigns and I don’t know what to do, you, like the sun, shine your light on my path, Lord Jesus. At the right time, we will be enlightened. Praise you for your faithfulness in always illuminating the way.]
 
“And my salvation.”
 
[You, Lord God, are the Star Breather, the Earth Spinner, the Dawn Bringer, the History Ender, the great Redeemer and mighty Savior. You are at work in great power, in deep wisdom and in unquenchable love to bring what is best within a broken world.
 
I think of all the times over the years you have protected me in driving, all the times I should have had an accident, yet you alerted me, or kept me from changing lanes or had others avoid me.
 
Thank you for keeping us safe when the brakes on my aged vehicle give out–twice, but both times in good places, preventing accidents. I praise you for what you are doing every day to protect us, both from our own foolishness and from others’ errors.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for your great faithfulness and love, your gracious, undeserved protection and help. Truly you do protect and deliver on every level: eternal, temporal, spiritual, intellectual, volitional, emotional, physical, financial, social, and vocational.
 
You shield, you deliver, you provide, you warn, you rescue, you embrace. And why? Because you are love itself, you cherish your children, you delight in us, you choose to love us in spite of what we naturally are.
 
I praise you in repentance for my unbelief, in wonder for your gracious forgiveness, in humility for your undeserved kindness, in deep thankfulness for your unceasing love, in amazement at your delight in your children, in joy for your marvelous, rich, positive and good character.
 
In you I am safe, in you I am secure, in you I am significant, in you I ma supplied with all I need. Praise you that you are able and willing to save to the uttermost those who believe in you.]
 
“whom shall I fear?”
 
[With a God like you watching over me in love, tenderness, forgiveness and power, who else could have sway over me? Who can bring real damage to me when you filter out what is truly harmful? You only are the One to be feared, to be obeyed, to be revered. Praise be to you in all, Lord Jesus, Redeemer of all, especially of those who believe.
 
I praise you now for what you have planned for my life today, I delight in your power, rejoice in your provision, and revel in your perfection. May you be exalted today in my life, for you deserve all glory, honor and praise, in and for all things.]
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Surety

Taken from my worship journal, written a number of years ago, as I lifted my soul to God, working through my emotions about the difficulties I faced at that time.
 
Praise you, Lord, for your gracious work in my life: my miserable life on a human level, my wonderful life on your level. Thank you that you are working on raising me to that higher level with you, leading me upward and onward, out of the swamp of my natural self into the light of your presence and the lushness of your green pastures, into your powerful, positive presence.
 
I thank you for my unwanted circumstances, Lord, for the dreaded tasks I have to do, and the desired work I’m unable to do. You know what is best, what is right and will work it out. “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him” (Psalm 34:8).
 
I praise you, Father God, for your wisdom, love, goodness and power. You, my Heavenly Father, watch over me and bring into my life the challenges and opportunities I need.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, my great and good Shepherd, for leading me in the proper paths, guiding me through disagreements and difficulties, through my poor choices and poor responses, out to the other side into the wide place you have for me. I praise you for your good and gracious presence at all times, and that you carry me through when life is too much for me.
 
I praise you, Holy Spirit, that you are my Heavenly Teacher, my persistent Transformer, my gracious Guide and my determined Director, seeking to bring me to ever-higher levels of walking with you.
 
Praise you, O Triune God, that you are the One I can trust in the midst of my present uncertainty and difficulties. You are my Heavenly Protector, blocking what is harmful, allowing what is edifying, providing all I need. Therefore, I can give you honor and praise now, before any of this is worked out, for you are gracious, great and good, full of power, positiveness and love.
 
Thank you now for how you will help me today to do all the things that you desire, to make decisions based on what is best, not just on what I’d like. Give me wisdom in how to proceed and what to accomplish. Help me to consistently live the truth that Knowing Jesus Is Enough for Joy, Period!
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Security

 
Psalm 27:12b “…false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.”
 
[Satan certainly rises against me and incites people to do the same. I think of a neighbor who in the past spread lies about me on facebook and in town and threatened me.
 
I praise you that you allow such attacks to strengthen my faith, expose my sin and mature me. As you led me to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for my neighbor’s actions, and to respond by doing good to him, you resolved the situation and he’s become somewhat pleasant and positive.
 
Help me to discern the lies told about me, whether they come from the devil, my flesh, people, or the world—and to counteract them with your truth.
 
Help me also to be alert to any violent aspects of my own emotions that come from my old nature, the world and the devil: anger, impatience, strong words and negative actions. Help me to quickly process them before they can control me and instead to act out of truth, love and grace. I praise you for your gracious, specific protection and help.]
 
Psalm 27:13 “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
 
[No matter how bad things get, your goodness will always be there, and it will shine through in the end. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”(Ps. 23:6).
 
My confidence needs to be in your goodness, not measured by my desires being fulfilled, by my comfort or success, but by your greatness and glory revealed in your Word, by your beautiful and pristine character, as revealed in creation and by your doing what is best, as revealed in history.]
 
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
 
[Repetition of this command to wait shows how important it is. I must wait for you, spending time with you, listening to your direction, not acting too early and on my own desires. As my wife is fond of saying “Waiting on the Lord is the greatest economy of time.”
 
[In you, in the midst of my weakness, I can be strong and take heart, for you are strength itself, you are faithfulness itself, you are wisdom itself. You have a plan and will bring it to pass. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:7).
 
I praise you, Lord, for your trustworthiness, for the certainty of your moving at the right time, for your answering my prayers in the right way.
 
You are right, Lord, you are true, you are good and faithful. Therefore I can choose to rest in you. Praise be to you for what you will do today as I wait on you.]
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1984

 
In 1984 we got a letter from Ellen, a woman who had been searching for spiritual input. Her sister had gotten an offer for the Bible correspondence course and gave it to Ellen. Through that she found our address and wanted to meet with us.
 
We called the telephone number she sent us in a letter and her sixteen year old daughter, Seylim, answered, and tried to speak to Barbara in high school German. She was very relieved to find that we spoke the local language.
 
This contact proved to be the most significant one in the church plant. After she came to the Lord, Ellen proved to be a real evangelist and eventually was instrumental in seeing twenty-three of her relatives come to Christ! And the fact she came every week to the meetings with her five children became the standard for others’ attendance.
 
About the same time, the Smith’s oldest daughter, Alyn, introduced us to a man she was interested in. Ivan was a short, aggressive fellow, seemingly a hard worker who showed an interest in the gospel.
 
Although he had only a third grade education, Ivan was bright and was soon explaining the meaning of the gospel to the rest of the Smith family more effectively than we could. Ivan himself made a commitment to Christ and began attending the Sunday meetings at the Smiths. Soon he and Alyn married. Although we did not know it, this fellow would lead us into all kinds of trouble.
 
Another fellow, Harry, came to Christ through the correspondence course, and Dan began to disciple him, pouring lots of time and effort into his life. Harry showed signs of being a potential leader for the fellowship.
Then some months later, a worker from Germany came to Tur.key looking for nationals to work in his literature ministry, and sought out Harry. Dan talked with this man and warned him that Harry was just a young believer and needed time to mature before he could be put in charge of a foreign-funded venture. But the man did not listen.
 
We found out later that this was his way in many countries. He operated independently of any workers on the ground, taking one or two believers to himself and working exclusively with them. It led to the distribution of the man’s literature, but to the unhealthy separation and isolation of believers.
 
At this point our little fellowship was meeting in homes, often in a different place every week. Although home meetings were not illegal, many people believed they were, and felt uncomfortable. As the Tu.rkish culture was building oriented, it seemed strange to seekers that we had no official meeting place.
 
The Lord provided a solution to this through a friend who knew the priest in the Vatican Embassy. He allowed us to meet on their property, making it much easier to invite seekers.
 
One day after the meeting during the teatime, Barbara noted that each Tu.rk was talking to a foreigner. The believers were not mixing with each other. This was not a new problem as many of those who made commitments to Christ did so for very mixed motives, ranging from actually believing to hoping it would lead to getting a job, to finding a foreign wife, having a foreign friend or being invited for a meal where he’d get to eat meat.
 
So each one looked at the other attenders and wondered what their selfish agendas were! There was no trust, as is generally true in this society. Therefore, we decided to have less foreigners attend, forcing the locals to interact with each other.
 
One Sunday afternoon when we arrived at the gate of the Embassy, the head priest was there and took me aside. “This is the last Sunday you will be allowed to meet here,” he said,
 
“Why is that?” I asked.
 
“The police have come and told us we cannot accept you.”
“What would be the reason for that?” I exclaimed, “This is not the property of this country, this belongs to the Vatican. This decision is contrary to the law!”
 
“Ah, my son,” said the priest, “In this country the law and the police are two very different things!” He was right, of course, and that was the end of our meetings at the Embassy.
 
In one way I was thankful, for we had noticed that after our meetings, the two priests living at the Embassy would come down and mix with us. In the end we realized that they were trying to draw the believers into Catholicism. Separation from that was good.
 
The Lord had other things in mind for us; an Austrian believer was able to get permission for us to meet in the German school. That was even better, because it was more centrally located and was guarded, making the believers feel even more secure, and set the stage for growth to come.
Picture: Barbara with Ellen
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Psalm 27:11

Psalm 27:11 “Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path”
 
[Praise you, Lord Jesus, my Great Shepherd, that you consistently teach me your way through your Word and your Spirit. And that you continually lead me on your straight path, even though I sometimes stray off it. Forgive me for my failure to obey and to follow; help me to pay attention and implement what you teach, keeping up the “umbrella of Truth” for protection (as in the picture). I praise you for your consistent care, your continual help and constant protection.
 
Teach me your way today, Lord, and keep me on the straight path that I may bring joy to you, light to others and hope to all I meet.]
 
“…lead me because of my oppressors.”
 
[The main oppressor, Satan is always there, using people and events to trip me up. He wants to keep me in fear, make life difficult, and lead me into disobedience.
 
When Satan accuses me, tries to beat me down and seeks to make me stumble, help me to stay on your straight path, Lord, laying aside every weight and sin that Satan wants to entangle me with, so that I may run with perseverance the race you have set out before me (Heb. 12:1,2).]
 
Psalm 27:12 “Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,”
 
[I praise you for how you protect us from our foes who are too strong for us. At the same time, I thank you that, in your wisdom, you do not protect us from many of the consequences of our wrong choices. You do this in order to teach us, to chasten us, to redirect us, to bring surrender and growth.
 
Thank you that you protect us from what will be truly injurious, helping us to discern and reject the voice of our enemy–and our own inner natural voice–while listening to and heeding your Word and your Spirit. Thank you for your warning to me to slow down in life, to consistently spend more time with you, to be careful in not doing too much but to select, with your guidance, what I should be involved in.
 
Thank you that, on the other side, you help me to discern and reject the enemy’s encouragement to be lazy and self-indulgent, to waste time in insignificant activities.
 
I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are my Wisdom, my Shield, my Shepherd and my Strength. Help me to distrust my natural responses, which my foes want to use, and to fully trust you and your Word, so I can stay on your straight path, running well and wisely the race you have set out before me. Use me today for your purposes and bring honor to your Name.]
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Who am I following?

“For we fight not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand.”
Ephesians 6:11
 
While talking recently with a person struggling with feelings of inadequacy, any advice I gave proved to be totally ineffective. Then a thought came to mind that turned out to be the key to opening the door to this person’s emotional prison.
 
“This feeling of inadequacy is exactly what Satan wants you to focus on. Of course we are inadequate; we are human beings and have limitations. In contrast, God wants us to focus on Him, to find our adequacy in Him, our acceptance in Him, our worth and joy in Him.
 
“Satan, however, wants us to focus on what we can’t do; he wants us to work for our worth and to seek for the elusive happiness of accomplishment. So, whose lead are you going to follow? Are you going to fall into devil’s trap, or sidestep it with God’s truth?”
 
Asking “What would Jesus do in this situation?” helps us think biblically. Adding the question, “What would Satan want me to do?” will bring even more biblical clarity. Paul refers to this in Ephesians 6 when he says, “Put on the whole armor of God so you will not fall in to the wiles of the devil.”
 
The devil is clever and does not want us thinking about his desires; he wants us to unknowingly mix our personal and cultural bias in with a bit of Scripture and do things that make us feel good–and please him. It is easy to fool ourselves into thinking that our preferences as Christians are the same as God’s. For instance, in our culture we have come to confuse busyness with being spiritual, having results with being blessed and talent and training with being spiritually mature.
 
When faced with an opportunity for more ministry, we need to think about what Jesus would do, and what Satan would have us do. Satan is happy when we are striving to push ahead in our own effort, keeping very busy “for the Lord”, wearing ourselves out for others. He is not happy when we spend time first in prayer and in the Word, seeking God’s direction, weighing our motives before Him, waiting for His timing–and then working hard with Him as He directs.
As a concrete example of this concept, here in the Middle East we have often had opportunities to help believers financially. “Of course Jesus would have us give to them!” we thought.
 
Yet as we look back now, it is clear how in the early years of ministry, channeling funds to seemingly desperate needs produced far more bitter and dependent believers than anything else. Our help was toxic, not a tonic.
 
We have to admit that our estimation of what Jesus wanted was not fully correct. Yes, it made us feel good to help and we got the believers out of binds, but also often prevented them from learning the lessons God had for them.
 
Later, when God had gotten our attention and made clear that we should step back from such rescuing attempts and let Him teach important lessons of character, believers matured and grew in new ways. There are times to help, but wisely, in cooperation with God, not with Satan’s feel-good solutions.
 
Prayer: “Lord, as we seek your will in situations, remind us to search Scripture, asking the question, “What would Jesus do?” and also add the question, ‘What would Satan want me to do?’ Guide us in cooperating with you in your intentions not with the devil. Amen.”
 
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Psalm 27:9

 
Psalm 27:9 “Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger;”
 
[I fail every day, Lord, in not leading myself well, in worrying, being selfish, not taking time to rest, fretting about spending–basically creating a lot of junk stress for myself.
 
I praise you for pointing this out to me right now as I write; forgive me! I praise you that you do, not reacting in anger and turning away from me–for you are good and ready to forgive and abounding in mercy towards all those who call upon you (Ps. 86:5). Help me to consistently draw near to you so I can quickly note my sinful tendencies and immediately repent.]
 
“you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.”
 
[Yes, you are my God, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Guide, my Protector. Thank you that you do not reject me, that in your great love and mighty mercy you are patiently and persistently working in and with me to bring transformation, growth and deepening. I praise you for your gracious goodness in leading me upward and onward.]
 
Psalm 27:10 “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”
 
[Your love is far greater than that of my parents, therefore you will always receive me. I praise you for how you will guide me today, for you are my Light and my Salvation, you are the Fortress of my life, whom should I fear, of whom should I be afraid?
 
You, O Lord, are great and powerful, wise and all knowing, positive and pure, holy and grace-filled. You are good and do only good, all the time. Thank you for the difficulties you are using in my life now. I praise you for them. Help me to walk through them with your power and wisdom today.
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