Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Psalm 23:5b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 28, 2019
Psalm 23:5b “You anoint my head with oil;”
 
[A shepherd anointed his sheep to protect them from flies, to heal them, to protect them from head-butting damage. Your anointing of us, Lord Jesus, is the act of choosing, of giving worth, of blessing, of providing and protecting.
 
–You chose me before the foundation of the world.
–You had your Spirit convict me of my need for you.
–You poured out your Spirit on me at the point of belief.
–You sealed my adoption by placing your Spirit in me.
–You pour out on me unending blessings of grace, goodness, wisdom, weakness and power.
–Every day you provide me with protection, guidance, insight, goods, money, relationships, opportunities to give you glory, chances to share your Word, time to be with you, and enough health to serve you as you desire now.
–And most of all, you give me your presence and love in a rich and enduring relationship, the one for which you created me.
 
You are amazingly gracious and generous, for in my natural state, I actually deserved the opposite of all this: condemnation, rejection, punishment, suffering, pain, failure, depression, despair, hopelessness, separation and eternal death.
 
Praise be to you Lord, for your gracious, glorious goodness that you pour out on the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve who come to you to be the sons and daughters of the living God!]
 
“my cup overflows.”
 
[You promise that my all needs will be met, but you usually give far more. Nothing I have can contain the blessings you pour out. Your gifts overflow in my life so I can share them with others. Some of these gifts are joy, praise, peace, insight, wisdom, strength, faith, vision, love, grace and goodness. Along with these are material gifts, which I can then share with others.
 
So, we bow before you in belief, Heavenly Father, exalting your high and holy Name. We rise up in faith, trusting in your goodness and wisdom. We move into this day in trust, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving so that we may honor you and open the way that you may show us the salvation of the Lord.
 
And I have opportunity to practice this right now, as yesterday I got a big bill for my visit to the emergency room last month. I can rest in you in the midst of this surprise, trust you to work this out and provide in whatever way you choose. It is wonderful to face difficulties with you, knowing you will carry us through.
 
Praise you for what you will do in the coming days, Lord, as you lead us in paths of righteousness, and for how we will be able to trust you in everything that comes because you are absolutely faithful, unchanging in your generosity, goodness and grace. Amen.]
Image may contain: plant, grass, tree, outdoor, nature and water
Filed under:

Psalm 23:5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 27, 2019
 
Safety is not the absence of danger, but the presence of Jesus.
 
Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
 
[We tend to think of peace as being the absence of any threat, but you give us a different perspective, Lord, one where your presence is enough to bring peace, no matter what may be threatening us.
 
In the picture you give us, you provide us with a sumptuous table set out on the lawn, decked out elegantly, filled with delicious food, ready for the guests. But, on the edges of the wide lawn are a roaring lion (fear), a growling bear (worry), a prowling tiger (greed), a slinking jaguar (lust) and a menacing rogue elephant (impatience) trumpeting his rage. The sight and sound of any one of these dangerous enemies is enough to strike fear in our hearts.
 
Yet there stands Jesus, calm, quiet and smiling. He calls us to the table and motions for us to sit down. The threatening roars and growls increase as we obey, but our enemies dare not come close when the All-Mighty Shepherd is there.
 
As we turn our focus to Him, the threat, the noise, the fear all fade. Peace comes because of His presence and because of our trust in Him. This peace is contingent not on the absence of danger but on the absolute power of Christ. We eat in peace, enjoying His company, the conversation and the feast provided by His hand.
 
He could remove the enemies if he wanted, but as we live in a fallen world, he allows Satan and his cohorts to exist, for he uses them to accomplish his purposes of bringing all who are willing into the Kingdom, of maturing His children, of giving us the opportunity to live out the Truths of His Word. We are safe, in spite of the presence of danger.
 
Lord help me today to live in the power of your presence, ignoring the threats of the enemy, focusing instead on you, on Truth, on your might, on your beautiful character, on your being the One in control, the One who has a plan, who will carry it out in faithfulness and power, and on the fact of your continual abundant provision. Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, our Conqueror, our Protector and our Provider.
 
Safety is not the absence of danger, but the presence of Jesus.]
 
Picture from the internet:
Image may contain: grass, sky, outdoor and nature
Filed under:

From EDIFIED! Written in about 2006

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 26, 2019

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” Psalm 62:4

Anxiety, tension and pressure. These are reality in a fallen world and this week they were very real for me as wave after wave of difficulty rolled over us: broken schedules, dashed hopes, tension-filled relationships, hampering sickness, unreasonable demands of others (at least from my perspective), mistakes, disaster looming in a couple of areas, conflicts of value and potentially dangerous exposure to the authorities. It was enough to make a strong man cringe, and that I am not very strong.

But our Father is faithful. In each case, He led me to Scripture which gave perspective: John 8:32, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free….” And Isaiah 30:15-16 says, “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, “No, we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee!’”

It is very easy, when under pressure, to flee on the horses of our own wisdom, of man’s help, of our own feeble efforts. But real help and strength come from spending time with our Father, telling Him of our needs and repeating Truth to ourselves.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps 91:1). The Hebrew word for “Almighty” means the one who satisfies and the one who fights for us. We can rest in the midst of anxiety, tension, uncertainty and pressure if our trust is in the Almighty One who has unlimited power, unlimited knowledge as well as unlimited wisdom–and has promised to fight for us.

Our part is to pour out our hearts to Him and to look to His Word, meditating on passages that tell us what ultimate reality is. This allows Him to strengthen us while He works on the problems before us.

It’s been a profitable week from the standpoint of spiritual growth! We are happy to be here in the Lord’s “precious cooker” and to serve Him.

Prayer: “Lord, as difficulties come today, help me to flee to you in prayer and thanksgiving, to think your truth and to be set free from the worry and stress of this world. Amen.”

Filed under:

A God Worthy of Our Enthusiasm

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 25, 2019
Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of waking from disturbing dreams and finding you there, strong and gracious, kind and firm, protecting and delivering. In the midst of all the world’s uncertainty, the stability of your goodness is such a support. It is so comforting to know that you do not change, you never tire, grow impatient or fade in your love.
 
You are my resting Place, my Shelter, my Shield, my high Tower, my Fortress and my Deliverer. As I think of the past, a long stream of God sightings come to mind, events where you have provided, protected, intervened and answered prayer—all showing your love, commitment and goodness.
 
As I look to the future, which is ever uncertain–every day could harbor a disaster—knowing you as the unchanging, mighty and gracious God, I can relax in your love, rejoice in your goodness and be ready to embrace whatever comes.
 
Not only do we have you as our personal Shepherd, you have given your children a wide and high perspective on history, both past and future. You have great and comprehensive plans which you will bring to pass. You are dealing with injustice, violence and evil. You are working to bring as many as possible into the Kingdom.
 
In addition, you are giving your children multiple opportunities to mature, deepen and earn rewards by responding to all in faith. As we offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatever you allow, we can, like Jesus–for the joy that is set before us–endure whatever cross you give us, despising the shame, knowing that we are going to be set down with you in heavenly places (Heb. 12:2).
 
We can know that, along with whatever challenges you bring to us, you will give us more than enough grace to move through them with power: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). You will give us more than enough insight, answers, direction and resources.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for your mighty grace, your majestic love and your magnificent plans, into which you have brought us. I praise you for the purpose, the meaning, the hope and the future you have laid out before us.
 
I praise you for your giving us your Spirit to teach, rebuke, guide and provide for us whatever we need to live for you. I praise you that no matter how I may feel, the truth is that you, Lord Jesus, in your “divine power [have] given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of [you] who called us by [your] own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
 
Help us to live in the light of these Truths, Lord Jesus, to walk in wisdom, in faith and in grace so that we may be hope carriers, light bringers and faith givers to all those around us today.
Image may contain: flower, plant, outdoor and nature
Filed under:

Accidental Adventure

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 24, 2019
John and his family decided not to return to our new country. His adopted son had serious learning disabilities that required special therapy not readily available here, so they chose to stay in the States for a while. Later they went on to work in Australia.
 
While we were gone, Charles had found out that the mother of our three “adopted” children had actually kidnapped them from the father, who had custody. Charles got in contact with the father in a city way out in the East and made arrangements to bring the children back to him.
 
We thought about adopting Solomon, as he and Nat were such good buddies. However, when Charles asked the father about this, he said he would only allow us to adopt Solomon if we would get him a German wife! That, of course, was not possible, so we gave up our dream.
 
The plan was for us to drive the children down to this eastern city and we set off in our little car with our German friend, Renate, the three children, Charles, and his two daughters, along with our two boys and the two of us, eleven in all.
 
We left early, hoping to make the trip in two days. I took the first shift in driving. Later in the afternoon Barbara took a turn while I sat in the crowded back seat and slept some. I was awakened by a sudden “whuuump!”
 
I sat upright, “What was that?” I asked.
 
“There was a big rock in the road and I went over it,” Barbara said.
 
“Why didn’t you go around it?” I growled. “Didn’t you realize that with eleven people in the car it’s sitting really low?”
 
 
“I don’t know, it was in the middle of the road, so I drove over it.”
“Well, stop and let me look to see what damage you did.”
 
Everyone got out and I crawled under the car as far as I could. There was nothing amiss that I could see beyond that mark where the rock had struck the transmission.
 
“Ok, everyone back in. Let’s keep going,” I said. All went well for about 100 kilometers; then the car began going more and more slowly until we were barely moving. I pulled over and looked underneath again. The whole underside of the car was now covered with oil that had obviously leaked out of the transmission. The rock must have cracked it on impact.
 
Now what were we to do? I looked around. We were literally in the middle of nowhere. There were no villages, no houses, not even any cultivated fields, just desert-like wilderness with the road running through it.
 
“I’ll try to hitch hike to the next village and see if I can get help,” offered Charles. I gladly accepted. While he as gone, I went for a walk, leaving Barbara and Renate with the kids playing in the rocks beside the road. As I walked, the Holy Spirit was nudging me, “I want you to praise me in this,” He said.
“No way!” I replied, “this is nothing to praise about!”
Fortunately, the Holy Spirit doesn’t give up easily, “This is important. Praise me for this and see the good that will come from it.”
 
Finally I agreed and made the decision of the will, against my personal desire, against my feelings, to thank God for this inconvenience, this obstacle to our plans, this distressing situation—my emotions were not engaged, but that did not negate my obedience in praise.
 
Charles returned with a mechanic who confirmed that the transmission was not only empty, but frozen up. He proceeded to pump more oil into it, rocked the car back and forth to loosen up the gears, and got it running.
 
“Follow me and I’ll check it out more thoroughly in my garage,” he said.
 
We all piled back in and crept the 20 kilometers to the next village. I had to keep constant pressure on the gearshift lever to keep it from popping out of gear.
 
“Well,” said the mechanic after opening the cover on the transmission and looking inside, “there’s nothing I can do for you other than trying to seal the crack. It needs new gears and I have none. You’ll have to go to the next big city to get parts. It’s 100 kilometers that way on the other side of the mountains.”
 
It was getting on towards evening, so after paying the mechanic, we drove slowly in the direction he had indicated, and looked for a place to stay. In the next small town we found the “White Palace Hotel.” It was far from my idea of a palace, but we were able to get two rooms for the eleven of us for about three dollars, so I was happy.
 
It was a hot night and I didn’t sleep well. The Holy Spirit was still nudging me to praise Him for our situation, so against everything I felt, and with the weight of the uncertain future pushing against me, I again agreed to obey Him, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
 
Sections of Scripture I’d memorized came to mind. “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps. 34:1,2).
 
“My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith works patience” (Jam. 1:2).
 
It was good that I was learning to praise, because little did I know that this was only the beginning of the adventure God had in store for us.
Picture below: Charles and his family
Image may contain: 5 people, people smiling, people sitting and child
Filed under:

Psalm 23:4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 23, 2019
 
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
 
[Such valleys come in our lives. I have been faced with physical death, with death of a vision, death of a relationship and death to self: dark times that were difficult, disorienting, distressing–like my wife’s long lasting depression. You, Lord Jesus, knowingly lead us into these, just as when you sent the disciples out in their boat into the teeth of the storm (Matt. 14:22-24)
 
And it is for good reasons that you, Lord Jesus, lead me into and through these valleys–the greatest two being my giving you glory through trust by giving thanks, and my growth in grace. And you have other reasons beyond my present understanding. I can trust you as you lead me through the darkness, no matter how it feels–what you taught me in the light is still true in the dark.]
 
“I will fear no evil, for you are with me;”
 
[Evil is there in the valley, both in presence and potential, but I need not fear it, for you are with me–you, my Great and Good Shepherd, who is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer. When you are there, what grounds do I have for fear? You are sovereign over all and are in control of all; you are our great and mighty Ruler.
 
As one person said, safety is not the absence of danger but the presence of Jesus. I praise you for your faithful and powerful presence, full of wisdom and grace, love and firmness, able to protect us in the midst of any evil.]
 
“your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’
 
[With your rod, you hold our enemies at bay. You rule with a rod of iron; no one can defeat you: “there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). Therefore I need not fear.
 
And with your shepherd’s staff, you guide me, correct me, bring me back to the path when I wander off. It is my nature (old self) to veer off the path, for I don’t have a valid compass within myself. But your constant correction with your staff (your Word, your Spirit, consequences to my wrong choices and advice of godly believers) keeps me on track. My course may be a zigzag one as I stray and you bring me back, but the progress with you is always forward.
 
Praise you that you are helping me to walk more in wisdom, to zigzag less, to squander less time and energy on my own way, thereby bringing you more glory as I tread your path. Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful and powerful presence and protection. To you be glory and exaltation and honor, for you know the way through the dark valley and will lead me out. You are worthy of exaltation, thanksgiving and obedience.
 
Therefore I bow before you today in faith, I rise up in the day’s dawn to walk in submission to your loving guidance, especially when it takes me through dark times. Truly, the commandments of the Lord are radiant, giving light to my eyes (Ps. 19:8). Praise be to YOU!]
Image may contain: cloud, sky, night, tree, outdoor and nature
Filed under:

Psalm 23:b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 22, 2019
Psalm 23:3b,“He leads me in paths of righteousness”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, Our great Shepherd, that you carefully and consistently show us the right way, the best way, so we can walk with you well through whatever circumstances you bring or allow. We can be sure that you will always lead us in what is righteous; when we feel led to do something that is less than righteous, we can be sure this is not from you.
 
So often we are advised by well-meaning people to “just follow your heart!” But our hearts are naturally “deceitful above all and desperately wicked…” (Jer. 17:9). You came to save us from your hearts, so we could follow you instead. I praise you that we can know the way of righteousness because you reveal it to us with your Word, your life and the Spirit’s guidance.
 
Praise you for the preparation you have done to give us direction–drawing and driving us into the Word, teaching us your thoughts and giving us wisdom (“If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God…” James 1:5) Praise you for your constant presence to lead us step by step as we listen to you. “…run with patience the race set out before you, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). Thank you for your loving, gracious, calming care.]
 
“He leads me…for his name’s sake.”
 
[What a wonderful motive you have for guiding us—so we can be absolutely sure that your guidance will be right–for you will never guide us in doing anything that would dishonor your name.
 
Praise you that your foundational desires are always clear in your Word, that your Spirit prompts us in the right way, and that we can then bring glory to you by obeying you.
 
Part of your leading us on these righteous paths, is teaching us how to respond to difficulties and persecutions, which are possibilities to share in the sufferings of Christ. May we do this well, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving at each juncture and rejoicing in the privilege of honoring you.
 
I think of my lost passport in Charlotte, of our delayed arrival in Dallas so we missed our appointment, of my plane being late coming into Frankfurt and missing my train. These uncomfortable situations were all opportunities to follow you in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake, by rejecting complaining, fear and anger, and instead exalting your name through offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, trusting you to have a plan and to work it out for the best. And in each case you did.
 
I praise you that these happenings show how trustable your leading is, how you always help us move away from our natural, selfish responses of complaining, worry and anger, towards doing what is right and righteous, to keep your name clear and clean before all the seen and unseen beings around us.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are our gracious and good Shepherd, worthy of trust, worthy of worship, worthy of following. May I obey your leading today, following you in paths of righteousness.]
 
Image may contain: tree, plant, sky, outdoor and nature
Filed under:

Psalm 23:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 21, 2019
 
Psalm 23:3 “he restores my soul.”
 
[You, Lord Jesus, are the Shepherd of my whole being: spirit, soul and body. I praise you that, in believing in you, I was born again and you made my spirit come alive. Praise you that in living with you, my soul is being restored–moving me towards the pre-fall condition Adam and Eve enjoyed.
 
This is a partnership process, with each of us playing a role. You transform my soul (my thinking, my will and my emotions) as I lie down in your pasture and drink from your still waters. As I take in of your Word, I can bask in the beauty of your being, live in the light of your love, and rest in the power of your presence.
 
The rich discipline of memorizing your Word and praying through it while personalizing it, brings more transformation in each area. You teach me to think your thoughts, to desire your will, to lead my emotions.
 
In addition, worshiping you through praise brings additional change, much of it on an emotional level, as seen in a solidification of strength in my soul, bringing a multitude of shifts:
–A greater grasp of your love, a deeper understanding of the security of belonging to you.
–A detachment from the thoughts and opinions of others, as I learn to fear you instead of people.
–A growing desire to please you, a deepening certainty of your goodness to do what is best, a deepening of faith.
 
Worship leads to:
–giving thanks instead of complaining,
–positive words instead of critical and negative statements.
–a deepened patience flowing from grasping that you control the timing of all around me.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the source of life, of healing, of transformation, of hope and joy. I praise you for your great and deep love which keeps you working with us, your stubborn sheep, who wound you afresh every day with our willful, selfish, sinful choices.
 
Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for hurting you so. Forgive me for my rebellion and unbelief. Forgive me for not walking consistently with you through the day, not praying during conversations, not denying self when necessary, not rejecting the fear of man, not immediately fleeing lustful thoughts, not being diligent in what you have given me to do.
 
Help me today, Lord, to walk in close communion with you, to obey the clear commands of your Word, and to follow the promptings of your Spirit, so that I may not grieve your heart, so that my soul might be further restored and that you may receive more and more honor and glory.
 
Image may contain: plant, flower, nature and outdoor
Filed under:

Psalm 23:2b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 20, 2019
 
Psalm 23:2b “…he leads me beside quiet waters,”
 
[As our good Shepherd, you know of our need to drink deeply of your Truth, so you carefully and consistently lead us to the source–your Word. You encourage us to come to quiet waters, to spend focused and unhurried time with you.
 
However, instead of coming to drink wisely, we often wade into these waters with our worries and impatience, with our thoughts riled, muddying our perspective. We stir up the quiet waters, making them less refreshing.
 
But you ae working to train us in quietness and contemplation, teaching us to lift our souls to you, to pour out our hearts and then wash our thoughts, worries and frustrations with the cleansing water of your Word. Thank you for your patience and graciousness.
 
I praise you that your provision of quiet waters is perfect: it is pure, it is abundant, it is healing. In our physical lives, drinking sufficient water can prevent problems caused by dehydration, and can speed recovery from sicknesses we have.
 
So it is in the spiritual realm. Time with you, in your Word, in worship, drinking deeply of Truth brings transformation, strengthening of faith, deepening of understanding, broadening of surrender and nurturing of our first love. These prevent us from falling unnecessarily into sins like rebellion, selfishness, worry and fear.
 
I praise you for your persistent faithfulness in calling us aside to drink of the Word with its powerful properties of enlightening, revealing, convicting and healing.
 
I praise you, O Lord God, that you give us significant choices: to drink or not; to spend time with you or not; to be refreshed or not.
 
Being in your Word–reading, memorizing, meditating, praying–are such unnatural activities, fought against by the world, the flesh and the devil. Yet they are the most normal activities for the sheep who love you, desire to live for you and are committed to following you wholeheartedly. We must replace the natural with the spiritual.
 
Praise you for the privilege of soaking in the Word with the understanding your Spirit brings. Help me to drink of it daily, to delve into its depths and see more of your beauty and goodness. I thank you today for what you will teach me through it. Glory be to you.]
Image may contain: tree, sky, outdoor, nature and water
Filed under:

Psalm 23:2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 19, 2019
 
Psalm 23:2 “He makes me lie down”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, that, as my Shepherd, you don’t ask my opinion about what challenges I should face. Instead, in your wisdom and goodness, you “make me lie down” in situations I’d just as soon avoid, like my wife’s deep depression that has been going on for some years.
 
Praise you for your love and wisdom in doing this, arranging events, circumstances and pressures that will cause me to grow and give me opportunity to give you glory by acting in faith.
 
Sometimes I could get up and walk away from this pasture (out of a relationship, off a job, away from a neighbor) before you are done with the lessons you want me to learn and the lives you want me to touch.
 
But once you’ve made me lie down, such rebellion would only lead to loss and then you would again make me lie down in a similar situation until I have learned what is necessary. Praise you that you are firm, persistent and powerful in your shepherding, wisely bringing me to what I need.]
 
“in green pastures,”
 
[The places you choose to make your sheep lie down in are ones where we can graze and grow. There is spiritual food, there is full provision, and there is emotional nourishment. Praise you for your wisdom, that you know what is exactly right for each sheep and that you are persistent in providing it at that right moment.
 
We can trust you, no matter how brown the pasture may appear to us: an illness, a loss, a lingering depression, a difficult relationship, an unpleasant job. In your greater and more comprehensive understanding, you know it is a profitable place, providing us with the opportunity for growth, equipping and maturity.
 
Our green pasture is where each of us is now, the situation where, along with provision of beauty, comfort and our physical needs, there are pressures, stresses and challenges which push us onto our knees, into your Word, into your arms and through your lessons.
 
In these uncomfortable situations, you are giving us an understanding of our weakness, the opportunity to praise in distress, the chance to shed sin (complaining, gossip, selfishness and competition, to name a few) and to take up grace (forgiveness, kindness, service and love).
 
The harder it is, the greener the pasture. As it says in Romans 5:3,4, “…we also glory in our sufferings, BECAUSE WE KNOW that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
 
When we look at the larger view of what you are doing, we can gladly stay in the pasture you call green, until you tell us to move on. Help us to lie down where you lead us, so that we may join you in what you are doing: in us, through us and for us. May the sacrifice of praise permeate our lives so that we may be a sweet smell of grace and goodness to all around us.
Image may contain: tree, grass, plant, sky, outdoor and nature
 
Filed under: