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Psalm 17:

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 31, 2018
Psalm 17:11 “They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.”
 
[Satan intentionally sends his servants out to track us down and attack. This description of spiritual warfare is expanded on in Psalm 62:3-4: “How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down– this leaning wall, this tottering fence?”
 
We are weak and unable to stand on our own against the attacks of Satan’s forces, whether he uses people or events, sickness or accidents, fear or frustration.]
 
“Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place;”
 
They want us to forget who we are in Christ–children of the Most High God, chosen, forgiven, adopted and delighted in. They seek to get us to forsake Him as our high tower, to topple us into the swamp of self-pity, materialism and despair.]
 
“they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.”
 
[Satan’s forces can be slick, sounding so positive and constructive at times (“we welcome all, we don’t want anyone to be offended”), but their goal is destruction, causing people to accept lies and harmful values–as we see happening all around us today, with abortion, rampant divorce, twisting of the definition of marriage and political correctness.]
 
Our strength is inadequate, but yours, Lord God, is mighty, invincible, far more than adequate–you who breathed the stars, who hung the earth on nothing, who brings the dawn each day, you are able to empower us to stand in any situation.
 
Help us to remember these truths: that we are in a spiritual battle every day; that our real enemies are not people, but Satan’s forces, using them. Help us to keep on the full armor you have provided, to fight with praise, prayer and persistence in obedience and to see your mighty power triumph in our lives and in those of people we are called to serve.]
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Psalm 17:9-10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 30, 2018
Psalm 17:9 “… hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.”
 
As it says in Psalm 91:1,2 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:2 I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'”
 
[For David, these enemies were actual people; for us it is sometimes people acting like our enemies, but it is always our spiritual foes, Satan’s forces of demons and devils, who regularly use people to attack God’s children.
 
As it says in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
 
This opposition is real, it is powerful, it is beyond our abilities to withstand and overcome. We know that Satan’s goal is to rob us of joy, to destroy our testimonies, families, churches and lives, and if possible to kill, as he is doing in the Middle East and parts of Africa with attempts by terrorists to wipe out all Christians in their area. We need help desperately!
 
Praise be to you, Lord, that you do want to hide us in the shadow of your wings. You are our rock, our salvation and our high tower. You call us to take shelter in you–just as David is doing in Psalm 17 by pouring out his heart to you and asking for help–so that we will never be shaken.]
 
Psalm 17:10 “They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.”
 
[People used by Satan are certainly callous—I read recently that a young man publicly executed his own mother for opposing his joining ISIS! And when you hear the pronouncements of those who oppose biblical truths and standards, there is huge arrogance as they exalt their own intellect above the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. As pawns in Satan’s plans, mercy and grace are foreign concepts to them.
 
May this not be true of us! May instead we submit our intellect, our will, our lives, our possessions to God, asking Him to use it all for His glory and honor, for His plans and His desires. And He will then include us in His plans and ,in the end, share His honor with us.
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Psalm 17:8b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 29, 2018
Psalm 17:8b “hide me in the shadow of your wings.”
 
[You, Heavenly Father, actively shelter your children, covering us with your Presence and Power, keeping us safe from what is truly evil.
 
But we, like chicks, must choose to stay under your wings, to abide in your love, as you, Jesus, command us in John 15:9-10, “Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
 
If we choose to disobey your commands, Lord Jesus, and in arrogance and selfishness elevate our intellect and desires above your Word, as like Adam and Eve did, we remove ourselves from the protecting shelter of your love.
 
Even then, though, you never stop loving us. You are always there, calling us, waiting for us to come and again abide in your shelter, your grace, your unconditional love.
 
And when we do stray in disobedience, you actively, in your love, chasten us by letting us suffer the consequences of our poor choices (Heb. 12:1-17). You do this so we will come to our senses and return to obedience to you. You WILL hide us under your wings, if only we will come and abide there.]
 
Help us, Lord, to abide in your love, obeying what we know to be true, reveling in the Truth of your great and wonderful compassion and care for us. May we have the glow of your love in our hearts, in our souls and on our faces as we go with you into today, that we may bring light and hope to all those we meet.
 
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God’s Leading

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 28, 2018
Taken from my autobio, “From Canterbury to the Ends of the Earth and Back.”
In the summer of 1976 Barbara, Josh and I went with an Operation Mobilization team to Austria for a two month outreach.
 
There was no evangelical church in the town we worked in, as Austria is heavily Catholic, although most Austrians are pretty nominal in their faith. At one house when I asked if they had a Bible, they brought me a hymn book instead. They didn’t even know what a Bible was!
We were given boxes of good, Christian books to distribute and were told that we would buy our food from the money received from selling the books door to door. What a great incentive to pray and trust God, along with a powerful motivation for working hard at selling.
 
We were the only couple on the team and our main function was to be chaperons. Along with that, Barbara did a lot of the cooking and shopping for food, while I joined the team’s book sellers.
 
Josh was the team “pet.” Everyone wanted to hold him. After one young fellow was done playing with him, he set nine month old Josh down on the floor and was very surprised that he fell over. “Can’t he stand yet?” he asked, having no idea that many children don’t walk until they are about a year old.
I went out with the other team members each day, going door to door to sell books. This was not something I naturally enjoyed, but as we were called to it, I did my part. Besides we all wanted to eat. No sales, no food.
 
Whenever possible, I took little Josh along in a backpack carrier. When I rang a doorbell, I’d put a book into his little hand and he’d hold it out to the person who answered the door. We sold more books than anyone else, for some reason.
 
One door I knocked on was opened by a woman in the headscarf and the baggy “shalvar” pants of a Middle Eastern villager. She spoke no German, and of course I couldn’t speak any of her language. I held out the book to her, but she just shook her head, backed into the house and closed the door.
 
I stood there, struck by my inability to communicate and by the woman’s refusal to even look at the book. “This is what it’s like for Muslims,” I thought, “no understanding, no desire, no openness. How will they hear? How will they understand?” I turned away with a heart that was becoming more and more burdened for these people.
 
Later, as I was praying about this encounter, it was as if the Lord said to me, “In three years you will be on the field telling these people about me.”
 
This was an experience similar to when, in my twenty-fourth year, He told me that I would be married when I was twenty-eight. So I quit looking for a wife, and God brought Barbara along, all the way from Germany. And sure enough, our marriage had taken place one month before my 28th birthday. So this new date and message He gave me needed to be taken seriously. I tucked it all away in my mind.
 
Throughout the summer we sold thousands of books, hung hundreds of posters advertising the evangelical radio station, and held lots of evening meetings. There were no visible results at the time, but today there is an evangelical church there, born out of those efforts and the people who stayed to follow through.
 
But the biggest outcome, from our perspective, was the call to work among Muslims. And, just as God said to me, in 3 years we were in the Middle East where we served for 33 years and did see some Muslims come to Christ.
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Psalm 17:8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 27, 2018
Psalm 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of your eye;”
 
[This, Lord God, is how you view each of your children: special, unique, wonderful and dearly loved. By you we are delighted in, doted on and deeply cared for. You chose us, you cleansed us from our sin and guilt, you called us into your arms, you claimed us as your children, you commissioned us to special service and you cherish us wholeheartedly with joy.
 
Jesus made an amazing statement in John 15:9, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” This is an astounding, worldview-shifting announcement. If we grasp this in ongoing depth, it will change our whole lives, resulting in us “being filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:16-19).
 
And how does God the Father love Jesus the Son?
He loves Him Eternally, especially and enthusiastically,
wholeheartedly, wonderfully and willingly
without reservation, without interruption,
without any doubts, without remorse,
joyfully, jubilantly and justly,
positively, purposefully and powerfully,
constantly, creatively and consistently,
warmly, wonderfully, wildly,
fully, forcefully and forever.
 
Most foundationally, the Father loves the Son because God IS love; He never cannot love. His love is “agape,” that is, it does not depend on the response of the loved one. Whatever we may do, God’s love will not stop flowing to us.
 
Now, here’s the point: as the Father loves the Son, so Jesus loves us!!! This is an astounding, beautiful, transforming and wonderful truth, too good to be true–and yet it is true for all believers, because Jesus has purchased us and given us His righteousness, His guiltless record and His holiness. Read that list above again, beginning with, “God loves me……”
 
As John exulted in 1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
 
So, we don’t have to try and live off the love others give us; instead we can live out of the Love God gives us, being confident in His acceptance, forgiveness and liking us! Then we can love, forgive and like ourselves! We can rest in His love, abide in His love and revel in His love because it is secure, eternal and wholehearted. It is not based on us but upon His unchanging, all powerful nature. We ARE the apple of His eye!]
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Psalm 17:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 26, 2018
Psalm 17:6 “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.”
 
[Your faithfulness, Lord, is the impetus to prayer. You Will hear, you Will answer, you Will help–because it is your nature to be faithful!
 
We can be so certain of your answering, that in any circumstance, we can fully rest in you; we don’t have to panic, we don’t have to cling to our desired outcome, we don’t have to be afraid. We can, before an answer comes, know that you will faithfully do what is best. Your promise to hear and answer was David’s hope–and ours, too.]
 
Psalm 17:7 “Show the wonder of your great love,
 
[Yours, Lord Jesus, is a love far richer and deeper, more committed than David could know in his time. He could not see your great plan to move through immense suffering–spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically and volitionally–which you were willing to endure because of you love for your rebellious creatures. To say your love is wonderful is a woefully inadequate statement! Praise you for your immeasurable, mighty, all-encompassing compassion.]
 
“you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.”
 
[Your right hand is powerful and adequate to save us in any danger. You are our sure Refuge, our high Tower, our mighty Rock, our righteous Redeemer and sufficient Savior watching over us. We must, however, run to you and take shelter in that refuge. We are called to partnership with you and need to actively join you so you can do your promised part.
 
I praise you, Lord God, that you in your immense might, your persistent power, your complete knowledge of all and your pervasive presence, can never be defeated. No one can trick you, fool you or get around you. Therefore, you are fully able to protect us, to bring us through whatever events you allow and bring us out into the wide and pleasant place you have prepared, into the green pastures of your pleasure.
 
We praise you now for what you will do today in protecting us, preparing all for us and providing what we need. May we live in the light of this truth and rest in you, no matter what comes.]
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Psalm 17:3-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 25, 2018
 
Psalm 17:3 “Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing;”
 
[Here is a statement I find hard to understand. I cannot say this–only a slight probe in me will find a multitude of wrong in my actions and thoughts, to say nothing of my motives and heart.Perhaps David was speaking more of the fact that he has not responded incorrectly in his present situation; maybe he has forgiven and prayed for the good of his enemies. Perhaps he has already confessed his sin in the situation and now stands cleansed as far as he knows.]
 
“I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.”
 
[He’s not going to give a response of the flesh, but speak what he knows is pleasing to you, Lord. That hints at checking his motives, thinking through his possible responses and choosing to obey what he knows is right. May I live like that.]
 
Psalm 17:4 “As for the deeds of men—by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.”
 
[Perhaps here David, who was a man of war, is talking specifically of the instance before him where he did not respond to these people in violence (which he could have done), acting instead according your commands in grace and quietness. May I do the same!]
 
Psalm 17:5 “My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.”
 
[As David sought to obey, running in the paths prepared by you, Lord, he did not stumble or fall. It was only when he strayed from your path that he slipped, fell and took many others down with him.
 
Lord keep me on your path, like the one in the picture below; surround me with your hedge of thorns, pricking me immediately when I zig or zag off your way, so I can quickly repent and get back on your path. May I not slip today and thereby bring you honor.]
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Psalm 17:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 24, 2018
Psalm 17:1 “Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry.”
 
[You, Lord, are the prayer-answering God. Intercession was your invention, giving us a way to enter your presence, your arms, your heart, your plans.
 
You are the God who
–heard Joseph and gave him the interpretation of dreams;
–who heard Moses and opened the Red Sea;
–who heard David and defeated his enemies;
–who heard Daniel and told him the dream of the king;
–who heard Jesus and raised Lazarus from the dead.
–And you are the God who hears us still and will answer in the same faithfulness and power you always have.]
 
“Give ear to my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips.”
 
[Your part is to hear, ours is to come to you in integrity, not trying to manipulate you or paint ourselves as better than we are, or trick you into moving against someone unjustly. To do any of these is, of course, ridiculous, for nothing is hidden from your eyes, including our motives. You are the all-seeing, all-knowing, all-present One.
 
Praise you that we can and must be totally transparent before you—and that such honesty does not negatively affect your openness to us one bit, “for you are good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon you” (Psalm 86:5).
 
Psalm 17:2 “May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.”
 
[Truly, vindication can only fully come from you, Lord, for only you know fully what is good. We can rest in that awesome truth that you see everything, both right and wrong, and love us anyway.
 
Your Word is clear on how we should trust you to deal with those who oppose us. As it says in the Old Testament, “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psa. 37:1-4).
 
This concept is repeated more powerfully in the New Testament: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:19-21).
 
In the picture below, the beauty of these leaves was revealed by the recent frost. Likewise, the beauty of the Lord is revealed in us through difficulties, if we respond according to His Word.
 
Lord, help us to look to you for vindication and for dealing with those who treat us like their enemies. May our delight be in you, not in vengeance or winning. May you thusly be glorified before all those around us, especially before those who oppose us. And right now, I am in the midst of such a conflict with a renter who sees me as the enemy, so I must apply all this personally! I praise you for how you will answer in faithfulness and righteousness and bring vindication.]
 
Epilogue: as I asked, the Lord gave wisdom through Psalm 37 (do good) in how to do good to this renter who treated me as an enemy, and he straightened out.
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Psalm 16:8-9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 23, 2018

 

Psalm 16:8b,9 “…he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;”

[You, Lord God, are the reason I can be glad and rejoice, for you are mightily faithful, lovingly good, totally wise and graciously giving. There is no lack for those who follow you. “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing” (Psa. 34:10). It is in you, in your character that all comes together, that all is provided, that all stability rests. It is so right to rejoice in you!]

Psalm 16:10 “my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”

[This is a prophetical statement about you, Lord Jesus, written 1000 years before you were born. You died on the cross, but your body did not deteriorate; it was brought back to life and transformed into the new and eternal form our bodies will have.

Right now, we live in the land of the dying, but being in you, but we already are in the Kingdom of the eternally living. And along with this, you have given us three wonders for life right now:]

1) Psalm 16:11 “You have made known to me the path of life;”

[In your love and grace, your compassion and forgiveness, your Spirit has opened and is opening my eyes to your way, so I can walk on the path, “of the righteous” which “is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever more brightly til the full light of day” (Prov 4:18).

And every day, as we walk on your way, we can give you glory and honor by responding to every situation with praise. To know you is wonderful!]

2) “you will fill me with joy in your presence,”

[The more we know you, the deeper our joy goes, overflowing, energizing, transforming and guiding. It is not our circumstances, but the certainty of your presence that is the well-spring of joy in our lives. And this will be multiplied a thousand-fold when we pass through death into eternal life. We praise you for it!]

3) “with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

[The certainty of spending eternity with you, Lord Jesus, at your right hand, enjoying the pleasure of your presence, the wonders of your being, the marvels of your new heaven and earth–this is a prospect beyond comprehension. To have this certainty is a further aspect to our present joy.

`Truly, Lord Jesus, to know you is enough for joy, a joy that will be ever increasing until death and then exploding into all the dimensions in which you now live, expanding throughout eternity as we learn more and more of your marvelous, infinite character. May I walk together with you  this day, Lord Jesus, so that I can shine the light of your joy on all those I meet.

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Letting Go So You Can Hold On

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 21, 2018
“My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
Psalm 25:15
 
I ran down the street, my hands loaded with heavy shopping bags and a briefcase of truth, desperate to escape the thugs chasing me. Suddenly a shadow crossed my path. Looking up I saw a hot air balloon overhead with a rope dangling down within my reach. I glanced back to see the thugs closing in on me. Looking down at my bags, I realized in a flash how worthless these things were, and dropped all but the briefcase. Then, grabbing the rope, I was lifted to safety by the rising balloon, leaving the thugs behind.
This figuratively happens in my life every day. It is the illustration of following three biblical principles: Let Go, Hold On, Rise Above. As I struggle through life, weighed down by all kinds of nonessentials, I give Satan opportunity to catch me. At the same time, God offers a way to rise above Satan’s attacks.
As it says in Colossians 3:1 “Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, not on the passing things of earth.” To illustrate how this works, let’s ask three questions.
Let go of what? All that is temporal. This encompasses almost everything in life. To ‘let go’ means, to keep things in an open hand, to give them up to God and let Him decide which things to take and which ones are to remain. It means setting our hearts on things above, not on things on the earth. It means denial of self, giving up my impatience, selfishness, pride, “rights” and materialism, recognizing that holding on to them is carrying detrimental baggage that makes me vulnerable to attack. I’m going to lose them anyway (the definition of temporal), so why cling to them?
Hold on to what? To all that is eternal. This means, thinking Truth and acting on it: when I am impatient, I need to think, “Actually God is in control of the timing here; I can trust Him.” In order to do this, we need to know the Truth, meaning we need to spend time with God and in His Word every day.
Rise above what? The everyday hassles, hurts, frustrations and difficulties as well as big, painful events. As we relax in Him, trust Him to deal with it, join Him in what He is doing, He will raise us above the everyday fight so we can see things from a greater height, to understand His perspective, and make better decisions. Truly, “My soul finds rest in God alone” (Ps. 62:1).
 
Prayer: “Lord, help me to recognize what I must let go of, what I should hold onto, and then help me to do that, so I can rise above with you to live in the atmosphere of truth and praise! Amen.”
 
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