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Willful Rejoicing

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 26, 2018
[Written two years ago]
 
In the midst of Barbara’s debilitating illness and the deterioration it brings, we want to continue to follow Habakkuk’s example in Habakkuk 3:17-19
 
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
 
“YET I will REJOICE in the LORD, (Yahweh)
I will BE JOYFUL in God (Elohim) my Savior.
 
[these are acts of the will, leading Habakkuk’s emotions to the proper place of rest in God.]
 
“The Sovereign (Adonai) LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.”
 
Like Habakkuk, I choose to rejoice in you, Lord, for you are good always, you are the source of our joy–not our having things go the way we want.
 
I praise you for what you are going to do in Barbara’s illness, Lord. I can let go of the negatives and cling to you. I praise you for what you are doing, for what you are planning, for what you will work out, as you did with Old Testament Joseph in all he suffered.
 
Help us all to respond as Joseph did, bringing glory to your name, and healing to our souls. I thank you for the unseen things you are going to accomplish through this, for the good that you will draw out of it. I ask for your guidance in what I should do to join your purposes.
 
Lord Jesus, you are the Wonderful One, full of wisdom, grace, righteousness, mercy, justice, goodness and power. You are the One who can overrule in any situation you desire. You could have worked Barbara’s illness out in another way, but you allowed and guided things in this direction, so we choose to trust you with praise and to look at the bigger picture of what you are doing in shaping our character and giving us opportunity to honor you in trust.
 
Lord, to belong to you, to be your possession, to personally know you is wonderful, marvelous, majestic. “Blessed” is way too mild a word! To know that you chose us, wanted us as your children, sought us out, bought us, adopted us, transformed us, and that you richly, wholeheartedly love and cherish us-this is awe-inspiringly marvelous! It is more than we could ever have hoped for, especially in the light of what we actually deserved (punishment, rejection, suffering, eternal separation from you and all that is good).
 
So we choose to trust you through praise, knowing that you have laid out the race before us, empowering us to run it with perseverance and patience,. And we run, looking to you, Lord Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, knowing that as we look ahead to the joy you have for us, we can endure whatever cross you give us, for we will be seated with you at the banquet table of your wedding in Heaven (Heb. 12:1-3).
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Get your copy!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 25, 2018

Got an email from a friend. “My oldest son, thirteen-year-old Peter, asked if he could buy a copy of your book EDIFIED! He’s been reading out of it each day and has shared some of the stories and things he’s learned from it.”

This is a book for those from 9 to 90! You, too, can enjoy, grow, be transformed and equipped by reading this stimulating and interesting devotional book. Get one now by clicking on the link below (click on buy, read, or share).

 

 

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Know Your “Why”

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 24, 2018
What is Your “Why?”
 
Recently I got the book “Find Your Why” by Simon Sinek. The author wants to help people discover what actually motivates them, what gets them out of bed in the morning, what stirs their juices to perform. Knowing your “Why” is significant, as it helps you to focus your energies and efforts so you will be more effective, and empower you to communicate it to others, inspiring them.
 
Many people would say it’s money that motivates them; but they are wrong, it’s what money enables them to obtain. For many their actual “why” is one or more of three things: they want to be significant, safe and have purpose. Few people actually think about these motivations, but they are usually the driving forces in our decision making. They are, in fact, God-given desires which can only be fully fulfilled in our relationship with God. All other attempts to obtain them fall miserably short.
 
So, as a follower of Jesus, what should be my “why”? A good theoretical answer is “to Glorify God.” Another is “to Love Jesus.” A third, “to Obey the Lord.” These are biblical principles and commands; personally, I want to do these and strive to do so–but they are not what moves me to get up early and spend time with Him.
My “Why” began being revealed to me when I was seven years old. On an August afternoon I was looking for the cows to bring them down to the barn for the evening milking. Walking through the woods, I was suddenly struck with the splendor around me: the sun shining through the trees, creating great shafts of light in the leaf dust in the air, illuminating the vibrant green of the leaves. The pattern of the trees’ bark, the delicate lichens on the stone wall, the soft green forest grass suddenly overwhelmed me with their beauty. In this moment of awe, a question came into my mind, “I wonder why I’m in the world?”
 
This, of course, was not the product of a 7-year-old farm boy’s mind, but was placed there by God as a means of drawing me to Himself. And that question did lead me on through my childhood, adolescence and on into adulthood, where He then revealed the answer to me.
 
In my twenty-second year, on a dark December night, on the shore of the Bering Sea, I was able to understand and embrace my “Why” as I prayed, “Lord, I give you my will, and take yours in its place.” Living for Jesus, joining Him in His great plan for eliminating evil as He sweeps as many people as possible into His Kingdom and in the end brings in the New Heaven and Earth–this is my purpose, my “Why.”
As time went on, my “Why” got sharpened. I remember the first snowfall in 1976–the first snowstorm always brought a great rush of sales in our tire business. When I first began to manage the business, we sold $2,000 worth of tires on that day. In 1976, we sold $15,000! That’s a lot of tires to sell, mount and balance!
 
Such growth and success, however, did not satisfy. That evening I said to myself, “We made a lot of money today, but what difference does it make for the world? Not much! I want to do things that will last for eternity, not just a day.” That sharpened focus of my “Why” led me to leave the tire business, leave my extended family, our home on the farm and going to the tumultuous Middle East to plant churches among Muslims.
 
That is not the end of the story, however. As time went on, the Lord brought other influences into my life to further refine my “Why.” Now it is, “I want to be a useful instrument in the Lord’s hand so He can use me to achieve things that will last for eternity.”
This motivates me to get up early, to spend time with Him every day, to memorize and meditate on His powerful Scripture, to pray on the armor, to spend time lifting my soul to Him and interceding for the world. I deeply want to do these things, to nurture my relationship with Jesus, so that I can be useful to Him.
Embedded In this “Why” are the desires for significance and security. Both are found in abundance in my relationship with Jesus, the Great Shepherd and Mighty Conqueror. And living in the realities of His great Being gives purpose, meaning and a certain future–I dwell in the deep, stable and unshakable shelter of God’s mighty plan.
 
Actually, I must confess that the “Why” of my life is not primarily to honor God, but to have a sense of fulfillment and purpose by being a useful instrument in His hand and to accomplish things that will last for eternity.
 
This is what God desires also, for the result of living this out is glory for Him. This is amazing, He can take my self-centered motive for fulfillment, and as I join Him in seeing that happen, He is glorified.
 
This is what Jesus proclaimed in John 15:8,16: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples…You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
 
Help me, Lord, to live out my “Why” for you moment by moment.
 
Picture below: dawn on the Bering Sea, 1968
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Thoughts on Psalm 107

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 23, 2018
As it says in Psalm 107, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
 
[and we do see your love every day, Lord, in the myriad of provisions and protections you pour out upon us. You made us to see, hear, speak, walk, work and write. You give us food, shelter, health, community and sleep. You provide protection, guidance, warning and help, among many others wonderful gifts.]
 
“Let the redeemed of the LORD say this–those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,”
 
[You, Lord Jesus, have marvelously redeemed us from the hand of Satan, from the hand of sin, from the hands of evil men. You are our Savior, Shepherd and Sustainer. Praise be to you forever and ever.]
 
“those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”
 
[Thank you, Lord, that you work in people everywhere, opening their eyes, giving them the desire for truth, bringing them your Word so they, too, can enter you Kingdom, become your children, and spend eternity with you. You are the true, loving God, gracious to all, forgiving to all those who come.]
 
“Some wandered in desert wastelands,”
 
[when we reject your truth, go our own way, we dwell in dry and parched lands of our own making, far from the green pastures you have for us.]
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“finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.”
 
[On our own path we go from one bad decision to the next. We search for sustenance and find none, we grow weaker and weaker. Everything goes downhill because we are far from your way.]
 
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,”
 
[When we finally saw that our selfish way was not good, that our weak wisdom was insufficient, that our strength was too little to escape condemnation, then we cried out to you.]
 
“and he delivered them from their distress.”
 
[You, Lord, in your goodness, were right there, waiting for us to come to our senses, to see our need, to cry out to you. You were ready to help as soon as we were ready to receive.]
 
“He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.”
 
[You, Lord, know the way to shelter and are very willing, eager to lead us to it, if only we would follow. You give us wisdom, insight, security and community, all we need to prosper.]
 
“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love”
 
[and truly your love is unfailing as you wait and wait for us to repent of our selfish, stubborn independence. You don’t give up, you are patient, persistence and prepared.]
 
“and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
 
[What you have for us is beyond good–it is wonderful, marvelous, awesome and great. You, Lord, have only good for us, satisfying our thirst for love and forgiveness, our hunger for relationship, our deep desire for reality and meaning.
 
You know our needs, for you are our Creator; you are able to supply our needs, for you are infinite; you are willing to supply our needs, for you are good. Praise be to you, both now and forever.]
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God’s Four Gifts, Part Three

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 22, 2018
God’s Gifts to Us, Part Three
 
A fourth gift He has for us is improving our emotional, mental and physical health through expressing gratitude as we live out Psalm 50:23 by giving thanks in all things, both positive and painful, delightful and difficult.
 
A secular article on News Max entitled “Giving Thanks Makes Us Happier,” points out that having an attitude of gratitude brings many benefits. A summary says, “Researchers delving into the physiology of gratitude have discovered it acts powerfully upon neurotransmitters in the brain to increase happiness, reduce stress, boost energy and even improve sleep.” In a separate article, I read that gratitude also strengthens our immune system.
 
This, of course, is simply discovering what God has told us all along: giving thanks is powerfully good for us, as well as for all those around us. And it is good for God, as we are joining Him in advancing His Kingdom.
 
When God commands us to do something, it is always for the best. His expression of these truths is found in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, WITH THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, WILL GUARD your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
These truths are reiterated in an article in the latest Reader’s Digest, entitled “The Goodness of Gratitude,” saying, “people who wrote thank you letters or performed good deeds for a six-week period decreased their pain, upped their energy, accomplished more every day, and improved their mental health for up to six months. And you can reap these benefits at any age.”
 
God’s wisdom is far deeper than we can imagine! It is our privilege and responsibility to live out Psalm 50:23 (“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.”), making every day a “Thanksgiving Day.”
 
Do yourself and many others a good turn and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving in each event, especially the ones you don’t like, and watch God work!
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God’s Four Gifts, Part Two

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 21, 2018
God’s Gifts to Us, Part Two
 
Psalm 50:23 starts with “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me,” and continues with “…and prepares the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.”
 
Here we see the second gift God has for us: the privilege of partnering with Him in bringing about solutions.
 
As we give thanks in and for difficulties, we open the way (maybe get out of the way) for Him to bring the resolution and results He’s planned and prepared. These may come right away, or they may not be visible until years later, as with Joseph in Egypt. Whether seen or unseen, God moves as we give thanks in faith for what is painful for us.
 
This means that the opposite may also be true: when we complain we block the way for God’s salvation. As 1 Peter 1:5 says about believers, “who through faith are shielded by God’s power….” As we trust we are protected, as we complain, we are not.
 
A third gift that is bestowed when we give thanks, is the privilege to be a powerful witness to those around us. Our unnatural, supernatural response to trouble puts us up on the stage of grace where we can do the dance of faith in front of all those around us. As we trust God we bring a focus on God’s good character in a way that words alone could never do.
 
Thus God gives us opportunity to join Him in the spread of the gospel, in opening people’s eyes to spiritual truth, and in drawing them to Himself. Are we joining Him?
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God’s Four Gifts, Part One

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 20, 2018
God’s Gifts to Us, Part 1
 
What a kindness you have bestowed us, Lord God, in calling us to give thanks in and for all things. You have a plan, you know what is best, no matter how it may look to us–like a leafless tree in winter–and work powerfully and patiently to bring goodness out of it at the right time.
 
Giving thanks in all is a privilege. It is God inviting us into a partnership with Him where He has at least four rich gifts awaiting us.
 
Psalm 50:23 shows us two of those gifts. “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me…” This speaks of sacrifice, denying self, giving thanks when it is not natural, when it costs us. Note that this is not being thankful, which is an emotion, but giving thanks, which is an act of the will, often against what we feel.
 
This obedience of faith is a great means of glorifying God. When we give thanks in the midst of hurt, disappointment, suffering or loss, trusting that God has a plan and has allowed this for a good we cannot yet see, the angels stand in awe, the demons cringe in defeat, Adam’s descendants are amazed and God’s name is lifted on high.
 
Giving God such glory is the purpose for which we were created. So every time we find ourselves in situations where there is no solution, no discernible good, no visible positive point (as we are right now with my little wife’s illness), we can choose to believe that God is good, at work and trustable–and we can demonstrate this trust by giving thanks in and for all things.
 
In doing so we are fulfilling the purpose for our existence (worshiping God) and doing something that will last for eternity. This privilege of giving thanks by faith is the first gift.
 
You, Lord, are the God who is better than our dreams, more than what we could hope for, beyond the understanding of our limited perspective. You are Great and Powerful, Glorious and Perfect, Gracious and Pure.
 
You are the fulfillment of the longing of our hearts and far more. Glory and honor belong to you alone! And we praise you for the privilege of giving you honor throughout each day by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving. May we be consistent in doing that today.]
 
Drawing by Michaleen Haesler
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Living in the Light of the Gospel

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 19, 2018
The gospel is not just for unbelievers to hear, it is a body of truth we should be repeating to ourselves daily. We should consistently be in awe at the wonder of God’s outrageously, illogically loving us and qualifying us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light (Col. 1:12).
 
Lord, to belong to you, to be your possession, your treasured child, to know you as Father, God, King and Shepherd, is beyond wonderful. Blessed is way too mild a word!
 
And our wonder increases when we think of what we actually deserved–punishment, rejection, suffering, despair, hopelessness, death and eternal separation from you, being sealed off from all that is good.
 
In the light of this, to know that you chose us, wanted us as your children, bought us, sought us, adopted us and transformed us, that you love us and cherish us (Eph. 1:2-8)–what marvelous, unbelievable truths! They are more than we could ever have hoped for.
 
Truly, you are the God who is beyond our dreams, beyond our hopes, beyond our understanding. You are Great and Powerful, Glorious and Perfect, Gracious and Pure. You are the fulfillment of the longings of our hearts, giving us what we desire: belonging, worth and competence (Eph. 1:18-19) and far more. Glory and honor definitely belong to you alone!
 
May my wonder at you increase every day, O Triune God, may my amazement at being redeemed and loved by you deepen each morning, and may praise, thanksgiving and worship pour out of my soul to you throughout the day as you lead me to walk in the light of your powerful and preserving Presence.]
 
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Psalm 118

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 18, 2018
 
Several years ago I wrote, “An entry from the book EDIFIED! is very relevant to me as my little wife continues to live under a weight of multiple negative symptoms without any clear diagnosis or relief in sight. Is this simple depression, or chronic Lyme’s Disease, or something else? No one knows and thus far nothing has helped.
 
“In the midst of this we must keep our eyes on Jesus, for He is the one who knows and will both give grace to pass through it and, at the right time, bring relief. Here is the perspective we must have: ‘Let those who fear the LORD say: ‘His love endures forever.'” Psalm 118:4
 
Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are my Shepherd, that we can know that whatever comes, you have led us into it, as you led your disciples into the storm on the lake, into the opposition of the crowd, into the pain of your death. You have the larger picture, so we can trust and follow you as you walk with us into the future.
 
Psalm 118:5-9 says, “In my anguish I cried to the LORD….” This is the proper response to any situation, going right to you, O God, fleeing from self-pity, worry, fretting and anger to embrace your goodness, wisdom and love.
 
You will respond to our prayer: “In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:7). And your answer begins inside: “I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4). “In my anguish I cried out to the Lord and he answered by setting me free” (Ps. 118:5).
 
You, Lord God, are the Freedom-giver-freedom from eternal death, from punishment, from condemnation, from selfishness and Satan, as well as from fretting and fear, problems and difficulties. You are always at work to set us free from things that bind us, on a deeper level, in a higher way.
 
Praise be to you for your wisdom, your insight, your understanding. You operate with full knowledge, certain of which thing to work on next, which enemy to defeat, which sin to reveal, which character lack to camp out on until we respond. You don’t guess and fumble as we do in life; you know exactly what is wrong and you know exactly how to deal with it, for you are the Creator, the Healer and the Freedom-bringer.
 
“The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid” (Ps.118:6). As we look away to you, fear is defeated, fretting is routed, worry is wiped out, unbelief is banished. They cannot stand in the light of your mighty, majestic, magnificent power, of your gracious, great and good heart, of your perfect, powerful, positive character, of your deep, dynamic, everlasting Love.
 
To trust in you is always wise, to take refuge in you is always good, to rest in you is always right. Praise be to you, Lord Jesus: Creator and King, Lord and Savior, Judge and Victor.
 
Prayer: “To you be glory in my life today and forever more. Help me to flee to you with each challenge, problem and difficulty, so the answer can come from you and bring you glory. Help me today to distrust myself and to trust in you instead. Amen.”
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More on Psalm 62

Published by S.M. Wibberley on February 17, 2018
More thoughts on Psalm 62.
 
Psalm 62:6 “[The Lord] alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”
 
[This is an exact copy of verse 2, a repetition of the truth of where real security is found, indicating its importance. As I face each new day, If I seek refuge in the Lord, I will not be shaken, no matter how traumatic the events that come to me.]
 
Psalm 62:7 “My salvation and my honor depend on God;”
 
[We so naturally seek our salvation in our own efforts, and our honor from the opinions of others. However, both our salvation and our honor actually depend fully on God, not on us or others.
 
He has provided salvation both for eternity, and for every day; we know where we are going, and we know He is with us in the nitty-gritty events of life, protecting, guiding and providing.
 
He is the One who has already given us great honor–making us children of the Creator of the Universe, granting us membership in the Kingdom of light, giving us each a special part in His plan. What else could we desire? Yet we stubbornly tend to seek our salvation and honor elsewhere. Forgive us, Lord, help us to seek salvation and honor only from you.]
 
“he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”
 
[The unshakable, unassailable, unconquerable God is the One to be trusted. When all else seems to fall apart, He is there, steady, stable, reliable, good, wise and sure.]
 
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people;”
 
[There is that command again: “Trust!” When we trust, we can rest. And this is possible all the time because God is always there in His goodness and grace. You, Lord, are sufficient, you are faithful, you are absolutely trustable.]
 
“pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
 
[Lord, It is right, good and necessary to pour out before you all our fears, desires, feelings and thoughts. With our heart emptied of these, with the Spirit’s help we can fill it with Truth and Trust. Then we are safe in your refuge.
 
You will never reject us for being honest with you–you already know all about us–and you are delighted when we are open, transparent and truthful with you. You desire to be our refuge, you call us to yourself, and in you we are safe.]
 
Help us, Lord God, to trust in you more and more, to find our rest, our refuge, our salvation, our honor, our safety, our joy in you. You are worthy of trust, you are worthy of praise, you are worthy of worship. May my life give you honor and glory today as I trust in you alone, demonstrated by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving in all.
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