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Perspective

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 29, 2017
From an entry in my worship journal several years ago during a difficult time of my life:
 
Lord, we are weak; in ourselves we are defenseless against the wiles of the enemy. You are the only One to whom we turn, for you are our Rock, our Fortress, our Defender. You are our Shelter, our Shield, our Strength and our Stronghold. Help us to quickly seek shelter in you when trouble comes, to trust you, to join you and to be more than conquerors in you.
 
Lord, there are a number of difficult situations going on around me now that weigh on my heart:
–A previously successful team has been torn apart by internal conflicts
–A newly married wife has left her husband.
–A leader is under great pressure personally, in his work and in his leading.
–A disciple is being hit with multiple disappointments and injustice.
 
I pray for each one with these thoughts from Psalm 37 and 2 Corinthians 12:9,10
–May each person involved hear what God is saying and heed Him.
–May they “trust in the Lord and do good.”
–May they “delight themselves in God” so that He may place proper desires in their hearts and then “give them the desires of their hearts.”
–May they “commit their ways to the Lord and trust in Him.”
–May He “bring forth their righteousness as the light, their judgment as the noon day sun.”
–May they delight in their weaknesses so Christ’s power can come on them.
–May they willingly be broken (learning to trust in God, not in themselves).
–May God thwart the plans of Satan in each person’s life.
–May there be repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation on every level.
–May God be glorified rather than shamed by the outcomes.
 
I praise you, Father, that in each case you are there, at work, chastening and protecting, shaping and guiding, exposing and shielding. Lord, help each one to turn to you, to follow hard after you, to embrace their suffering, disappointment and pressure, to take up and use your grace.
 
I praise you that our eyes must be on you, for we know not what to do. To be weak is unpleasant, but it is good when we are driven into your arms, into your truth, into your goodness, into prayer and your Word. May that be my response and that of each one involved in these difficulties.
 
I praise you now, Lord, for your gracious provision before I see it worked out. Thank you, that you are the Almighty One who breathed the stars, who holds every atom together, who loves your children and answers prayer. To you be glory for what you are doing in each of these people.
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Psalm 29:11b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 27, 2017
 
Psalm 29:11b, “the LORD blesses his people with peace.”
 
[You, Lord Jesus, are the Prince of Peace, the Purchaser of Peace, the Purveyor of Peace. I praise you that in your willing sacrifice for our sins, you opened the way for a three dimensional peace—peace with you, with ourselves and with others.
 
Thank you that you have placed in our hands you the power to provide peace through forgiveness. This is the power to move against the way of this twisted world where we naturally seek revenge, hold grudges and strike back.
 
Instead we can be both grace receivers and grace givers—as in the picture below–receiving your forgiveness as we confess and repent; forgiving ourselves; and forgiving others as you have forgiven us. In this way we are extending grace by doing what is healing and gracious, freeing and equipping.
 
In this you have richly blessed us, displaying your marvelous love in your kind, transforming forgiveness, offered to all, efficacious to everyone who receives it.
 
I praise you for your love that is higher than the heavens, wider than the universe, longer than eternity, deeper than our imagination.
 
I praise you now for what will come to pass today and what will not, for success and failure, for opportunities to forgive myself and others, thereby giving you glory and passing on your blessings to others.
 
You are worthy of our worship and love, our praise and honor, our surrender and obedience. May we live in these continually, exalting your name before the nations, before the unseen hosts of angels and the domain of the devil.
 
May our obedience to what we know to be right bring you honor in all, Lord Jesus, as we confess our sins to you and receive your forgiveness, as we forgive ourselves and forgive others, bringing peace to all around us.
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Psalm 29:10-11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 26, 2017

Psalm 29:10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;”

 

[You, O Yahweh, as Creator, Sustainer and Ender of All, sit above the flood of time, the flood of events, the flood of nations and peoples. You are unchanging, without age, without growth or alteration, for you are timeless perfection itself. You are mighty, all knowing and all seeing, for you dwell outside of time, you reign over time, and will end time, ushering in eternity,. You are the Most High, the Almighty Creator, the Everlasting God.]
“the LORD is enthroned as King forever.”
[There is no end to your righteous rule: your dominion extends through all eternity, your power will never diminish, your plans will always work out. No one can defeat you, no one can fool you, no one can out think you. You are our Savior forever, the coming Judge, the wholehearted Forgiver and the Good Shepherd. To you belongs all honor and glory and awe.]

 

Psalm 29:11 “The LORD gives strength to his people;”

 

[You in your good graciousness draw us into your embrace and share your power with your people, even though we deserve the opposite. We are by nature rebels, evil, worthy of punishment, failure, suffering and death.

 

But in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called, cleansed, claimed as your people, commissioned and equipped to special service and cherished as your children. You pour your strength into each area of our lives: spiritual, intellectual, volitional, emotional, physical, social and financial. Therefore, we can continually move forward even when all human resources fail.

 

Praise you, Lord, for all your gracious love and provision. You are totally worthy of honor, of worship, of obedience, and I bow before you today, to walk in happy submission, joining you in what you will do, praising you in and for all.

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Christmas Day and God’s Gifts

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 25, 2017
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that your lives may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
 
God is an inveterate gift giver. He loves to pour out goodness on His children and Christmas is a good time to remember that.
One of the gifts He’s given us through Christ is the privilege of personal worship and the powerful positives that flow from it. Such worship is focusing on our triune God, praising Him for who He is, standing in the light of His presence, looking away from the temporal to the eternal, setting our hearts on things above—these all give Him glory and bring transformation in our souls.
 
Here’s a worship entry from my prayer journal, meditating on Romans 15:13 which lists out other gifts our good God loves to give. “May the God of Hope….” and that is what you are, Lord: the God who is hope, who brings hope, who calls us to hope—a hope which is a rock-solid certainty based on your unchanging, perfect character—you promise and you deliver.
Praise you for your desire to fill your children “with all joy and peace….” This says so much about you, my Lord God. Not just some joy and peace, but all joy and peace. You give us a joy that is unquenchable, unalterable by the difficulties, tragedies and suffering in life, because you, the unchanging God are its source.
 
You give us a peace that is sure and sound, deep and dynamic, restful and responsible. As we confess and receive forgiveness, you give us peace with you, peace with ourselves, peace with others—a vibrant peace, a powerful peace, a renewable peace, one which can be restored each time we sin. You are truly the God of joy and peace, giving us in abundance these deep qualities every person longs for.
Then comes our part: “as [we] trust in him….” Praise you, Lord, for the role you have given us in having this joy and peace. We must trust, believe, live in the truth of who and what you are. As we look away from the problems, aggravations, disappointments and difficulties of life and look up to you, it is clear that we can trust you in all that comes to us. You are the Great Shepherd, the All-Powerful King, the Everlasting Sovereign, the Ruler of the universe, the Lord of Glory, the Spinner of the earth, Bringer of the dawn, the Beginner and Ender of time.
 
We can trust you by responding with praise, no matter how painful our situation is, because you, in your wisdom, grace and mercy have allowed this for good in our lives and for glory in yours. Forgive us for the many times each day we trust ourselves and not you and therefore complain.
Praise you that trusting is the doorway to more blessing: “trust…so that your lives may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The more we trust you, the more joy and peace you give us and the more Holy Spirit-empowered hope we receive, leading to more praise and positive trust.
And as we trust, we become a cup of hope, a basin of hope, a spring of hope, a river of hope to everyone we meet, for it will flow out in our attitude, in our words, in our actions, in our reactions.
 
Glory be to you, O Great and Powerful One; you are Wise and Loving, Just and Merciful. You provide so that we may give you ever-increasing glory before the world!
 
Prayer: “Forgive me for being busy here and there with this and that, and not spending time with you, Lord Jesus. Help me to be in the Word, in personal worship, in prayer and in confession every day, to live in the light of your presence all through the day. Amen.”
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Wonderful Outcomes

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 24, 2017
As we contemplate the Incarnation on this snowy morning, we can’t help but think of the outcome, as described in Edified:
 
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness….”
 
This is an accomplished fact, a certainty that we are no longer the children of the devil, bound to sin, controlled by the prince of the power of the air, but have been freed by the blood of the Lamb!
 
“…and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:12-14).
 
What a powerful statement: “…in whom we have redemption,”…not “I hope so” but “I know so!” What a wonder, what a privilege, what an astounding, unbelievable, too-good-to-be-true outcome you have given us, Heavenly Father—we are pardoned, adopted, brought into the Kingdom and made co-heirs with Jesus and with the saints. We live in the light, are dearly loved, delighted in, doted on and deeply cared for. We have a future with you as well as a daily walk with you now. You give total provision, complete protection, loving direction, wise counsel, consistent correction, unswerving goodness and unending grace.
 
To know the Great Shepherd of souls, the Wise Warrior of prayer, the Powerful Planner of good, the Diligent Director of details, the Lasting Lover of sinners, the Triumphant Transformer of rebels, the Final Forgiver of our sins, the Great Giver of grace—what more could we want?!!! This is far beyond what we could imagine or ask for. This is more than a human being could conceive. You are more than wonderful, more than great, more than good.
 
To you, Lord God, all creatures must come and bow down in worship and adoration. To you every person must fall on his face and give you glory. To you every believer must surrender and rejoice in your perfection by denying self, taking up his cross and following you.
 
Prayer: “May this be true today in me, Heavenly Father; may you be pleased with my thoughts and words and actions. May you be glorified in my life today before men, before angels, before the hordes of Satan. May honor and praise flow from my life up to your throne moment by moment. Amen.”
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Grace

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 23, 2017
I praise you, Heavenly Father, for your very personal, present and powerful working in the framework of my day and all its details. Yesterday was very full and busy, with you working it all out, right down to the minute in getting each thing done in time.
 
It’s so good to know you, Lord Jesus, the God of love and light, of goodness and grace, of forgiveness and favor, of joy and justice, of righteousness and release.
 
I revel in the truth that you have a plan and a purpose for me and each of your children in this day–and the power to bring them to pass.
 
I praise you for your rich, active and consistent love, laced with patience, spiced with wisdom and empowered with grace.
 
To you belongs surrender in worship, honor in thought, obedience in action, and exaltation in word. May these all flow from my life to you today so those around me may taste of your goodness.
 
May they be refreshed by the fragrance of the Holy Spirit spilling over onto them as I respond to your guidance, resting in your goodness and offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving in each situation.
 
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From Edified

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 22, 2017
“…I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.”
Psalm 70:5
 
Praise you, Lord for your steady presence. As I think on you and your unswerving faithfulness to your Character of love and purity, goodness and forgiveness, faithfulness and grace, I find answering echoes in my own being—a rest in you, a growing trust, a desire to obey you, a lessening of the pendulum swing of my emotions. In you is safety, in you is security, in you is peace.
 
When I make a mistake or sin, you don’t jump on me or condemn me or reject me. You put the arm of your Spirit around me, draw me to yourself, tell me of your love, and graciously talk with me about what I have done wrong. You lead me into confession and repentance, reminding me of your purchasing pardon, assuring me of your faithful forgiveness, encouraging me to make correct choices from here on. You are a gracious Father, a forgiving Lord, a loving Brother. In my relationship with you I am safe.
 
Praise you for your positive provision and your continuous care, your fine heart and your gracious intent. With you we have life, with you we have peace, with you we have hope, with you we can choose for joy. These we find nowhere else.
You are the well-spring of all good; without you life is a desert: dry, hostile, threatening, dangerous and in the end, deadly. With you, life even in the desert of this world is lush, green, growing, refreshing, secure and joyful. You help us get our roots down deep into the water of your Word, you make us fruitful, you keep our life leaves green, you protect us in the midst of danger and make us successful in service to you.
You, O Lord God, are worthy of worship, of following, of obeying, for great is your heart, pure is your mind, eternal is your being, good is your intent.
 
Prayer: “I love you, Lord Jesus, I praise you, I bow before you, honor you, give you my life, my day, my all. Help me to live worthy of the privilege of being your child. Amen.”
 
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Haiku God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 21, 2017
Still recovering.
 
From Edified:
 
“For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’”
Isaiah 30:15
 
God, I think, is like a Haiku. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry: 17 syllables in four lines usually involving an unexpected twist at the end. For instance:
 
Spring has come
The snow melts
The village is flooded
With children.
 
We expected damage from water and end up with happy kids! So it is with God; except that instead of twisting, He untwists things. For instance, to make a Haiku out of my experience,
 
Unjustly jailed
Put on trial
Prosecutor stood firm
To defend me!
 
God is the great Transformer, the great Surpriser. He can and does take the most painful and difficult happenings and tenderly turns them into our good and His glory. Think of the death of Lazarus; of the blindness of men Christ healed; and of His own suffering.
 
Old age is an example of God’s transforming powers. Aging is the process of losing things, going from competent, self-sufficient, productive people to helpless, dependent, and in the eyes of some, useless people. However, those who walk with God may be helpless physically or mentally but can still be mighty warriors in prayer and example.
 
I recently visited a 98-year-old friend. He can no longer walk, but is clear-minded. When I asked him how he is doing he replied, “I have so much to be thankful for! I just can’t understand why God is so good to me. I’m such a sinner; I certainly don’t deserve it!”
 
It is clear that, as he has aged, he has grown in his understanding of his depravity, as well as of how much God has forgiven and loves him, and how much God is blessing him.
 
Old age may be the process of losing things, but maturity is the willingness to let them go. In knowing God we can have the bigger, longer range picture of what He is doing, as well as what He has in store for us in the new heaven and earth. So we can know that it’s ok to let go of what we cannot keep anyway.
 
“Lord help me to know you better in the light so that when I walk in the dark, I will trust you fully and give you glory whether I see any answers or not. Help me to live in the truth that you are good, all the time. Amen.”
 
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Stability

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 20, 2017
I missed posting yesterday as I was in the hospital for a minor but debilitating operation. Home now n getting better.
 
From Edified
 
“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever” (Ps. 125:1).
 
I praise you, LORD, Yahweh, the great I AM, that you make us unshakable as we rest in the truth of who you are. You are the unchangeable One, the Almighty One, the Undefeated One, the Eternal One, the All-seeing One, the Righteous One, the Holy One, the Loving One.
 
You are ever at work, you are aware of all, you are constantly, consistently, compassionately arranging the events that come into my life. You are able to take our mistakes and sins and somehow use them for good: chastening, correcting, counseling, changing us with them.
 
Praise you for the certainty of your work in my life today, for the certainty of your protection, presence and provision in each step, each moment, each interaction. I praise you for your going before me and preparing each event and relationship. I praise you, LORD, for you are worthy of trust.
 
“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore” (Ps. 125:2).
 
You, Heavenly Father, are far more stable than any mountain—you are always there, surrounding us with your love, grace and protection. Nothing can move you, remove you or shake you; you are sure, unchangeable, solid, reliable, and trustable. Your faithfulness has no end, your wisdom no bottom, your goodness no top, your power no measure.
 
You are worthy of praise for your great character: full-orbed, multifaceted, sparkling in purity, shining in goodness, balanced in integrity, perfect in fullness. You are faithful in your love, in your goodness, in your protection, in your wisdom, in your presence, in your power. We can rest in you, on you, by you, with you. To you belongs all praise and honor.
 
Prayer: “Today help me to exalt you in my responses, glorify you in my motives, lift up your name in my speech, please you in my actions. Help me to remember that no matter what my circumstances, your character is worthy of worship. Amen.”
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Psalm 29:4-9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 17, 2017

Psalm 29:4 “the voice of the LORD is majestic.”

[To stand under the darkened sky, to see the great shafts of lightening flash to the earth, to hear the powerful peals of thunder as they make the ground shake–this is to see a tiny piece of your majestic, overwhelming greatness, Lord. You are awesomely magnificent and incomprehensibly powerful.]

Psalm 29:5  “The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.”

[The power of a storm, the breath of your mouth, can smash the greatest cedar trees; you are unbelievably strong, Lord. We cannot begin to grasp the power of your Person, the might of your mind, the strength of your Spirit. A storm like this gives only a tiny inkling of your mighty hand’s ability.]

Psalm 29:6  “He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.”

[By your power you can shake a land with earthquakes, move mountains, shift and split the landscape. You are great, O God.]

Psalm 29:7,8 “The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.”

[Your power moves over the landscape, from the mountains of Lebanon to the great deserts, sweeping away all in your path.]

Psalm 29:9  “The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.”

[Where you have passed, all is carried away, the leaves are gone, the trees stand gaunt. You power is displayed, your might is manifest, our hearts are stirred, and we are filled with awe and fear, reminded of our smallness and your greatness.]

“And in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ “

[You, O Lord God, are Awesome, Overwhelming, Majestic, Powerful, Strong and Mighty. You are worthy of worship, worthy of glory, worthy of our surrender, awe and fear.

We confess our foolish pride, repent of our fruitless rebellion and bow before you, the Worthy and Mighty One. We submit ourselves to you, we rise up to serve you today in joyful obedience, joining you whole-heartedly in what you are doing in and around us.  May you, the all-powerful One, be lifted up and exalted in our lives today!

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