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Light in Darkness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 15, 2018
From EDIFIED, written in 2011 while living in Germany
 
“Bow down and hear me, O Lord, for I am poor and needy.”
Psalm 86:1 NKJV
 
Praise you for this word, Lord Jesus, as it clarifies what is happening in my life. There is too much to do and I do not have the strength to work hard at it, being so tired. I praise you for this situation for it reminds me that without you I can do nothing (John 15:5).
 
Thank you for my weakness, thank you for there being more work than time, thank you that I cannot handle it in my own strength. In my mind there is a jumble of things, giving me an underlying sense of unsettledness; this further saps my strength, confuses my thinking and works against my being disciplined in doing the next thing.
 
Yes, “I am poor and needy” but you, Lord, are rich and powerful. Being at the end of my fraying rope, I willingly switch to your strong, eternal, graceful rope. I praise you for your love and kindness in prodding me to surrender like this. Praise you for working to “preserve my soul, for I am holy, devoted to you,” knowing that you “save your servant who trusts in you” (Ps. 86:2).
 
I praise you for all that is happening in my life, both positive and negative. Thank you that I seem to be catching up on my sleep. Thank you that I am making progress on the big writing project, endless as it appears to be. Thank you that my restless legs have returned, again a sign of unsettledness, a need to return to rest in you.
 
Thank you, too, for the seeming failure of my mother-in-law’s eye operation; you are doing something with that, something we can’t see yet, but which you will use for good. Praise you now for how you will work this out. Thank you for my wife’s illness. Thank you for the uncertainty about our going to the US, about what to do in the next two months, about the uncertainty in the church. Also for the three, possibly four tax problems before us.
I look away to you, for you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all those who call upon you. … In the day of my trouble I will call upon you for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:5,7). You are the trustable One, the wise One, the powerful One. In the seeming unsolvable turmoil, looming failure and insurmountable tasks, you are at work, guiding, directing, helping, overcoming.
 
You are my Rock, worthy of praise and worship, and I give those to you now before any solutions come to pass. You are “full of compassion, gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Ps. 86:15). Glory is due you; praise is our privilege; worship is our response–because your character is holy.
 
Thank you that you “grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your handmaid” (Ps. 86:16). Praise you that daily you give “a token of your love so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, for you, Lord, have helped and comforted me” (Ps. 86:17).
 
Prayer: “Give me your wisdom, Lord, that I may do what is on your agenda today. I lay down my will and take yours instead. Thank you for the guidance you will give, the ways you will open and shut, the protection you will provide, shielding my head in the day of battle. Amen.”
 
[Epilogue: in the end my mother-n-law’s eye operation was successful; all our tax problems (with the German government) were solved with minimal cost, my writing project was finished, Barbara got well and He carried us through, guiding us in when to leave Germany. In the midst of our weakness He is faithful!]
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Psalm 37:32-33

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 14, 2018
 
 
Psalm 37:32 “The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;”
 
[This is an unavoidable fact of life here on fallen earth: those who reject your way, Lord, will attack those who follow Jesus. They hate the righteous, as they are motivated and guided by Satan, who seeks to use them for his destructive and evil purposes.
 
So, we should not be at all surprised when such attacks come. To expect them is to have a biblical view of things, remembering Jesus’ words, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).]
 
Psalm 37:33 “but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.”
 
[You, Lord, are faithful, and are always with those you have made righteous, that is, your children. You will guide us and carry us through each attack, as we rest in you.
 
You will rescue us, whether it be by some divine intervention, by giving justice, by giving grace to endure through or by taking us to yourself. Praise you for the certainty that you will guide, direct and protect us in all.
 
This is what we experienced in being arrested and put on trial for our faith in 1988. In the end, you led the prosecuting attorney to defend us and to define our freedom of religion widely and officially, leading to a rapid expansion in the number of believers and little churches—all glory to you.]
 
I praise you, Lord, for the security, the rest, the peace, the joy that comes from knowing you, the great and sovereign King, Ruler of time and space and all that is in them.
 
You are the truly good One, the wonderfully wise One, the gloriously gracious One, the infinitely patient One. In you we can trust, in you we can rejoice when all goes sour, for your grace and goodness are enough, lifting us above the evil and hurt of life. Thank you, Lord God, for your care which will come in each succeeding moment.
 
To you be honor and glory in my life today, Lord Jesus, through my listening to your Word, submission to your Spirit, obedience to what I know to be true and praising you in and for all that comes.
 
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A Book To Read!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 13, 2018

I’m reading an interesting and stimulating book called “From Jerusalem to Timbuktu” by Brian Stiller, who is the global ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance. He travels extensively throughout the world, and in this book shares what is developing in the Body of Christ worldwide, primarily the tremendous growth outside of Europe and North America.

 

Here is a most encouraging quote from the book. “Between 1970 and 2020 Renewalists [Spirit-filled Evangelicals] will have grown from 18.8 million to 226 million; in Latin American from 12.8 million to 203 million; and in Asia from 9.3 million to 165 million.” Who said that Christianity was dying?!!

 

If you want to be informed and encouraged, this book is a good read.

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Psalm 37:30-31

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 12, 2018
 
Psalm 37:30 “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.”
[Lord, this is certainly does not describe the natural me. Help me to move ever more in this direction, quickly spotting and rejecting the ungodly advice I give myself, resisting the temptation to stand in the way of sinners, and certainly refusing to sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1).
Help me to be like Job, who properly and positively rebuked those who gave him ungodly advice. Help me to know how to talk with destructive people in my life (and there are a lot of them) in a way that will be edifying, speaking wisdom, uttering what is just. May you be glorified in it.]
Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart;’
[Here is the key: when your Word is hidden in the heart of a righteous man, it flow out constantly, influencing his thoughts, motives, words and actions; then he can speak with wisdom.
 
Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for your great and wonderful work to bring such change in us through Scripture. Help me to cooperate with you in the process by consistently memorizing and meditating on your Word.
Thank you, Lord, for what you give us in your Word: your gracious wisdom, your careful instruction, your good direction. Help me to meditate on them, walk in them, to be alert to the wisdom you offer each moment. Bring to mind the Scripture, the truth, the principles I need to heed each momwnt.]
“his feet do not slip.”
[When we walk in your path, Lord, our feet step is steady, our ankles will not turn, we will not fall, for you open the way, bring the change necessary, protect us from our natural, sinful pitfalls.
I praise you, Lord, for the great and sweet privilege of walking on your way, of belonging to you, of being given such wonderful gifts, especially the greatest gift of all: being made your beloved son, dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in—the opposite of what I deserve.
This is the outpouring of what you are, Lord God: the great Creator, the great Lover of our souls, the great Forgiver, the great Transformer. Praise be to you for all you will do today out of your goodness and righteousness, wisdom and power. May I join you in obedience so that your Name may be lifted up before all the unseen hosts today.
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Who Are We Pleasing?

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 11, 2018
“For we fight not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand.” Ephesians 6:11
 
While talking recently with a person struggling with feelings of inadequacy, any advice I gave proved to be totally ineffective. Then a thought came to mind that turned out to be the key to opening the door to this person’s emotional prison.
 
“This feeling of inadequacy is exactly what Satan wants you to focus on. Of course we are inadequate; we are human beings and have limitations. In contrast, God wants us to focus on Him, to find our adequacy in Him, our acceptance in Him, our worth and joy in Him.
 
“Satan, however, wants us to focus on what we can’t do; he wants us to work for our worth and to seek for the elusive happiness of accomplishment. So, whose lead are you going to follow? Are you going to fall into his trap, or sidestep it with God’s truth?”
 
Asking “What would Jesus do in this situation?” helps us think biblically. Adding the question, “What would Satan want me to do?” will bring even more biblical clarity.
 
Paul refers to this in Ephesians 6 when he says, “Put on the whole armor of God so you will not fall in to the wiles of the devil.”
 
The devil is clever and does not want us thinking about his desires; he wants us to unknowingly mix our personal and cultural bias in with a bit of Scripture and do things that make us feel good–and please him.
 
It is easy to fool ourselves into thinking that our preferences as Christians are the same as God’s. For instance, in our culture we have come to confuse busyness with being spiritual, having results with being blessed, talent and training with being spiritually mature.
 
When faced with an opportunity for more ministry, we need to think about what Jesus would do, and what Satan would have us do. Satan is happy when we are striving to push ahead in our own effort, keeping very busy “for the Lord”, wearing ourselves out for others.
 
He is not happy when we spend time first in prayer and in the Word, seeking God’s direction, weighing our motives before Him, waiting for His timing–-and then working hard as He directs.
 
Prayer: “Lord, as we seek your will in situations, remind us to search Scripture, asking the question, “What would Jesus do?” and also add the question, ‘What would Satan want me to do?’ Guide us in cooperating with you in your intentions. Amen.”
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Psalm 37:27-29

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 10, 2018
Psalm 37:27 “Turn from evil and do good;”
 
[Clear and simple command. This is part of fearing God, walking in His way, and part of bringing blessing to our children. Our primary motive should be our love for you, Heavenly Father, and our desire to give you glory. Then our secondary motive is to bring what is good to our children: “their [the righteous’] children will be blessed” 37:26.]
 
“then you will dwell in the land forever.”
 
[Such obedience places us squarely in the center of your will, meaning we will dwell with you, live with you, in whatever good place you have chosen for us here, and will end up in the everlasting New Heaven and New Earth.
 
We can praise and glorify you at each juncture, knowing that you are in control, guiding, directing, protecting each moment. To live in such certainty is a wonder, Lord. We praise you for your faithful, powerful goodness–especially in the midst of difficulties, like the one I’m in now with my wife again fallen into the deep hole of despair, depression and darkness, an attack of the enemy after recent advances. But, knowing that you are good, powerful and with us, I choose to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. (This was written more than a year ago.) ]
 
Psalm 37:28 “For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.”
 
[You, the Holy and Perfect One, love those whom you have justified—Ah, if only all people would come to you and have that forgiveness, cleansing, transformation and joy!
 
In you, Lord, there is no end to our joy, to our getting to know you, to our growth and the revelation of your glory. Praise you, Lord, for what you are doing, for how you are working, for what you will do.
 
Your commitment to your children is iron clad, rock solid and mountain strong, something we can rest in more and more as we get to know you. Praise be to you, Lord, for your strength of character, your utter dependability, your never changing, perfect and powerful love.]
 
“They will be protected forever,”
 
[You, Lord Jesus, live forever to intercede for those you have purchased with your blood. You live forever, so our protection will go on forever]
 
“but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;”
 
[Sadly, those who refuse to submit to your Kingship, your Word, your Truth, your provided salvation and love, will be cut off forever–they and their children who follow them. How sad this makes your heart, yet you rejoice for each one who believes and follows you.
 
Psalm 37:29 “the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”
 
[A repetition from verse 27, a bookend to this thought of your great and gracious giving of what is good to your children. Yes, we will inherit your land and we will live in it with you forever: no death, no depression, no end, no evil, no loss, no sadness, sickness or sin.
 
You, Lord God, are the only One to be followed, obeyed, worshiped and exalted. You are worthy, you are wonderful, you are the Only True God. I bow before you this morning, I give you glory, exaltation and praise. May you be honored in my life today as I praise you in and for all. Amen.]
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Real Security

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 9, 2018
Praise you, Lord, that you never lose your way, never lose your focus, never lose in the end, but always will finally bring a just and positive conclusion. I praise you for your will and power to do so, because you live outside of time, are everywhere at once, and exist forever.
 
After watching the film of the Gospel of John, I thank you for reminding us of the difficulties you suffered in living as a human being and revealing yourself as God. It also reminds us of how stubborn and negative we are as humans, protective of our position and status, willing to reject eternal truth in order to keep some temporary comfort.
 
I praise you that you did not shrink back from any challenge, that you did not move too fast, and that you did not give up.
 
I praise you that you pressed on to the conclusion of your task here on earth, dying in agony in the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms, so that we, your enemies, might be set free from the clutches of sin. Praise be to you for your noble, gracious, loving acts of redemption and restoration.
 
Thank you, too, for all the protection you provide, for all the provision you supply, for all the positives you pour out every day, every minute, in every situation.
 
I think of how many, many times we’ve gone places by car and returned safely because you are the God of power and protection. We must not take that for granted, for all an accident requires is for me, or another driver, to lose concentration for a second or two.
 
Praise be to you, Lord for all that you do, orchestrating a myriad of actions and events to protect us daily. You are a wonderful God, a marvelous Shepherd, and majestic King. I give you glory and honor now for what you will do as the day unfolds.
 
Lord, in praising you ahead of time, I want to align my desires with yours, to give up my small and selfish ambitions for your great and good ones. I want to wholeheartedly let go of my desires and to wholeheartedly embrace yours, knowing that they are far better, far higher, far richer than any I want.
 
Praise you for your work in me to bring my will into line with yours, knowing that what you will work out will be part of the great plan you have for bringing sin and suffering to an end.
 
So I submit to your wisdom, to your power, to your decisions. Knowing that you are good, wise, loving and kind, I can trust you to bring into our lives what is edifying, transforming and good, even though it may not seem so to me. Therefore, I bow before you afresh, gladly surrendering to you, giving you my will and taking yours in its place. May you be honored in my life today.
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The Pinch of Perfectionism

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 8, 2018
A good devotion from the book EDIFIED!
 
“Forgive as you have been forgiven.” Colossians 3:12
 
The legalistic quest for perfection is a natural one in my life, but it is futile. Every day I fail multiple times to do what is right in my thought life, or in some words spoken, or in some choice, action or relationship.
 
On one hand this is part of being a fallen person living in a fallen world, (although I must hasten to add that this in not a valid excuse for choosing failure). On the other hand, our failures can be fertile ground for spiritual growth.
 
This past year, and especially this summer, I made a number of choices that did not work out for the best. Almost all of these were made with the intent of doing good, and many for doing what was best.
 
However, there were also heavy strands of wrong motives woven into the fabric of the decisions, and these marred the final product. For instance, jumping in to give good advice to a person who is not ready to hear it. Many would not consider such failures to be all that bad, but when I consider how they affect outcomes, they are significant.
 
The bottom line, however, is what I do with my failures. For someone with my natural, old nature’s drive for success and fulfillment, these failures produce anger: towards myself, towards those who may point out my failures, and ultimately towards God who has “allowed me to be imperfect.” And then I am easily angry towards others who irritate me in some way.
 
None of this anger is righteous, but God uses it as a “prod” to help me take up and put on the second piece of His armor of Eph. 6:10-18, the breast plate of righteousness.
 
It is His righteousness that counts, not my being perfect, and He offers me His righteousness on a daily basis. I need to lay down my idol–my desire for the perfection, seeking to look good, even to myself–and instead affirm that only God does everything right.
 
God has, through Christ’s sacrifice, forgiven me for my sins and failures, so I need to agree and forgive myself on the basis of Christ’s work. Failure to appropriate this forgiveness is a greater failure than any of the other lacks I’ve mentioned!
 
Not everyone struggles with forgiving themselves, but many of us do so without realizing it. To accept God’s forgiveness allows us to forgive ourselves on the basis of His work and then, we are freed to forgive others.
 
My failures of this past year have been used to lead me into a deeper understanding of God’s forgiveness, allowing me to see more of its many facets.
 
Forgiving myself also reveals my anger for what it is, a deep vein of rebellious self-centeredness in my old man; this revelation then helps to free me from my anger through confession, especially confession in layers.
 
Our Lord knows what He is doing in our lives, often leading us by enlightenment because of our failures. The ways of God are both inscrutably complex and marvelously simple. Are we following?
 
Prayer: “You, Lord, are the God of all forgiveness; give us grace to grasp how much we are forgiven so we can forgive ourselves and then forgive others. May we keep on the whole armor to be useful to you and bring glory to your name. Amen.”
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Great Opportunities Every Day

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 7, 2018
Sometimes I wonder, how could Adam and Eve, living in a perfect environment, with a perfect relationship with God, choose to disobey Him and do evil?
 
It is easy to be critical of Adam for failing to do what he knew to be right. It is correct to condemn his choice; however, we must remember that, we get to relive the drama of the Garden of Eden every day , as we are repeatedly confronted with the choice of doing what we selfishly naturally like or obeying God.
This past weekend, in several instances, I followed in Adam’s footsteps, choosing to be impatient with one of my young mentorees. He is a difficult, pushy person, but that is no excuse for my reacting out of my frustration with impatience. I had to choose against the next sin of justifying myself, and instead apologize for my sin, which was not pleasant, but good.
 
Things have not changed significantly since Adam’s fall. The same battle, with the same enemy, goes on in the garden of our souls every day. And like Adam’s sin, our fall affects many more than just ourselves.
 
So, instead of being critical of Adam, I need to realize I am just as weak as he was, while Satan is just as wily and evil as he ever was.
 
Each decision becomes my mini “Garden of Eden opportunity” to correct the failure of our first parents. And as I make the choice to believe God rather than Satan, I am joining God in His great work of taking ground back from Satan, of advancing His Kingdom in my heart and among the people around me.
 
What a significant role He’s given us! May we step up and join Him in His great plan to conclude history, eliminate evil and usher in eternity where all will again be perfect, pristine and pure.
 
A prayer: “Lord, help me to recognize the significant opportunities you give me each day to choose for you, against my flesh, against the world and the devil. May I join you in your great plans through obedience in the little things and bring light and blessing to all those around me. Amen.”
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Big Prayer Need

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 6, 2018
Tomorrow (Monday, May 7) is the second hearing in the trial of Pastor Andrew Brunson, imprisoned so far for 18 months in T on trumped up charges. He is discouraged, but has a captive congregation with him in a very crowded cell.
 
Pray for him to trust in the Lord, finding his rest, hope and joy in Jesus. It is, humanly speaking, highly unlikely that he will be released or acquitted because he’s being held as a political pawn.
 
But we don’t pray for things on a human level, but on a heavenly level for the Creator of all, the Breather of Stars, Beginner and Ender of time, the Savior of all who believe, to work in the way He knows best.
 
Pray for Pastor Brunson to come to the place where a “yes” or a “no” is the same for him. Ask that he sees this imprisonment as his new ministry; that he has a big, international platform on which to demonstrate his faith; that God has a specific plan for him, just as He did with Joseph in Egypt.
 
Pray that he will reject self-pity and replace it with self control; that he will reject complaining and replace it with the sacrifice of thanksgiving; that he will reject human thinking for the heavenly viewpoint; that he will reject worldly wisdom for heavenly wisdom; that he will let go of what is temporal, hold on to what is eternal and rise above, knowing that God is doing big things here in this painful situation; that he will choose to live the truth that Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy.
 
Pray also for his family to do the same things, as it is hard for them to see their husband and father in such a difficult, unjust and painful situation.
 
Let us praise God now for what He is going to do.
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