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Retiring but not shy about it

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 30, 2017

An entry from my worship journal, written 18 months ago.

Praise you, Lord, for this, the first real day of my retirement from Christar. This is primarily a financial change, as I plan to keep on doing all the things I did before (teaching, counseling, writing, and traveling to speak as opportunities come), I just won’t get paid for them!

So, this will be a financial adventure, seeing how you, Lord, provide beyond social security. One thing we know for sure is that the Lord is our Shepherd and therefore we will not want.

A second way that retirement will change me is in attitude. I now feel free to do spontaneous things, like going out to breakfast with the guys after men’s prayer meeting on Friday mornings.

I don’t want to become less disciplined in how I use the time left, but want to be less focused on work and more on people.

This retirement coincides with my turning 70 this year. In the past, I’ve found that decadel milestones often bring changes in focus and responsibilities. I expect this to be a bigger one than previous “big O” years.

Hebrews 12:1-17 is my map. It certainly is a pleasure to walk with Jesus into the future, knowing that He has the course laid out for us, calling us to join Him in the adventure of the rest of our lives. I want to obey His command to lay aside every weight and sin that can so easily entangle, and to run with patience and perseverance the race He has set out before me.

It will require patience, for as we move into the future, I’m going to be losing things: strength, endurance, hearing and other physical abilities. Truly ,old age is the process of losing things, but maturity is letting them go and using these losses to focus on what God has for us. I suspect that worship and intercessory prayer will become the primary focus, with discipleship and counseling being the second.

Whatever it is, I can take my cue from Jesus, fixing my eyes on Him who, “for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross (for me that’s old age), despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Truly, to know Him is to have hope, to have peace and joy as we trust in Him, so we can move into the future with His presence, provision and protection. I look forward to living this out on a new level!

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Psalm 15:2-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 30, 2017
Jesus is the perfect Paragon of excellence, the sinless Savior and Shepherd, the marvelous and majestic Author and Perfecter of our faith. As we read through Psalm 15, every quality the LORD requires for dwelling in His sanctuary is found in Jesus. So as we examine these qualities which he has imputed to us, we will look at how they are fulfilled in Christ.
 
Psalm 15:1-2 “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are blameless. In you there is no sin, no evil, no slipping into error, no darkness, no injustice or rebellion; you are without blame, without accusation, without sin. Praise you for your perfection, your purity, your pristineness, that you are the summation of all virtues.]
 
“and who does what is righteous,”
 
[All you have done and do is right, Lord Jesus, there is no error in your ways, no wrong, no fault, no unrigheousness. Therefore, you are absolutely trustable and believable in your faithfulness and goodness.]
 
“who speaks the truth from his heart”
 
[You are Truth itself and therefore speak only Truth from the center of your being. All you say is true, right, correct, positive and good.]
 
Psalm 15:3 He “ has no slander on his tongue,”
 
[When you accuse or judge, Lord Jesus, it is correct, it is spoken to the right person with the right motive at the right time in the right way. There is no falsehood, no exaggeration, no twisting of truth, no slander. There is no malice, selfishness, evil motive or wrong desire in your speech. Instead you speak correctly to convict, to bring repentance, to restore and lead, giving light, love and healing.]
 
“who does his neighbor no wrong”
 
[You only do what is right, pure, helpful, good and positive. To live with you is to experience the light of your goodness, the power of your purity and the provision of your positiveness.]
 
“and casts no slur on his fellowman,”
 
[You never speak unjustly, you never maliciously cut people down, or try to put them in a bad light. In fact, as the good Shepherd, you will work to protect people rather than expose them to ridicule. You always first nudge us towards repentance before having someone come and confront us. As you are light, and live in the light, so you shine the light on what is true, not to condemn people, but to bring them to repentance and restoration.]
 
Psalm 15:4 “who despises a vile man”
 
[You see all, so nothing is hidden from you; you know what is vile and rightly reject it. In righteousness, you despise what is unrighteous, while somehow still loving every sinner and seeking to bring them into your Kingdom, into your Family, into your Forgiveness.]
 
“but honors those who fear the LORD,”
 
[You love what is right and good, and are able to discern what really motivates a man: fear of people or fear of God (Psalm 34:11-14). And you will give glory and honor to those who walk in your ways because they love you and trust you.]
 
“who keeps his oath even when it hurts,”
 
[You are the One who always keeps your Word—you kept your Word to provide a Savior who could only redeem through intense, infinite suffering, and you, Lord Jesus, followed through by submitting yourself to anguish, pain and an unjust punishment of death. Praise you for your faithfulness.]
 
Psalm 15:5 “who lends his money without usury”
 
[You are generous and good, pouring out your riches on us without thought of profit.]
 
“and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.”
 
[You are absolutely just and do only what is right. No one can cause you to move against your children, who through Christ’s sacrifice, are declared innocent in your sight. A bribe has no influence to change your mind to condemn them.
 
On the other hand, we believers can’t get you to change your mind with our “good works,” our fasting or self-denial; we can’t twist your cosmic arm, to “make” you answer our selfish prayers.
 
Praise be to you for your unbending goodness and purity.
Lord, help us to live like you, to follow your example in each of these wonderful qualities and thereby bring honor to your name by showing your glory to all those around us.
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Psalm 15:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 27, 2017
 
Psalm 15:1 “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”
 
[Praise be to you, Lord God, the High and Holy One, who invites us into your sanctuary, to live with you on your holy hill–if we believe on the risen Jesus.
 
This possibility is a delightful demonstration of your great love, your glorious grace and your generous goodness. It is your pure and positive Character at work in the midst of a sinful, twisted and destructive world.
 
Psalm 14:2-4 “…who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind….”
 
Each of these conditions for living in close relationship with you, Lord, is unreachable for us in our own strength; our sinful flesh prevents this, even when our spirit is willing.
 
But, in the face of our inability, you, Lord God, in your rich and powerful, persistent and active agape love have, through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, provided these qualities for all who believe. You have imputed them to us and have made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light!
 
In considering our depraved natural condition, this is against all logic, all normal justice, all human reasoning and contrary to the heavenly expectations of angels.
 
This grace, giving us the opposite of what we deserve, is more than marvelous. It is the demonstration of your loving, lovely, lustrous Character at work in mysterious and majestic ways, moving us from hopelessness and despair to certainty and grace.
 
I praise you for the great and transforming truth of your total commitment to save all who are willing. Therefore we can trust you totally, rest in you fully and follow you wholeheartedly.
 
In the midst of all the turmoil of these days, with war, and terror, lawless governments, rejection of what is right, denigration of what is good and exaltation of what is evil—you, Lord Jesus, shine your wisdom, power and goodness into our lives. You connect and protect, you provide and guide, you carry us forward and we can trust in you.
 
May we honor you today by resting in your goodness, obeying in your power and living as carriers of light and hope to all around us. Praise you for what you will do today!
 
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Psalm 14:4-7

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

Psalm 14:4 “Will evildoers never learn—”

[Lord, this means you are consistently working at teaching all rebels the error of their ways, letting them suffer the consequences of their destructive choices as you, In your faithfulness and love, are calling them to repentance and surrender–but they are not listening!]

“those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD?”

[These rebels commit two evils: they abuse people and they trust in themselves, rather than you, Lord. They delusively believe they are in control, able to handle life on their own as they bully all those around them.]

Psalm 14:5 “But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.”

[In spite of their bravado, inside they have dread because they sense God’s presence among believers. That’s why they so viciously attack those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ, as has happened all down through history. And we see this today as Isl.amic ter.roists and leaders try to wipe out all Christians in their territory.

Such evildoers are afraid of death. They may be aware of the coming judgment, and that they are apart from the righteous–those have surrendered to Christ–but they do not repent.]

Psalm 14:6 “You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.”

[Ungodly people prey on the poor instead of praying to God. But when the poor turn to you, Lord, you are their help and protection. You are faithful, you are good and you are powerful.

As it says in Psalm 68:6, “God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”]

Psalm 14:7 “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!”

[And it was restored in Jesus!]

“When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,”

[and you have done this in Jesus’ resurrection!]

“let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!”

[Yes, the first believers, who were all Jewish, as well as we gentiles who are your children, have rejoiced and will rejoice in our salvation!

And we can continue to rejoice in your daily ongoing practical protection and salvation, as you lead us out of our personal prisons, further up and further into your glorious Kingdom, Lord Jesus.

Truly, you are our Good Shepherd and we will not lack anything we need, as we follow you.]

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Psalm 14:1-3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 25, 2017
Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
 
[This is a clear definition of a fool: one with no spiritual discernment or interest, who rejects truth in favor of his own unfounded opinion.
 
The statement that there is no God is far from reality, entirely limited to this tiny earth, moment, and view. It a sorry position, void of hope, truth, goodness, meaning and a future. I pity the person who believes this, as he is caught in his own delusion and ends up in the darkness of a meaningless, hopeless existence.]
 
“They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”
 
[We are all by nature fools, making ourselves our own god until we meet Jesus, the true and living God. In our natural selves there is no good, no ability to do true good, for all we do is corrupted by our sin and selfishness.
 
This is reality, this is why we desperately need you, Lord Jesus, you who are goodness itself and desire to give all people a new heart filled with righteousness, joy and peace so we can do the good works you have prepared for us (Eph. 2:10).]
 
Psalm 14:2 “The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”
 
[This means, Lord, that you look into every single person, you check them out, you are concerned for them. Only an infinite God could be in close contact with 6 billion people all at the same time! And in doing so, you love all of them, wanting each to come to you, giving each a chance to enter your Family, your Kingdom, your Eternity with you. You are a wonder!]
 
Psalm 14:3 “All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
 
[This is the sad truth: not one single person in the whole world, in the whole of history, ever sought you out on their own. Not one naturally followed you in the right way. We have all turned away from you, we are all corrupt. And because we are sinners, any good that we do is tainted with selfishness, pride and deceit; we futilely try to convince ourselves we are good.
 
What a hopeless situation! In ourselves we are unable to alter it. But praise you, Lord Jesus, that you have entered history, made it possible for us to be released from the hand of the enemy and our own wickedness so we can come into your Kingdom of Light and Life and Love! Like in this picture, you bring life and beauty out of what is dead and decaying.
 
May we be ever thankful for your unwarranted grace, goodness and love. May my life, being focused on you, reflect your love and light to all around me today.]
 
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The Gift of God's Faithfulness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 24, 2017
The Gift of God’s Faithfulness
 
Psalm 13:3 “Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;”
 
[Thank you that we can cry to you in our desperation, as David did here, O Lord. We can always appeal to you, knowing that your faithfulness lwill flow like a stream forever. As it says in Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call upon you: for you WILL answer me.”]
 
Psalm 13:4 “my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall.”
 
[Even when we fall, we can stand again, firm in your faithful power, with you as our persistent Shield and Defender. I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are our unshakable rock, our faithful fortress, our high tower and can never to be defeated.]
 
Psalm 13:5 “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”
 
[Yes, I look away to you, Lord, and look down the long history of your unfailing love where you–in faithfulness–answered, acted, protected, and guided Abraham, Joseph, David, Daniel, Jesus and Paul. So you will do with us.]
 
Psalm 13:6 “I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.”
 
[David here still did not have an answer, he was still in danger, but this is a declaration of his trust in God to answer and save, based on his past experience of God’s help.
 
We also can sing now in praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord, before you act in our troubles, knowing that you will come and work things out to rescue and save, to empower and carry us through–just as you have helped us in the past, always acting out of your pristine character and your faithfulness to your Word. It is in this certainty that, while still in trouble, we can sing in praise for the help you will bring.
 
Help us to persistently praise you in every difficulty, Lord God, before we see any answers, resting and reveling in your full faithfulness. May you thereby be glorified before the people and the spiritual powers around us today.
 
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The Gift of God's Goodness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 23, 2017
The Gift of God’s Goodness
 
Psalm 13:1,2 “How long, O LORD?”
 
[There will be times when God seems distant, when He is not answering our prayers on our time table, when things are going awry with no help in sight. We pray and wait, but nothing seems to happen. There is no hint of His goodness. And yet, in the darkness and mists in our lives, the light of your Word is shining hope on us.]
 
 
“Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?”
 
[There are dark valleys in life, ones we must pass through. These may be sickness, unemployment, relationship problems, depression (like the deep one my dear wife is going through as I write this), the death of a loved one, or fears sparked by governmental chaos and failure, by wars or great disasters.
 
But we can know that you, Lord, in your goodness, designed or allowed each one to mature us, bring glory to yourself and to demonstrate your power to the world.
 
As we know and believe this–even though at times our hearts fail us if we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by disappointment and the immediate circumstances surrounding us–we can choose to have hope in the midst of despair, we can have light in the midst of darkness–> because you are good, you have a plan for good and will carry it out.
 
“How long will my enemy triumph over me?”
 
[At times the enemy does triumph over us—evil leaders arise in nations (ISIS), bad decisions are made by government or mission leaders, churches fall apart, families dissolve in bitterness, hard-working people can suddenly become homeless.
 
None of these may be your desired, overall will, but you allow them for greater reasons. For unbelievers, it is to nudge them towards belief (many have come to Christ in the Middle East because of ISIS). For believers, it is an opportunity for growth, glorifying you and rewards.
 
As it says in 1 Pet. 1:6-7, “Now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
 
So we can that no matter what, Lord, you are always there: you are at work for good, moving deeply, quietly, powerfully, patiently, waiting for the right moment to remove the pressure. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” In your goodness we can rest. Help us to do so today.]
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The Gift of God's Flawless Word

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 22, 2017
The Gift of God’s Flawless Words
 
Psalm 12:6 “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.”
 
[Praise you, Lord God, King of Glory, Creator of only good, for you are Truth itself; therefore, your words are pure as newly opened flowers, for you cannot lie.
 
You have revealed your words to your prophets, had them written down and preserved through the ages, bringing them to us as a bright light in deep darkness.
 
With your words you protect, guide, teach, correct, rebuke, comfort and encourage us. As you are flawless, so are your words. Therefore they are worthy of trust, of praise, and honor.
 
Psalm 12:7 “O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people [oppressors and liars] forever.”
 
[Praise you for this certainty, Lord, both now and in eternity. And a major means of protecting us is your Word. For a time, we may have to suffer the negative effects of liars appearing to win. But their seeming successes cannot affect the core of our stability–our relationship with you, nurtured through your Word.
 
You, Lord God, are our peace and joy, our hope and rest; these are for forever, for they are bound up in you and your eternal and unchanging character.
 
All that we own, all that we love here on earth is expendable and temporary. Knowing this we can let go and release it all to you.
 
Then we can hold on to what is eternal–which is primarily our relationship with you, nurtured by your Word, from whence flows all goodness.
 
And third, with your given grace and strength, we can rise above all the difficulties, problems and losses of this world, remembering that you, Lord, are all that really counts.]
 
To you be glory this day, Lord, in all I have to do and say. May I spot and reject lying and selfishness in myself and conform instead to your steady Word.
 
May you, Holy and Eternal One, our Great God and Glorious King, be lifted up, glorified and exalted before the world today in my thoughts, motives, words, actions and attitudes. Amen.
 
 
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The Gift of Truth

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 22, 2017
The Gift of Truth
 
Psalm 12:1 “Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.”
 
[Thus it seems so often. I praise you, though, Lord, that you have always reserved some who are righteous in Christ for yourself. You are quietly at work to keep your children strong, to make them truth-bearers, shining the truth in love to all around them, to be yeast, salt and light in society. Help us be hope and truth carriers to all around us; convict us when we are not.]
Psalm 12:2 “Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.”
[This is true of so much of what goes on today: lies about what is right; the lies in political correctness; the intolerance of those who claim to be tolerant.
 
You, Lord God, are the only One we can truly trust to speak only truth. Help us, too, to be truth lovers (loving your Word), truth speakers (especially to ourselves) and truth discerners.]
Psalm 12:3 “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, ‘We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips—who is our master?’”
[Yes, Lord, show yourself mighty, expose the liars, bring them to justice; show yourself Master. May the deceived be brought into the light and grasp truth. May we not be fooled by anything that is put forth by liars, including lies we tell ourselves.]
Psalm 12:5 “’Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,’ says the LORD. ‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’”
[Praise you, Lord, that you are the God of justice, that you will, at the right time, rise up to expose evil, judge righteously and protect powerfully.
 
We pray that you will do this soon. We cry out to you to expose the lies of Satan, self and sin (beginning with ours). Bring forth your righteousness as the light and our judgment as the noon day sun.
You, Lord God, love righteousness, and you love the righteous—those purified and forgiven in Christ—as well as all those who continue in darkness, believing the lies of the Devil. Rise up and show your love in causing Truth to flow throughout the land, giving light to all, sweeping as many as possible into your Kingdom.]
 
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The Gift of Protection

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 19, 2017
The Gift of Protection
 
Psalm 146:9 “The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow,”
 
[You, O Lord, not only see, but act on behalf of these weak ones, those whom men are so willing to plunder. You protect, provide and guide the vulnerable, the hurting, the defenseless. I praise you for your graciousness in doing so, for it shows your mercy and love of justice, your compassion at work in wonderful ways.]
 
“but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
 
[Praise be to you, Lord, that you actively intervene to block the desires of the evil one as he seeks to work through evil people. You seem to let them prosper for a while, as Hitler did for 12 years, but then bring them low.
 
Lord, act quickly against such evil desires and evil men; foil the plans of the nations and thwart the purposes of the people; bring instead your desires to pass.]
 
Psalm 146:10 “The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.”
 
[Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are the eternal King, ruling and over-ruling, inexorably moving history to the conclusion that you desire, the end you have ordained–undeterred by the rebellion of men, the failure of believers, or the resistance of the devil.
 
You reign, for you are the sovereign Lord, the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-loving and all-good God, worthy of worship, worthy of honor, worthy of glory, worthy of obedience. So, Lord Jesus, I bow before you now, I eagerly acknowledge your right to rule in my life. I commit myself to give you glory and honor with my mind and mouth.
 
I rise up and go forth to obey you this day, with my whole heart, to bring you praise and thanksgiving by doing before men the good deeds you have prepared for me to do . May you be highly honored in my life today. Amen!]
 
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