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A God Worthy of Our Enthusiasm

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 13, 2016
A God Worthy of Our Enthusiasm
 
Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of waking from disturbing dreams and finding you there, strong and gracious, kind and firm. The stability of your goodness is such a support. It is so comforting to know that you do not change, for you never tire, grow impatient or fade in your love.
 
You are my resting Place, my Shelter, my Shield, my high Tower, my Fortress, my Deliverer. As I think of the past, a long stream of God sightings come to mind, events where you have provided, protected, intervened and answered prayer—all showing your love, commitment and goodness.
 
As I look to the future, which is uncertain–every day could harbor a disaster—knowing you as the unchanging, mighty and gracious God, I can relax in your love, rejoice in your goodness and be ready to embrace whatever comes.
 
Not only do we have you as our personal Shepherd, you have given your children a wide and high perspective on history, both past and future. You have great and comprehensive plans which you will bring to pass. You are dealing with injustice, violence and evil. You are working to bring as many as possible into the Kingdom.
 
In addition, you are giving your children multiple opportunities to mature, deepen and earn rewards by responding to all in faith, as we offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatever you allow. We can, like Jesus, for the joy that is set before us, endure whatever cross you give us, despising the shame, knowing that we are going to be set down with you in heavenly places (Heb. 12:2).
 
We can know that whatever challenges you bring to us, you will give us more than enough grace to move through them with power: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). You will give us more than enough insight, answers, direction and resources.
 
Praise be to you, Lord, for your mighty grace, your majestic love and your magnificent plans, into which you have brought us. I praise you for the purpose, the meaning, the hope and the future you have laid out before us.
 
I praise you for your giving us your Spirit to teach, rebuke, guide and provide for us whatever we need to live for you. I praise you that no matter how I may feel, the truth is that you, Lord Jesus, in your “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of [you] who called us by [your] own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
 
Help us to live in the light of these Truths, Lord Jesus, to walk in wisdom, in faith and in grace so that we may be hope carriers, light bringers and faith givers to all those around us today.
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Psalm 23:4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 11, 2016
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,”
 
[Such walks will come: I have been faced with physical death, with death of a vision and death to self: difficult, painful, unpleasant and dark times. You allow them, however, for good, the greatest two being my giving you glory through trust and my growth in grace. And you have other reasons beyond my understanding; I can trust you as you lead me through the darkness.]
 
“I will fear no evil, for you are with me;”
 
[Evil is there in both presence and potential, but I need not fear it, for you are with me, you, my Great and Good Shepherd who is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer. When you are there, what grounds do I have for fear? You are over all and in control of all, our great Ruler. I praise you for your faithful and powerful presence, full of wisdom and grace, love and firmness.]
 
“your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’
 
[With your rod, you hold our enemies at bay. You rule with a rod of iron; no one can defeat you in battle: “there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). Therefore I need not fear.
 
And with your staff, you guide me, correct me, bring me back to the path when I wander off your way. It is my nature (old self) to veer off the path, for I don’t have a valid compass of my own. But your constant correction keeps me on track. My course may be a zigzag as I stray and you bring me back, but the progress is forward.
 
Praise you that you are helping me to walk more in wisdom, to zigzag less, wasting less time and energy and bringing you more glory.
 
Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful and powerful presence and protection. To you be glory and praise and honor, for you know the way through the dark. To you be exaltation, thanksgiving and obedience. I bow before you today in faith, I rise up in the day’s dawn to walk in submission to your loving guidance. Truly, the commandments of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes (Ps. 19:8). Praise be to YOU!]
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We wait in hope for the Lord

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 11, 2016
“We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20
 
Life is full of problems, fear-producing events, the unexpected and the unjust—all results of sin warping the creation. But you, Lord Jesus, are the rescuing Savior, the One whom we can trust in the midst of this tragic twisting. You are at work to bring an end to the destructive effects of sin. You are the good One, you are the powerful One, you are the loving One, you are the wise One.
 
We can trust you, rely on you and praise you, for there is rest in you when all about us is falling apart. No human resource, no earthly power, no political plan can protect us—but you can, and you have made a way for all to escape the corruption and destruction of the world and to be transported into the glory of the next world, spending eternity with you—if we believe.
 
David had it right in Psalm 33:20-22: “We wait in hope for the LORD.” There is no one else to wait for! And you are the God of hope.
 
“…he is our help and our shield.” You give us grace and protect us from what is truly harmful.
 
“In him our hearts rejoice.” Your love, your kindness, your faithfulness, your power and goodness are more than enough reason to rejoice.
 
“for we trust in his holy name.” You are the holy and powerful God, the most High whose might can accomplish all that is necessary to save us.
 
“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,” Praise you for your love that never ends.
 
“even as we put our hope in you.” The key to participating in your power, Lord, is to trust in you rather than in ourselves. Help us to do that consistently. Glory and honor be to you for the power found in hoping in you, the certainty that you will do what is good and right and best.
 
Prayer: “Today we go into the day with you, in you, by you, for you, Lord Jesus. Help us to put our hope only in you, praising you before any answer comes, giving you ‘great faith glory’ before the unseen hosts. Amen.” –Take from the devotional book, EDIFIED!
 
 
 
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Psalm 23:3b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 10, 2016
Psalm 23:3b,“He guides me in paths of righteousness”
 
[I praise you, Lord Jesus, Our great Shepherd, that you take the time to show us the right way, the best way, so we can walk with you well through whatever circumstances you bring.
 
I praise you that we can know the way of righteousness because you reveal it to us with your Word, your life and the Spirit’s guidance.
 
Praise you for the preparation you have done to give us direction, drawing and driving us into the Word, teaching us your thoughts and arranging circumstances. Praise you for your constant presence to lead us step by step as we listen to you. Thank you for your loving, gracious care.]
 
“He guides me…for his name’s sake.”
 
[What a wonderful motive for guiding us—we can be sure your guidance will be right–and that as we follow you, we may bring honor to your name.
 
Praise you that your foundational desires are always clear in your Word, that your Spirit prompts us in the right way, and that we can then bring glory to you by obeying you.
 
I think of my lost passport in Charlotte, of our delayed arrival in Dallas, of my plane being late coming into Frankfurt and missing my train. These uncomfortable situations were all opportunities to follow you in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake, to exalt your name by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, by trusting you to have a plan and to work it out for the best. And in each case you did.
 
I praise you that these happenings show how trustable your leading is, how you always help us towards doing what is right and righteous, to keep your name clear and clean.
 
Part of your leading us on these paths is teaching us how to respond to difficulties and persecutions, which is a call to share in the sufferings of Christ. May we do this well, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving at each juncture and rejoicing in the privilege of honoring you.
 
You, Lord Jesus, are our gracious and good Shepherd, worthy of trust, worthy of worship, worthy of belief. May I follow your leading today in your paths of righteousness.]
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Psalm 23:3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 9, 2016

Psalm 23:3  “he restores my soul.”

[You, Lord Jesus, are the Shepherd of my whole being: spirit, soul and body. I praise you that in believing in you, I was born again and you made my spirit come alive. Praise you that in living with you, my soul is being restored, being moved towards its pre-sin condition, a process to be fully achieved at death.

You are doing this by transforming my thinking, my will and my emotions as I lie down in your pasture, as I take in of your Word, drink in of your being, and bask in the light and love of your presence.

The rich discipline of memorizing your Word and praying through it while personalizing it, brings more transformation in each area. You teach me to think your thoughts, to desire your will, to lead my emotions. You are transforming what I understand, decide and feel.

In addition, worshiping you through praise brings further change, much of it on an emotional level, seen in a solidification of strength in my soul. Praise brings a greater grasp of your love, a deeper understanding of the security of belonging to you.

It brings a detachment from the thoughts and opinions of of others, learning to fear you instead of people.

It brings a growing desire to please you, of the certainty of your goodness to do what is best, a deepening of faith.

It leads to the response of praise instead of complaining, of positive words and actions in in the place of critical negative statements.

It brings a deepened patience flowing from grasping that you control the timing of what is going on around me. These are some of the ways you have restored my soul, and I’m sure there are many more such good steps to come.

You, Lord Jesus, are the source of life, of healing, of transformation, of hope, of joy. I praise you for your great and deep love which leads you to work with us stubborn sheep, we who wound you afresh every day with our willful, selfish, sinful choices.

Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for hurting you. Forgive me for my rebellion and unbelief. Forgive me for not walking consistently with you through the day, not praying during conversations, not denying self when necessary, not rejecting fear of man, not immediately fleeing from lustful thoughts, not being diligent in what you have given me to do.

Help me today, Lord, to walk in close communion with you, to obey the clear commands of your Word, and to follow the promptings of your Spirit, that I may not grieve your heart, that my soul might be further restored and that you may receive more honor and glory.

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Weakness

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 8, 2016
Written August 2011
 
Praise you for sleep, Lord, not as long, undisturbed or deep as I’d like, but I will accept and praise you for what you bring. You are God, you are Lord, you are the King worthy of praise.
 
I praise you for the privilege of being weak; I praise you for the need to depend on your working things out when I can do nothing myself. I can depend on you because you are wise, just, good and righteous; you are holy dependable, wholly good.
 
Praise you now, Lord God, for the outcomes of the things before us. You are our Shepherd, you will make us lie down in the right place for the right length of time. As you moved us from the Middle East to Germany, so you will move us from here to somewhere else at the right time.
 
“I love you, O LORD, my strength” (Ps. 18:1). My weakness is irrelevant. Your strength is everything.
 
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Psalm 23:2b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 7, 2016
Psalm 23:2b “…he leads me beside quiet waters,”
 
[As our good Shepherd, you know of our need to drink deeply of your Truth, so you carefully and consistently lead us to the source, your Word. You encourage us to come to quiet waters, to spend focused and unhurried time with you.
 
However, instead of coming to drink wisely, we often wade into these waters with our worries and impatience, riling our thoughts and muddying our perspective.
 
Praise you for your patience and graciousness, working to train us in quietness and contemplation, teaching us to lift our souls to you, to pour out our hearts and then wash our thoughts, worries and frustrations with the cleansing water of your Word.
 
Praise you that your provision of quiet waters is perfect: it is pure, it is abundant, it is healing. In our physical lives, drinking sufficient water can prevent illnesses and can speed recovery of those we get.
 
So it is in the spiritual realm. Time with you, in your Word, in worship, drinking deeply of Truth brings the transformation, strengthening of faith, deepening of understanding, broadening of surrender and nurturing of first love. These prevent us from falling unnecessarily into sins like rebellion, selfishness, worry and fear.
 
I praise you for your persistent faithfulness in calling us aside to drink of the Word with its powerful enlightening, revealing, convicting and healing properties.
 
I praise you, O Lord God, that you give us significant choices: to drink or not. Spending time in your Word–reading, memorizing, meditating, praying–are such unnatural activities, fought against by the world, the flesh and the devil. Yet they are the most normal ones for the sheep who love you, desire to live for you and are committed to following you wholeheartedly.
 
Praise you for the privilege of soaking in the Word with the understanding your Spirit brings. Help me to daily delve into its depths and see more of your beauty and goodness. I thank you today for what you will teach me through it. Glory be to you.]
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Psalm 23:2

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 6, 2016

Psalm 23:2 “He makes me lie down”

[I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you don’t ask my opinion about what situation I should be in; you, in your wisdom and goodness “make me lie down.” Praise you for your love and power in doing this, in arranging events, circumstances and pressures so I have to lie down where you know it is best.

Sometimes I could get up and walk away from this pasture (out of a relationship, off a job, away from a neighbor), but once you’ve made me lie down, such rebellion would only lead to loss and then you would again make me lie down in a similar situation until I have learned what is necessary. Praise you that you are firm, persistent and powerful, wisely bringing me to what I need.]

“in green pastures,”

[The place you choose for your sheep is one where we can graze and grow. There is spiritual food, there is provision, there is nourishment. Praise you for your wisdom, that you know what is exactly right for each sheep and that you are persistent in providing it at that right moment.

We can trust you no matter how brown the pasture may appear to us; in your greater and more comprehensive view, you know it is a profitable place, providing us with the opportunity for growth, equipping and maturity.

Our green pasture is where we am now, the situation where, along with beauty, comfort and the provision of our physical needs, there are pressures, stresses and challenges which push us onto our knees, into your Word, into your arms and into your lessons.

In these uncomfortable situations, you are giving us an understanding of our weakness, the opportunity to praise in distress, the chance to shed sin (complaining, gossip, selfishness and competition, to name a few) and to take up grace (such as forgiveness, kindness, service and love).

The harder it is, the greener the pasture. As it says in Romans 5:3,4, “…we also glory in our sufferings, BECAUSE WE KNOW that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

When we look at the larger view of what you are doing, we can gladly stay in the pasture you call green until you tell us to move on. Help us to lie down where you lead us that we may join you in what you are doing in us, through us and for us.

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Joy and Light

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 5, 2016
Thank you, Lord, that, even though it is dark and gloomy out today, within is your light, your Sonshine to warm and cheer me. I praise you that you want us to have joy: rich, deep, abiding, refreshing and empowering joy. The flow of this joy is dependent on you alone, fully independent of circumstances, feelings, suffering, persecution, weakness or difficulties.
 
However, the entrance of such joy into our lives is dependent on us: “May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace AS YOU TRUST IN HIM…” (Rom. 15:13).
 
This joy is like a beam of light shining into a dark room through a hole in a wall; if we stand before it, we are enlightened, warmed and encouraged. If we move away from it, we may see it, but it does not touch us.
 
We have to look away from the darkness and come to you, trusting you to be our Light, our Lord, our Life. As it says in Proverbs 4:18, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining on ever more brightly till the full light of day.”
 
To put it another way, in Psalm 86:4 it says, “Rejoice the soul of your servant, O Lord, for I lift up my soul to you.” It is that coming into the light, looking to Him, being transparent, open, honest before Him, confessing our worries, fears and frustrations to Him and laying them aside as we stand in the warm, healing light of His presence.
 
This is what Jesus desires for us. In John 15:10,11 He said, “If you keep my commands [don’t worry!], you will remain in my love…I have told you this SO THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU and that your joy may be complete [full].” He wants us to be filled with His joy so that we might be light bearers, hope bringers, faith carriers and love givers to all those around us.
 
If I am negative, worried, fearful, discouraged or complaining, I have stepped away from the light, turned from trusting you, Lord, and will blend in fully with the dark shadows of this corrupt world. But if I stand in your light, thinking truth, bringing all the sin and weight that entangles me to you, leaving them at the foot of the cross, then I will stand out sharply from the shadows, a flaming torch of hope and joy spilling light and love to all around me.
 
Lord, help me to live in your light, to rejoice in your goodness, to be filled with joy because I know you, the mighty Creator, the majestic Ruler, the marvelous Shepherd, the magnificent Savior.
 
Help me, Lord God, to let go of the temporary that entangles, to hold on to the truth that frees, enlightens, equips and brings joy, and help me then to rise above whatever comes, flying on the wings of truth, borne up by the shining feathers of your grace and goodness. Help me to move forward in your love and light, drawing ever closer to you so that your joy may fill me to overflowing and bring light and life to all those around me.
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Joining God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 4, 2016
I am so thankful to wake up and find you waiting for me, Lord God. It is so good to be in your presence, in your hand, in your family, in your plan, in your love. Thank you that I am made to need you, to be weak in myself and strong in you.
 
You have designed me to fit snugly into your hand so you can use me in whatever way you decide to bring glory to your name, to bring people to know you and believers to maturity. You are the One to be lifted up, exalted and glorified. Guide me in doing so each day, Lord.
 
Be with those who are suffering today for your name’s sake; give them grace, wisdom and courage; help them to fear you, not people. Protect them from too much pressure; keep your hedge of angels around them.
 
Help them to respond with your grace by rejoicing in their persecutions as you taught in Matthew 5:11,12, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
 
I praise you, Lord, for your unwavering, gracious presence in our lives, unimpeded by anything that others can do to us. Praise you for the possibility to walk in the freedom and light of your presence at all times; help all your children to do that today.
 
Thank you for the day before us, for the certain prospect of your guidance in all that will come. I praise you for your character, your care, your competence in all, for it is absolute, perfect, powerful and pervasive.
 
You, Lord God, are worthy of worship, of love, of obedience, of godly fear. Help me today to walk with you, following your lead, seeking your guidance at each step.
 
You are the One I want to honor by joining you in your work. Remind me to pray about all things, to be focused on what is on your heart rather than my schedule. I praise you now for how you will answer.
 
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