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Weakness and Strength on Display

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 22, 2025 Respond

The intersection of our weakness and God’s infinite power (mentioned in the last two posts) is actually a daily occurrence, but we often don’t notice it.

These intersections are what I call “God sightings.” Here are 4 from today.
Wednesday I had planed to make a 50+ mile trip with our 19-year-old van, but at the last minute decided to cancel  it. This was the first God sighting as He directed me to the right decision.
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Then this morning we drove 6 miles to a nearby town to have blood tests done. On the way the heater in the van would not work (it was an exceptionally cold May day). I checked the radiator fluid; it was full. Suddenly the temperature needle went fully on high! I waited a moment and it went back down. Not good! We had to make our appointments, so we pressed on. God sighting 2, we made it there.
Then on the way home the heat gage again went to high, and the red overheating light came on with a warning buzzer! I pulled off and waiting until it cooled some, and then was able to drive the remaining 2 miles home. God sighting 2: this all happened close to home, not 50 miles away, so we could limp home.
Then after things cooled down, I took the van(my only vehicle for this) one mile to the town transfer station. One of the attendants there is a part time mechanic, so I asked him about it. He checked the engine and said it was definitely a defective thermostat—and proceeded to tell me how to change it! God sighting: I made it to the station, God sighting 3: the mechanic guy was willing to help me, problem diagnosed! God sighting: 4 And I made it back home safely.
Simple happenings. I could chalk them up to “Nice,” or “luck,” or “coincidence,” or not even notice them. But each one was the All-knowing, All-power Creator of the universe reaching into my life to protect and provide. Noticing these increases my faith, my gratitude, my joy, and my love for the Father. Look for the intersections in your life and rejoice.
Picture: God reaching into our world to protect, provide and guide.
May be an image of 2 people
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No One Greater

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 21, 2025 Respond

Yesterday we talked about how weak we are. Today we will look at the opposite: how mighty God is.

“The King is mighty; he loves justice—you have established equity;” Psalm 99:4a

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus,
King of Kings,
Lord of Lords,
Ruler of the universe,
Creator and Sustainer of all.

You are the star-Breather,
the atom Keeper,
the earth Spinner,
the dawn Bringer,
the Beginner and Ender of History.

I exalt you, King Jesus, for you are
mighty and powerful,
The Most High,
Immeasurably strong,
Majestically great,.
The eternal God.

You are incorruptible,
Undefeatable,
Unconquerable,
Unlimited,
Unending.

You are the Source of all strength,
the Provider of all power,
the Author of all authority,
The Ruler who reigns in all regions of life.

No bird flies without your knowledge,
no man sins without your grief,
no person acts without your seeing,
and no evil is allowed that cannot be woven into your plan of redemption and revival.

And, you choose to share your power with us!
“My power is made perfect in your weakness”
“I will boast all the more in my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest on me.” 2 Cor 12:9,10)

Prayer: “To you be glory and honor today in my life as I live under the hand of your love and protection,
deeply satisfied in you, Lord God, the great Shepherd and King of my life. Amen.”

Picture: ” He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Psalm 147:4

May be an image of outer space

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Weakness, good or bad?

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 20, 2025 Respond

“The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved!”  Psalm 99:1

 

Praise be to you, Lord God, the holy One, our sovereign King. Praise you that I can give thanks in all things, knowing that you reign, allowing/bringing to us what is good. Thank you for last night’s interrupted sleep, the restless legs, the disturbing dreams, waking up often, being dried out and the resulting grogginess this morning. All this reminds me of my weakness, my inability to regulate even how well I sleep.

In reality, there is not much that I can control, just a tiny sphere of “power” where I can make decisions, but not fully determine their outcomes. I can choose to go to bed early, but what comes afterwards is not in my hands.

Actually to be weak, and embrace that fact, is good, it is honorable because it brings honor to God, for He said, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Therefore to be weak is something to rejoice in, to delight in, to praise about (talk about supernatural thinking!). It is a chance to give God glory, to live by faith, to be a channel of power, a spring of grace, a beacon of hope, a demonstration of goodness, a witness of the One true God to all those around us.

We are to follow the example of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Embracing our weakness, boasting in it is the way for Christ’s power coming into our lives! Counter-intuitive, God’s thinking, not ours. Let us join Him in it.

Picture: The lamb may be weak, but in the powerful arms of the shepherd is surrounded by power.

May be an image of 1 person

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More of God’s Hand

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 19, 2025 Respond
Well, the Lord continues to bless us left and right with “God sightings,” proving the truth of Psalm 46:1, “The Lord is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble.”
This morning we got a call from Barbara’s nephrologist—not from his office, but from the doctor personally! I’ve never had that before. He wanted to know how she was doing and said the results of her tests shows the need to change her antibiotic. Said he’d call the new prescription in for us—and did!
Then later in the morning we got a call from our new GP’s office! The nurse wanted to know how Barbara was and if she had gotten any medicine for her UTI which was shown in her lab test. Twice in one day calls from doctors! Unheard of. Certainly God watching over us through these people.
May be an image of 1 person, beard and hospital
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Mighty God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 17, 2025 Respond

“The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble.” Psalm 99:1a

As we face the great uncertainties of the future with many negatives going on in the world, it is so good to know that you, O Lord God, reign!

You are
mighty,
powerful,
strong,
undefeatable,
impregnable
and untouchable

you are the Most High,
the Final Authority,
the Measure of all truth.

You will triumph,
you will win,
you will defeat your enemies,
you will reign forever.

You are unstoppable,
unquenchable,
undefeatable.

There is no wisdom,
no insight,
no plan that can succeed against you.

All of which makes Psalm 46 more comforting. “The is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” In troubled times, instead of worrying, complaining, grumbling….turning to Him is the right thing to do. Trust and obey.

No photo description available.

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God Sighting Day

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 16, 2025 Respond

Today was “God sighting day!”

Today I had a 9 am appointment with a contractor, but he didn’t get there til 9:35, making us late for the 9 am men’s prayer meeting. However, when we got there they’d just started praying so essentially we didn’t miss anything. God sighting #1.
A renovation project in the church starts on Monday. The demolition crew was supposed to save materials for me, but the boss had told the pastor that they will just chop up and throw everything away. So  the pastor said, “If you want those things, take them apart today!” The timing of this news was God sighting #2.
So, I zipped home to get the necessary tools, wondering how I could do this work with only one older man to help me. And as I drove along, there, walking along the road, was a fellow I often hire to work for me! He agreed to come and help me. God sighting #3.
Then I called my neighbor and asked if he could bring his trailer to haul all the materials home. He was free and came right up.God sighting #4.
The “deconstruction” went a lot faster than I thought it would and within 2 hours we had the whole wall down, including all the studding, and cleaned up! God sighting #5.
We are so thankful God watches over us not only in the big things, but also the mundane. The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want! Psalm 23.
Picture: whole front wall of church removed.
 from floor to ceiling.
May be an image of 1 person
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No other hope!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 15, 2025 Respond

“We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our [only]  help and our shield.”  Psalm 33:20

You, Lord Jesus, are the One to be praised in the midst of difficulty because you are bringing us through it into a wider place. You have a plan and will bring it to pass. 

We can trust you,

rely on you,

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 plan for all to escape the corruption and destruction of the world, and in the end to be transported into the glory of the next world, spending eternity with you—if we believe in your Name.

David had it right in Psalm 33:20-22: “We wait in hope for the LORD.” There is no one else to wait for!

“…he is our help and our shield.”

“In him our hearts 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  for eternity–and for today.

“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.” That is the  key to participating in your power, Lord,  to trust in you rather than in ourselves, to put our hope in you.

Help us to do that consistently, like Paul, boasting in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest on us (2 Cor. 12:9,10).

Picture: God brings us out into a wide place.

May be an image of silo, nature, twilight and cloud

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What are your God sightings?

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 14, 2025 Respond

Some more God sightings.

The other day I was going to buy new work boots, but as we arrived at the last stop light just before the store, there in front of us was a long line of stopped cars. In the distance we could see a firetruck with flashing lights. Assuming that it was an accident, we  knew from experience it could take a long time to clear out the traffic.  This blocking of our plans later turned out to be a positive God sighting.
And at just a moment there was another God sighting: as we were first in line at the stoplight, I could do a u-turn and escape from the traffic jam.
Then a couple of days later, I got an email from the store saying that because I have a birthday this month, I would get $10 off any purchase over $50! God knew that was coming and prevented me from buying too early. A very small detail, but God is at work in all the details.
Then today another God sighting: we went to the Kidney doctor, and he announced to us that Barbara’s kidney effectiveness had moved from 29% up above %40! That’s a huge jump in a week, and both takes her out of the danger zone, and indicates there may be  more improvement.  The doctor also determined she has  another UTI and gave us meds for it.
God sightings, His hand seen, a chance to grow in faith, and the possibility to tuck those God sightings away in our memories to help us have a biblical perspective in the next challenge that will come. God has a plan and we can trust Him no matter what! Are you seeing your God sightings?
Picture: God has the overview of time, history and the future; we can trust Him!
No photo description available.
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Seeing God at work

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 13, 2025 Respond

God sightings are a great addition to our spiritual lives. They are like lights  in the dark, reminding us of how God is watching over us. They are the way God has us experience His love in a practical way.  As it says in Ephesians 3:19, it is “ to know this love that surpasses knowledge….” Beyond knowledge to living in His visible love.

 
Recently we’ve had several significant God sightings. 
 
While sanding the floor in our house recently, the sander’s cord got caught and jammed the machine. I tried to get it out but failed. I decided to take it over to one of my neighbors who is very handy. He was not there, but just at that moment another neighbor drove in and was able to quickly extract the cord. That perfect timing of the perfect helper arriving was such a clear demonstration of God “showing up.” This has so encouraged my faith in subsequent difficulties.
 
Over the past weeks Barbara has continued to struggle with balancing her salt and body temperature, and then had a sudden drastic drop in her kidney function, sliding right into stage four. We didn’t know what to do and weren’t getting much help from the medical world. But then God stepped in giving us 7 significant God sightings.
 
1. A friend who is a retired doctor urged us to see a new GP he knew. This would mean making this man our Primary Doctor. Not easy to get accepted. However God was ready to act.
2. Barbara was accepted as a new patient.
3. She got an appointment in less that a week (!).
4. When we got there for our 4 pm appointment we were taken in exactly at 4 (!!).
5. The doctor was very engaged, and said he would get to the bottom of things.
6. He spent a full hour with us (!!!) unlike our regular doctor who gave us 5 minutes.
7. Then he got Barbara an appointing with the kidney doctor the next day (!!!!). I had had to wait 4 months to get mine!
 
Look for your God sightings, let Him nurture your faith, and run more effectively with Him!
 
Picture: Barbara from some years ago.
May be an image of 1 person and hat
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Being Sincere Brings Good

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 9, 2025 Respond

Living in Heavenly Wisdom opens the way for good things. Cody’s values culminating in his sincerity brought much good to him, as you will see today.

While rounding up stray cows, Cody came upon three rustlers stealing Dodge’s cattle. He was able to capture them and took them to Dodge’s ranch.

“Hello, Dodge, hope this finds you well. Found these three fellows rebranding your cattle. Thought you might like to have a talk with them.”

“I sure would, a shooting chat, or maybe a necktie chat!”
“Now Dodge, remember our talk about Heavenly Wisdom; one aspect is being sweetly reasonable. These here cattle thieves deserve some punishment, but not hanging. I’m going to turn them over to you and suggest you take them to the fort and hand them over to the Marshall there. He’ll take care of them.”

“How did you manage to capture all three?” asked Dodge. Cody explained, briefly. I’m right glad you were able to catch them, Cody. Three to one is not good odds.”

“Well,” said Cody, “Most of the time I figure a good offense is the best way, not backing away from problems, but charging right in. And that’s what I did.”

After he’d turned the rustlers over to his cowhands, Dodge said, “Come in and have some coffee with me before you go.”

Cody hesitated, wanting to be back to rounding up the cattle, but he realized it was very special for Dodge to invite him. “Ok, but I can’t stay long,” he replied.

After the cook brought them the coffee, Dodge leaned forward and looked gravely at Cody. “You are a most unusual man. I would like you to come and work for me. I could use such a man as yourself. In fact, I would like a son like you. I have only my daughter, no other heirs. She is not able to run this ranch when I’m gone. If you come and work for me, I would make you my heir!”

Cody blinked in astonishment, shook his head in disbelief. He was silent for a while, and then said, “Well, that’s a right generous offer. I did want to have my own spread. Would this mean that we’d be partners in the ranch?”

“Yes, it would,” replied Dodge. “Not only that, but I’d like you to consider marrying my daughter!”

“Really!!!?” said Cody, choking on his words, more astonished than ever. “But I’m just a cowhand, not good enough for your daughter.”

“No, you are more than good enough. Don’t miss this girl, you’ll never find one better suited to your values!”

Cody was quiet for a bit. “Your words are too good to be true,” he said, again shaking his head. “I will certainly consider and pray about this.”

“Good,” said Dodge, “you do that.” I’ll give you a week to make up your mind.”

Tomorrow you will learn the outcome!

Picture, Cody thinking and praying about his future.

May be an image of 1 person

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