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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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Psalm 23:1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 3, 2016
Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd”
 
[Five short words that hold infinite grace. You are the Holy, Pure and Triune God, utterly other, totally Just and Punisher of sin–yet you make yourself the Shepherd of rebels.
 
We are the antithesis of you: finite, sinful, polluted through and through, nurturers of sin, lovers of lusts. Yet you are willing to stoop down, to reach into this sin-soaked, iniquity-infused, evil-endowed world and make yourself Shepherd to your redeemed, yet selfish sheep.
 
You have made a total commitment to our good: patiently and persistently guiding, providing and protecting us. You do this even though we daily grieve you with our stubborn love for sin, our rebellious selfishness and our unholy focus on things rather than relationships.
 
We can be certain of your faithfulness, of your goodness, of your wisdom, of your grace, of your power: “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Ps. 73:21-24). We praise you that you have chosen to be our Shepherd.]
 
“I shall not want.”
 
[Four short words, describing the outcome of having an infinite, holy Shepherd who gives absolute, total, powerful and wise provision. To know you, the great and gracious One who holds the future in your hand, who is the source of all supply, who makes the decision of what will come to us–this is enough.
 
Your provision goes far beyond the seen; here is some of what you give us.
 
–You provided your Spirit to convict of guilt, to shepherd us into belief and repentance and then to dwell within giving unending gracious guidance.
 
–You provide love, forgiveness, transformation and adoption into the Family and Kingdom of God.
 
–You pour into our lives ever growing peace, love, joy and hope.
 
–You provide healing, growth and maturing in our souls: mind, will and emotions.
 
–You provide belonging, worth and competence.
 
–You provide unending and immeasurable significance and security.
 
–You provide protection from the evil one, evil men and our own evil nature.
 
–You filter out of our lives the events that will harm us spiritually, and bring to us the events that will challenge, deepen, equip and mature us.
 
–You provide us with weakness, hardships, insults and persecutions as platforms upon which we can give you glory through trust and praise before the watching crowds of people, demons and angels.
 
–You provide what is needed in the physical realm, which is often less than we desire, but much more than we deserve.
 
–You pour out more than we need, so we can then provide for the needs of others.
 
Praise be to you, O my Great Shepherd. Forgive me for grumbling about not having this or that and forgetting the immeasurable, invaluable invisible things you pour into my life every day. Help me to live in the Truth and Security of your choosing to be my Shepherd, of your being the focus of my life, my heart, my activities, my future. To you be honor and glory today in all I do, say and think.
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Psalm 22:29-31

Published by S.M. Wibberley on May 2, 2016

Psalm 22:29 “All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—those who cannot keep themselves alive.”

[No one can keep himself from dying, none of us can defeat old age or death. And no one can avoid judgment: all human beings will come before you, Lord, and bow their knee, whether willingly or not. No man will be able on his own to stand in your magnificent, holy presence, for the strength of your mighty power and majestic authority will force all to bow in submission in the judgment to come.

But you offer us the privilege of bowing before you now in willing surrender, in belief, in faith, bringing us into your presence through the blood of Christ where we, as your children, can joyfully bow to your Kingship, Lord Jesus. And we do so willingly, wholeheartedly, in wonder.]

Psalm 22:30 “Posterity will serve him;”

[There will always be an ongoing line of believers, sustained and guided by you, no matter what the era may be–just as there were in the Dark Ages, in the Middle ages, in the Enlightenment, in modern times, in postmodernism and now in the “me culture.” Man tries to go his own way, but there are always those who respond to your invitation to walk in your way.]

“future generations will be told about the Lord. Psalm 22:31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn—for he has done it.”

[There will always be a witness, there will always be propagation of the gospel. You, in your righteousness, truth and grace have done all, made all preparation, sending out your word in creation, in the Book, in spoken witness, in dreams or visions if necessary.

You have prepared all and will bring history to your desired end: the elimination of evil, the entrance of eternity, the enlightenment of all by your eternal character. Praise you for your greatness, your goodness, your glory that was, is, and is to come!

You alone are worthy of faith and obedience, of trust and praise, for you are wonderful: you only are to be worshiped. Help us to do so every day, all day!

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The Privilege of Aging

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 30, 2016
“Though we are outwardly wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
2 Corinthians 4:16
 
Aging is, to put it bluntly, the process of progressive deterioration of the body and loss of abilities and qualities. Hearing fades, eyesight dims, muscles lose strength, flexibility decreases, joints creak, energy wanes and the mind slows.
 
Many of these losses are more than physical, for they are also the loss of what has made us feel good about ourselves, of what gave us a sense of worth, importance and the ability to accomplish. Therefore the process of aging can be doubly devastating as things physical, mental and emotional are taken from us.
 
Looking at this from a different perspective, however, aging is an opportunity for a deepened life. It should force us to reexamine the values we have adopted, especially on an emotional level. As our ability to perform is taken from us by these losses, it is an opportunity to further turn our attention towards enduring values and truths.
It is an opportunity to affirm that our worth actually does not depend on our accomplishment but upon two unchangeable facts: as human beings we are made in the image of God and as believers we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. In addition, our significance does not come from what we can do with our bodies and minds, but from being given important and vital roles in God’s overall plan for the universe: praise, prayer, persistence in doing what we know to be right and propagation of the gospel.
 
These can be carried out in old age even better than in our youth as we have had time to develop a character that reflects Christ. When we age to the point where we can do nothing else but exist, Christ’s kindness, love and grace can still shine out of our lives as we continually offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving (Ps. 50:23).
 
In addition to worth, our sense of satisfaction does not need to come mainly from physical strength or mental ability or accomplishments. It should come primarily from the unending and unfathomable truth that we, as believers, belong to God.
 
He is carrying us through each stage of life, onward to a timeless and perfect relationship with Him in a sinless and overwhelmingly wonderful setting. “…our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:16,17).
Aging, then, becomes an opportunity to further shift our focus away from the passing things of earth to a deeper and timeless mindset as seen in Psalm 72:25, “Whom have I in heaven but you and earth has nothing I desire besides you.” This leads us to thinking Truth rather than half-truths, thinking eternally rather than temporally. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).
 
Aging is also a further chance to understand Paul’s statement, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). My increasing lack of competence in the natural realm is a platform upon which the grace of God can be displayed to all around me. It is an impetus to look forward to what God has for us as we age and can no longer depend on our own abilities!
 
Old age is the process of losing things; maturity is letting them go, embracing the truth that God has better things for us.
 
Prayer: “Father, help me to be continually moving from a natural mindset to a supernatural one, praising you in all, seeking to give you glory, seeing you as my all in all, letting go of what I can’t keep, holding on to what I can’t lose, and rising above the losses of life with joy. Amen.”
–From the devotional book EDIFIED!
 
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Psalm 22:26-28

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 29, 2016

Psalm 22:26  “The poor will eat and be satisfied;”

[You, Lord, are the Provider of all the physical needs of the world, you remember the needy and weak. “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing…” (Psa 68:5).

And you also provide the spiritual bread that nourishes and satisfies in all your children.  “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty'” (John 6:35).]

“they who seek the LORD will praise him—“

[You are so worthy of praise, O God, King of the universe, Lord of the nations, Creator and Sustainer of all! When you turn our hearts to seek your face, as we begin to see you as you are, what can we do but praise you in and for all, rejoicing in your being, boasting in our weakness, praising in your faithfulness and forgiveness.]

“may your hearts live forever!”

[And this is the reality you have promised for your children. You are the Giver of eternal life, the Author of all eternity, the Defeater of death: in you we will live forever.]

Psalm 22:27  “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,”

[You are at work in all the world, Lord, among all peoples, bringing from every group those who respond to your call. Praise you for revealing yourself through your creation that speaks to us every day, through your Word and through the work of your Spirit. Praise you for your love for every single person, for providing salvation for all, for convicting each of sin, of your righteousness and the judgment to come. You are good, just, gracious and wise. You are love itself.]

Psalm 22:28  “and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.”

[You reign, you are sovereign, you have control, you use all for good, you make your plans come to pass while still giving us moral and ethical responsibility. And in the end all will bow before you, whether willingly in belief or grudgingly at the judgment seat. Praise you, Lord God, for the wonder of knowing you, the King of All, the Lord of Lords, the Ruler of the universe.

Help me to live today in the light of your greatness, standing in awe of you, of your love, of your Word, of your commands. May this result in fearing and obeying you instead of raising my ideas or those of others above your Word. You are worthy of my full obedience, my total surrender and I bow before you, that in obedience I might bring you greater honor.]

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Totally Trustable

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 28, 2016

A clear and sunny day with early morning fog rising off the pond. Praise be to you, Lord God, Creator of all the beauty before us, beauty which shows us your great heart of love. You share all the reflected glory of your Being through the vast variety of flowers and trees, colors and scents, creatures and shapes, landscapes and seas.

Your mind has no limit, your wisdom has no boundary, your knowledge has no border, your greatness has no end. On the other hand, I praise you that you do have limits in the right places: no sin, no evil, no selfishness, no lying, no double-mindedness, no hypocrisy, no failure, no faithlessness. In you there is only goodness, only purity, only holiness.

I praise you that you also limit yourself by making promises: you give your Word and you always keep it. You make your vows, you fulfill them. All other possibilities are set aside and you bind yourself to your vow, always following through. The choosing of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was made before creation, and you brought this to pass at the right time. I give you praise and honor and glory for this marvelous Truth of your faithfulness, for this wonderful reality of your being.

I praise you, too, for your unending presence; you are everywhere at the same time, while in another way you are especially near those who seek you, whose hearts are open to you. You are near the brokenhearted. You are near the repentant. You are near those righteous in Christ. You are near the obedient. You are at work in the elect.

I give you glory, Lord God, for how we can trust you with all our hearts because you are faithful with all your heart. Wherever I go, whatever I do, you are always watching, protecting, guiding, keeping, equipping, teaching, revealing, convicting, blocking, loving. You are worthy of praise and glory, of adoration and obedience.

You are the great One, the wise One, the loving One, the holy One, the pure One, the faithful One, the true One, the eternal One.

To you I bow down today, to you I give my heart, my mind, my soul, my body, my time, my possessions, my money, my relationships, my future, my desires, my projects, my health, my strength, my will, my all. I am your son, your steward, your servant, your subject. Praise you for what you will do in me and through me today to bring greater glory to your Name.

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Psalm 22:25

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 27, 2016

Psalm 22:25  “From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.”

[You are the praiseworthy One, O Lord, the One to be obeyed, the ultimate in Leadership, the true and only God.

I thank you, my great Shepherd, for the privilege and wonder of memorizing and meditating on your Word, so I can go over it as I lay in bed, soaking in the richness of truth, the beauty of your mind, the power of your perspective. You are great and gracious; I thank you for your wonderful love and care, for your guidance and direction.

I praise you for your marvelous Character: pristine, pure, perfect, powerful, prolific, the paragon of all goodness. You are worthy of worship no matter what my circumstances. You are the God of goodness, great in glory and the Giver of grace.

May you rule in my life today, may I walk in response to the leading of your Spirit as He uses the Word in me, may you be exalted by my motives, responses and obedience, may your name be lifted up before all those around.]

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True Refuge

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 26, 2016
Psalm 22:22 “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.”
 
[You, the prayer-answering, all-wise, infinitely powerful, all-good God, are worthy of praise. You are Yahweh, Elohim and Adonai, the God of perfect character, marvelous wisdom, rich love, unending righteousness and immeasurable power. Yes, before all I will declare your name and praise you!]
 
Psalm 22:23 “You who fear the LORD, praise him!”
 
[To fear the Lord is to stand in awe of His power and greatness, His hatred of sin and love of righteousness; it is to care deeply what He thinks about things, and obey Him fully. This leads to praise, worship and thanksgiving from us and those who are around us, it leads to honor and glory for Him.]
 
“All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
 
[To honor and revere you, Lord God, with enthusiasm and joy are the responses of those who spend time in worship and your Word. Then they can see your beautiful and majestic Character, Lord God, the Triune Ruler and Perfect One.]
 
Psalm 22:24 “For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one;
 
[You were very much aware of Jesus’ suffering, Father, and you allowed it, knowing that it was necessary for Him to be the perfect Savior: “Because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 18).
 
Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 12:4). You valued His suffering because you knew it was necessary; at the same time He was able to reject the shame of his suffering because He looked forward to what it would do in saving many and giving His Father glory.
 
You are also aware of the suffering of your children, ever giving them the grace needed to move through with power and become more like Christ. Help us to not despise or disdain the suffering you allow into our lives, but to look beyond it in joy to what it will accomplish in our lives and to the honor it will bring to you as we respond in faith.]
 
“he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.”
 
[You came in at the right time and rescued Jesus, not from the cross, but from the grave; you are the absolutely reliable One. You also did this repeatedly for David when he cried out to you, who wrote, “This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (Ps. 34:6).
 
And you do the same in our lives when we flee to you for help: “The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).
 
As David so confidently states in Ps. 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Help us to consistently run to you, Lord, for refuge in each situation, to fear you, not men, to trust you, not ourselves.]
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Certainty in Perfection

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 25, 2016
Praise you, dear Lord, that in your gracious goodness, you unfailingly guide and direct, provide and protect us. Praise you for the richness of your character, the perfection of your personality, the graciousness of your goodness, and the firmness of your faithfulness.
 
Thank you that you lead us through difficulties, darkness and disappointments, using each to deepen, mature, chasten and develop us. You are wise beyond words, knowing exactly what is right, always doing what is best, and working out what is wonderful, no matter how it may appear to us.
 
I praise you, Lord, that whatever comes today, I can praise you for it. Confidence in you is never misplaced, praise is always appropriate, trust is always right.
 
To you now I lift my heart and soul in praise, for you are worthy of it in your perfect power, wonderful wisdom, lavish love, great goodness and flawless faith, in your strong sternness and touching tenderness. Every quality needed is there in the exact amount and in perfect balance: mercy triumphs over justice, forgiveness comes before condemnation, love covers a multitude of sins.
 
You are a marvelous Lord, the only God, the perfect Father. You are far better than any god we could make up: in our flawed thinking, anything we could produce would be also flawed, like the Greeks’ human-like sinful gods.
 
Thankfully you are completely different, far beyond any human conception: perfect and eternal, wise and good, being light, love and life yourself. Your essence is totally other than that of your creation, and for that we are thankful.
 
Praise be to you forever and ever. Your faithfulness is the reason we can praise you before anything comes to pass, for you are fully sovereign and are easily able to allow or prevent whatever you desire. It is a certainty that you will bring to us whatever is right.
 
Praise you for our weakness in the events before us now, and for your strength will use all for good in our lives. We give you glory, honor and praise now for what you will do today, tomorrow, next year and forever. You are Lord, you are God, you are worthy. Amen.
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