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The Secret Life of Walter M. Christian, Part 1

Published by S.M. Wibberley on April 1, 2016
 
Walter ran up the last few steps and walked swiftly to the door. He didn’t want to be late for work and unnecessarily bring any negative attention to himself from the boss. But as he swung open the door and entered the office, there was the boss.
 
“Ah, Walter,” he said, towering over his diminutive employee. “How’s it going with the coding on that new project? It’s really important that we make our deadline on this one.”
 
Walter adjusted his glasses and blinked up at his boss. “It’s going well. In fact, I’m ahead of schedule and have the whole thing mapped out. I should be done by the end of the week.”
 
“Great,” said his boss. “Keep it up the good work.” Walter nodded and headed to his cubical, hung his coat over his chair and got down to work.
 
Walter was well into his coding when something caught his attention. At first he thought maybe he’d imagined it, but no, there it was again: a movement in the back of his mind. He reached for his sword and shield, and swung around just in time to face his foe, the dragon of jealousy.
 
The hot flames of the dragon’s breath swept over him, reminding him of how he’d been passed over for that promotion he’d wanted and a less experienced guy had gotten it–but Walter kept up his shield, warding off the flames, “Thank you, Lord, for your care and protection in all.” He brought his sword up, slashing with skill at the dragon’s vulnerable areas: “You, Lord, are sovereign, and if getting that promotion had been good for me, you would have given it. I can praise you for not allowing me to have it, for your Word says, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.’”
 
The dragon drew back and stumbled off into the brush. Walter leaned on his sword, panting. He wiped the soot from the dragon’s flames off his face, reminding himself, “My soul finds rest in God alone. He only is my rock.”
Then he heard the twang and whirled around, raising his shield in one smooth motion, intercepting the flaming arrow of self-pity. “Thank you, Lord, that you cause my cup to overflow, and lead me in paths of righteousness; I thank you for what you give and what you withhold, for you are good and wise and loving. I can trust you in this situation.” The arrow thunked into the shield and sizzled out.
 
Walter waited for another attack, but when nothing stirred, he went back to his coding, glad that he’d kept his armor on with his sword and shield handy.
 
The rest of the morning went well, but later in the afternoon, there came another sneak attack. Things weren’t progressing as fast as he’d planned, with some unforeseen glitches he’d have to solve.
 
He was somewhat unhappy with himself for not anticipating these problems. As a result, his breastplate was hanging awry and he didn’t get his shield up in time, so a flaming arrow of worry was able to strike him in his chest. He immediately felt the poison of anxiety begin to seep into his heart.
 
He reached up and pulled out the arrow with the glove of confession and threw it down. “Lord, forgive me for not trusting you; you promise to lead me through whatever comes, even if it’s the valley of the shadow of death–so I can trust you to help me work out these issues. As it says in Psalm 86:7, ‘I will call upon you in the day of my trouble, for you will answer me.’ I praise you now for how you will guide in overcoming these obstacles in my work.”
 
Stamping out the still smoldering arrow with his shoes of peace, Walter put some truth-salve from Psalm 62 on his wound “My soul, find rest in God alone, for my hope comes from Him. He only is my rock, my salvation and my high tower. I will never be shaken.” That quickly lessened the pain and he was able to think clearly again and get back to his work.
 
–to be continued
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Praising God for His Faithfulness in the Morning, His Love in the Evening

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 31, 2016

[Written in early 2011 while living in Germany to care for Omi, Barbara’s mother.]

Praise you, Lord, for the knowledge that you are the manager of my life: in your goodness, wisdom, grace and love you are constantly at work, arranging events, filtering out evil, giving guidance, protecting and directing.

Thank you for the surety that, as I pray about the day, you hear, you answer, you reach down from on high and take hold of me, you draw me out of deep waters, you rescue me from my powerful enemy, from my foe who is too strong for me. You bring me forth into a spacious place. You rescue me because you delight in me. (Psalm 18:16-19)

What wonderful, rich, peace-giving, joy-providing, rest-producing Truth. Whatever comes I can praise and wait for your wise and good timing in bringing me through it.

In relation to Omi and the potential end of our time here, whether we leave in August or December, it’s fine: your timing is perfect. I can trust you to work things out: Omi’s accepting the change; a place opening up at the right time in the nursing home; the selling of her house; the outworking of disposing of all her goods; the shutting down of all utilities; the closing up of our apartment; the actual leaving.

Praise you, Lord, that you have all these things in hand, will guide us through the maze and will cause each thing to happen at the right time. Praise be to you ahead of time because you are always good, gracious and righteous.

Epilogue: the Lord answered and brought every one of these events to pass, later than we expected (almost a year later, by March of 2012), but at the right time and in the right way, including providing Omi a place in a brand new, beautiful nursing home, with her being willing to go and then in the last week of our time in Germany, the selling of Omi’s house for the price she wanted.

Truly, Lord God, you are the God of hope, who wants to fill us with all joy and peace, if we will only trust in you. Then you will cause our lives to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, blessing all those around us (Rom. 15:13). Help us, Lord Jesus, to trust in you continually, fully, richly and willfully so we can be carriers of hope to all those around us.

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Psalm 20:8,9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 30, 2016
Psalm 20:8 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses…They are brought to their knees and fall,”
 
[Horses die, chariots shatter, people pass, strength subsides, and all in the world come to the end of their rope where there is no further hope.]
 
“but we rise up and stand firm.”
 
[Yes, in you, Lord Jesus, strength endures forever: your love is everlasting and your grace goes on through all eternity. When we come to the end of our rope, we can switch to your infinite and eternal rope, surrendering to you, trusting in you, crying out to you.
 
In you we will be able to advance against a troop, to scale a wall in your power, for we are shielded by your goodness (Ps. 18:29). We will always be able to stand firm in you, if we have on the full armor of God.]
 
Psalm 20:9 “O LORD, save the king!”
 
[Praise you that you saved king David in every battle and in every difficulty–and through his line brought us our Savior!]
 
“Answer us when we call!”
 
[Every day we pray, and every day you answer in your faithfulness; you are my Rock in whom I can take refuge (Ps. 18:2). For this I give you praise and honor and glory, Lord. I give you exaltation, worship and thanksgiving. In your faithfulness you are worthy of all surrender, all obedience, all submission.
 
I bow before you, the Mighty Creator, the Powerful Sustainer, my Strong Defender. I rise up into this day to obey you by your power in praise, in patience, in trust, in thought, word and action. Glorify yourself in my life today, O Lord God. Amen.]
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Psalm 20:7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 29, 2016
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses,”
 
Yes, Lord, sometimes we trust in money, might or men of position. Sometimes we trust in training, technology and theological systems. And sometimes we trust in planning, persuasion and people.
 
But all these fall far short of what we actually need; all are pitifully weak in comparison to our enemies: the world, our flesh and the devil. And all are less than nothing in comparison to you, the Star-breather, the Earth-spinner, the Dawn-bringer, the History-ender. Therefore we reject confidence in anything else.]
 
“but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
 
[You are the only One who is trustable to the end: you are the eternal God of all might, the Lord of all power, the Creator of every creature, the Ruler of all dominions and kingdoms, of all principalities and powers. No one and nothing can stand against you (Ps. 33:10,11).
 
You can do no evil, only what is good and righteous and wise, therefore in you we can trust. In your name we can exalt by believing and obeying. In your name we can take refuge, for you are our rock, our fortress and our deliverer (Ps. 18:2) Praise be to you.]
 
Help us to walk today in the greatness of who you are, Lord, rejecting our tendency to primarily trust in other helps, feeble as they are. Help us to trust in you, coming to you first in prayer and dependence, trusting you to use whatever you chose to protect, provide and guide us through this day. Praise be to you now for how you will work, our great King and powerful Savior.
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Psalm 20:6

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 28, 2016
Psalm 20:6 “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;”
 
[This is a rock solid certainty: you, Heavenly Father, saved king David in many difficult circumstances. And you saved Jesus, the anointed One, but not in the way any human would have expected. You did not save Him from suffering and death; you saved him through death by the resurrection.
 
And you saved us through the same act of grace. I praise you that you continue saving us every day, as your chosen ones, in the battle of life. You are a shield to all those who take refuge in you.]
 
“he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.”
 
[You answered David in his distress, you answered Jesus in his death, you answer us in our difficulties, every day. And your answers aren’t some minor move, but are in the mighty majesty of your right hand, your most powerful means of action. Your munificent answers show the depth of your commitment and attention to your chosen and appointed ones.
 
Praise you, Lord God, that you are the Deliverer, the Rescuer, the Answerer, the Lover of your children. You are the Trustable One!
 
Help us to trust in you today, resting in the certainty of your presence, your power and your provision, even when we can see no help on the horizon at the moment. Praise you for your faithfulness.]
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The Cost of the Cross

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 26, 2016

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The death of Jesus on the cross was an event he shrank back from, so horrendous was the prospect. In Gethsemane, “horror and dismay overcame him, and he said…‘My heart is ready to break with grief’” (Mark 14:4 NEB). Three things brought on this horror, and one of them was not the physical suffering he would endure in being crucified.

First he was to become sin. The ugliness, the stench, the putridness, the repulsiveness of sin, these he would become. Think of being lowered into a pit of liquid cow manure, its surface roiling with maggots, the stench overwhelming; and as you go down into it, it gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, and then lungs, engulfing you in its terribleness. This is nothing compared to Christ’s becoming sin for us, the evil of it entering His very being as a human.

Then He was under the righteous wrath of God, which had been stored up from the beginning of time against all the sin ever committed and all that will be committed. This unimaginably immense weight of wrath came down on Jesus, crushing him.

And third, Jesus was torn out of the relationship of the Trinity, the perfect place of peace, the flawless unity, the beautiful balance, the wonderful warmth that had existed from eternity. As He became sin and had wrath poured out upon Him, He could not stay in that intimate relationship. His Father turned away and the fabric was ripped, the essence smashed, the unity destroyed. This separation brought the greatest suffering of all in His sacrifice, not only to Jesus, but to the Father and the Spirit as well.

The amount of horror for Jesus in this experience was immeasurably great. It is an infinite suffering borne by an infinite heart of love under an infinite wrath. And it brought about an infinite solution for finite beings. Only a God who is Love could do this. Only Jesus could be our Savior, both God and man, willing to go through such suffering, which is beyond the comprehension of even the angels who live in the presence of God. And He did this to save us, who are lower than angels, sin-warped rebels who fight viciously against Him, rejecting His way and serving Satan and self.  But now He has given us the possibility of being rescued from the dominion of darkness and becoming His children. Hallelujah!

Let us stand in ever-growing awe at the amazing, unbelievable, contra-conditional and compassionate sacrifice made by the Living God to save us who are captives of death, of the devil and of destruction. May this awe transform our mind, will and emotions so that we thirst after God and eagerly spend time with Him every day.

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, forgive me for trivializing your immense sacrifice to redeem us, your evil enemies. I praise you for your great love, your deep commitment, your incomprehensible grace. Help me to live in the light of your mighty and infinite love and to love you back in consistent obedience. May your light and love shine out of my life today, bringing you ever-increasing glory. Amen.”

–from the devotional book EDIFIED

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Knowing Jesus IS enough for Joy

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 25, 2016
Praise be to you, Lord, for new life, for joy and peace, for hope and purpose, for your love and embrace. To know you is way beyond good–it is the deep desire of every human heart, to be enfolded in a rich relationship with the Creator of the universe–but sadly, most resist acknowledging it and are instead locked into the crushing embrace of the negative values of this fallen world.
 
To rest in your embrace of love, the warmth of your acceptance, the grace you exude at each moment, to rejoice in the lack of condemnation, the lack of accusation and conditional acceptance—these realities are so wonderfully edifying, strengthening, encouraging and empowering.
 
I can go out with you into today, Lord Jesus, knowing that you are not only with me, but within me, that you will never leave me. I can trust you fully to guide me through the obstacle course of today as we wend our way forward in this fallen world, leaving behind a trail that others can follow.
 
I praise you that you know every bend, every turn, every pitfall, as well as every ambush the enemy has set up. And you have prepared me for them. As I keep on the whole armor of God”, listening to your Spirit, I can respond to each ambush, stand against each attack and be more than a conqueror no matter what Satan may throw at me. “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies” (Ps 18:3).
 
I may trip, fall or get knocked down, but remaining in your truth by confession and repentance, I can spring to my feet and continue on the path of righteousness you are leading me down for your name’s sake.
 
“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” You, LORD, “are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer… my shield and…my stronghold” (Ps. 18:2) and as I stay behind the shield of your love, in the stronghold of your holiness, and on the rock of your mercy, I am safe.
 
Praise be to you, the God of goodness, the Lord of love, the King of kindness, the Giver of grace. Today I choose to live in the truth that “Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy,” following your example, Lord Jesus, as you, “for the joy that was set before you, endured the cross despising the shame and are set down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 12:2).
 
Help me to keep my eyes on you and the joy of knowing where I am going in life and death, for then the difficulties and pain of this life will fade in significance and power, so I can run with patience the race you have set before me.
 
 
 
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Psalm 20:4,5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 24, 2016
Psalm 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart”
 
[This echos the statement of Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the Lord and he will give you the desire of your heart.” As we find our delight in you, Lord, it is safe for you to answer our prayers, for you know that the answer will not become an idol.
 
Lord, you are my delight, my joy, my goodness, my God; help me to consistently focus my love on you, to reject the temptation to let events and people siphon off that love to lesser things. Praise you that as we delight in your character, putting you first in all our lives, you can safely grant us the desires of our hearts, for you have conformed our desires to yours, you have placed in our hearts the desires that are right.]
 
“and make all your plans succeed.”
 
[Lord, may only those plans that flow from your succeed. May you be glorified, honored and exalted by the success of any plans we seek to implement. May you come first, may you be praised, may you be lifted up in any success that comes. I commit to you all of today and ask that in my thoughts, motives, words and actions I may please you, give you honor and exalt your name.]
 
Psalm 20:5 “We will shout for joy when you are victorious”
 
[We will glorify you, Lord God, for any and all victories–for people being set free, coming to know you, overcoming temptation, maturing in you, sharing with unbelieving friends. You are the great Doer, the Bringer of good, the Victor and Ender in all.]
 
“and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.”
 
[It is your name that should be lifted up, magnified and glorified. Whatever results come from our efforts to obey you should result in honor for you, not for us. May the world see your power and purpose, your grace and goodness in whatever success comes into our lives through your hand.]
 
“May the LORD grant all your requests.”
 
[May you fulfill whatever requests line up with your will, Lord. May none of my requests that you know aren’t best be granted. I don’t want to be asking for a king as the Israelites did, or for a longer life when that is not your will, as King Hezekiah did. Protect me from myself and my own ideas. I surrender my all to you and ask that you lead, that I might follow and do what is your desire. May you be lifted up, exalted, glorified in my life today.]
 
 
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Psalm 20:1-3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 23, 2016

Psalm 20:1
For the director of music. A Psalm of David and a wonderful prayer for us:

“May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;”

[Praise you, Jehovah Yahweh, that you do answer: “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will answer me” (Ps. 86:7).]

“may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.”

[You, heavenly Father, are the strong and faithful One, and in your name is power. You kept on working with that rascal, Jacob the deceiver, persisting to the end and finally brought Jacob to surrender in worship on his death bed. And now, in spite of his ugly past, you are not ashamed to be called “The God of Jacob!”

You protected him all through his life, and in like manner, you, O Elohim, the powerful and faithful One, protect me in all times, in every place, in all circumstances. You are rock-solid-sure in your love and power.]

Psalm 20:2 “May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.”

[Praise you, Lord God, that we can enter your sanctuary any time and know that you will hear and accept us. Praise you that you always send help, just the right help, at just the right time—which may be much later than we want it, but then we have a chance to live by faith as we wait for your perfect and wise timing.]

Psalm 20:3 “May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.”

[Praise you, Lord Jesus, that in your name and by your grace, we are able to offer acceptable worship to you. We are able to give you honor and glory in ways that are pleasing to you. Only in you and by your sacrifice is this possible. Praise you for opening the way for us.]

As we pray this prayer, help us to see your answers in our lives today. Thank you for how you will respond, O Lord, our God.
Selah

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The God of Provision

Published by S.M. Wibberley on March 22, 2016

You, Lord, are the God of provision, flooding our lives with  your gracious goodness, your constant kindness, your wide wisdom, your penetrating insight, boundless strength and great grace. Truly, our cup overflows, you have brought us into a spacious place, your have rescued us because you delight in us. What goodness you have poured out on us:

–the great and glorious privilege of being your child, the sons and daughters of the Most High King;

–the grace of  knowing and living ever more intimately with you, the Great and Glorious God;

–the vision-shifting truth that whatever comes into our lives is part of your plan to work good, to give opportunity for us to fulfill the purpose of our lives (giving you glory) and to give us significant parts in moving history to its conclusion;

–the powerful possibility to rewrite every hurt from your point of view and to forgive the offender as you have forgiven us, thereby freeing ourselves from the cruel bonds of resentment;

–the wonder of your love lavished on us in undeserved richness, in marvelous breadth and length and depth;

–the joy of belonging, of having worth, of being competent in you;

–the security of knowing where we are going;

–the anticipated joy of spending eternity with you.

With these shining, beautiful and powerful truths, I can enter this day at your side, joining you in the adventure you have for me, the work you have for me to do in partnership with you.

There may be disappointments, hurts, troubles and difficulties, but each one is a fine tool you will use to shape me more into the image of Christ. And each one will be an opportunity to be weak in myself but strong in you, to praise, to rise on wings of eagles, to see things from on high and to give you glory. What a life you’ve given what joy you share with us, what a God you are!

May you be glorified in my life today by the working of your Spirit and Word on my will to bring me to quick, eager, loving obedience in each situation.

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