S.M. Wibberley’s Blog

“…when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:10b

 

The wisdom of God is far beyond anything we can comprehend, therefore His answers to our prayers can be very different from what a human mind would expect. Lately Ephesians 1:12 has been one of my prayers for others as well as myself: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better.” As a result, I expected to see more of God’s glory in the Word, to be more aware of His working in the world and to see more of His greatness in creation. That, however, is not what happened.

First God began to point out how much I was relying on my own goodness, my own experience, my own spiritual insight—and then how inadequate these are. It was in just simple things, like my response to a disparaging remark, triggering a sinful attitude of mine: I reacted strongly, defending myself.

At the bottom of each such incident was the same thing: failure to believe the Word of God. On one side, I was rejecting the fact of my natural depravity. And on the other side, I was not resting in the truth that I am a son of the Most High God, chosen before the foundation of the world, cleansed, accepted, assigned to significant work, and dearly loved. Why should I be upset at some mere human being’s insult, especially when it pinpoints an actual sin in my life? The problem is I can’t seem to remember these truths very well at the moment of impact!

But God is faithful to persist ins bringing us to our senses, teaching us the same thing over and over until we grasp the truth needed. I am thankful for his persistence and patince. Helping me to let go of what other’s think was just the first revelation. Step two tomorrow.

Picture: set free

 

You, Lord Jesus,  have brought us out of condemnation into a wide place, a beautiful dwelling, a lovely relationship with you. We are chosen because you loved and wanted us, we are cleansed from our guilt, transformed into a new creature, adopted into your family, made brothers and sisters to Jesus, delighted in and dearly loved.

We can now openly acknowledge to you our sinfulness, our shame, our inner struggles; we can allow you to shine the light of the Holy Spirit deeply within our souls (Ps. 51:6) and to eagerly confess what is revealed, knowing that in the security of your love, in the safety of your satisfied justice, in the warmth of your heart, there is no further condemnation, no reason to fear and hide, for you are a forgiving God.

You, Lord God, are love, you are light, you are life; you are healing; you are good and wise and right. We can revel in your words from Ephesians 1: “In Christ you are forgiven,” and “I love you with an everlasting love,”  “I choose you because it is the good pleasure of my will,” and “I am delighted to have you as my child” (paraphrased).

You are all, Lord Jesus: our Hope, our Savior, our Love, our Transformer. In you is all we desire: acceptance, worth, meaning, security, growth and a future. Glory be to you for sharing these things with us, we who deserve the exact opposite. I lift you up, rejoice in you, exalt you and bow before you in thankfulness, praise and adoration.

 

Prayer: “Be exalted in my life today, Lord Jesus. Help me to live a life worthy of you, freely admitting my sin, joyfully accepting your forgiveness and whole-heartedly reveling in your great love and acceptance. May you be glorified as I am satisfied in you. Amen.”

Picture: Jesus has brought us to warm and wonderful place.

“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” Psalm 116:1

 

Praise be to you,

Heavenly Father,

the Great I Am,

the Creator of all

and the Director of Life.

You are the glorious One, worthy of praise, worthy of honor, worthy of love, for your ear always “is open to my cry and your eye is on the righteous.”

There is not a second when you are not focused upon each individual in the world, especially your children. “From heaven, the Lord looks down and sees all mankind” (Psa. 33:13). No event escapes your notice, no happening comes without your permission.

You do not prevent every difficulty or trouble from coming to us, for in your wisdom you know that our growth comes in and through problems and hardships. And each uncomfortable, unwanted situation is another chance to honor you with faith and the sacrifice of praise. It is an opportunity to dance with joy on the stage of life, clothed in grace, energized with truth, surrounded by the light of your love.

When I think back in my own life, there are many examples of your surrounding me with your protection in the midst of difficulty.

• When we were traveling through Greece, an oncoming car had its left front tire blow out and was drawn into our lane, but you caused me to respond and avoid a head-on collision. The result was minimal damage, and great memories of your provision and grace.
• When we were expelled from the country, we were able to come right back and stay another 12 years.
• When I was turned in to the police by a disciple, fired from my job, put on trial, shunned by fellow workers and threatened with the loss of our apartment, you brought acquittal, a statement of greater religious freedom and protection to stay in the country—plus I no longer had to work as a teacher but could work full time to plant churches!
• In a summer of tremendous stress, you used the pressure to reveal that I needed a stent in my heart, and used the ensuing pain to bring me into contact with my doctor friend in Germany who has poured blessing after blessing over us in his generosity.

With the psalmist, I can shout, “Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live” (Ps. 116:2). You, O God, are faithful, you are good, you are wise, you are wonderful. To come into your presence is a privilege, a joy, a grace

picture: us in our late 40s.

June being Christian Heritage month, this is a different post, one looking at the history of the influence of our faith. It is a post from one website I look at.

“It is good to recognize the countless ways in which the teachings of Christ have shaped the fabric of our society and to highlight the many heroes of the faith from centuries past, remembering the impact of Christianity can be seen in every corner of the world. Here are 4 major areas where the influence is clearly seen, a reminder of God’s good working in and for all mankind.

Technology and Science: The foundations of modern science were laid by Christian scholars and thinkers, who believed that the pursuit of knowledge was a sacred calling. Men like Sir Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, and Gregor Mendel all made groundbreaking discoveries that have shaped the course of human history, all while remaining faithful to the teachings of Christ.

Healthcare: Christianity has long been at the forefront of efforts to provide compassionate care for the sick and the suffering. From the early days of the church, when Christians opened their homes to care for the ill, to the establishment of modern hospitals and healthcare systems, the influence of Christianity on the field of medicine cannot be overstated.

Education: The development of education as we know it today is deeply rooted in the teachings of Christ. From the establishment of the first universities in medieval Europe to the proliferation of Christian schools and colleges around the world, the Christian commitment to education has been a driving force in the advancement of human knowledge.

Art and Culture: The beauty and richness of Christian art and culture are a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel. From the breathtaking cathedrals that adorn the skylines of cities across the globe to the timeless works of literature and music that have inspired generations, the artistic legacy of Christianity is a testament to the enduring power of faith.”

It is edifying to remember all the good God has brought through the gospel, blessing us all with His kindness. Good reasons to be thankful always.

“I will bless the Lord at all time, His praise shall continually be in my mouth, my soul shall make its boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear it and be glad.” Psalm 34

A reminder:  Putting on the armor of God.

Help me to put on this whole armor of God every day so I might be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand. Help me to put on the belt of truth, remembering that all I naturally deserve is suffering, failure, punishment, pain and hell, plus eternal separation from you (Rom. 7:18; Eph. 2:1-6). But praise you for your eternal grace in which you chose me, called me, cleansed me, claimed me as your son, commissioned me for special service, and now I stand before you dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in (Eph. 1:1-10; Col. 3:12a).

In the same way, help me to put on the breastplate of righteousness, forgiving, accepting and loving myself as you do me. And to put on the shoes of peace, forgiving others as you have forgiven me.

In addition to all of these, help me to lift up the shield of faith by praising in and for all things so I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Help me to put on and keep on the helmet of salvation, remembering/believing that my salvation, significance and security all depend on and flow from you, from your character and your provision, not from my performance or others’ opinions of me and my work.

I also praise you, Lord that you have given us the sword of the Spirit: your living, powerful, transforming Word. Help me to soak in your Word, read it, to think it, pray it, live in it today. And then to pray with all prayer for all the saints continually, making intercessory prayer the foundation of all I do.

Thank you now, Lord God, for how you will answer these requests, for this is praying according to your Word and will (Eph. 6:10-18)

 

Prayer: “Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your presence, your power, your provision prepared for this day. May you be glorified, magnified, lifted up, exalted and honored through your working in me today. Amen.”

“Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.”

Ephesians 6:10

It is good to know you, Lord, my High and Holy Shepherd who hears and answers prayers. You are the same One who heard Moses’ prayers and answered with wonders of power. So you hear and answer in my life, too, albeit in smaller ways.

Praise be to you, Lord, for your goodness and grace, your wonderful, warm love, your constant presence and protection. What a difference between just knowing truth about you, and thinking/resting in that truth. Lord, today I surrender myself to you, commit myself to obey you and give myself to bring you glory.

Help me to be strong in you and the power of your might today, to embrace my weakness and rejoice in your strength. Confessing my sin–basically unbelief and rebellion–I ask for your forgiveness. I ask you to be my Captain and Navigator, agreeing to obey your direction. Fill me with your Spirit, Lord, that I might be useful for you. Fill me to overflowing so that the Spirit spills over onto all those around me, so when people meet me, they may meet you also.

Help me to put on the full armor of God so I can stand against the wiles of the devil; may I recognize his wiles before I fall into them and fight them with your full armor on. Help me to remember that I fight not against flesh and blood but against the forces of spiritual wickedness and do so with praise, prayer and persistence in doing what I know to be right. Help me to recognize that people are not my real enemy; they are just pawns in Satan’s hands; help me to fight him with your whole armor on.

More insights from turning 50!

The second insight is the realization that a lot of the hard work I have done springs from the motivation of greed! I am greedy for more accomplishment, for more fulfillment, for more recognition. Understanding this is very helpful now in evaluating what the Lord would have me do or not do.

The third insight I am embarrassed to even mention, as it reveals the innate self-centeredness of my being. It is now clear that I will never accomplish or become the things I had dreamed of, such as being successful and well known as Chuck Colson or Chuck Swindoll. I have to settle for a smaller sphere of responsibility—and that is good, for it helps me focus on what the Lord has for me, rather than toying with thoughts of grandeur.

Fourth is a simple truth that my dear wife has been telling me for years: take time to recover. I have always run from one event to the next. Now I am beginning to see how I have sinned in not taking a regular Sabbath to rest and be restored. This past Sunday, after a nice afternoon of reading, I went to prepare some tea for myself and noticed that the dishes needed to be washed. I washed them and enjoyed it! Always before this activity has raised my inner tension because the goal was to get it over with and move on to more important items. Today I enjoyed the warm water and the warm feeling of doing something nice for my wife. I am amazed at how God is changing me.

What does all this mean? God is moving me towards His mindset where life is more a rhythm than a race. Take time to savor things, especially relationships; work hard when there’s work to be done, but don’t let the wrong motives of greed, self-centered fulfillment and the desire for glory dictate my decisions; take time to be refreshed and restored, like taking a walk by a brook like in the picture here. Simple, isn’t it? Too bad it took me fifty years to learn it!

I am looking forward to the next decade of walking with God, if Jesus does not rapture us first. I think it is going to be much more of His working through me in quiet ways than me accomplishing much. And that’s good because the glory needs to go to Him!

Prayer: “Lord, help me today to walk in the fear of you that I may be wise. Help me to choose to act out of godly motives, to do the work you have for me, not more. Help me to savor relationships and rest in you, for your glory. Amen.”

 

Know that the LORD is God.” Psalm 100:3a

This verse above is a command. We are to willfully accept this truth, to grasp it and internalize it.  This calls for bowing our intellect to Scripture, for we can only know God through revelation.

Praise be to you, Lord God, for giving this information to your tiny creatures, limited by this natural world, unable on our own to see the supernatural. There are hints, but we guess wrongly without your specific revelation.

We praise you for your great love that makes your person knowable. You have revealed yourself as Lord, Yahweh, the holy One, great and glorious, powerful and pure, the righteous Judge and Hater of sin. You are God, Elohim, the powerful and faithful One, showing your power in creation and your faithfulness in fulfilling your promise to provide salvation.

What a God! what a Lord! You are without fault, without lack, without sin, totally sufficient in your triune self, complete in full-orbed wisdom, complete in everlasting love. Help us to  consistently  seek shelter in your mighty power, your perfect love and your rich wisdom. amen.

This morning for my quiet time I sat on the dock in front of our little house in Connecticut. The sun was rising over the forest to the east, warming the cool, damp air and sparkling on the heavy dew left from the embrace of the night. The morning breeze ruffled the waters, making intricate patterns from the reflections of trees along the edge. Stretching beyond the pond on my left, grasses of various shades nodded in the morning breeze. On my right, trees crowded down to the pond’s edge, some dipping their leaves into the water, each tree with its own shade of green, and different texture of leaf. At my elbow, tall grasses, headed out in rich grain, nodded in elegance.

At the far end of the pond a pair of Canada geese kept a wary eye on me, ever protective of their four offspring. Nearer to me a muskrat swam across the pond carrying a load of freshly harvested grasses like a flag over his shoulder, his journey sending a “V” of ripples across the pond. A redwing blackbird perched among the cattails and chided me.

Closer to the dock, I looked down into the amazingly clear water and watched some fish swimming slowly in circles, their fins lazily sweeping from side to side. At times one would rush at another, chasing it away, then would rise to the surface and nip at something floating there, hoping that it was edible. Out of the deeper parts came larger fish, long and supple, swishing their powerful tails, moving through the water with a purpose. Along with them came a bass, swimming more sedately; suddenly he yawned, stretching his whole body–maybe he had just gotten up!

I had been reading in Psalm 104 the description of the wonders of the world God created. It concludes with the prayer, “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works….”

To sit and look at what God has created, to be reminded of how much He loves beauty and wants to share it with us is inspiring, refreshing, restorative. This is just a tiny glimpse of the splendors God has in store for us, first in our relationship with Him, then in Heaven beside Him. The question is, are we taking time to contemplate on who He is, to see His character reflected in His creation and in His Word? I need to do that more. Soaking in these different aspects of truth brings transformation of soul and a deeper love for Him. What are we doing with our time?

 

Prayer: “Lord, you are beautiful and you love beauty. Help me to consistently gaze upon your loveliness as displayed in your Word and world, to bring glory to you as I praise you for how I see you reflected in what you have created. May this beauty flow in, through and out of me to those I will meet today. Amen.”

 

The following was written in 2011 following an unsuccessful attempt to resolve a conflict on one of our teams, a painful event with a sad outcome.

 

Psalm 34:1 “I will extol the LORD at all times;”

 

[Even now, in the midst of this painful failure, in darkness and despair, I will extol you, Lord, I choose to praise you, the great and sovereign God who is at work doing what is right, bringing good out of every situation. You, Lord God, are worthy of worship even in the worst of circumstances, humanly speaking–for you do not abandon us. You press on in spite of this pain you suffer with us. You are faithful to the end, and therefore worthy of all exaltation.]

“his praise will always be on my lips.”

[Always, no matter what happens, in every difficulty, every hardship, every form of suffering, failure and evil, I can praise you and I choose to do so. You, Lord God are good, through and through. Therefore what you do is good, what you allow you will use for good for your children, bringing breaking and transformation. Lord God, do good in this situation. Have us suffer as long as is necessary; may we learn what we need to and go through what you know is necessary, with your power and strength.]

Psalm 34:2 “My soul will boast in the LORD;”

[If I am honest, there is nothing to boast about in myself, I can only boast in you, Lord Jesus, the perfect One, the pure One, the holy One who never makes a mistake, never fails. To you certainly belongs honor, praise and worship. You are the One to boast in, not myself.]

“let the afflicted hear and rejoice.”

[In this case I am afflicted, beaten down, a failure, but as I think on you, Lord, I can, with my will, rejoice in you.]

Psalm 34:3 “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.”

[This is the purpose for which I was created, Lord: to bring you honor, praise and exaltation. In this situation, I honor you by faith, clinging to you and to your truth, praising you for what you are doing–what I can’t see or understand yet. To trust you in the darkness brings you glory. Thank you for the light of your Word in this darkness, as illustrated in the picture here.

I will focus on this now, Lord, giving you praise for how you are working things out. At present, from my perspective, there is only total failure and loss, but in reality, there also is the opportunity for giving great glory to you as, by faith, I rest in your wisdom and grace, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving.]