Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6

Patience is not one of my virtues. I don’t do well waiting. I want results now. I work hard to relax and wait and give God time to work. If I stand in the shortest line, it takes the longest time. I think God is trying to tell me something.

Sometimes it is like that with the bigger challenges in life. When those strike, I want to fix them immediately. The two improper words in that are “I” and “immediately. I cannot solve every problem, cure every hurt or avoid every fear, but I can (and should) leave room for God. I can’t do the seemingly impossible, but He is able to do “exceedingly, abundantly and above all” that I could ask or imagine. (Eph 3:20) The Lord delights in the impossible.

This is what the Biblical phrase “wait on the Lord” is all about, trusting and waiting for Him to work. Waiting and trusting runs counter to my proactive and assertive self. Fretting only causes harm. He alone can part the waters. We are to walk by faith, not by feelings. We must trust God with the impossible and leave room and time for Him to work.

There’s not a mountain too tall; nor a problem so small that Jesus can’t resolve. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 40:31: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

We live in an instant world. Waiting is such a loose term these days. We throw it around as though it’s something we are very familiar with, but are we? Do we really know what it means to wait? We can cook meals instantly in the microwave or go through a drive-thru for the fastest meals we could ask for. Amazon Prime (and even Prime Now!) has made it so that we can get a package in our hands in days or even mere hours.

If we have a question or are curious about something, there’s no need to wait or research later. The smart phone most of us hold in our hands much of the day can generally answer any questions we may come up with. The point is, waiting is an idea we are all familiar with, but aren’t necessarily used to practicing.

No one likes to wait, but waiting on the Lord is an act of obedience. We should not be anxious about tomorrow and live each day in its own time. God will take care of tomorrow.

We must cast out fear, not an easy thing for me to do. I tend to worry, especially about the unknown. The only fear a Christian should entertain is the fear of sin. All other fears are from Satan sent to confuse and weaken us.

These past six months have given us all a lot to fear, more than anytime I can ever remember. We have things to fear that we had not ever considered like the pandemic, being evicted onto the streets, having no employment and the list goes on. We have long term things to fear, but we also have tomorrow. When we feel we are in the dark and don’t know what to do next, God tells us to cast out fear and seek His light for the next step. We need to trust God for guidance in small increments. If you can’t see dimly in the distance, do what lies clearly at hand.

▪ Be patient and trust the Lord. Psalm 37 CEV

▪ With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and He will clear the road for you to follow. Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

▪ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

Trust God to deliver in His own unique way. That’s His specialty!

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?

Initially, I was quick to respond. But then, as I deliberated and really thought through it, my mind and heart were pricked. Sometimes… We have to be like Peter and step out of the boat, eyes solely focused on Christ, and walk on water. It’s only when we take our eyes off of Him and begin to focus on our circumstances that we find ourselves thrashing about in the water. All too often we allow others to steal our dreams, squash our passion, diminish our purpose… whether in jealousy, in ignorance or in untruth. You know your gifts. You know your strengths (and your weaknesses). You know God has a plan. So I’ll ask it again. “What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?” Marty Stubblefield.

— o —

Worse than COVID-19 is the unseen enemy, Satan. The scourge of his pestilence that he has inflicted upon the human race is of pandemic proportions. The plague of sin has infected every home and every heart. In its wake we witness suffering, sorrow and shame. Its symptoms are pride, greed and lust. And it manifests itself through immorality, addiction and corruption. Ken Weliever, The Preacher Man

— o —

The famous preacher Dwight L. Moody once said, “Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment. Trust in your friends and they will die and leave you. Trust in money and you may have it taken from you. Trust in your reputation and some slanderous tongue may blast it. But trust in God and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

“We are saved by faith, not by growing fruit; but we are not saved by fruitless faith. A person saved by faith will be a person in whom the fruit of the Spirit grows….” – Timothy Keller

There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is based on circumstances. Joy is found in knowing that God is faithful and will work things for His good despite our circumstances. Joy comes in knowing the hope, peace, grace, forgiveness and love found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Marty Stubblefield

The fact is, human words cannot save human souls. You and I cannot convict anyone of their sins or lead them to repentance. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. He will use us to the degree that we depend on Him.

The works of God are such that only God can perform them. Soren Kierkegaard

Don’t let your circumstances define your image of God, but let God define your circumstances. Pastor Phillip Hanes

You can let people get on your nerves, or you can let people get on your heart. Ken Whitten

Proverbs is God’s wisdom for making wise decisions. Rob Taylor

***

A testimony of God’s Grace:

Recalling September 14, 1965

By Retired Pastor Jeremy Stopford

55 YEARS AGO TODAY I had open heart surgery.

I was 13 years old, 3’7” tall, 68 pounds. Doctors told my parents that without the surgery, I would have been an invalid by age 20 and dead by age 30. Technically, it was to repair a “right atrial septal defect”, or simply put, a “hole in the heart”.

Mind you, these were the early years of heart surgery. I sure was fortunate to have the procedure when I did.

* I spent 6 days in the hospital BEFORE the surgery. During that time I had a heart catheterization, along with many other preliminary tests.

TODAY I would come to the hospital the morning of the surgery!

One year AFTER the surgery, at age 14 I was 4’ 8” tall, 120 pounds. My parents went through a LOT of clothes changes for me that first year!

A couple of years ago, my cardiologist and I talked about how heart surgery has changed since 1965. You might be interested – and perhaps amazed – in some of those changes:

* In 1965, at around 7:30 am, after much “prep work”, the surgeon – YES, the surgeon! – Dr. George Robinson, walked me from the prep room to the operating room! We had a wonderful visit. He asked about my hobbies. “I play golf,” I said. “Any good?”. “Well, last week I had a 78.” [I didn’t tell him, and he didn’t ask, that that score was on a Par 3 course!] Little did I know that would immediately change the good doctor’s plans for the surgery! Perhaps many of you have had your chest bone broken in order for the surgery to be performed. But the kind doctor – in order to SAVE my chest bone and my golfing arm – had my right arm held up during the surgery so that it would not be damaged. Thus my scar goes east to west instead of north to south on my chest.

TODAY: According to his 1999 obituary, Dr. Robinson was one of the nation’s pioneer cardiac surgeons, beginning the department at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx in 1957. Now the cardiac unit bears his name. And HE walked me into the operating room. Wow!

Needless to say, the surgeon no longer does that task!

* In 1965, the surgery lasted 4-5 hours

TODAY: the surgery lasts 30 minutes to an hour, depending upon the extent of the procedure.

* In 1965, my incision was (IS!) 1-2 FEET long!

TODAY: the incision would be 1-3 HOLES (arthroscopic!)

* In 1965, I was in the recovery room/cardiac ICU for 24 hours, and went home 10 days later.

TODAY, one might be in the recovery room UNTIL you do the required “pee, eat, and walk” – and then you go home!

* In 1965, I had NO activity for 3-4 MONTHS.

TODAY, physical therapy might begin BEFORE leaving the hospital. And I then would be back to active duty (school or work) within the week.

The times have changed!

But for this day, as wonderful as that heart surgery was, 6 years later I was to have a new heart surgery of sorts. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a NEW HEART and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” In Biblical terms, I was born again. I became a new creation in Jesus when I trusted Him as my personal Lord and Savior.

And then? I did more than grow 1 foot and 60 pounds in one year. Within the year I was in Bible school in Canada – tell that to those in my hometown of Ft. Lauderdale that little Jeremy would be going to school out of the country. Within 2 years I would be married to my bride from Norwich, NY – yes, you read that correctly. A boy from Ft. Lauderdale goes to Canada to meet a girl from Norwich. Within 15 years of that “new heart” day, I was pastoring my first church in Beaver Meadow, NY. What only God can do! The psalmist, in Psalm 20:4, prayed, “May He grant you according to your HEART’S DESIRE, And fulfill all your purpose.” And God has done that and much more.

I like what Paul was inspired to write in Romans 10:8-10: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your HEART” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your HEART that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the HEART one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

True faith in Jesus is not a religion; it is a relationship with the living Savior.

You may not need open heart surgery like I had 55 years ago today. But have you been given a new HEART of faith in Jesus? Have you trusted Him as your Savior?

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12-13

Clothing is mentioned multiple times in the Bible, often in a physical context. Often in Scripture, clothes identify attitudes or actions. Sometimes the clothing analogy is used to describe actions and attitudes a believer must put off and put on. He says in Colossians 3:12, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.“

In our society, typically you can identify someone by the type of clothes they wear on the outside. A businessman will probably be wearing a suit. An athlete wears sporting clothes. A policeman wears a uniform.

But here in verse 12, Paul is not referring to clothes worn on the outside, but clothes or qualities worn on the inside that should mark the citizens of Heaven. Can people tell that you are a citizen of heaven by the attitudes you display? As a Christian, you are a new man, a new woman in Christ; therefore, you can begin to live that way. So, do it! That is the apostle’s exhortation. He notes seven qualities that should spiritually clothe the Christian. These are the positive qualities of Christian living.

The first one is “compassion.” You are a new man, or new woman; therefore, live that way! After that, going a step further, comes “kindness.” The third quality is “humility.” The chief Christian virtue is humility because it is the exact opposite of the worst of sins, which is pride. Thus, we are to put on humility, to think humbly of ourselves. As the apostle puts it in another place, we are to “regard others as better than ourselves.” We are not to consider ourselves in any way as superior to others.

The fourth quality is “gentleness,” a familiar word that is oftentimes translated meekness. Not weakness, meekness! I like the definition that says meekness is “strength under control.” The fifth quality is “patience”. Literally, it is longsuffering, the enduring of another’s exasperating conduct without flying into a rage. It is holding back.

Paul goes on to speak of “forbearance” and “forgiving one another,” and then tells us to wrap them all around with the bond of love. Love ties everything together like a belt or a girdle. As a Christian, you are a new person yourself. You are no longer the old person you once were. You have put that aside already. Treat the past as though you were dead to the past, and be now what God has made you to be.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Give God your whole heart.

The Bible uses the word heart to refer to the entirety of a person. It involves our feelings and emotions. But it is more. It is our will. Our intellect. Our conscience.

Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matt 22:37).

“All of your heart” means in totality. Your whole life. Your entire purpose and reason for living is wrapped up in Him.

We understand this commitment, when we take our marriage vows, when we say, “forsaking all others….’ That means our whole heart! That’s what God desires. Ken Weliever

— o —

If the trends measured by a recent survey continue, the nation itself is in its sunset years. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reveals that Millennials and Generation Z have significantly less belief in the importance of patriotism, faith in God, and conceiving children. And despite the fact that most Americans remain satisfied by the state of the nation’s economy and their personal finances, a majority of respondents are angry at the country’s political and financial classes, worried about the nation’s economic future, and what kind of country they are passing on to future generations.

— o —

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Realize that God means for you to be where you are.

Worry is a small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind, cutting a channel into which all other thoughts flow.

He who has carried you this far is not going to drop you now.

The devil often overshoots his mark. Peter Cartwright

Faith is to prayer what the feather is to the arrow.; it feathers the arrow of prayer and makes it fly swifter, and pierce the throne of grace. Thomas Watson

We mustn’t doubt in the darkness what God has shown us in the light.

View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future.

The promises of God are flotation devices to keep us from sinking when we come to the waters of affliction.

Many times our problem is this: we judge others by how far they have to go, rather than how far they have come. Ken Whitten

The choices we make determine the direction of your life. Rob Taylor

1ST DAY IN THE ASCENT PSALMS

Retired Pastor Jeremy Stopford

September 8, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Today is our first day in the study of the “Ascent Psalms” – Psalms 120-134. I would encourage you to read them, a reading which can be done in one sitting! They are loaded with practical help! My favorite above all is Psalm 131, but perhaps you’ll find one that you will treasure.

Complete these familiar sentences, and then tell me – what do they all have in common?

* This world is not my home, I’m just ….

* When the roll is called up yonder …

* In the sweet by and by we shall meet …

* He is too heavenly minded and of no …

* Face to face in all His glory I shall …

How did you do? Did you see the theme “journey” in these familiar sentences? The “Ascent Psalms” were written while the Israelites were on their way to Jerusalem. The occasions? Either at the time of returning from captivity OR while going to the temple for the various sacrifices throughout the year.

THEME VERSE OF STUDY – perhaps you should memorize it!

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. (Psalm 84:5 NKJV)

For additional challenge, check out:

Psalm 119:54 – “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.”

Exodus 6:4 – “ I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.”

Genesis 47:9 – “And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

OUTLINE OF PSALM 120 (Dr. W. Graham Scroggie)

1. Supplication (vs. 1-2)
2. Retribution (vs. 3-4)
3. Lamentation (vs. 5-6)

HELPFUL TOOLS:“broom tree” (v. 4) (“juniper” KJV) = thrive in poor soil; roots make good fuel and charcoal

“Meshech” (v. 5) = a town in far north of Israel

“Kedar” (v. 5) = a town in far south of Israel

TO WHET YOUR APPETITE: LESSON QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

In your life, how have you completed the statement of verse 1:

“In my distress I ………… Honest? Are you being honest in your answer?How has God answered your “cry”?

Is the psalmist requesting a deliverance from a condition, or from people (v. 2)?

How are words with an edge of war an indication of a non-journeying heart? (v. 5)

What should be the Christian’s response to such an heart?

Using the “helpful tools” of “Meshech” and “Kedar”, where did the author dwell? Why was this a concern? Did they feel “at home”? Did the author feel “at home”?

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

The psalmist was on a journey, just like us! In that journey, he learned some amazing lessons – and we should be so thankful that he put them in to print – under the inspiration of God’s wonderful Holy Spirit. Look at all the amazing things that we have been given insight that the psalmist learned in his journey of faith:

In his distress – whether specific or not – he knew he had the freedom and joy of “crying” to the Lord. And what did he experience? THAT GOD HEARD HIM!

Have you learned that freedom? Have you experienced God’s “hearing”?

In his journey, he was surrounded by “lying lips” and a “deceitful tongue”?

Are you surrounded by liars and deceivers who seem genuine but end up being someones who drag you down in your journey of faith?

In his journey, he zeroed in on the foundation: “his soul” (v. 6).

Is your soul’s journey of faith in Christ your foundation for your daily walk in the real world where the wise Lord purposely placed you?

PRAYER

Father, as I travel my journey of faith, I have already seen many who would drag me down away from You, the Author and Finisher of my faith.

Keep me tenderly to Your Book!

When I am down, when discouraged by the residents of my “Meshech”s and my “Kedar”s, may my soul be lifted up with Your Presence and grace.

You brought me to this journey of faith at the cross.

I trust You to bring me all the way HOME in your perfect timing.

I love you today! Thank You for wisely planning the journey through which I tread today…

In Jesus’ Precious Name, AMEN!

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

What do you seek most in life? Often it is possessions….. things ….. that cause us distraction and become our mission. Our possessions require maintenance and steal our time and energy. When we own more than we need, we begin wasting our finite resources maintaining our stuff.

We clean, categorize, organize, rearrange them, lose, spend hours trying to find them, move them in and out of storage and work extra hours to make the payments on them. Physical possessions can take a toll on our lives before we even own them! We obsess over buying them, we spend hours researching and comparison shopping, and we go out of our way to find the best deal on them.

On the other end of the consumerism cycle, we spend time trying to sell our unneeded possessions, posting them on Facebook Marketplace, or driving them to local donation centers. Again, the more we own, the more of our lives we waste maintaining our stuff and diverting our attention from more important things.

These items take energy from us and our greater pursuits. Consumerism causes burdens in many areas of our lives: financial, relational, spiritual, and can also impact our health because of undue pressure.

But there is a better way to live. An intentional, minimalist approach to life provides the mind with the ability to focus more on the spiritual as our mission in life. It paves the way to less stress, more time, more focus, and more fulfillment and happiness.

Jesus told His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God in contrast to those who are filled with anxiety over provisions for daily life, and therefore, focused on material, temporal things to the neglect of spiritual, eternal things.

What does it mean to seek first the Kingdom of God? It means putting Christ and the things of the Spirit first in our lives. Every day, we are faced with choices and opportunities to put our time and energy into temporal things that have no lasting spiritual value or to invest in things that are related to the kingdom of Christ.

There are only so many hours in a day. How many of those hours do we spend focusing on spiritual activities like meditating on God’s Word, prayer, worship, etc.? And how much energy do we expend in some way or another advancing the cause of Christ in the lives of others and in the world? Let’s be honest, too many Christians are putting way too much of their time and energy toward the things that, in the end, won’t matter in the least. Don’t let that be you.

Twenty centuries ago Jesus of Nazareth challenged His disciples not to worry about tomorrow, worldly possessions and provisions, or to seek the things that pagans seek. Rather to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33).

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

– Psalm 19:14 NLT

We should focus on the words that we say.

May they be glorifying to the Lord.

May they please Him and lift Him high.

We should do a heart check.

What are the meditations of our heart?

Are we dwelling on Jesus,

Living for Him,

Glorifying Him?

May the words of our soul be like honey dripping from the comb.

May we bring Him all glory and honor and praise.

For He is worthy. Marty Stubblefield

— o —

Advice from Andy Rooney:

▪ The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

▪ Being kind is more important than being right.

▪ I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in any other way.

▪ To ignore the facts does not change the facts.

▪ When you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

When a lie gets repeated so often that everyone thinks it’s true, it’s called “conventional wisdom.” Mike Huckabee

The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them. Antoine De Saint-Exupery

We end our lives most fulfilled when we seek to discover our purpose and then focus our energy on it.

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. Mark Twain

Revealing your feelings is the beginning of healing. Ken Whitten

***

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. Exodus 14:21

It’s a small and short book, but packed with wisdom. Someone gave it to me a long time ago and I just pulled it off the shelf again recently. It is titled The Red Sea Rules. So many are now hurting with and suffering from so much and it speaks to us today just as it spoke about Moses in the book of Exodus.

Just as Moses and the Israelites found themselves caught between “the devil and the deep Red Sea,” so are we sometimes overwhelmed by life’s problems. But God delivered the Israelites, and He will deliver us, too.

On the wall in our faimly room is a large painting showing how God parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites. I see it every day and it gives me comfort.

The Red Sea Rules reveal that even in the midst of seemingly impossible situations, God’s promises to make a way for us. His loving guidance will protect us through danger, illness, marital strife, financial problems–whatever challenges Satan places in our path. Whatever we are walking through, He is walking with us.

Using the Israelites’ story as an example, the author offers ten sound strategies for moving from fear to faith. The ten rules are:

▪ Realize that God means for you to be where you are.

▪ Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief.

▪ Acknowledge your enemy but keep your eyes on the Lord.

▪ Pray.

▪ Stay calm and confident and give God time to work.

▪ When insecure, just take the next logical step by faith.

▪ Envision God’s enveloping presence.

▪ Trust God to deliver in His own unique way.

▪ View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future.

▪ Don’t forget to praise Him.

Life is hard, even and perhaps especially for Christians. It is certain that we will face difficulties, and that God will allow them, as He allowed the Israelites to become trapped between Pharaoh’s rushing armies and the uncrossable Red Sea. But just as certain is the fact that the same God who led us in will lead us out. As these Sea rules make comfortingly clear, He is in control.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The 5 most important phrases to use (and mean) with your children and grandchildren:

▪ “I love you”

▪ “I was wrong”

▪ “You are meant to be great for God ~ Dream Big”

▪ “Shine ~ Shine where you are… in who you are… in what you’re doing”

▪ “Remember who you are…and whose you are.”

— o —

In the book “The Trellis and the Vine“, the authors summarized believer’s spiritual growth in terms of three Cs:

▪ Conviction: Your knowledge of God and understanding of the Bible.

▪ Character: Godly character and a life that accords with sound doctrine.

▪ Competency: The ability to prayerfully speak God’s word to others in a variety of ways.

— o —

We humans make plans, but the Lord has the final word. We may think we know what is right, but the Lord is the judge of our motives. Share your plans with the Lord and you will succeed. Proverbs 16:1-3.

— o —

If you are dispirited and discouraged with current events, maybe you’re spending too much time looking inward and outward. Look upward. Get a good look at God. See who He is. Feel His presence. Survey His creation. Meditate on His Word. And cultivate a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. Our God is an Awesome God. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Giving makes Christians’ life satisfying! Stephen Bernard

When you take your eyes off yourself, your vision improves. Sharon Boehm

Charles Spurgeon said it best… “Go to Calvary to learn how you may be forgiven, and then linger there to learn how to forgive.”

The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else. Oswald Chambers

The person’s financial ethic we should care most about is our own. The Minimalist

To educate a person in the mind, but not in morals, is to educate a menace to society. Teddy Roosevelt

A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new. Albert Einstein

There is a human tendency to blame others for our errors. To deflect personal responsibility. And even to justify our sins. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

The first part of boot camp for a soldier is to understand and exercise discipline in all aspects of their military life…no wonder we need the same lesson as a Christian “soldier”. Dwight Short