When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job’s three friends are often criticized for the things they got wrong but we should recognize those few things they did get right.
You are the God of all comfort and I give you praise. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of those afflicted. Teach me to comfort in silence. Grant me wisdom to know when to speak, if at all, and what to say. May my words always bring You glory, may they always be grounded in truth, based in love, and uplifting to the hearer. In Jesus Name, Amen.
The Sovereign LORD declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
"I will gather still others to them
besides those already gathered."
[Is 56:8]
O GOD, immortal, eternal, invisible, I remember with gladness and thanksgiving all that Thou hast been to this world of men:
Companion of the brave:
Upholder of the loyal:
Light of the wanderer:
Joy of the pilgrim:
Guide of the pioneer:
Helper of labouring men:
Refuge of the broken-hearted:
Deliverer of the oppressed:
Succour of the tempted:
Strength of the victorious:
Ruler of rulers:
Friend of the poor:
Rescuer of the perishing:
Hope of the dying.
Give me faith now to believe that Thou canst be all in all to me, according to my need, if only I renounce all proud self-dependence and put my trust in Thee.
Forbid it, O Father, that the difficulty of living well should ever tempt me to fall into any kind of heedlessness or despair. May I keep it ever in mind that this human life was once divinely lived and this world once nobly overcome and this body of flesh, that now so sorely tries me, once made into Thy perfect dwelling-place.
Show Thy lovingkindness tonight, O Lord, to all who stand in need of Thy help. Be with the weak to make them strong and with the strong to make them gentle. Cheer the lonely with Thy company and the distracted with Thy solitude. Prosper Thy Church in the fulfillment of her mighty task, and grant Thy blessing to all who have toiled today in Christ's Name. Amen.
Yet to all who received him [Jesus],to those who believed in his name,he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent,nor of human decisionor a husband's will,but born of God.
[Gal 3:26-27]You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
"I will be a Father to you,and you will be my sons and daughters,says the Lord Almighty."
O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.
[Ps 59:17]
I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies. [Ps 18:1-3]
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust." [Ps 91:2]
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is mighty. [Ps 93:4]
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength;
we will sing and praise your might. [Ps 21:13]
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is
near.
[Is 55:6]
One living, breathing need seek the Lord.
This day, this hour, this very moment.
As long as it is the now-prior-to-His-return, seek Him. As long as you still have life, seek Him. As is commonly spoken; "Better late then never."
For in that frightening day when He can not be found or should all chances be gone, there will be unspeakable, unimagineable darkness and horror.
Heed His warnings and His Word.
Hesitant? Reluctant? He is not a stern Father that will reject you. He awaits to hear the voice of His child utter His Holy Name and seek His radiant face.
Don't delay.
It's never too late -- as long as it's not too late.
Rejoice with me in the nearness of God. Let Him be the joy of your heart and the desire of your soul. Let's pour out our thanks for His mercy to receive us.
In all the things these eyes rest upon today, may I see You, Father.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. [Jer 29:12-13]
A Psalm of Life
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tell me not, in mournful numbers, 
“Life is but an empty dream!”
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest;
And the grave is not its goal;
“Dust thou art, to dust returnest,”
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Art is long, and time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead past bury its dead!
Act – act in the living present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time.
Footprints that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to
test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.[Rm 12:2]
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
Going to WarWhen you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." [Dt 20:1-4]
Wounds never acknowledged
Lurk in shadows
Ready to pounce in retaliation
Passed on to the unsuspecting
God knows they're there
Each and every one
The how
The who
He heals the brokenheartedand binds up their wounds.
Lord, don’t let me rush unleashed
[Jesus said to them] "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."[Ac 1:8]
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
[Ac 2:1-4]
He is accomplishing things for the church and individual believers to this very day.
This is my plea for us living in this Age of the Spirit, just as we sang at the youth "Summer Slam" kickoff last night;
"Get Right Church
and
Lets Go Home"
Most Excellent Holy Spirit; Breathe new life in us, we are in desperate need of an invigorating stirring of renewal within Your church. May Your heavenly waters flow, bringing forth blossoms of fruitfulness in this dry and weary land. Embolden us to speak and teach in Jesus Name.
Jesus, hope of the nations,
Jesus, comfort for all who mournYou are the source of heaven's hope on earth
In history you lived and died
You broke the chains
You rose to life!
You are the hope living in us,
You are the rock in whom we trust.
You are the light shining for all the world to see.
Lord, we believe.
(Click any of the above links (songwriters name or producer)
to listen to song in it's entirety)
Spiritually the only place I should be in a hurry to reach is my knees. I should continually rush to prayer above all things. But I can't rush spiritual maturity or the working out of my salvation. I can't rush God's response to prayer. I can't rush my way into heaven or someone elses' decision to put on Christ. But I can rest in Him to accomplish all of these things. (Provided I do my part.)
2009 Continuing Series ~ Transference
Based on John 3:30: "Jesus must increase, I must decrease"
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.The zeal of the LORD Almightywill accomplish this.[Is 9:7 emph. added]
Every day should be Memorial Day for a Christian. Remembering daily the Life given to save us. Remembering the God-Man that laid down His life that we might live.
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.[Ac 1:1-3]
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
[Ps 104:3]
I do sometimes visualize Jesus riding on a cloud, His heavenly chariot, returning majestically to glory in a triumphant return as Head of the Church to minister as our Great High Priest. The open arms of a proud, loving Father on the receiving end. The applause of the heavenlies filling the air.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes,
and a cloud hid him from their sight.
[Ac1:9]
Was being taken up a reassurance of His completion, His victory? Jesus believed in the Father to accomplish His plan. He had confidence in the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Those He prepared would receive power from on high and the teachings He imparted would bear fruit. He was now exalted to reign at the right hand of the Father and make intercession for us until His time of return would come.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [Heb 4:14]
Forty days after celebrating our Risen Lord is a perfect time to pause, yet again, in awe of the miraculous events of the act of salvation bought by Christ, the gift of salvation given in God's grace, and the process of salvation being held and worked out by the Holy Spirit.
Stop now and look to the heavens; praise the Trinity; and give thanks for this marvelous thing They have done.
All praise, honor, and glory belongs to the blessed Trinity. Lord Jesus, I believe You ascended 40 days after Your Resurrection and are now exalted in majesty and crowned in glory. Reign in my heart and in my life as You do in heaven.
Photo of Staples Office Supply Easy Button
A confession is in order for my inappropriate actions in an encounter with my children last night. Yes, I was impatient; there's no doubt that was wrong. No explanation, no excuses. But the real issue largely at hand that I feel requires forgiveness and repentance is the drastic error in my mindset after the fact.
My sorrow and frustration afterward was because I felt my impatience hurt their feelings about me. I felt bad that I negatively affected their image of me. I felt bad because my actions hurt my own self-esteem.
I felt worse that they were upset with me (and for the wrong reason, at that) rather than being upset by my own wrongful actions. The Holy Spirit quickly pointed out that I should be feeling bad about my wrongful actions that offended Him and caused havoc within those relationships.
Shouldn't I be more concerned with my sin of impatience and the harm to my relationships with God and others? It is wrong to distort that into loving what others think of me. Or trying to act patient for the sake of pleasing them instead of clothing myself with Christ.
Sometimes my frustration with myself in poor parenting is more that I have shattered a faulty image of a perfect family. That is so wrong! God is quick to point out my concern needs to lie in loving Him, loving others, and displaying the attitude of Christ. These are the elements that should grieve me when I react emotionally and impulsively.
Thank goodness He's not done with me yet!
If we confess our sins,he is faithful and justand will forgive us our sinsand purify us from all unrighteousness.[1 Jn 1:9]
[God] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,[Eph1:13]
O LORD, you are my God; When all was quiet and I was peacefully at rest, a pesky thief came in the night to raid my cupboards. As I slept, I was unaware of the damage being caused in places out of view. An assault hidden from sight.
I was content to think all was well and unharmed. Meanwhile, a little raider was slowly gnawing away, making entry to a source of sustenance.
I could have noticed the signs. My cat certainly did. With his keen sense of hearing and smell he was stationed at the cupboard and would paw at its doors. A small skift of flour on the shelf was another slight indication.
Then, early one morning, I thought I heard a faint rustle. Cat poised at the ready, I opened the door to notice a bit of a mess. Dried beans ascatter, bits of pasta askew, a box with a small hole chewed in a bottom corner. The cat dove right in, wild with excitement. There he was - a little critter in a box of macaroni. I quickly set the infested box outside, disappointing poor Friskie.
I cleared out the cupboard, throwing out the contaminated food, and examined for entry. He must have been under the house and followed the pipes to the dishwasher, I reasoned. Problem solved.
Or so I thought.
Having experienced the invasion, I was now more familiar with the signs and my awareness was peaked. Attention sharpened, I was on the alert and the cat was parked at the cupboard, preying to replace the denied feast. Days passed and I started to feel relieved that he was a lone invader.
Preparing dinner one evening I instantly recognized the warning signs in another cupboard that I was not yet rid of my problem. I repeated the process in the new location; however, I could not detect any visible signs of entry. How could they have gotten in? I decided I would pull up the old contact paper to ensure better sanitation. Hidden underneath there were not only one but two holes in the bottom of my cupboard.
Once I had removed the source of their food from one location, they sought out another. I should have surmised my vulnerability and been more vigilant, more aggressive in seeking out any remainders and rid my home of them.
In the cruel elements of winter, they must have come seeking shelter and food. As I lay asleep at night they were chewing away at the foundation of my home, eventually gaining entry to pillage our source of food.
Do you see the relation to our spiritual lives? I sure do!
Did Jesus not say; “Be on your guard! Be alert!” and “Watch!”?
Of course He was not referring to mice getting into your house! His concern lies in matters of the heart and soul. His dwelling. But don’t little things assault our foundation of faith to enter and cause more damage? Thieves that gain access only to steal the nourishment and provision from our life in Christ? Invaders that weaken our structure and leave scars?
I am now aware that I am susceptible. I also know trouble can come when I least expect it. When I’m relaxed, comfortable, feeling immune, and not paying attention. I have the scars to prove it! Three small holes in the bottom of my cupboard. No one else can see them but I know they are there. Reminders to keep alert in the quiet nights of winter.
Dear Lord Jesus, Lover of my soul; Sharpen my senses, hone my awareness, keep me mindful to be on the alert. Strengthen me to guard against the influences outside of this dwelling that seek to destroy and take what belongs to You and You alone. Amen.
God is to be praised
Love the LORD your Godwith all your heartand with all your souland with all your strength.[Dt 6:5]
e⋅piph⋅a⋅ny -noun
I love those rare, electrifying moments of illumination when the brain fires and births a new perception. The forefront of our mind connects to something tucked in the deep recesses and draws it into our awareness. A new thought is born.
That's what happened to me as I meditated on the Ascension. Imagine the most profound visual effects of a sunburst in the cosmos when Jesus blasted through the atmosphere and returned to rejoicing angels and a waiting Father.
But I digress for that was not the thought I intended to convey. It's just added imagery that's occurring as I tap on these lettered keys.
This particular epiphany is regarding Jesus as the Son of Man. Jesus was born to earth from heaven in the incarnation as the Son of God. Could it be that He was reborn to heaven from earth in the ascension as the Son of Man?
When I say Son of God, be careful to understand that I am not referring to the essence of God that is the Son of the Trinity from eternity.
"Son of Man" is a phrase that teaches us and helps us remember that Jesus can identify with our humanity. I am wondering if there is an added dimension that I have never quite grasped of Jesus as Son of Man. I have always assumed that it was a name given to Him that refers to the fact that He was born of Mary and that He was a descendant of Adam. What if it's more than a title or name but an attribute? Something He attained?
Is it possible that He truly became the Son of Man when He returned in glory, resurrected, to the Father? When He ascended from earth, reborn into the eternity of the heavens, did He become the fulfillment of this essence?
Oh, the riches.....Oh, the depth....Oh, the complex intrigue of our Savior and our God! Who can fathom the mysteries of God? Who can probe the limits of the Almighty? [Jb 11:7]
"But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."[Lk 22:69]
More good news of Jesus Christ is given to us here in these verses. The Good News of Jesus began with an angel's pronouncement of His coming and it ends with one of Him leaving - temporarily. This was not to be "good-bye." It is merely a "see you later."
Until then, we are not to stand staring into heaven. Watching, yes. Waiting, yes. But surely not standing still gazing at the clouds.
He has given us very specific instructions. He has given us all a part to live out faithfully. And as we do, we rememeber the events that surround the basis for the Easter holiday. We memorialize the One Who Lives.
Weekly we celebrate the Christ by observing the communion He instituted. This was given that we will proclaim Him until He returns. We remember and celebrate the promises and deeds of His life, death, and resurrection. By it we look forward in hope and assurance to that glorious day when we will share the cup with Him Who Gave It All for eternity.
For whenever you eat this breadand drink this cup,you proclaim the Lord's deathuntil he comes.
"The bottom line is that approving opinions about Jesus' life miss the point unless married to joyous belief in His resurrection. Reverence, however sincere, for a dead Christ, however noble, will do nothing for a sinner headed toward a lost eternity." Stuart Briscoe
"and if Christ has not been raised,your faith is worthless;you are still in your sins."[1 Cor 15:17]
