Finishing Well

.    I heard it said that old people are wise. Wait, when does this occur? Because I'm pretty old now and yet I'm not seeing much wisdom happening here. You would think it would just BE - poof - one day I'd wake up and be wise. But I keep on doing really dumb stuff.      I think it's easy to quote "been there, done that" simply by the fact that all these years have been lived and gone. So, somehow I need to figure out how to use all the dumb in order to use it for wise. I think I can do this. But when I've always done a thing a certain way and it goes bad again? Slap my forehead, let's do different! Say ugly words that can't be taken back? Bam! Hush! If anything I've learned, but not necessarily practiced, it is Phillipians 2: 3b.....in  lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.      I don't always have to be right - I want to be - but I don't have to be. Solomon asked for wisdom. James says I can too, so, yes, I...

     "When He comes in our day, no one will be able to speak except God. When God is through speaking, you will know how He sees what you have done." Henry Blackaby      We have indeed lost the fear of a Holy God. When God judged His people Israel, time and again He destroyed. In the time of King Josiah, everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes - moving toward another judgment. (2 Kings 22:11 - 23:3) But Josiah trembled at the Scripture that had lain covered in debri and led his people to repentance.      When was the last time the Word caused you to tremble at what it was saying to you?  Do we realize that some of our sin, had it occurred in Bible times would have us stoned? When there is no fear of God, there is no fear of sin. If our sin doesn't cause us to feel bad, then we feel like it must be ok to do. Yet, generations are already receiving judgment.....godless homes, divorce, sexual sins, cheating, blaming, etc. Take ...

.    I've seen poverty, the 3rd world country kind of poverty. The shock of seeing it never eases. The shock of seeing barefoot children running after your bus because they know you've brought food. Not toys - not candy - not even clothes.....food is the important issue. Clean food, clean water, such a luxury for them.      I've seen these precious people worship. Weeping and crying out to the God who provides and answers prayers. Desperate prayers, earnest prayers, fervent prayers. It doesn't matter what language. Work weary arms raised in praise and thanksgiving. And this after walking perhaps miles to even get there.      I've seen worn women raising their babies, sacrificing for them from their meager supplies. Yet they smile. Genuine smiles. They are grateful. They are beautiful.      They are beautiful to God. They are beautiful to me.      Me: rich and fat and rested      Me: lazy and s...

     I'm still learning about love. I've never done it well. I withhold love when I should give it. Maybe I grew up feeling unloved. Maybe I was not taught how. Maybe I've tried all the wrong ways. Maybe I'm missing a "love gene".      Lately I've seen what love is supposed to look like. I've seen moms love on their children. I've seen them have to be firm, but yet with love. It's a hard, yet tender thing. The hard part is really HARD, but it's because of love.      I've seen the church love on people (people that in my opinion seem very hard to love).  But the church opens arms to all of them. I wish I could love better. I think I'm trying. Sometimes tears remind me that at least I'm caring more.      Perhaps I've forgotten to imitate the Person of love. Jesus loved prostitutes and murderers and tax collectors and all sorts of stinky people. Why don't I?  He clearly is the example the church follows - at least ...

     It's crazy, I have everything I need. I am healthy. I have the promise and hope of heaven waiting for me. Every reason to be full of joy and praising God for it all.      Then why does my heart fail and despair rule? Why do the flood waters of sorrows past overwhelm me? The disappointments of life and the sad gray days of Winter remind me of past sins and poor decisions. Ugly naked trees mock me into withdrawal.      But, perhaps God calls me to this heap of woe, to settle my heart into His - for me to open my eyes to see the trials of others. Maybe a conviction that I must put pride and self pity away. He reminds me that He's lifted me from this pit before. Doesn't He want me to trust Him more, to believe anew that He always does exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask. And He is GOOD.      Mostly I must remember that Spring always follows Winter. New life, buds burst forth, nature sings!  Promised ho...

     I love the concept of manna; "I will feed you, I will take care of your body, I will provide all you need. But.....you are responsible for picking it up and cooking it."      His Word - our Bible - is our manna today. It indeed provides all we need: Phillipians 4:19, and my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.      It has given us power: 2 Timothy 1:7, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.      It tells us when we fall short: 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.      Indeed it contains everything: 2 Peter 1:3-4 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue by which have been given to us...

     Oops, we have forgotten who God is and decided we want to be God instead. We like the love and grace parts, when we need Him, and put Him on a shelf in a box when we are fine. A little box on a back shelf collecting dust. After all, this is America, the land of the free - bounty - self-sufficiency. How is that wrong, it's all about me and my rights, right?      But God is Sovereign and Holy and my response should be obedience. Sovereignty means possessing ultimate power, absolute authority, unlimited, unrestricted. God has the right to do whatever He wants. See Psalm 115:3      There was a problem then and a problem now according to Judges 17:6, in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The book was Judges - God will be the ultimate Judge according to what we do with His authority. Psalm 96: 13...for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peo...