Category Archives: Christian Life

Psalm Sunday: Psalm 49

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1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

This psalm calls to mind I Timothy 6:17: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”

It’s not wrong to be rich if it is within God’s plan for an individual. Abraham and many other Bible individuals were rich in their day. Years ago I read a biography titled Lady Huntingdon and Her Friends about Lady Selina Hastings who was instrumental in helping John Wesley and George Whitfield in their ministries and who founded 64 chapels. She said she was “saved by an m” because the Bible says not many wise, mighty, or noble are called, but it didn’t say not any. 

Yet it can be a temptation to the rich to trust in their wealth, and it can be a temptation to those who are not rich to think they would be secure if they had wealth.  Riches can be an idol in either case. Sometimes we don’t want to be rich, but we feel if we just had a little more then everything would be safe and secure.

But verses 7-8 remind us that riches can’t secure redemption, and verses 9-14 remind us that riches can’t keep death away (at least not forever). Verses 10 and 17 remind us that riches won’t be carried into eternity.

I’m reminded of a scene in Oliver! where Fagin, the evil master thief who has been teaching stray boys to pickpocket, is trying to escape with his hoard of riches after learning that the police are coming. He has all his worldly goods in his arms but somehow drops them into a muddy bog. They sit on top of the muck for just a second, and then, bloop, they disappear down into the mess, and with all Fagin’s thrashing around trying to retrieve them, he can’t find them and has to run on. Many wealthy people through the years can testify of a sudden robbery or a sudden change in the market or a slower change in industry or technology which rendered their product or service useless.

Our care, our provision, our sustenance in this life come from the Lord. And even more, He provides the way for the redemption of our souls from sin and our bodies from the grave (verse 15). The more we learn of Him and get to know Him through His Word, the more our faith will be increased to trust Him for all our needs.

Visit Butterfly Kisses for more Psalms Sunday mediations, and feel free to join in by adding your own.

Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All

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Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
Hear me, blest Savior, when I call;
Hear me, and from Thy dwelling place
Pour down the riches of Thy grace;
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Jesus, too late I Thee have sought;
How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how extol Thy matchless fame,
The glorious beauty of Thy Name?
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Jesus, what didst Thou find in me
That Thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that Thou hast brought,
So far exceeding hope or thought!
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Jesus, of Thee shall be my song;
To Thee my heart and soul belong;
All that I have or am is Thine;
And Thou, blest Savior, Thou art mine;
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

–Henry A. Collins, 1854

(You can hear a 90 second sound clip of this hymn here.)

Conditions for receiving strength

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From Climbing by Rosalind Goforth

It was while I had a large family of little children about me and mission work was pressing heavily upon me, while feeling burdened and that strength was insufficient, I sought to find in God’s Word whether there were any conditions to be fulfilled for the receiving of divine strength. The result of this study was a surprise and joy to me, and later a blessing and help to many to whom I passed it on, for every condition the weakest could fulfill!

Conditions of receiving strength

1. Weaknesses. II Cor. 12:9-10
2. No might. Isa. 40:29
3. Sitting still. Isa. 30:7
4. Waiting on God. Isa. 40:31
5. Quietness. Isa. 30:15
6. Confidence. Isa. 30:15
7. Joy in the Lord. Neh. 8:10
8. Poor. Isa. 25:4
9. Needy. Isa. 25:4
10 Dependence on Christ. Phil. 4:13

Deut. 31:6: Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Every possibility

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One of the ways my brain works is to run through almost every possible contingency related to a situation. That’s helpful, for instance, in traveling. Well, maybe not so helpful in that I tend to overpack based on all those possibilities, but it’s rare that I am without an item I need, and if I do forget something, it’s imprinted on my brain for next time.

That tendency is also helpful in our ladies ministry at church when, for instance, I noticed that in a college student gift bag we had assembled,  the pointed ends of some loose pens were aimed right at some pudding cups. I could just imagine the recipient discovering a oozing pudding cup punctured by the pens during the jostling the gift bag would have taken en route. So I rearranged the package, also retrieving the soft Little Debbie snack cakes from underneath a heavier item and putting them on top.

When my children were little I had this amazing ability to foresee ways in which they could get hurt doing something. That could lend itself to obsessive over-protectiveness (and I’m sure my husband thought I probably did lean that way sometimes), but I think, kept in balance, it saved us all from a number of emergency room visits.

This tendency can cause problems, though, when it degenerates into excessive anxiety-producing “what if” thoughts. Sometimes what-if questions, like fear, can be helpful: for instance, if we’re crossing a busy street and fearful of being hit by a vehicle, we’ll watch the traffic lights, cross at the crosswalk, and be alert to where other vehicles are and what they’re doing. That fear goes too far, though, when it’s paralyzing, when we can’t even step into a clear street because a car might come upon us sooner than we think we can react.

And I have to confess I have made myself miserable, scared myself to death, and been nearly paralyzed at times by the multiplicity of what-if thoughts that my mind can produce. I have to “take every thought captive” (II Corinthians 10:5) and remind myself to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Yesterday as I was facing a situation that tends me make me anxious and nervous, I had been asking the Lord for peace and calmness when one of those stray what-if thoughts assaulted me. Normally I would think, “Oh no! I hadn’t thought of that!” And that little thought would run its course to its logical conclusion and perhaps trigger other what-if thoughts in the process before I could wrestle it down and give it to the Lord to take care of.

This time, though, almost immediately the thought came, “Well, that’s just one more thing to trust the Lord for.” It wonderfully short-circuited that little thought before it took off.

I think it was Hudson Taylor who said “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” When faced with a problem too big for us, a responsibility too heavy for us, a need too great for us, we can look for God’s intervention and help. And so with those tormenting little what-if thoughts, whatever the “what-if” is, even if it should come to pass, God is here, He knows about it, He allowed it for a reason and can bring good out of it, He can take care of it and provide the resources, wisdom, and grace to deal with it. And I can trust Him for all the possibilities.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:19, NASB

God’s rest

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This morning when I was posting the hymn below, I looked at Hebrews 4 about the rest that God gives. I felt at the time maybe I should post it, but refrained — I didn’t want to make two post right after each other. But that urging is till on my heart, so here it is. I pray that anyone reading who has not entered into His rest and ceased from trying to obtain it by their own works might find that blessed rest even today.

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

 4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

 5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Dental woes

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I have to see the dentist in the morning. 😦 I have a filling that has been chipping out bit by bit. I saw the dentist last week and he said he didn’t think there was enough of the tooth left to do a root canal and crown, plus the x-ray showed what appeared to be a crack between the tooth and root. So he recommended extracting it and getting fitted for a bridge. That’s tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. I’d appreciate your prayers that it all goes well but especially that I won’t be anxious, because that then leads to other problems that cause more anxiety.

Update to add: I survived. 🙂 It’s not something I’d want to do often…or ever again…but the Lord greatly helped. Thinking through hymns like “Day By Day” and  “I Could Not Do Without Thee” (there was one other one — may have been “All Your Anxieties” — but I couldn’t remember all the words at the time) helped during all the drilling. The anxiety wasn’t completely absent, but it was much less than it has been for more minor procedures. I’d been listening to parts of Jim Berg’s Quieting A Noisy Soul the last couple of mornings, one and a half of the three sessions dealing with anxiety. I was reminded that thoughts contribute to emotions, so I tried, by God’s grace, to nip the “What ifs” in the bud by reminding myself that God was in control.

I hope this doesn’t sound silly to apply all these spiritual lessons to a dental procedure. It’s hard to know how much to share and yet be discreet, but I know it helps me when people share struggles they have that I also experience, so let’s just say, to put it delicately, that for some reason over the last several years when I get nervous or anxious, my insides liquefy and I have a hard time getting out of the bathroom (this makes traveling a nightmare). Plus for this procedure I was supposed to take antibiotics which can intensify that kind of problem. Plus I have a heart rhythm problem called supraventricular tachycardia which usually requires a trip to the ER and an iv dose of adenosine (nasty stuff — fast-acting, but make you feel like you’ve been kicked in the chest) to resolve. It doesn’t happen often — less than once a year — but I’d really like to avoid it, and I never know what will set it off. Plus there are all the usual dental fears — what if the numbing medication doesn’t work when they get in there, etc. So — I had a lot of what ifs to quiet. But God did give grace.

I’m still pretty numbed up (which is kind of nice, actually. This thing has been very uncomfortable. That’s one thought that kept me going, that after today I’d never have any more trouble with that tooth!) I imagine it will hurt some after the numbness wears off.

I have a temporary bridge. They make a cap for the teeth on either side of the removed one and  a “filler tooth” in the middle, so the bridge fits over the missing space plus the other two teeth. They took impressions and will have the finished one ready in a couple of weeks, after this heals.

Thanks to those who prayed! I really appreciate it!!

Deep Joy

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From the September 8 reading of Joy and Peace compiled by Mary Wilder Tileston:

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
–PSALMS 30:4

GLAD with Thy light, and glowing with Thy love,
So let me ever speak and think and move
As fits a soul new-touched with life from heaven;
That seeks but so to order all her course
As most to show the glory of that Source
By whom alone her strength, her life are given.
–C. J. P. SPITTA

OUR Christianity is apt to be of a very “dutiful” kind. We mean to do our duty, we attend church and go to our communions. But our hearts are full of the difficulties, the hardships, the obstacles which the situation presents, and we go on our way sadly, downhearted and despondent. We need to learn that true Christianity is inseparable from deep joy; and the secret of that joy lies in a continual looking away from all else–away from sin and its ways, and from the manifold hindrances to the good we would do–up to God, His love, His purpose, His will. In proportion as we do look up to Him we shall rejoice, and in proportion as we rejoice in the Lord will our religion have tone and power and attractiveness.
–CHARLES GORE

Does niceness really matter?

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As the “Nice Matters” awards have been going around, I’ve seen a little bit of negativity toward them.

Who, you might ask, would have any problem with recognizing niceness? When would niceness ever be a problem?

Well, it would be a problem if we disregarded error, cut corners on the truth, never confronted a sister in Christ who had gone astray, all under the auspices of being “nice.” When the Old Testament prophets thundered against sin in the land, they would not have been regarded as “nice.” Neither would Christ in some passages: I think if some folks took a red letter edition of the Bible and read the words of Jesus, they would be surprised to find that their image of Him is something different from what He really was. When a mother fails to deal with her child when he disobeys, she is not being nice: the Bible says she is foolish. It is actually more loving to do what seems to be the hard thing in these situations mentioned.

However….

If you look up “nice” in the dictionary, you find synonyms such as “pleasant, kind, agreeable, delightful, refined, virtuous, respectable, suitable, proper.”

When it comes to everyday life and the disposition of Christians, I think these characteristics should be true of us. Yes, there are times when to stand up for truth is necessary and right and pleasing to God though not seen as “nice” by the world. But I have known some Christians whose chief characteristic and mission is pointing out error who have developed kind of a cynical, negative, gripy, sometimes harsh edge. I was at a Christian school basketball game once when two men behind me were commenting on a new trend amongst schools in our league of wearing two different colored socks, usually in the team colors. They were wearing them to the knee, and personally, the look didn’t appeal to me, especially on guys, but I could imagine that they thought of it as quirky, different, fun. But the men behind me saw it as a nefarious breaking of fashion rules and sense and spoke of it in the same tone as if the guys had been wearing miniskirts. I thought, “Good grief. Do we have to read ulterior motives into everything?” It took a lot of restraint not to turn around and say that.

So much of the Christian life comes back to balance. Yes, there are some doctrines and truths that there is just no room for error on, and as Christians tend to follow the world, that truth needs to be defended. I am thankful for “Christian watchdogs,” who often have a keener sense of discernment than others, who can see the errors underpinning a trend or movement and point them out to those who didn’t catch the problem. But there is no need to “bark” at everything. There are some areas that don’t involve the fundamentals of the faith where we can give people the benefit of the doubt and even allow for different opinions from our own without breaking fellowship or compromising truth.

And when it comes to everyday life and our disposition and interaction with others, I think being “pleasant, kind, agreeable, delightful, refined, virtuous, respectable, suitable, proper” — nice — certainly enhances the life of Christ we’re supposed to be living out much more than the opposite of those traits would.

Though the word “nice” isn’t in any of several Bible versions I checked, one of its synonyms, “kind,” is:

Ephesians 4:32: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3: 12-13: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

II Peter 1:5-7: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Romans 12:10: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

And kindness is one of God’s characteristics:

Nehemiah 9:17b: Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Psalm Sunday: Psalm 43

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My apologies for this being late. We had company yesterday and our power was off several hours today.

Join us for Psalms Sundays by clicking the button or visiting Erica at Butterfly Kisses.

1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

The subject matter and progression of this Psalm is pretty straightforward. The Psalmist cries out to the God of his strength for deliverance and exercises faith that God will answer him.

There are a few phrases that stand out to me. One is in verse 4, where he says he will go to “God, my exceeding joy.” I don’t know if the Psalmist here is David, but this echoes David’s being a man after God’s own heart. His passion for God makes mine look so paltry. Though I love God and look to Him for protection and provision and grace and strength and everything else that is needed, times when I have thought of Him in that way have been few, the highlights of life rather than and everyday occurrence. I pray that will change.

Verse 3 also stands out: O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me. How easily we can be led astray, especially in times of need, and how greatly we need His light and truth.

And then verse 5 repeats similar thoughts from Psalm 42. That word “disquieted” really captures how we feel when something is amiss in our world. Dr. Jim Berg titled his series dealing with guilt, anxiety, anger and despair Quieting a Noisy Soul with this same idea in mind: a heart that is not at rest in the Lord is “noisy,” disquieted. This led me to look up other verses about quietness of spirit:

Isaiah 30:15: For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

Isaiah 32:17: And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

Psalm 131: 1-2: Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

Psalm 107: 28-30: Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Psalm 1:33: But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

I Peter 3:4: But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

This “quietness” isn’t something mystical: it is the state of the soul at rest in God, fully confident that He can and will take full care of us and whatever problems might enter our lives.

Book Review: Sometimes I Prefer to Fuss

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It may look like book week for a few days here at Stray Thoughts. 🙂 I’ve finished three books in the last couple of weeks, but haven’t had time it discuss them yet.

Some years ago I read and enjoyed a book titled Sometimes I Prefer to Fuss by Verda Peet. When I tried to find a copy of it, though, I found it was out of print. I’ve kept an eye out for it ever since, and just recently discovered it in Amazon.com’s used books for just a few dollars.

The premise of the book can be found in the introduction:

The idea that missionaries are haloed saints, mature and perfected, above the sins of most mortals and so not needing much prayer, has done great disservice to the missionary cause. If you ever lived with missionaries you would know that their halos are askew. If I were to say that a missionary preaches the gospel, may (if female) put curlers in her hair, likes ice cream, travels a lot, longs for letters from home, can be thoughtless or domineering or depressed, perspires, has cakes that don’t always rise, never gets beyond the need of the Lord’s teaching, is concerned about her children’s upbringing and education and feels irritable in the heat, your first thought would be, “Sounds like a description of me.”

Exactly. James tells us Elijah was a man of like passions but we have trouble believing it. Our glamorization of missionaries blinds us to the need of down-to-earth prayer for down-to-earth details.

The title comes from the fact that God does send help when needed, even for “small” irritations like excessive heat and perspiration, and sticky clothes — but sometimes we prefer to “fuss” instead.

Mrs. Peet and her husband were missionaries in Thailand for about thirty years. Her book is an honest and often funny look at missionary life, but its lessons of faith are applicable to anyone.

There are so many places I marked in the book — I wish I could share them all. One thing that came up often was the need for wisdom in so many areas and the possibility of misunderstandings. For instance, even the simplest living arrangements of Americans can seem extravagant in jungle or tribal areas. One missionary who wanted to live as much like the people as possible did without a refrigerator, then overheard two of the nationals commenting that she did not get one because she was stingy. Another family who saved some of their best “goodies” from home to serve a visiting VIP heard that he later spread the word that the missionaries “lived too well.” So often they would like to just give the people material things they need, and they often do, but they don’t want to foster dependence on the missionary instead of the Lord.

Satan throws innumerable obstacles to keep people from believing or to stifle them when they do believe. The missionaries have to learn patience with a new believer’s struggling to “walk” in a faith totally foreign to anything he knows — just as a child stumbles and falls, so will a new believer until he matures. Practices that seem obviously wrong to Westerners with a heritage of a Judeo-Christian background, like premarital sex and using and selling opium, can take a while for a new believer from a different background to recognize as wrong. Then a new believer, or even one just showing an interest in Christianity, can face ridicule, ostracism, and persecution. There are thorny questions about what old practices are wrong, what a new believer should do when the demon priest declares an area or a day “taboo.” The consequences of violating a taboo are very real, but the believers can eventually learn to trust in God for protection.

With all the disappointment and heartache of those who “trusted” the Lord for the wrong reasons (like healing from a sickness when the demon rituals didn’t help) or those who did believe but fell away due to family pressure, there are also gems who have endured the refining fires to shine like diamonds. One believing lady, Celia, had a husband who was a professing Christian but not living very actively for the Lord. One day he showed up in their home with a second wife and moved her in, a common practice in their culture, but one that he should have known better than to practice as a believer. As a missionary lady came to comfort and encourage her through the Word, Celia said, “I thought I could never cook for her (the second wife) but I remembered “love your enemies,” and because of these words I overcame, and I cook and call her to eat.” I was convicted at my lack of “overcoming” minor trials by comparison.

Another quote that stood out to me was, “The trial of our faith is not to point out how faulty it is but to prove how trustworthy He is. I had always pictured God testing me to show how little I believed, but He has a more positive purpose — to increase my capacity to enjoy His faithfulness.”

Another “lesson” was to trust the sovereignty of God to work even through fallible leaders. There was an elected field council as well as a superintendent who were good men, but human like everyone else, whose temperament, background, training, quirks, and pet theories may effect their decisions. When they make a decisions that seems wrong or unfair, there is temptation to blame them. “If we see ourselves in the hands of men, we can expect to be miserable, but if we know ourselves to be in God’s hands, subject to His decisions, we can go on in peace.”

There is so much more — grace through trials and how the Lord uses them, dealing with fear, care of children, etc. This book is a good “peek” into the under-the-surface, real everyday lives of missionaries, but it is also an example of how the Lord uses “all things” to work together for good and to grow His children in grace and knowledge of Him.