How to Let My Light Shine

My Devotions May 31, 2019

I wanted the specifics of how to let my light shine. The Lord had me in His classroom with these verses and how to apply them to my daily life.

1 Peter 2:18 have your conversation honest

            --replace gossip with real concern about a person's situation

            --admit when you did something wrong, since everything will be made manifest anyway

            --remember that your conversation may save your spouse (1 Peter 3:1)

Matthew 5:19 do not teach to break least commandment

            --do not break speed limit

            --parents’ example is important, ex. attitude toward cleaning house

            --do teach commandments—Golden Rule, parents, catechism

Philippians 2:14 do what needs to be done without complaining

            --cleaning up after flood

            --cleaning a baby’s smelly diaper

            --cleaning up puke or kitty litter

1 Peter 4:9 have attitude of hospitality, not grudgingly

--smile at people

--invite to your house

Philippians 2:3 no strife or vainglory

            --do not argue about who is right

            --watch out for words & actions that feed pride

                        (Will it give you reason to brag?)

2 Corinthians 3:4 give God credit

            --when you have a good day

            --nothing is by luck, God plans it

            --Replace “*!Q% it” with “What lesson am I supposed to learn here?”

            --say “Praise the Lord” when something good happens, not “It’s about time.”

Sin of Prayerlessness

(Psalm like poem)

I love You, God because You first loved me.

I like being around You.

I value the things You do

Like forgiveness, mercy, and faithfulness.

Thank You for the gift of prayer,

A time together to discuss things.

Why do hearts lack a desire to pray?

Why does the carnal life prevent

Talking about the immeasurable evil of sin?

Why do Christians not have greater influence

In their service?

No time.

Postpone.

Restriction.

Wandering thoughts.

Unbelief and hopelessness.

The flesh can always find excuses not to pray.

Thank You, Lord, that walking after the Spirit

Does not require doing works.

Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus

Who knows us because He went through it

Who won the battle with temptation and sin

Who intercedes for our prayers.

Thank You most of all

For the peace that passes all understanding.

It is so windy today, I thought I would publish this poem.

The Wind

Branches sway and wiggle like a restless child.

Dry leaves dance a jig across the road.

Dust fans squirm to the road’s other side.

What the adult takes for granted,

The child in him wonders

That nothing can move something.

The mother doesn’t yell at a child

The father decides to go to the program after all.

The child enjoys soap suds of dishwashing.

What a Christian takes for granted,

The child in him wonders

That God’s Spirit moves man.

Weave, Woven, Weave

She wove my threads onto her own,

In my likes and out her own,

In my dreams and out her own,

Out my faults and in her time,

Out my hates and in her love.

Time has woven all her threads.

Roll-up the cloth, unwind the warp,

No time to stop the pattern.

Only time that now remains

Is to weave on threads of my own.

This is a Mother's Day poem. I've been told the poem is too abstract, so I'll explain.

The strings on the loom, before doing any weaving, is called the warp. I see that as being God's commands and presence. He calls the design of the weaving, but the weaver (the mother)  does the work. "In" refers to entering the shuttle on the warp. "Out" refers to the shuttle coming out the other side. The weaver is the mother. When she dies, the "weaving" becomes "woven". God rolls up the woven part to expose more warp. The daughter then begins her own weaving.

God, Faith and Promises

These quotes are from With Christ in the School of Prayer  by Andrew Murray.

The power to believe a promise depends entirely on faith in the promiser. p. 75

Faith in the promise depends on my knowledge of the promiser. p. 76

Faith is simply surrender; I yield myself to the impression that the words I hear make on me. p.77

Faith looks to God more than thing promised. p.78

In faith, you make God your own; the promise will be yours too. p. 79

Faith is fellowship.

God's promise will be to us what God Himself is. p. 79

I highly recommend the book, but it is not an easy read. There are a lot of long sentences and I read the book 2 or 3 times to get the full impact. It was written in the 1800s and Google had it for free.

If Questions Lead to Interpretation, Why Ask Any?

            “. . . no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:20. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:5-6. These verses sum up the oneness available through Jesus. The true understanding of any passage will be in harmony with other growing Christians.

            If it is dangerous to ask questions because it leads to wrong understanding, then is it also dangerous to not know how to deal with questions when they arise? Not dealing with questions is like shoving dirt under the rug. They do not go away; they just get bigger until you stumble over them.

            Ephesians 6:10-18 makes the battle and equipment clear, but omits comments on practice or learning to use the equipment. That practice is why group Bible studies have so much potential. If the teacher asks the right questions, those questions can be used by the student to sniff our areas need settled in his mind.

            Bible study which regularly uses questions have the following advantages:

1.       Learn to know Bible better by researching basis of position

2.      Other Christians’ help

a.       Cite missed passages or other respected authors.

b.      Point out definition or implications from semantics

c.       Better understanding of each person

d.      Will not be pulled farther off track in non-Christian setting

3.      If questions are clearly settled, it will not keep re-surfacing.

4.      Questions imply importance of individual’s opinion, which may remain hidden and unsettled.

5.      Questions reinforce points by actually going through thought processes rather than just storing in memory.

Questions are hard to completely answer at the one person level. To answer correctly, you need a) to personally search scripture, b) pray for Spirit’s guidance, c) hear fellow Christians’ understanding. If any of those elements are missing, so will some of your confidence in the final answer.

This is not exactly a poem. It is based on what Psalms are like.

The Other Half

Why are there churches so large, their membership can barely be counted?

Why do television preachers own private jets and million dollar mansions?

What am I doing wrong?

The unrighteous say you can get everything you want from God.

Just plant your seed by giving us your money, then reap your reward.

Look at Abraham and Jacob, how rich they became.

You just have to say it and claim it.

My God says

“Have you looked in a mirror?

Like cleaning only half your face, you are ignoring the other half of My truth.

You say look at Abraham and Jacob. I say look again.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son.

When was the last time, you were willing to sacrifice a meal for the poor?

Look at Jacob. Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing.

Then Jacob’s father-in-law tricked Jacob into marrying the sister of his bride to be.

Repent and let Me teach you how to walk by faith and not by sight.”

God owns the cows on a thousand hills.

But I do not want to always be asking for things.

It is when I confess and repent of my sins that I have peace in my heart.

I believe more in Your Word to mankind than my feelings.

Your mercy extends to me.

It extends to all people. Your truth extends to all generations.

May I always look in the mirror of Your Word and keep my whole face clean.

Why People Do irrational Things

            A  TV program showed video tapes of two criminals who had no common sense. One robber tried to pull a gun at a convenience store. When he realized there was a video camera, he left; then he came back with a brown paper bag over his head and tried again. Another robber tried to gain entrance to the house through the chimney. He got stuck and the program showed the police and fire departments trying to get him out of the chimney.

            How do you explain such irrational behavior? Isaiah 29:14, KJV, says “for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” The problem is that the farther away a person gets from God, the less wise, and rational, he or she becomes.

            There are promises in the Bible that will keep you from being like those robbers. James 1:5, KJV says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. Consider “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7, KJV) and “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33, KJV).

            These verses become the answer as to how to gain wisdom.

Entangled

Thought for the day: Stand fast there in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1, KJV

            While knitting a hard lace pattern late at night, I kept making mistakes. I corrected them, then corrected the corrections.  I lost track of how many times I took it out, even way back to the start. And all I could show for it was tangled yarn.

            Knitting in itself is not a bad thing, but letting my mind be entangled in the pattern prevented me from heeding God’s command to go to bed. I did not want to admit God would not let me finish at least one row that night. I finally let go and went to bed.

            I became entangled with this world’s affairs. When something goes continually wrong, it is time for me to invite God to tell me what I am doing wrong, or what I should be doing. I still struggle with letting go, but since then, I feel freer to let go and let God have His way.

Prayer: I invite You to help me with my problems and not to become entangled in this world’s affairs. Amen.

Pit Crew book

Sally U. Smith's book, Pit Crew, spends 240 pages comparing a NASCAR driver and his pit crew to a pastor and his praying congregation. She compares a driver running out of fuel to an overworked pastor that does spend enough time alone with God. She has specific suggestions of how to pray for pastor for each day of the week, such as personal walk, pastoral roles of caregiver, prophet, leader and more. She talks about how drivers need to be physically fit. The pit crew handles tires, gas cans, etc. so they  need to be physically fit too, so the owner provides exercise equipment.

She does not leave out the family needs and how the people praying can support them. Road blocks, like tire fragments on the racetrack, are identified such as inconsistency and lack of discipline.

She ends by given ideas how to begin a prayer group for the pastor.

If your prayers for the pastor are sounding repititous, this is the book for you. It is available on Amazon Kindle and on Google Books as ebooks.  You can also get in paperback for a higher cost.

Dieter's 23rd Psalm

                                                                    

The Lord is my doctor. I will not overeat.

He maketh my garden to grow.

He leadeth me to the ripe vegetables.

He restoreth my health.

He leadeth me in paths of good nutrition, for His name sake.

Yea though I walk through the valley of temptation, I will not lose the Way.

Thy Light and thy Word they comfort me.

Thou controlleth my appetite in spite of my addition to food.

Thou blesseth my family with meals.

Surely satisfaction and self control shall follow me all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the new temple the Lord will give me forever.

Praying for Your Pastor

A pastor has many responsiblities and it is hard to know which one of those responsiblities to pray for. I have found a verse that may help.

Psalms 103:7, KJV says, He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

The phrase "made known" is an open ended. It is general enough to include learning from a book, movie, the Bible, by watching people and more. The phrase "his ways" is also open ended. Among "his ways" are always telling the truth, trusting in Him, what to say for comfort, and so on. Moses was a leader. He had to get the message first. The rest of the verse is the result from the leader leading. The leading gives the people a way to recognize when God is doing something for the people. Then they can thank the pastor for making it possible to praise the Lord.

When You Need Strength

     When I think of  "strength" I think of physical strength. Psalm 18 talks about God's kind of strength. He talks of hailstones and coals of fire. But more importantly to me, he talks about emotionally strength, strength that is needed to go through trials that work on the mind and emotions.
      King David, who wrote the Psalm, went through trials just like me, except his trials were much bigger and involved more people. Psalm 18:32 says, "It is God who arms me with strength." Satan  laughs at our strength, our resolve, our determination, or whatever we want to call it. It takes it to a whole new level to get God's strength involved. The same verse says, "And makes my way perfect." There is a way through trials. There are also a lot of trip hazards. But it is God who makes the perfect way of what we are to do. If the battle or the trial is too strong for us, He picks us up and carries us through it Himself.
     The Psalmist ends by singing and giving thanks, even among Gentiles, or in my case, unbelievers.

The Singing Command

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

Psalms 149                                                                    

THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. (Psalms 47:6, KJV)

            At a funeral when the congregation sung hymns, I was seated next to an outstanding alto woman, and to an excellent baritone man in the pew behind me. I felt ashamed to sing because I cannot tell the difference between a “C” and an “A”. I am a soprano but my range is limited. I am usually flat. I felt God’s pressure to sing. How could I ruin their good singing with my cracked voice? Would they ask me to quit making noise?

            I am tired of hearing “make a joyful noise” when referring to singing quality. I do not think God believes bad singing is “noise”, like static on a radio. He made us and knows our limitations. He tells us throughout the Psalms to rejoice and sing.

            I finally gave in and sang.  Neither the man nor woman mentioned my singing.

            To this day, I remember how I felt, but I am getting better about singing both in a crowd and alone. I am encouraged when I realize even God sings (Zephaniah 3:17, KJV).

Prayer: Thank You for enjoying even poor singing. Amen

Statutes, Precepts, and Commandments

   Psalms 119 talks a lot about statutes, precepts, and commandments. I believe God has shown me a down-to-earth way of thinking of them. The laws of physics are unbreakable. If you ever drove a car too fast around a corner, you will feel the law of physics. Just as you cannot stop gravity or light waves; you cannot stop God's love or judgment on sinners.

     Precepts are the ways in which God puts the laws together to get His work done. This compares to a car. The firing of the pistons does not violate the laws of physics. It takes Christian maturity to be observant enough to recognize precepts happening. One I can think of is the power of praise controlling my thoughts. 

     Commandments are like driving the car. The driver does not need to know how the laws of physics work. They do need to know enough to turn the key and how to use the brake, accelerator, and gear shift. The person uses the car for a reason.  God has a purpose for the commandments He gives and the road map to get there.

     Testimones come after the driver gets out of the car. Magazines give reviews of cars. Christians who obeyed talk about God working with them or through them. Christians who did not obey can still talk about the lessons they learned.

     

 

Reaching a Relationship with Jesus

Photo by David Straight on Unsplash

Reaching a Relationship With Jesus

I grew up in a Christian home. The church taught the gospel correctly, including to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

What they did not teach was how to gain that relationship. How do you have a relationship with a God that you cannot hear, cannot see, and cannot touch? To me, it seemed like you had to become insane to believe you have a relationship with Him.

To know Jesus personally, I found I had to assume that I was truly saved, no matter how I felt.  I read the Bible every day, which I had to believe rather than my feelings.   I remembered Jesus said I was “born again.” Like a newborn baby, I did not know how to talk to Jesus. I could only cry when I felt a need.

I grew, as a baby grows to be a child, to understand more of the Bible.  I memorized verses which came to mind when needed. On occasion, three of things caught my attention.

            Remember Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.

Psalm 26 (in my words)

Psalm 26 (in my words)

1) Tell me if I am wrong, O Lord, but I have been completely using the things You have taught me. I trust You, so I will not be in slippery places like the rich.

2) Look me over Lord, and test me. See if I turn when You say to turn, like a horse follows the lead of the reins. See if my heart responds too.

3) I cannot believe how kind and loving You have been to me. I can picture Your lovingkindness in my paths even now.

4) I do not sit with people who cannot think of anything but fashion and what to buy. That includes those who run people down for the way they look.

5) I hate seeing the gathering of people who call “good”, “evil” and “evil”, “good”. I will not spend time with pro-choice planners.

6) I clean myself with the washing of the water of Your Word so that I will be innocent when I make my request of you.

7) That way, I can publicly announce my thanks to You and testify to all the ways You have worked in me.

8) I love being in church as much as being at home. You have a place of honor there.

9) Do not count me as a sinner, nor round me up with the men who have shed blood.

10) These men do mischief with their hands and their main effort is to bribe judges.

11) But as for me, I will continue to use the things I have learned from You. Thank You that Jesus bought me by his death on the cross.

12) I am in a flat plain now, so I can bless the Lord with the congregation of His own.

Psalms 36 (in my words)

Photo by Levi Saunders on Unsplash

The atheist says “There is no God” so he won’t be afraid.

His pride makes him brag about himself until no one can stand to be around him.

He sees nothing wrong with saying words that lie to take advantage of others.

He thinks he can be good without God, but he is no longer wise or good.

He thinks up ways to irritate his enemies without getting caught.

He is setting himself in a way that no one will want his company.

He sees nothing wrong with people doing what is right in their own eyes.

There is no end to Your mercy and faithfulness. It reaches from earth to outer space.

You never waver from doing right like the mountains stand firm; Your judgments go beyond our understanding. In it all, O Lord, You keep alive man and beast.

How perfect in all aspects is Your lovingkindness. O God that is why children of men are able to trust You like chicks running under a hen’s wing.

They are able to be abundantly satisfied with Your generosity. It’s like getting pleasure from using a clear river for drinking, for watering crops, and bathing.

You are the never ending source of life.  We use Your light to help us to see.

Please continue to practice lovingkindness and righteousness to those who know You and who stand up for the truth.

Don’t let my pride hurt me.  Don’t let the wicked move me.

The workers of iniquity fall, even being cast down. They are fallen and can’t get up by themselves.

The New Year Is Like a Gift

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

The new year is like a gift. You never know what to expect. It can be appreciated and used. Or it can become  ordinary or put on shelf to forget about it.

Happy New Year!