I haven't touched this blog in 5 years, but it has been on my mind lately. In one of our last conversations you asked me what advice I had for you. I appreciate your trust and eagerness to learn and grow. I'm going to share some thoughts, a little at a time. These reflect what I am studying and considering, and I invite you to join me in contemplating.
First, I have been reading and rereading a list that comes from AW Tozer's "Of God and Men". But I want to slow down, consider just one, and see how it applies.
"Listen for the Inward Voice till you learn to recognize it."
That sounds simple, doesn't it? We "listen" every day to all sorts of input. But to listen for the Inward Voice implies intentionality, focus, time. I am quick to jump from one thing to another, and often only pretend to listen to people, music, programs, etc. As I read my Bible and pray, often the same is true. I don't take time to listen; I'm just "checking a box" for today.
Over the years I've asked the Lord to teach me to listen and to teach me to pray in conversation with Him. Yet I don't slow down to let it happen.
So, this is my prayer today, for me and for you:
Lord, help us to listen for the Inward Voice until we learn to recognize You speaking to us!
"There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me." (John 16:13-14)
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
"But everyone who hears these words of mine and does nto put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
I keep returning to the hymn, "How Firm a Foundation". It echoes in my mind and in my heart.
Let's take a little time to mine the riches of this great hymn, shall we?
"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?"
What is a foundation? Thanks to Merriam-Webster, here are a few definitions:
a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid
an underlying base or support
a basis (such as tenet, principle, or axiom) upon which something stands or is supported
What do we know about our foundation?
Our foundation is firm. It remains solid and unshaken, and we can rest safely on it.
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
"But everyone who hears these words of mine and does nto put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)
Our foundation is the Word of God.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us..." (John 1:1-5, 14**but the whole chapter gives a fuller understanding)
Our foundation is complete.
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3)
Our foundation is secure because of the work of Jesus.
"God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."(Hebrews 6:18-19a)
Our foundation is our safe place.
"In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' <Note: an unbeliever might challenge our faith: "Run! your foundations are being destroyed and you have no hope!" This is not true; our foundation cannot be destroyed! Read on to the second half of this Psalm...>
"The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them.The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, He hates with a passion. On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
"For the LORD is righteous, He loves justice; the upright will see His face." (Psalm 11)
Some questions to consider:
(Matthew 7: 24-27) Jesus gives us a parable with a very clear truth: we choose our foundation by hearing and putting into practice His words. What truths can we understand about the Word, our foundation?
(John 1:1-5, 14) Who/What is the "Word" of our foundation? What are the works of the Word?
(Hebrews 6:18-19) What is the purpose of an anchor on a ship/boat? What is our spiritual anchor?
(Psalm 11) People, and circumstances, will counsel us to flee FROM the foundation, rather than TO the foundation. What gives (should give) the believer the strength to stay?
In what ways does our modern culture confirm or challenge these truths?
What conclusions can we draw about the work of the Word of God in our lives?
Digging deeper: Read Hebrews 4:12-13 and draw some more conclusions about the Word of God.
Our gracious and loving Heavenly Father, the work is done, our foundation is sure, thank you! We flee to You, and in You we have hope.
This is a related hymn, full of truth, hope and comfort.
"But now, this is what the LORD says--He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel:
'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior'..." (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
Dear Friend,
My life has been forever impacted by the hymns that I learned in my youth and throughout my adulthood. In various moments, they arise to remind me of great truths, truths that sometimes I cannot even fully grasp. Sometimes they fill me with joy; at other times, they bring comfort. Once in a while, though, they remind me of truth, and enable me to endure, even without resolution, and even in times of great sorrow or worry.
In the midst of prayer this morning, a line came to mind:
"When through the deep waters".
That was it, just five words. It was enough.
I'd like to share the words to this great hymn with you (and I may have already shared it, but it is worthy of repetition)! I dread even to break up the hymn with comments, as it is so rich and full.
"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?"
"God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the sould, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:18-19a)
"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand."
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)
"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee they deepest distress."
"But now, this is what the LORD says--He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior'..." (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine."
"But now, this is what the LORD says--He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior'..." (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake!"
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave your; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
Even in the process of typing and preparing the text of this great hymn, and its Scripture references (of which there are many more), I am overcome with emotion: how great our God is! Rather than bog this post down with lots of words, I will end here and we can reflect on it together in another post. Will you prayerfully reflect on the hymns and Scriptures, and share with me your thoughts and questions? We'll proceed from there.
Dearest Heavenly Father, how we praise and thank You, for You are our firm foundation; You are our life, our strength, our truth. We join our hearts, our minds, and our lives to You, and to Your purposes for our lives.
Today we gather with family and friends to share in a Thanksgiving feast. Of course, for some, it's just an opportunity to eat a big meal, watch football, and plan for the next day's shopping trip. But many will take time today and reflect, even those who do not believe in God.
Being thankful is a good thing. It reminds us that what we have and what we do are not owed to us. They are given. Each moment of our lives is an experience of great mercy.
I've long pondered over this verse: "for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous". (Matthew 5:45)
In its context, Jesus tells us that we are to love our enemies. That is hard. Yet, this verse reminds us that God does exactly what He calls us to do.
Why does God give good things to those who are evil?
Don't they deserve only evil?
Yes! But, don't we all?
Who among us can stand on our own merit before God? Alas, no one can. "as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one." (Romans 3:10-12)
So, why does God give good things to those who are evil?
I can think of two reasons:
1. He is merciful. "But You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth." (Psalm 86:15)
2. He wants all men to come to Him, and will draw them by His mercies. " 'Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked', declares the LORD God, 'rather than that he should turn from his ways and live'?"
As we pause this Thanksgiving Day, we have many reasons to come to God with our prayers and songs of thanksgiving. Let us direct our thanks to Him, and may we have opportunity to point others to the One who gives them all reasons to be thankful. Heavenly Father, We thank You today. You give life and hope to all. You offer salvation to all. You love without measure. You are merciful.
"All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it." (Hebrews 11:13)
Dear Mrs. Kurtz, How were people saved before Jesus? Were people who made sacrifices the only people who were saved? It talks in Hebrews about how He came and saved those who were "waiting" for Him. What does that mean?
Dear Friend,
It is hard to understand completely how God's purposes and plans work both within and without time and for all men. We can struggle greatly to make sense of things.
What if people have never heard?
What if people are sincere about God but do not know the forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus?
What if...?
Why...?
When we do not understand, we recall what do know, and we anchor our faith to that.
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the LORD your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all My regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the LORD your God'." (Leviticus 18:1-4)
<Note: the expression "I am the LORD your God" and similar expressions, are plentiful in Scripture; this is just one example.>
God is just.
"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus." (Romans 3: 23-26)
God is merciful.
"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone--as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear Him." (Psalm 103:8-17)
God is holy.
"For I am the LORD your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry along the ground. For I, the LORD, am the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44-45)
God does not delight in the death of the wicked.
" 'Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?' says the Sovereign LORD. 'Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live'." (Ezekiel 18:23)
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Sovereign LORD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?' " (Ezekiel 33:11)
God is sovereign and works all things well at just the right time.
"Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways! For who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice? And who has given Him so much that He needs to pay it back? For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)
"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners." (Romans 5:6)
God's love never ends.
"The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentations 3:22-23)
How has the idea of "fairness" corrupted our modern society, and the way that we (individually) view things?
Who has the right to protest God's judgments?
When we don't understand something about God, we have two choices: rely on His character as revealed in Scripture, or reject Him based on our own limited/faulty understanding. Which is easier? Which is better?
I love Hebrews 6:19! How is our "hope" an "anchor"?
Andree Seu Peterson is one of my favorite editorial/devotional/blog writers. I recently read this article and found it interesting. I hope that you will enjoy it too. "Remembering God is God, and we are not"
Heavenly Father, When we look to Your Word, we see Your goodness and Your mercy, and we rejoice. Yet, we shudder because we know that we deserve judgment, an eternity in hell! We thank You for the gift of forgiveness through the death of Your Son, Jesus Christ! We cling to You, by faith, in what we understand, and even more in what we do not understand. Will You help us to continue to grow in You?
