One-a-Day Friday, 9/12/14

Posted on by September 12, 2014
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number 1For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth (Psalm 71:5).

Think about it.

It doesn’t say, “You have given me hope.”

Or “You give me reason to hope.”

It says, “You have been my hope.”

God himself is our hope.  He is our confidence.

I gotta tell you…I’m not even sure what that means, but this passage seems to be not about what God does, but about who he is.

I’ve been walking, stumbling, slipping, and striding with Christ for twenty-seven years now.  I can’t count the number of times he has been hope and confidence and joy and strength and peace for me, when there was no earthly reason I should have any of those things.

I can’t count the number of times…but it’s fun to try.

As you head into your weekend, consider the times that God has supported you, not just with his gifts, but by his very nature.  And praise him, not just for what he does, but for who he is.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

One-a-Day Thursday, 9/11/14

Posted on by September 11, 2014
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number 1Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men (Psalm 71:4).

Thirteen years.

Thirteen years since “Nine-One-One” became “Nine-Eleven.”

Thirteen years since we awakened to fire and smoke and terror and grief.

Thirteen years since the hand of the wicked reached out to strike at our nation.

It was a horrific reminder that there is evil in this world.  Evil will always attack the innocent.  Evil will always set itself against the people of God.

And yet, you didn’t really need the reminder, did you?  You’ve known the attack of evil—maybe not on so grand a scale, but you’ve known it.

And you will again.

It comes with the territory.  It’s part of the package of being His, of living for Christ in this world.

And so is deliverance.

As surely as the sun rose this morning.

As surely as the Son rose long ago.

God will not let evil win.  Not in this world.  Not in your life.

So as you remember 911 today, as you see the proud flags and hear the lofty speeches, remember your own personal 911’s, and how God has brought you through them.

And trust that he will again.

Walk in remembrance today, Beloved.

One-a-Day Wednesday, 9/10/14

Posted on by September 9, 2014
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number 1Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress (Psalm 71:3).

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ love and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame 

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Yep.  Stole that one.  But hey, why reinvent the wheel?

Or the Rock?

It’s Wednesday, Beloved.  Hold on tight.

One-a-Day Tuesday, 9/9/14

Posted on by September 9, 2014
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number 1In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame (Psalm 71:1).

Some days he calls me to stand firm, armor gleaming and sword sharp, and do battle in his name.

Some days he calls me to hide myself in him, to pull his protection over me like a child hiding under the blankets, and let him do all the fighting.

Why the difference?  I don’t know for sure.

I do know that if I stood tall all the time, I would probably start thinking that I was doing it on my own.

I’m foolish that way.

So, today I am reminded that there are things out there, both physical and spiritual, that are too big, too strong, too much for me.

But not for the One who loves me.  Not for the One who rescues me.

Beloved, you can’t be strong every day.

And that’s OK.  He doesn’t call you to be strong every day.

He just calls you to be his every day.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

One-a-Day Monday 9/8/14

Posted on by September 9, 2014
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number 1Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness… (James 3:18).

You know, for a long time I’ve been reading this verse wrong.

I thought it said, “Peacemakers who sow peace…”  I figured it was a, “You reap what you sow,” kind of passage.  But that’s not what it says in my Bible.  It says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace…”

So what does that mean?

Well, first of all, James is talking to those who are peacemakers, dedicating themselves to bringing peace between Man and Man as well as between Man and God.  Does that description fit you?

Something to chew on, ya?

Then James says that they are sowing in peace.  They are not stressed.  They are not striving.  They’re just planting seeds.  I’m not a farmer, but I’ve done a little gardening, and I’ve learned a thing or two.

Thing One: There’s a lot you can do to ensure a good harvest.

Thing Two: There’s a lot you can’t.

Gardening is a lot like farming which is a lot like our spiritual lives.  You prepare the soil, plant good seed, water well, guard against weeds and critters, and trust God for the rest.  If you realize that the harvest is not on your shoulders, that God is ultimately in control of what grows, then you can be at peace, doing your best and trusting God for the outcome.

I’m not saying it’s easy…I’m just saying it is.

So, once again, it all comes back to trusting God. You can no more create spiritual fruit than you can force rutabagas to appear.

Not that you would want to.

You may have noticed that wherever I start with one of these devotions, I end up in the same place—trust God.

I guess I’m kind of a one-trick pony.

Sow in peace, Beloved.  He’s got the harvest covered.

Manliosityhood

Posted on by March 8, 2020
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elephantSeussical, the show my family has been a part of this summer, is coming to a close.  The experience has already produced some pithy paternal parental ponderings that I have passed to my progeny to preserve for posterity.

But wait…there’s more.  This one’s for my boy.

Hey Boyo,

One of the scariest jobs in Fatherdom is raising children to be emotionally stable grownups.  So I, who was raised in a house of women, need to somehow steer my way through the dense fog of estrogen to teach my boy how to be a man.  And not just any man, but a man of God.

Good luck, Kid. Continue reading →

One-a-Day Friday, 8/29/14

Posted on by November 1, 2015
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number 1The wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17).

I got a great new app.  It’s called “Sincerity.”  It automatically scrolls through my contacts list, picking names at random.  It then matches each name to one of a list of encouraging Scripture passages.  Once a day, it sends an uplifting message to the people in my life, letting them know that I’m thinking about them, and that I care deeply.

Except I’m not.

And I don’t.

OK, you’re right; there’s no such app.  And if there were, it would be terrible.  But, for a moment, you were thinking, “Hey…”

Weren’t you?

One of my favorite poems is called Psalm of Single-Mindedness, by Joe Bayly.  It begins like this

Lord of reality, make me real.

Not plastic

Synthetic

Pretend

Phony

An actor playing out a part

Hypocrite.

I don’t want to keep a prayer list—I want to pray…

The poem goes on from there, but you get the picture.  It has been my prayer so often that I have a copy of the poem taped to the inside cover of my Bible.

So, Beloved, are you walking into Friday fueled by the knowledge of His love and the power of that love to change the lives around you…or are you just saying what you know you’re supposed to say and doing what you know you’re supposed to do?

Don’t rush past this—chew on it for a bit.

There’s no power in going through the motions.

Even if they’re good motions.

May I make a suggestion?  Pray that God would blast through your hypocrisy today.  Pray that he would rub your soul raw, that you might feel this world as he does.  Pray that God would break your heart all over again.

It will be painful, disturbing, dangerous maybe.

But…

Don’t just walk like you mean it, Beloved.

Mean it.

One-a-Day Thursday, 8/28/14

Posted on by August 28, 2014
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number 1The wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial… (James 3:17).

God doesn’t play favorites.

I do.

Hmm…I oughta do something about that.  Pray for me, would you?

Even if, you know, I’m not one of your favorites.

One-a-Day Wednesday, 8/27/14

Posted on by August 27, 2014
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number 1The wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit… (James 3:17).

You can tell a tree by the fruit it produces.

That’s a pretty simple metaphor.  You find it all through the Bible.

And it makes sense.

If you are walking in the wisdom of God, you will do things that reflect God’s character.  You will be merciful, because the God you follow is merciful.  You will walk in grace and strength and purity because these are qualities of the One you serve.  Conversely, if you walk in the wisdom of this world, you will bear the fruit of self-centeredness, greed, arrogance, and folly.  Because that’s what this world is about.

You see where I’m going, here?

If you want to want to judge a tree, look at its fruit.

If you want to judge a heart…

It’s Wednesday, Beloved.

Be a good tree.

One-a-Day Tuesday, 8/26/14

Posted on by August 26, 2014
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number 1The wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive… (James 3:17).

Submissive?

Why submissive?  That makes me feel so weak. Who in their right mind would ever —

Your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And, being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11).

…Oh…

Walk in submission, Beloved.

You’ll be in good company.