Ps. 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
These winter months are often difficult in the stone business and I would guess that this year will be no different. As I try to plan for what might be ahead I am brought to the realization that I again have no idea of what will be coming. I am left with the simple truth that it all depends on God to bring us through.
I look at these verses and the words "Alone" and "All Times" jump out at me. I have no second option and there is never a time that I do not need to be trusting in Him. How can I go on if He is not leading? I have no strength except that He gives it. He holds me up and He covers me with His strong right hand. He promises to provide and He must be the One Who does provide or there will be no provision.
All I can do is pour out my heart to Him and wait for His answer, though that is very hard to do. I want to work and struggle to take care of "my part" and I am starting to realize more and more that I almost have no part in the success of any of the endeavors He allows me to be in.
Please pray with me that I would have courage to walk by faith and not by sight and that He would be delighted to show off His power in all that He is doing around me. He is my Only Hope, why would I look for help in another?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Busy Time of Year
December is almost here and 2009 will soon be over, but before 2010 arrives there are many things to do, friends to see and family to visit. This year is Garrett's last high school basketball season and there will be many concerts and parties to attend.
This time of year is always hectic and I am not saying that is necessarily bad, but there is a danger with having the "list" so full. I think the tendency is to make room for lots of other things at the expense of our time with the Lord. I know for me this has been easy to do in the past and I want to change that this year. Much like wasting Christmas break.
How do we make sure that we don't get our focus off of Christ and on to other things? I am no expert at this, but for me it seems that when I view my time with Him as the MOST important thing then it is easier to put other things aside rather than Him. If I view Him as the most necessary, the highest and best way to spend my time then all the other things can fall in after Him. I think it was Mueller or Moody who said when they knew they had a really busy day coming they would spend an extra hour in prayer that day.
There is just no greater treasure or joy that will come to us, then if we spend our time seeking to know His heart and communicating our heart to Him. Don't let "Vanity Fair" delude you into thinking that "it doesn't get any better than this", because in His presence there is FULLNESS of joy and in the end there is really no lasting joy in Vanity Fair.
Ps. 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Live on unseen things.
This time of year is always hectic and I am not saying that is necessarily bad, but there is a danger with having the "list" so full. I think the tendency is to make room for lots of other things at the expense of our time with the Lord. I know for me this has been easy to do in the past and I want to change that this year. Much like wasting Christmas break.
How do we make sure that we don't get our focus off of Christ and on to other things? I am no expert at this, but for me it seems that when I view my time with Him as the MOST important thing then it is easier to put other things aside rather than Him. If I view Him as the most necessary, the highest and best way to spend my time then all the other things can fall in after Him. I think it was Mueller or Moody who said when they knew they had a really busy day coming they would spend an extra hour in prayer that day.
There is just no greater treasure or joy that will come to us, then if we spend our time seeking to know His heart and communicating our heart to Him. Don't let "Vanity Fair" delude you into thinking that "it doesn't get any better than this", because in His presence there is FULLNESS of joy and in the end there is really no lasting joy in Vanity Fair.
Ps. 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Live on unseen things.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Garden
Picture in your mind a garden plot that needs to be worked. Lots of weeds and grass, sticks that need to be pulled out, rocks that would be in the way of making nice rows. Under all this current mess is good soil- you have witnessed it first hand. Nice, dark, rich soil that will grow something beautiful and bountiful.
As you are pondering what might grow there someone walks up to you; someone you don't know. You give him the once over, looking up and down his strong frame. Nothing here too spectacular to report except his hands are weathered from lots of work. It looks like he knows his way around the garden seeing multiple patches on his knees and holes in the toes of his boots lead you to believe these are his favorite gardening clothes- if this indeed is the gardener.
You're small and frail compared to him and the garden spot you are imagining is quite far from where you are right now and so he asks you if you would like to ride in the wheelbarrow. As a kid, riding in the wheel barrow is a fun treat, until you get dumped over. That seems better than walking and you are interested to see what might be going in the garden- having no real intention of working hard enough to actually plant anything in that spot; there is too much work to do just to get in the vicinity of growing anything, but you will watch.
The wheel barrow is well worn and it has seen plenty of dirt and tools in its time. This is not a fancy model but it seems he is getting a lot done with it so in you hop, amongst all the gardening tools. The wheelbarrow is a bit crowded with all the rakes and hoes, shovel and picks, so you hang on to the side and enjoy the ride. It's a bit bumpy, but it is better to be bumping along and not walking than it is to be walking along and not bumping.
As you ride you are starting to imagine the produce that will come out of this dirt. Will there be lettuce, or tomatoes? Hopefully no broccoli or cauliflower. Beets would be good and some potatoes, green beans, snow peas. This is starting to get exciting. Who will have to be the weeder. You don't like weeding.
You finally roll up to the spot and you hop out. I wonder what he will do first. I wonder if he will ask you to help. You are kind of small and wimpy compared to him. Maybe He will just do it all and let you watch. All the tools are gone from the wheelbarrow and it is just you and he standing there. You look around and the other tools are actually working in the garden; they are actually living tools. The rake is Jenny, the shovel is Sam, the hoe is Jimmy, and wait, what kind of tool are you?
All these tools seemed little and wimpy in the wheelbarrow and now they are doing their tiny bit of work in the garden. As fast as each one is, it is going to be a long time before there is any produce, but they are getting a little work done. The gardener is giving strength to each one as they run out, he brings the water to make the soil softer, he keeps the sun behind the clouds so it is a little cooler, he is encouraging everyone and he is telling them exactly what to do next. All they seem to be doing is working on the tiny little space around them and not even looking at what others are doing. Will this really turn out right?
The time goes by so fast. You had forgotten to look at your watch, so you don't even know what time it was when you started working. This is hard work, but he is so kind to work for and he seems to know exactly what you need before you even have the need, that it doesn't even seem like real work. How can this be, you have been in the garden before and you know how hard it can be, but this time it is different.
You look around you and see that all the tools are at least as weak as you are; they don't seem to be experts at what they are doing; like you, they are certainly not the highest quality tools in the shed and yet this gardener is using each one and they are really making a difference.
At the end of the day the garden has been all plowed up, planted, weeded, watered, the sun has come and the plants have grown, the harvest is completed and you are looking at a feast prepared for you by the gardener, and what a feast it is. How did he get all this out of that one little garden spot using all those flimsy tools? You will probably never know the answer, but you loved being part of the process and the feast sure is amazing.
We are all tools for the Gardener to use. He has promised to give us strength, to provide for our needs, to sharpen us, to encourage us, and to keep using us until He is finished with us. If we are faithful to follow His instruction He will bring the increase. He also promised to allow us to partake in the feast. We can't boast of anything in this process except that He chose to use us.
May we be tools useful for the Master.
As you are pondering what might grow there someone walks up to you; someone you don't know. You give him the once over, looking up and down his strong frame. Nothing here too spectacular to report except his hands are weathered from lots of work. It looks like he knows his way around the garden seeing multiple patches on his knees and holes in the toes of his boots lead you to believe these are his favorite gardening clothes- if this indeed is the gardener.
You're small and frail compared to him and the garden spot you are imagining is quite far from where you are right now and so he asks you if you would like to ride in the wheelbarrow. As a kid, riding in the wheel barrow is a fun treat, until you get dumped over. That seems better than walking and you are interested to see what might be going in the garden- having no real intention of working hard enough to actually plant anything in that spot; there is too much work to do just to get in the vicinity of growing anything, but you will watch.
The wheel barrow is well worn and it has seen plenty of dirt and tools in its time. This is not a fancy model but it seems he is getting a lot done with it so in you hop, amongst all the gardening tools. The wheelbarrow is a bit crowded with all the rakes and hoes, shovel and picks, so you hang on to the side and enjoy the ride. It's a bit bumpy, but it is better to be bumping along and not walking than it is to be walking along and not bumping.
As you ride you are starting to imagine the produce that will come out of this dirt. Will there be lettuce, or tomatoes? Hopefully no broccoli or cauliflower. Beets would be good and some potatoes, green beans, snow peas. This is starting to get exciting. Who will have to be the weeder. You don't like weeding.
You finally roll up to the spot and you hop out. I wonder what he will do first. I wonder if he will ask you to help. You are kind of small and wimpy compared to him. Maybe He will just do it all and let you watch. All the tools are gone from the wheelbarrow and it is just you and he standing there. You look around and the other tools are actually working in the garden; they are actually living tools. The rake is Jenny, the shovel is Sam, the hoe is Jimmy, and wait, what kind of tool are you?
All these tools seemed little and wimpy in the wheelbarrow and now they are doing their tiny bit of work in the garden. As fast as each one is, it is going to be a long time before there is any produce, but they are getting a little work done. The gardener is giving strength to each one as they run out, he brings the water to make the soil softer, he keeps the sun behind the clouds so it is a little cooler, he is encouraging everyone and he is telling them exactly what to do next. All they seem to be doing is working on the tiny little space around them and not even looking at what others are doing. Will this really turn out right?
The time goes by so fast. You had forgotten to look at your watch, so you don't even know what time it was when you started working. This is hard work, but he is so kind to work for and he seems to know exactly what you need before you even have the need, that it doesn't even seem like real work. How can this be, you have been in the garden before and you know how hard it can be, but this time it is different.
You look around you and see that all the tools are at least as weak as you are; they don't seem to be experts at what they are doing; like you, they are certainly not the highest quality tools in the shed and yet this gardener is using each one and they are really making a difference.
At the end of the day the garden has been all plowed up, planted, weeded, watered, the sun has come and the plants have grown, the harvest is completed and you are looking at a feast prepared for you by the gardener, and what a feast it is. How did he get all this out of that one little garden spot using all those flimsy tools? You will probably never know the answer, but you loved being part of the process and the feast sure is amazing.
We are all tools for the Gardener to use. He has promised to give us strength, to provide for our needs, to sharpen us, to encourage us, and to keep using us until He is finished with us. If we are faithful to follow His instruction He will bring the increase. He also promised to allow us to partake in the feast. We can't boast of anything in this process except that He chose to use us.
May we be tools useful for the Master.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Collision
I just finished watching "Collision"- a video of a "debate" between Christopher Hitchens, an anti-theist author, and Douglas Wilson, a Christian pastor.
I came away with a couple of things, and I think you should watch it.
1. Pastor Wilson is a gift from God to The Church. "Copiousness" is a word he uses to describe himself. That is true, true. I am thankful that God gives different gifts to the Church and that I do not have to be as sharp as he is to be of service to The King.
2. Hitchens states along the way that the reason he is intrigued with Wilson, even listens to him, is that he really believes what he says and he even lives it out. We can have all the answers to every question and it is still the power of the Gospel that wins heart, not our great debate. It is us living/walking the Gospel much more than talking the Gospel that wins hearts.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. God is SOO Good.
I came away with a couple of things, and I think you should watch it.
1. Pastor Wilson is a gift from God to The Church. "Copiousness" is a word he uses to describe himself. That is true, true. I am thankful that God gives different gifts to the Church and that I do not have to be as sharp as he is to be of service to The King.
2. Hitchens states along the way that the reason he is intrigued with Wilson, even listens to him, is that he really believes what he says and he even lives it out. We can have all the answers to every question and it is still the power of the Gospel that wins heart, not our great debate. It is us living/walking the Gospel much more than talking the Gospel that wins hearts.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. God is SOO Good.
Thanks Be To Our Great God
Thanksgiving is a time when we get together and praise God for all He has done in our lives, though I am convicted of my lack of continual praise throughout the year.
Many Christians would start off with “Salvation” at the top of their list, and I have listed that in previous years but there has never been a time, in my own life, that this has been as true as it is right now. The idea that we are “Jars of Clay” is a good reminder that we are chosen to carry the message of the Gospel and that is our only contribution- carrying. Vessels made to carry the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ. That Christ has chosen me, dwells in me, strengthens me and intercedes for me is so amazing. I am not deserving of this grace and yet that is what I have been given.
When people list health as an item they are either flippant about it or they have probably been in a valley where health has been diminished. To think that our bodies go through all they do and we don’t end up in the hospital all the time is pretty amazing. I am thankful that germs are not visible. I am thankful for kids who have remained alive this entire year.
Family would be on my list and our family is much larger than those ending with the name Weinberg. Many of you have been through more with us than our bio families have. Many of you have been our encouragement and "exhorters" along the way. We have loved watching you grow in the Lord and it is fun to see Him work so visibly in your lives. We love the part you have played in our lives and in the lives of our kids and this is not just from the “old people” but also from the young.
Food, clothes and shelter have to be on this list. Though we often take these kinds of things for granted, our perspective has been seriously altered this year after returning from Ethiopia. Why was I born in America while my Christian brothers and sisters were born in Ethiopia? Why do we have more food than we ever need and they are struggling to get food for tomorrow morning?
Faith in trials, testing building perseverance, increased love for the lost, increased love for the saints, grace abounding to me a wicked sinner, forgiveness and removal of my sins, fruit in ministry, fruit in my own life and the lives of those around me, heaviness that is ok knowing that He knows what is best, justification, a measure of sanctification and the hope of glorification and my Savior making intercession for me at the right hand of the Father waiting for me in Heaven.
What is there that I need? Only salvation in Him.
Many Christians would start off with “Salvation” at the top of their list, and I have listed that in previous years but there has never been a time, in my own life, that this has been as true as it is right now. The idea that we are “Jars of Clay” is a good reminder that we are chosen to carry the message of the Gospel and that is our only contribution- carrying. Vessels made to carry the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ. That Christ has chosen me, dwells in me, strengthens me and intercedes for me is so amazing. I am not deserving of this grace and yet that is what I have been given.
When people list health as an item they are either flippant about it or they have probably been in a valley where health has been diminished. To think that our bodies go through all they do and we don’t end up in the hospital all the time is pretty amazing. I am thankful that germs are not visible. I am thankful for kids who have remained alive this entire year.
Family would be on my list and our family is much larger than those ending with the name Weinberg. Many of you have been through more with us than our bio families have. Many of you have been our encouragement and "exhorters" along the way. We have loved watching you grow in the Lord and it is fun to see Him work so visibly in your lives. We love the part you have played in our lives and in the lives of our kids and this is not just from the “old people” but also from the young.
Food, clothes and shelter have to be on this list. Though we often take these kinds of things for granted, our perspective has been seriously altered this year after returning from Ethiopia. Why was I born in America while my Christian brothers and sisters were born in Ethiopia? Why do we have more food than we ever need and they are struggling to get food for tomorrow morning?
Faith in trials, testing building perseverance, increased love for the lost, increased love for the saints, grace abounding to me a wicked sinner, forgiveness and removal of my sins, fruit in ministry, fruit in my own life and the lives of those around me, heaviness that is ok knowing that He knows what is best, justification, a measure of sanctification and the hope of glorification and my Savior making intercession for me at the right hand of the Father waiting for me in Heaven.
What is there that I need? Only salvation in Him.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Clay Pots
2 Cor. 4: 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
SKH is going to teach through this passage this coming Sunday and I have been thinking about it these last couple of days. I believe that when Paul penned these words he would have been thinking about clay pots like these in this picture.
Jars of clay are just baked mud, and that is what we are. These pots were and are very common, breakable, cheap and not necessarily very nice to look at. As in the picture, they are used for every day things, in this case kitchen work, but they also could have been made in different sizes and used for things like bed pans.
It makes more sense to hear that we are but dust when you think about us being pots. A clay pot and our earthly body are very similar in that when buried both will soon turn back to the dust, or dirt, we once were.
We are these jars of clay. The treasure of the Gospel, something very precious, is stored inside of us; common, not so nice to look at, breakable jars of clay. Can the pot say to the potter "I don't like what you made me into"? Well, all we are is a vessel to be used to carry the light of the Gospel to the world. It seems like we should look something like these pots, but have light beaming out from us. If there are cracks in us there should be light flooding from each one of those cracks.
So, in the end, what difference does it make if we are persecute, afflicted, perplexed and crushed? If the Master has many pots that He can take off the shelf to replace us with, then should we just be happy to be used while He chooses to use us? Shouldn't we be excited that we are being used for something as useful as carrying the light of the Gospel?
Then what about the results? Where will the credit go if the Gospel actually bears fruit in the lives of those around us? Can we boast in our effectiveness in sharing the Gospel? How could we if we are but clay pots? That is what Paul is trying to say, "How can I boast in anything if I am just a normal, common, fragile pot that can be replaced at any minute?"
So as I walk today I must remember that I am only a vessel that God is choosing to use to carry the Gospel. I want to be a clean vessel so that as much light as possible can get out of me into the world. I must remember that I am chosen, but not because of anything that is of value in me, but that God chose to choose me because He is gracious.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Life changing words
"How do we have our faith increased? Only by thinking of all that Jesus is, and all He is for us: His life, His death, His work, He Himself revealed to us in the Word, to be the subject of our constant thoughts. Not striving to have faith, or to increase our faith, but a looking off to the Faithful One seems all we need.
Here I feel is the secret: not asking how I am to get sap out of the vine into myself, but remembering that Jesus is the Vine- the root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, all indeed. Aye, far more than that. He is the soil and the sunshine, air and rain- more than we can ask, think, or desire. Let us not then want to get anything out of Him, but rejoice in being ourselves in Him-one with Him- and consequently, with all His fullness. Not seeking for faith to bring holiness, but rejoicing in the fact of perfect holiness in Christ, let us realize that- inseparably one with Him- this holiness is ours, and accepting the fact, find it so indeed." Hudson Taylor.
This, for Hudson Taylor, was a life changing realization and many who knew him previously said that from this time on he was a completely different man. Hard to imagine that he was as godly as he was up to this point and that his life really changed so much that others said this about him later.
May this be said of us as well.
Here I feel is the secret: not asking how I am to get sap out of the vine into myself, but remembering that Jesus is the Vine- the root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, all indeed. Aye, far more than that. He is the soil and the sunshine, air and rain- more than we can ask, think, or desire. Let us not then want to get anything out of Him, but rejoice in being ourselves in Him-one with Him- and consequently, with all His fullness. Not seeking for faith to bring holiness, but rejoicing in the fact of perfect holiness in Christ, let us realize that- inseparably one with Him- this holiness is ours, and accepting the fact, find it so indeed." Hudson Taylor.
This, for Hudson Taylor, was a life changing realization and many who knew him previously said that from this time on he was a completely different man. Hard to imagine that he was as godly as he was up to this point and that his life really changed so much that others said this about him later.
May this be said of us as well.
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