Author Archives: jsjdevotions

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March 21, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Joy, Knowing Him

LAUGHTER: THE BEST MEDICINE

The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. [Psalm 145:14 (NLT)]

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. [Psalm 146:8 (NLT)]

wildebeest 1-cropwebThree days ago, I published a devotion titled “Let the Healing Begin.” Immediately after its posting, I got an email from a friend who is recovering from painful knee surgery. “How timely,” he wrote. “Yesterday, while attempting to bend/kneel down and hook up the hose to vacuum my pool, my surgical knee gave out – and in an attempt to keep from falling in the pool, I pulled/tore the hamstring in the opposite leg. Laying on my back by the pool I thought, ‘Well, at least I didn’t break an arm or bang my head!’” He added, “The good news: my hamstring hurts more than the surgical knee so, I have kinda forgotten about the knee pain! It’s all relative! :-)” In spite of my concern for him, I laughed at his funny narrative. I then said a quick prayer for my hurting friend and thanked God for His precious gift of humor and laughter.

There are some people who question whether God has a sense of humor and laughs. I have no doubt that our funny bone comes from Him. Since we are made in God’s image, it is logical to believe that if we have a sense of humor, so does ostrich 094webHe; if we can laugh, He does, too. Anyone who’s heard a child’s laughter knows that delightful sound could only come from a loving God. Moreover, to make sure we always have something about which to laugh, He gave us creatures like the wildebeest and ostrich. Seeing those remarkable animals, however, isn’t necessary for laughter once we take a good look at our own lives and the various pickles in which we find ourselves. I, for one, frequently find myself in pickle juice so there is often a reason to laugh!

God is the one who lifts us out of despair and gloom and he often does that with laughter. A God-given sense of humor, however, never laughs at the expense of others; it’s not sarcastic or mocking nor is it crude, crass or cruel. A sense of humor gives us the ability to see, appreciate and express what is funny or amusing about a situation, especially when it’s our own. God’s gift of humor is necessary for survival because, without some laughter at our human predicaments, all that is left is tears.

In responding to my friend, I thought of the “big three” that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 13:13: faith, hope and love. While reminding him to keep his sense of humor, I suggested that we all need to add a fourth item to that list of attributes of Christian life: laughter. Of course, I also made the recommendation that he consider hiring a good pool man in the future!

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road. [Henry Ward Beecher]

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. … For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. … A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. [Proverbs 15:13,15,30 (NLT)]

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March 20, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Joy, Nature, Today: Make it Count

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER – for the First Day of Spring

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. … My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy. [Psalm 88:1-3,9 (NLT)]

3-20-15bleak-r-cropWEBPsalm 88, written by Heman the Ezrahite, was sung to a tune called “The Suffering of Affliction.” Clearly not a light-hearted ditty, this likely could be the most depressing of all the psalms. Written in a state of despair, the only glimmer of hope in the psalm is that the psalmist chose to pray at all. And pray he did, as he poured out his concerns and sorrow to God, the god of his salvation.

Last month, we went walking in a snow storm. It looked like a Psalm 88 kind of day: bleak and dreary with no hope of spring. Except for our parkas and the lone fox we surprised, we could have been in a black and white photograph. As we walked, my mind kept echoing the words, “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.”

I remembered a friend’s comment about the way she once viewed life. Bereaved and emotionally numb after some distressing years, she saw the world only in black, white and various shades of grey. Regardless of the weather outside, she remained stuck in a bleak midwinter. While the calendar tells us when seasons change and winter turns to spring, there is no designated date for spring when one is experiencing an emotional winter in life.1494-cropRWEB

Eventually, after making a concerted effort to move out of the bleakness of winter, spring arrived for my friend. Once again she saw the world in its amazing Technicolor. As she prayed, her faith strengthened and she moved out of isolation into God’s love. She cautiously stepped out of her lonely sorrow and into new friendships. With the warmth of God’s love and Christian fellowship, she again grew and blossomed, much as a spring flower does after winter. As color came back into her life, she brought color into the lives of those she met.

Jesus brought sight to the blind; not all the blind, however, are visually impaired. Many, like my friend, are temporarily blinded by their tears. If that is you, reach out to God in prayer and to your brothers and sisters in Christ. If not, do you know someone who needs the warmth of Christian fellowship to break the ice in their hearts? Is there someone who needs to experience some of God’s loving grace so they can, once again, experience spring and the world in full color? Is there someone who needs to know the rest of the song’s words: that the answer is in Jesus Christ?

“In the Bleak Midwinter” [Christina Rossetti (1872)]

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. …
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book, and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness. [Isaiah 29:18 (NLT)]

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March 16, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Temptation & Sin

THE DEVIL NEVER TAKES A HOLIDAY

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” [Luke 4:9-12 (NLT)]     

Satan seeks out those most susceptible and appeals to them. Alone and weak from hunger after forty days in the wilderness, Jesus was vulnerable to temptation and Satan exploited his needs (just as he does ours). Rarely does temptation wear a label identifying it as such. It may be wrapped in a pretty package and even, as Satan did, use scripture to support it. Jesus recognized Satan and his offers for what they were and refuted each temptation by returning to the word of God.

Our character is continually being tested by the temptations in our lives. Satan doesn’t even take off on Sunday; he’s busy “twenty-four/seven/three sixty-five.” How then can we resist? Like Jesus, we must rely on God’s word for guidance. Knowing scripture, however, isn’t enough. After all, even Satan knows scripture. We have to live our faith and follow God’s word. We must pray for guidance. We must stand strong in our commitment. Finally, we must be alert and learn to recognize temptation when it stands before us.

Lord Jesus, may your Holy Spirit keep us alert and strong as we face the continual temptations and challenges of daily life. Stay with us; guard, guide, and reside within us.

“Abide With Me” [Henry F. Lyte (1847)]
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came. [Luke 4:13 (NLT)]

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March 14, 2015

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Bible Stories, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Thanks & Praise, Trusting God

YOU PROMISED!

Yes. I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you wherever you go, and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you. [Genesis 28:15 (MSG)]

Moses said to God, “Look, you tell me, ‘Lead this people,’ but you don’t let me know whom you’re going to send with me.” … God said, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.” [Exodus 33:12a,14 (MSG)]

In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. [Joshua 1:5 (MSG)]

“I promise I’ll be there.”… “I promise nothing bad will happen.”… “I promise I’ll pay you.”… “I promise I won’t be angry.”… “I promise I’ll get it done in time.” We all make promises; usually, we truly mean to keep them. Sometimes, however, we break our promises. Perhaps we didn’t even try; maybe, we tried but just not hard enough. We may have tried our very best but simply didn’t have the ability or means to fulfill our promise. Sometimes, circumstances totally beyond our control defeat us. Whatever the reasons, our promises are often broken.

God, however, has no limitations when He guarantees something. Unlike you and me, God is absolutely true to His word; He will never break a promise. Moreover, unlike you and me, He is entirely able to fulfill every one of his promises! There are no things beyond his ability and no circumstances he cannot control.

God made promises to Jacob, Moses, and Joshua: He would not leave them. That same promise was repeated by Jesus and made to us. He is with us in the valleys and on the mountain tops, in times of plenty and famine, in times of joy and sorrow. As our captain, He’ll never abandon ship; as our shepherd, He’ll never leave his sheep; and as our Heavenly Father, He’ll never forsake his children.

Thank you, God, for never leaving us alone; no matter what the circumstances, you are always with us. Help us to truly trust your promises and your mighty power to keep them so that we truly rest in the peace of your presence.

God never made a promise that was too good to be true. [Dwight L. Moody]

I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. [Matthew 28:20 (MSG)]

When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God. [Hebrews 6:17-18 (MSG)]

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March 12, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, God's Plan, Obedience, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance

DETOURS

This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. [Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)]

detoursDSC01393WEBIn yesterday’s message, I compared God’s guidance to our car’s GPS. They both know where we are and can guide us in our journeys. Personally, I love the soothing voice of our navigation system. When we ignore its advice, it never yells or calls us names. A gentle voice just calmly corrects us by saying, “Make a legal U-turn.” Moreover, the GPS will eventually adjust to accommodate our plans if we decide to take a different route. On our way to Florida, for example, because of warnings posted about a back-up due to an accident, we exited the interstate to avoid an hours-long delay. A quick look at the map indicated that we could take a detour and get back on the interstate south of the pile-up. At first the GPS kept gently telling us to turn around so we simply muted the voice; we knew what we were doing even if it didn’t. Eventually, the navigation system agreed with our plan and directed us back to the interstate our way.

God, however, isn’t so obliging when we choose to go our way instead of His. One, we can’t mute His voice. We can try to ignore him, but we can’t mute Him. Two, He’s the one who decides whether or not we take detours. He’s not going to adapt His plans to accommodate us. Moreover, God’s correction is rarely as gentle as a soothing voice suggesting a legal U-turn. When they ignored God’s directions, Jonah ended up in the belly of a great fish, Balaam’s donkey gave him grief when an angel blocked their way, and Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt. Finally, unlike the GPS, which we can turn on and off at will, God is always there and He expects obedience. He wants us to hear, trust, and submit to His plan, not ours.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)]

 

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March 11, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, God's Promises, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance

OUR NAVIGATION SYSTEM

directionsWEB
The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people. [Exodus 13:21-22 (NLT)]

We were in the middle of a heavy rainstorm on an unfamiliar interstate, nearing the interchange where we were to exit. When the GPS told us to take the next right, we did and westward we went only to realize we were on a two-lane road, not the divided highway we were expecting. The soft voice of the GPS told us to keep going west while I franticly tried to figure out where we were. Within minutes, having made enough turns that we weren’t sure how to return to the interstate, we decided to continue trusting the reassuring voice of our GPS; after all, it hadn’t steered us wrong yet. It seemed to know where we were going even if we didn’t. When told to turn north, we obeyed, believing that the satellite in the sky knew more than we did. Lo and behold, what should we find but the road we’d been trying to find! In spite of feeling like we’d wandered way off course, once I figured out where we’d been, it was clear we’d actually taken the most direct (if slightly unconventional) route.

Sometimes we feel hopelessly lost in life. We can’t return to where we were and we’re not sure where we are. Moreover, we don’t know where we should be headed and, even if we did, we don’t know how to get there. When the Israelites escaped Pharaoh, God led them with a pillar of clouds during the day and a pillar of fire at night. Sometimes, however, His guidance isn’t quite that obvious; nonetheless, He is there leading us. We just need to stop and study our map (the Bible), pray and listen for his voice. While, it’s not easy to cede control to an impersonal voice in the car, it’s even harder to cede control to an unseen God. We have to be like the Israelites: trust and follow, and He will lead us to the Promised Land!

God shall be my hope, my stay, my guide and lantern to my feet. [William Shakespeare]

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” [Psalm 32:8 (NLT)]

With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home. [Exodus 15:13 (NLT)]