The Top of My List

January 18, 2019 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

As young children, we often thank God for the tangible: “My parents”, “my toys”, “my house”. But as we grow older – particularly as we grow “older” in our personal walk with the Lord – we begin to see beyond the tangible. We start to develop a deeper gratitude for the things we cannot touch with our hands. We thank the Lord for LOVE, for FREEDOM, for MEMORIES. We give praise for those things we know to be true about God – His mercy, His faithfulness, His comfort.

I trusted in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior when I was 7-years-old. Back then, my Thanksgiving list would have been filled with the typical “Mom, Dad, sisters . . .” childhood answers. But time quickly passes, and before we know it, whole decades have gone by. During a recent church service, I began to do the math and suddenly realized that I have been a Christian for 25 years . . . Wow! That is a truly incredible thought!

And while I am sincerely grateful to God for the PEOPLE in my life – my wonderful husband, our four beautiful daughters, the loving pastors and church members who have chosen to support us on this deputation journey . . . There is something on my 2018 Thanksgiving List that may seem rather unconventional.

Helen Keller, both blind and deaf, once wisely declared, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”

The top-most “heart thing” I thank the Lord for this year is SORROW.

Psalm 119:68 and 71 declare “Thou art good, and doest good . . . It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

There are so many things in this life that we cannot learn on the mountaintops. There are so many lessons that God wishes to teach us through tears. In the book Hinds’ Feet On High Places, the most meaningful part to me is when little Much-Afraid finally enters the Kingdom of Love, and she nearly begins to cry for the loss of her faithful companions Suffering and Sorrow. It is then that these friends suddenly reappear – no longer as Suffering and Sorrow, but as radiant Joy and Peace.

Isaiah 61:2-3 “. . . to comfort all that mourn . . . to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . .”

If it had not been for sorrow, I never would have known the depth of God’s comfort and peace. If it had not been for sorrow, I never would have known the precious camaraderie there is with other miscarriage mamas. I never would have written “A Letter In Your Loss”. I never would have felt the burden to share God’s love with the bereaved in the hospitals of Virginia. I never would have seen how God could take my small endeavor and multiply it to His honor and glory.

But once further removed from a tragedy, the pains of grief can often take us by surprise. This week, I felt for a moment as though I couldn’t breathe when the strains of holiday carols met my ears. My heart nearly stopped at the sight of the memorial ornaments on our Christmas tree. The thought of Thanksgiving brought with it the memory of scheduling a doctor’s appointment, last year, and of hearing a baby’s heartbeat – a little life now gone to Heaven . . .

Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart . . .”

Oh how beautiful is the nearness of God! I have walked the road of baby loss twice during the last two years. But how many times over have Suffering and Sorrow brought God’s Joy and Peace! This Thanksgiving 2018, I THANK my Lord for the grief and the tears that I have known – for the valleys He has brought me through.

In Matthew 5:4, Christ proclaims,“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Though I would not wish it upon others; though I would never ask for it again myself; I believe in my heart that I am truly blessed for having known the sorrow of miscarriage. With sincerest gratitude, I thank God for this plan He had for my life.

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope; And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts . . .”

This post was first published at http://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-top-of-my-list-dinner-93.html

Heart for Heaven

January 14, 2019 John O'Malley

Until I learned to trust,

I never learned to pray;

And I did not learn to fully trust

‘Till sorrows came my way.

Until I felt my weakness,

God’s strength I never knew;

Nor dreamed ‘till I was stricken

That He could see me through.

Who deepest drinks of sorrow,

Drinks deepest, too, of grace;

God sends the storm so He himself

Can be out hiding place.

His heart, that seeks our highest good,

Knows well when things annoy;

We would not long for heaven

If earth held only joy.

by: Bruce Clingaman

The Importance of Self-Denial

January 8, 2019 John O'Malley

By Samuel Hanke

The slow-approaching sirens were blaring with a menacing bite. The Camaro flew with bullet-like velocity along the lengthy rural road. The pursuing police believed that their apprehension of chronic burglar Kasey Rogers was a long-awaited prize that was soon to be acquired. However, as Kasey crested a hill, his car abruptly caught air and glided thirty feet, colliding with an oak in a revolting crash that left Kasey dead. Ironically, the evening of this pursuit was the fifth anniversary of the funeral commemoration for Jackson Rogers, Kasey’s father. Jackson Rogers was a brilliant Colonel with a cogent military record to prove his genius, but his son Kasey never quite conformed to the remarkable model with which his father had gifted him. Thus, one man’s life ended in great distinction while another’s ended in disgrace. What was the decisive element that so vastly divided these two men’s destinies? One denied and disciplined himself; the other indulged in his desires. The ability to say “No” to oneself exalted one man to honor, but the lack thereof reduced another man to dishonor.

An individual’s ultimate destiny is immensely swayed by his self-denial, or lack thereof. If one has not learned how to command himself “No,” he has not learned the secret to both social and spiritual success. One cannot help injuring his social life if he cannot restrain himself from purchasing all that he desires at the expense of a massive debt. He cannot help doing himself spiritual damage if he does not restrain himself from lustful practices at every opportunity presented him. If one does not comprehend the magnitude of self-discipline and restrict himself from injurious exercises, he will soon find his life falling apart.

Contrary to human reasoning, however, mankind does not have the capacity in himself to overcome his fleshly desires. Man is not powerless to deny himself, but what strength he has buckles to pressure shortly into his attempt at self-subjection, resulting in defeat. How then can a man decisively conquer his flesh and drive it into subjection? The answer lies in the Word of God: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” When one yields himself fully to the command of the Holy Ghost and lives in the unlimited power He affords, he will find himself altogether victorious in every contest in which he participates. But the following clarification is needed here: the power of God cannot be obtained by one who has not accepted Christ as his Savior. God’s power is under restricted-access with admission granted only to those who have asked Jesus Christ for salvation.

The only means to social and spiritual success is through denial of the flesh; the only means to deny the flesh successfully is through the power of the Holy Spirit; the only means to access the power of the Holy Spirit is by salvation. Ultimately, therefore, the foundation of one’s social and spiritual success is his salvation, not self-subjection. If one accepts Christ as his Savior and denies his flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit, he will experience the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. Then will he be able to obtain the victory not only in self-subjection, but also in every other aspect of his life.

Hope for Our Country

January 4, 2019 John O'Malley

By Byron Foxx

What kind of nation are we becoming? We are becoming a nation of lawlessness and violence.

-We have alcoholic beverage and other drugs to destroy our bodies.

-We have immorality and perversion to destroy our homes.

-We have vandalism and mischief to destroy our properties.
-We have gangs and violence to destroy our schools.
-We have hatred and bitterness in the neighborhoods to destroy our cities.
-We have false religion and cults to destroy our churches.
-We have lies and scandals by politicians to destroy our government.

What is needed? There is only one solution. The only hope for our country is a sweeping revival.

I want to strongly state that a Heaven sent revival can save any nation! Do you want proof? Read Jonah Chapter 3 and find what happened in ancient Nineveh. Next search for information about the Welsh revival of 1904-05 when the jails were closed because there was no crime.

How can such a revival take place in our country this year? First, I must get right with God. Second, you must get right with God. You and I are part of our beloved country. One by one each member of our nation needs to get saved, baptized, join a Bible believing church, and get busy obeying Almighty God!

Psalm 85:6 "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?"

En Español, por favor….. In Spanish, Please!

January 1, 2019 John O'Malley

By Duey Whitfield

En Español, por favor….. This is a cry that we hear on a daily basis as missionaries reaching the Spanish here in the US. Please speak in Spanish. I am reminded that it is necessary to consider the fact that not everyone speaks English. I am also reminded that this doesn’t relieve us of our duty concerning reaching these people. The Great Commission that is given to the Church in Matthew 28 does not stipulate only a certain language group.

Paul reminds the good folks in the Church at Philippi that there is a day coming that “every knee shall bow….. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

“To the glory of God the Father” is a very strong statement made by the Apostle. When the day comes that we (as Christians) stand before the Lord it will be a great day and truly it will be to God’s glory as the ransomed are called home; but the other side of the coin is that there will be those that will have to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord that will not be to the glory of God the Father. This will be those who have not trusted Christ as Savior. Also, it will be those who haven’t heard the Gospel because it wasn’t in their native tongue therefore they are not able to understand the Gospel. In chapter 2 and verse 11 we are drawn to the word “tongue”. The word tongue literally means language! Paul reminds the Church that we have a responsibility to reach people because of this day and reminds them of the day when everyone will bow before the Lord.

Leading up to these two verses, Paul begins in chapter 1 with his greeting to the Church and then on to describe his joy through tribulation then we come to verse 27. Chapter 1:27 gets a lot of attention these days and is well published as a goal, however, there is not much followup to the preceding verses.

It is my heart’s desire to point out a few truth’s that will help the Church reach it’s people groups with out any Spiritual Discrimination:

1. Paul charges the Church to be UNYIELDING in verse 27 – Paul says that our conversation (our lifestyle) becomes the Gospel of Christ. The only way this is possible is to be unyielding to the pressures of the world. Our lives are to become as Christ.

2. Paul charges the Church to be UNDIVIDED in verse 27 as well as thrice in 2:2 – As our life becomes as Christ we are commanded to be of one Spirit, One Mind and of One Accord!

3. Paul charges the Church to be UNAFRAID in verse 28 – As adversity comes into the life of the Christian we learn that it comes because of our Salvation. Paul reminds them that this is the same thing that happened to him.

4. Paul charges the Church to be UNDERSTANDING in how this can be accomplished in 2:1-8. He gives the COMMAND to have the mind of Christ, he shows them the CONDITION that Christ took on the form of God, he shows the COUNTENANCE of Christ in His humility and he reminds them of the CONFORMATION in Christ going to the cross to do the will of the Father.

5. Paul charges the Church to be UNIQUE in accepting their responsibility in 2:9-13. With the reminder of verses 10 and 11 Paul then turns to the personal responsibility of the believer in reaching people. In verse 12 Paul charges the believer to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” with the knowledge that they had just received. As we gain an understanding that we are responsible for reaching ALL PEOPLE it should serve as a reminder that there is a day coming that we will give an account for those things “done in the body”. We have the promise in verse 13 that all of the power of heaven is available to us as we yield to every impulse of the Spirit of God.

Now, we have the Scripture that carries the command that we are to carry the Gospel to the countries of the world. With that comes language barriers. In the day of technology that we live in, the Gospel is readily available for a lot of those that surround us on a daily basis. Yes, there are languages that do not have the Gospel, this is being worked on by those that God has called and gifted to do so. We are responsible for what we can do. In doing so, God has brought a tremendous amount of people groups to our front door. Let’s reach them!

The United States is now the SECOND largest Spanish speaking country in the world. We have a great opportunity to reach these folks on a daily basis. As our Jerusalem changes, our command and commission doesn’t. Here are a few things that you may want to do to begin to reach the Spanish in your area if you haven’t begun already:

1. Use bilingual tracts for group and individual soul-winning. Target neighborhoods and communities where the housing is predominantly Spanish speaking.

2. Have a Spanish emphasis day. Inviting your Spanish Community in to be recognized.

3. English classes for Spanish speaking people, using the Bible as the text book,

4. Spanish speaking Bible study, using interpreters or a trusted individual that is attending to interpret. Grow this Bible study into a Sunday School and eventually into regularly held services.

Most of all, pray for these as well as others that may not speak English as their first language. Our desire is to see everyone come to Christ as Savior. If there is anything we can ever do to be help, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Our prayer is that God would use each of us to reach those He brings before us each day.

Lament

December 28, 2018 John O'Malley

By Gail Gritts

Lamentations is woeful and full of Jeremiah’s exhausted bereavement at the judgment of God on Israel. He is so wearied with it all. In chapter three he discovers an amazing antidote that can help all of us facing times of intense trial. Let’s take time to decipher it. Open your Bible to Lamentations 3 and follow along.
God’s judgment on Israel has brought affliction to the prophet Jeremiah. Men are persecuting him and laughing at him (vs. 1, 14). It has left him feeling forsaken and in a dark place (vs. 2, 6). He feels trapped (vs. 5, 7, and 9), and begins to believe God must be against him as well (vs. 3, 10, 12). He is full of hurt and bitterness (vs. 4, 11, 13, 15, and 16). He feels completely cut off, even from prayer (vs. 8, 17, and 44).
Sounds awfully depressing, doesn’t it? But in the midst of his woeful lamentation, he reveals a way out, a way forward, and a secret we all need to learn for enduring deep trials.
“And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.” (vs. 18-21).
What? Thinking about his desperate circumstance brought him hope? Yes! You might say, the only way out is up, so Jeremiah doesn’t pretend things aren’t bad. He accepts he is in a bad spot. But he shifts his focus. That word “recall” means “make to return to my heart.” Instead of continuing to bemoan his situation, he begins thinking about the Lord, and looking at his trial from a purposeful prospect. That created hope in his heart.
Look at the things he recites. Remember the Lord. Trust in His goodness, His promises (vs. 22-33). And what are they? Mercy, in verse 22. Faithfulness, in verse 23. God’s provision, in verse 24. And goodness, in verse 25. Jeremiah knows the consistent characteristics of God. He had experienced them before, and knew them to be true.
Now, he begins to speak truth into his situation. Humble yourself (vs. 20). Wait on God, he tells himself in verse 26. Learning to bear heaviness is good for spiritual growth (vs. 27). Learning to wait is an appointed lesson from God. Repent (vs. 29, 59). Yield (vs. 30). This too will pass (vs. 31). God will give compassion and mercy (vs. 32). It probably hurts God more than it hurts Jeremiah, but God knows how to teach His children to trust Him more fully (vs. 33). There is a purpose in this trial.
Jeremiah concludes, “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto the God in the heavens” (Lamentations 3:40, 41).
What did he do next? “I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon” (Lamentation 3:55). Even though he felt very low, he prayed anyway. He chose to act by faith instead of drowning in his emotions.
Did he find help? Yes! “Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee! Thou saidst, Fear not” (Lamentations 3:57).
You might think Jeremiah’s plight changed over night. It did not. His trial was not yet complete. But, by looking to the Lord, recognizing God’s goodness, accepting and confessing his dependence and personal sin, he found the wisest way to endure troublesome times.
Cast yourself upon the Lord, and fear not. God has not left you. He knows right where you are. He will bring you out much stronger, and ready to give praise for all you have learned if you faithfully wait on Him.

An Unlikely Audience

December 7, 2018 John O'Malley

By: Amanda Baker

Luke 2:8-11 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Christmas is a time for us to celebrate the coming of our Savior to this earth as a baby. The Christmas story is a familiar one to most people, and yet every year, I find that the unsearchable riches of the Scriptures come alive again with truth from this very familiar passage. The Lord came to this earth in an extremely humble manner and in a way that fulfilled prophecies written so many years before. The thing that struck me as I was recently pondering the announcement of Christ’s birth is the unlikely audience that the Lord used to announce His birth. His purpose in coming was to save His people from their sins. Why did He choose to use His angels in such a magnificent manner to herald the news of His birth to a group of simple shepherds? This unlikely audience could be considered symbolic of the fact that the Lord was concerned with the unlikely people of this world rather than just the important ones. He chose the shepherds to share the news of His birth. I am sure that those shepherds were not expecting that job, but God used them and encouraged their hearts with His angel’s words – “Fear not!” May we, like the shepherds, be willing to be used to share the good news of the Gospel no matter what time of year it is. And when we have thoughts of doubt as to whether we should speak up for Him, may we remember the angel’s words to the shepherds, and fear not!

Majestic Creator

November 30, 2018 John O'Malley

By Kristen Kelley

Our deputation travels through New England will always hold a few treasured memories for me.

Being a descendant of Hungarian immigrants, I had tears in my eyes seeing “Lady Liberty” for the first time. Standing in the “Great Hall” at Ellis Island made my heart stop in awe. I imagined my relatives – my own grandmother not much smaller than our Charlotte - standing in those massively long lines, reaching out for freedom. That moment for me was pretty incredible.

It was Bar Harbor, Maine, however, that truly captured my imagination. I have been in 28 states on the continental U.S., and, for me, nothing compares . . . The blue-gray water and magnificent pines. The dense fog. The rocks of various hues. The miniature sea shells and colorful tide pools. We took beautiful photographs, and even the photographs didn’t do it justice.

Our surroundings are often a blur, following a deep sorrow. Now 8 months since our second miscarriage, I feel as though Maine was the “wake up” moment for me. Look! There is beauty and majesty in the world! The sun is shining! The sky is blue! The trees reach to the heavens!

Psalm 104:24 declares, “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom has thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

Do you ever stop to stare at the stars? When was the last time you paused to watch a butterfly or captured a sunset in your mind? When was the last time you waded in a creek or picked a bouquet of wildflowers? When was the last time you dwelt upon Our Heavenly Father as Creator of the entire universe?

Psalm 104:34 “My meditation of him shall be sweet. . .”

When we see God for Who He truly is, every trial and difficult circumstance we face pales in comparison.

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee . . .”

Why do we worry and doubt? Our God is more magnificent than the grandest mountain; more powerful than the raging sea; more brilliant than the brightest star . . . And our help is IN HIM!

Psalm 124:8 “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

As the school year begins, I encourage you to take hold of these final days of warm summer and EXPLORE – SEE – OBSERVE the natural world around you – and MEDITATE on the goodness and the glory of our Creator God!

This devotion first appeared at https://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2018/08/majestic-creation-dinner-91.html

Mark My Word

November 23, 2018 John O'Malley

By Gail Gritts

Over the years, I have formed a habit of reading my Bible through yearly. It’s a good habit, but not one without challenges. I make it a goal to read five chapters each day. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, but that is my goal. When I get to the Old Testament prophets I have to take a huge gulp because they no longer read like a story narrative or poetry, they are sermons! Hard sermons! But invariably, I find they open new treasure boxes of truth.

Another habit I enjoy is that of reading at least one chapter of a book each day. Again, sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I fail. Other times, I get so absorbed in the book that I finish it in a few days. Lately, I have read two books by Glynn Harrison, The Big Ego Trip, and A Better Story. I would highly recommend them both.

I make mention of them because, more often than not, God uses His word and my outside reading to help me understand principles and ideas. This happened the other day while I read through my set of five chapters in Jeremiah. As I was trying to digest what I had been reading in Glynn Harrison’s books, my eyes were opened to matching instruction in God’s Word.

Allow me to show you what I was seeing briefly.

Jeremiah 20:12 reads, “But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart.”

God knows and tries our hearts. He sees right down to the thoughts and intents of our hearts as he says in Hebrews 4:12.

Jeremiah 23:16, “Hearken not unto the words of the prophets (the false prophets) that prophesy unto you! They make you vain: (empty, void of knowledge) they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.”

Man is successfully sculpting a society void of richness and contrary to God’s design.

Jeremiah 23:17, “They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.”

What? Do we not read this all the time and hear it in music lyrics and through TV programs and movies? “Be yourself. Do what makes you happy. Follow your heart. That old wives tales of the judgment of God is outdated. Nothing bad will happen to you.”

But Proverbs 28:26 says, “He that trusteth in his own heart of a fool.”

Jeremiah went on, “The burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: (stop telling me what the Bible says) for every man’s word shall be his burden; (every man did that which was right in his own eyes.) Result: “for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” (Jeremiah 23:36)

And don’t think he doesn't know or see.

Jeremiah 23:23, 24, “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

I began to wonder, how many of us have swallowed the preaching of the world? Oprah, Joel Olsten, etc. they all preach the same gospel – their own gospel.

Jeremiah 23:18 “For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? Who hath marked his word, and heard it?”

It behooves us to try the spirits and search our hearts! Are we following the counsel of the world and winding up with a life void of richness? Do we follow our own heart and disregard God’s word? Or, do we live in the presence of God, acknowledging his activity, and seeking to stand in his counsel? Do we mark his word?

Points to Ponder #4

November 15, 2018 John O'Malley

by Jason Tsaddiq

As I considered what to call these little snippets of ponderable truths, these ideas came to mind: “Bible Bites”; “Tiny Truths”; and “Verse Vittles.” None of those titles gave enough weight to the concept of meditating, thinking deeply upon, mentally digesting, and estimating the worth of. Then “Points to Ponder” struck. Pound, pond, and ponder all come from the same root word. Pound is a weight. Pond is an enclosed area, usually of water. Ponder is the verb form that means to give weight to, to think deeply of a particular idea or concept.

As a Christian ponders Bible truths, he is giving weight to an enclosed, exclusive area – truth. What else is worth pondering?! “For in His law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2) Strongs declares that this word meditate by implication means to ponder. According to Psalm 1:1, the blessed man delights and meditates in His law.

Who doesn’t want to be blessed? Let’s ponder.

(Sources include eSword/Strongs and various online dictionaries.)

Points to Ponder #10

James 5:11 “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.”

Ponder:

Behold – to see, pay attention to

Happy – to beautify, to pronounce fortunate (favored, prosperous, comfortable), blessed, felicitous (apt, well-chosen, fitting, suitable, appropriate)

Endure – to stay under, have fortitude, persevere, abide

Patience – cheerful or hopeful endurance, constancy, waiting

End of the Lord – the conclusion, the point aimed at as a limit (the goal, the purpose)

Is – remaineth, consisteth, comes

Pitiful – extremely compassionate, denotes action

Tender mercy – compassionate, merciful

What is the “end of the Lord”? What are His goals and purposes of my trials through which I must endure cheerfully? For me to realize my deficits; to see His provision; to see His power (His ability to change me and others)….all which lead ultimately to His glory.

Points to Ponder #11

Psalm 145: 8-9 “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all; and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

Ponder:

The Lord – the self-existent One, Jehovah

Gracious – courteous, kind, pleasant

Full of compassion – compassionate (sympathetic, empathetic, understanding, caring), merciful

Slow – long suffering, patient

To anger – ire, suffering, wrath

Great – exceeding, high, long, loud, mighty, much, noble

Mercy – kindness, beauty, good deed, pity, favor

Good – beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, fine, glad, gracious, joyful, kindly, loving, merry, pleasant, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth

To all – the whole, any or every, ye altogether, every one/place/thing

Mercies – compassion, by extension the womb (as cherishing the fetus), tender love, pity, womb

Over – above, upon, against, after, beyond, through, touching

All – the whole, any or every, ye altogether, every one/place/thing

His works – an action, generally a transaction, by implication a product or property, deed, labor, thing made, thing offered, possession.

Mercies – by extension the womb: nothing gets into the womb without going through the mother. Satan could not get to Job without “going though” God Almighty. “. . .and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10:28)

Using synonyms, the Lord is caring; suffers long before He has wrath; has high and long and loud kindness and good deeds; is bountiful, cheerful, and wealth to those and to that which are His by His transactions (Creation, the Cross).

Points to Ponder #12

Psalm 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Ponder: Delight – contentment, glee, pleasure, joy, make happy

Thyself – same root word of a word that means soft or pliable, luxurious

In – above, over, on, against, of

Lord – the self-existent one, eternal Jehovah

Give – add, apply, appoint, lift up, make, ordain, pay, perform, recompense, render, requite, willingly

Desires – request, desire, petition

Heart – feelings, will, emotion, the center of everything

If I make myself happy in Him – His life, His truth, His being, His goals, His love, His mercy, His will – He is in the place to add my mind/will/emotion petitions to my center of everything.

What is His life? His truth? His being? His goals? His love? His mercy? His will?

Points to Ponder #13

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Ponder:

Fig tree shall not blossom – the least of these 3 fruits, sweetness, usually very common so if figs are rare, it’s an extremely destitute time

Fruit [not] be in the vines – vine and fig together a picture of peace and rest, gladness, fruit of the vine was used in sacrifices to God, was a common drink for man

Labour of the olive shall fail – crucial to their diet, cheerfulness

Fields shall yield no meat – “staff of life” produces nothing (no wheat for bread, no plants for weaving into cloth or housing)

Flock shall be cut off – driven or carried away by enemies, no protein or milk

No herd in the stalls – no animals for plowing or clothing

Yet – a turning point conjunction, a contrasting connection

I will – decisive, action, personal, definite

Rejoice – jump for joy, exultation, not quiet and private, energetic

In the Lord – not in my intellect or my wealth or my connections to solve the problem but in the self-existent One, the eternal Jehovah

I will – decisive, action, personal, definite

Joy – to spin around under the influence of a violent emotion

In the God – Elohim, supreme magistrate

Of my salvation – liberty, deliverance, prosperity

Peaceful confidence. Sweet submission. Human circumstances waiting for God’s timely deliverance. Joyful trust. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" (Job 13:15).

“Destroy the “vines” and “fig trees” of the carnal heart, and his mirth ceases. But those who when full enjoyed God in all, when emptied can enjoy all in God. They can sit down upon the heap of ruined creature comforts, and rejoice in Him as the “God of their salvation.” Running in the way of His commandments, we outrun our troubles. Thus Habakkuk, beginning his prayer with trembling, ends it with a song of triumph (Job 13:15; Psalm 4:7; Psalm 43:3, Psalm 43:5).” These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.

*This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on Habakkuk 3:17". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/habakkuk-3.html. 1871-8.

Points to Ponder #3

November 8, 2018 John O'Malley

by Jason Tsaddiq

Who doesn’t want to be blessed? Let’s ponder.

(Sources include eSword/Strongs and various online dictionaries.)

Points to Ponder #7

Joh 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. . .”

What does peace mean?

One, quietness, rest, peace of mind, invocation of peace, a common Jewish farewell; to join, tie together as a whole, properly, wholeness, i.e., when all essential parts are joined together; God’s gift of wholeness. (Strongs)

Security, safety, prosperity, felicity (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous); the way that leads to peace; “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) (emphasis added)

“Peace for the believer is not the absence of danger but is the presence of God. Peace rules your day when Christ (and His word) rules your mind.” (Preceptaustin.org)

Enemies to peace: greed, ambition, envy, anger, and pride (Petrarch)

Ponder: Fearing nothing from God. Why can I fear nothing from God? Because Jesus took everything “fearful” for me on the cross.

Not the absence of danger but is the presence of God. Why do I not stay in His presence? What makes me leave?

Enemies to peace. Why do I tolerate them?

Points to Ponder #8

Psalm 37:5 “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

Commit – roll, seek, trust, wallow

Way – road, course of life, mode of action, conversation, custom, journey, manner

Unto – upon, against, because of, beside, by (reason of), on, through, touching

Lord – the self-existent One, eternal, Jehovah

Trust – for refuge, be confident or sure, be bold, careless [without care], put confidence

In – upon, against, because of, beside, by (reason of), on, through, touching

He – only expressed [in Scripture] when emphatic or without a verb

Pass – accomplish, advance, appoint, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, certainly, have the charge of, commit, govern, grant, keep, maintain, be meet, be occupied, perform, prepare, procure, provide, requite, serve, work. (Strongs)

Ponder: Synonyms for wallow: flounder, stumble, lurch, stagger

I wallow; He works.

I roll; He requites.

I am bold because He governs.

I seek; He brings forth.

I take refuge; He bestows.

What wonder!

Points to Ponder #9

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sin and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

Ponder:

I – supreme authority, master, God

Will be – definitive verb, future assertion

Merciful – cheerful, propitious (favorable, encouraging, promising, gracious, discerning, alert, wise), averting some calamity

Unrighteousness – injustice, moral wrongfulness, iniquity, unrighteousness

Sin – offence

Iniquities – illegality, violation of the law, transgression (wrongdoing, infraction, impropriety, misdeed) of the law

Remember – to bear in mind, to recollect, and by implication, to reward or punish

No more – double negative strengthening the denial, not at all, by no means

Wired for Love

November 6, 2018 John O'Malley

by Gail Gritts

I John 4:18 – “…perfect love casteth out fear…”

Our temporal emotional struggle can vex our souls. We know truth. We believe truth. But maintaining emotional balance eludes us. Fear grips our hearts and colors our responses.
Reading Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book, The Perfect You, brought me to some mighty science and a rich new understanding of I John 4:18. Let me share with you what she wrote.
“An attitude is a cluster of thoughts with emotional flavor, and every type of emotion has one of only two roots: love or fear. Science is, in fact, showing us there is a massive unlearning of negative toxic thoughts when we operate in love…some of the chemicals the brain releases when we operate…include oxytocin, which literally melts away the negative toxic thought clusters so that rewiring of new nontoxic circuits can happen. This chemical also flows when we trust, bond, and reach out to others.” (p 49)
Isn’t that amazing? When we fellowship and create friendships, we are actually melting away negative clusters and rewiring our brains for the better!
“So choosing to operate in the default nature of love literally can wipe out fear.” (P 49)
Oh, I had to stop and think! Her sentence reminded me of something I had read in Uninvited, by Lysa TerKeurst. Ms. TerKeurst advised entering each fearful situation by inviting God to go with you. God, who is love, can be the default. He is that perfect love that casts out fear! But let me get back to Dr. Leaf.
“Another amazing chemical called dopamine also works with oxytocin. It flows as we expect and anticipate something. [Like that fearful situation.] It also puts us on heightened alert to facilitate the building of new memories as we imagine helping someone do well in a test or restore a relationship, [Like the value of doing a good deed. Or how helping others can help us out of depression.] or as we suddenly understand something we have been battling with, for example. [When the light comes on, and we grasp a truth.] It gives us a thrilling surge of energy, excitement, confidence, and motivation to carry on, as well as influencing the actual building of long-term memory. When we do good things and reach out in love, endorphins and serotonin are also released that make us feel great, which detoxes our brains and increases our motivation and wisdom, helping us negotiate life more successfully when we operate in love.” (pages 49-50)
Did you catch that? We can negotiate life more successfully when we operate in love. Because we are made in the image of God—and God is love—we are, as she called it, “wired for love.”
I think the Apostle Paul had a solid grasp on this truth. He said he could do all things through Christ, not through his own strength, but through the strength given him by Christ. He knew contentment and courage because he knew his Saviour. He knew love—the love that surrounded his life and ministry.
It is incredible, but God can do the same thing for me. After reading Lysa TerKeurst’s book, I have oft been reminded to invite the Lord to go with me and before me into situations where I am tempted to fear. God has brought such peace to my heart and made the crooked ways straight in these situations, just as He promised.
Now, as I read Dr. Leaf’s book, I am even more encouraged to work on destroying those negative clusters that plague my thought life by seeking to walk, talk, and think in love. I need that detoxing to negotiate life successfully!
When love is ruling in my heart, there is no place for fear. Fear is cast aside!
I challenge you to put it to the test! God designed us to operate best in love, not fear. Love is His arena, and you are most welcome there!

The Perfect You, Dr. Caroline Leaf, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2017.

Colossians – To the Faithful (Colossians 1:2-8)

November 1, 2018 John O'Malley

by Martin Wickens

Paul begins his letter to Colossae by encouraging the saints where they had stood strong. Paul addresses his readers as saints and faithful brethren. Though they faced spiritual struggles, he did not doubt their salvation.

Saints

The believers at Colossians had formed a local fellowship of followers of Christ. Paul calls them saints. They were holy, sacred, consecrated to God. This title speaks of their union with Christ. Due to the prevalence of the idea that saints are just a select number of special believers, we need to always remember that every child of God is a saint, separated to God.

Everything in life may change, but once consecrated to God we remain set apart to Him. Our role as parents, spouse, vocation, and our place in society may change. Yet our position as a consecrated child of God remains the same.

Faithful Brethren

Paul also describes the Colossian believers as faithful brethren. This speaks of their union with other believers.

Followers of Jesus Christ have a unique bond, we have fellowship, and not just friendship. God has bound us together not by common interests, but by adoption into His family, a shared purpose, and the same destination. Fellowship may include friendship, but fellowship exceeds friendship.

When Satan can no longer hinder someone from being a part of a fellowship, he will seek to tear the fellowship down and make it ineffectual.

It is vital that we remain thankful for one another, just as Paul expresses thankfulness for his brothers and sisters in Christ. Not only is Paul thankful for them, but he prays for them.

When a body of believers gives thanks for one another and prayers for one another, it makes it almost impossible for the enemy to effectively attack them.

We can pray for one another in a variety of ways, as Paul did:

Sanctification – II Corinthians 13:7 & I Thess. 5:23
For Love, Knowledge, and Judgement – Philippians 1:9-10
For Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding – Col 1:9
The Word to Have Free Course – II Thess. 3:1
To support in times of Affliction and Sickness- James 5:13-14
For Boldness in Sharing God’s Word – Ephesians 6:18-19

An important strength of the church at Colossae is brought out in verse 4. We read of their faith in Christ, and their love to all the brethren. Surely any fellowship will have hope and potential so long as they have faith in Christ and love for one another.

The Great Commission

The church at Colossae had a hope laid up, or reserved for them, in Heaven. The word for hope here is translated as appointed in Hebrews 9:27. The hope of the Colossian believers was secure. As it is for each believer.

This hope stemmed from the Word of Truth of the Gospel. One Truth, one Saviour, led to a sure and certain hope secure in Heaven. False teachings and false teachers only brought uncertainty and discouragement.

The Colossians had heard the Gospel preached by Epaphras, the Word of Truth of the Gospel. Epaphras receives high praise as a fellow servant and a faithful minister of Christ.

The Colossians received high praise from Paul when we read that Epaphras declared to him their love in the Spirit.

As noted in the previous article, this opening passage in Colossians reveals the Great Commission at work. Paul preached the Gospel at Ephesus and a church was planted. Epaphras evidently heard the Gospel there, or nearby, and was saved. He, in turn, took the Gospel to Colossae and a church was started. Now those Colossian believers were demonstrating faithfulness to Christ and one another, and they loved God and one another. So, the march of the Gospel continued.

Conclusion

The believers at Colossae were faithful to God, to praise, obey, serve, and submit.

The believers at Colossae were faithful to each other, they treated one another as Christ had treated them, prayed for one another, and met with one another.

The believers at Colossae were known for their love, they were spirit filled, growing in Christ, and sharing the Gospel.

We should endeavor to have fellowships of this sort. If we do, then even if challenges come, we will be well placed to confront them, deal with them, and move on to serve the Lord.

Original post found here.

Autumn, Please Don’t Come

October 30, 2018 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

I mentioned in my book, “A Letter In Your Loss”, how grief can feel like the waves – the tide coming in and rolling out. Both of our baby losses were in the month of December, and though the spring and summer have been “good to me”, I have recently been shaken by the realization that the colder months are coming around again. In my prayers for grace to make it through the upcoming holidays, I composed this poem. Perhaps it will resonate with others who have walked the road of grief.

Isaiah 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

I love the color pumpkin,

Apple red and gold,

The smell of Autumn’s flavors

Baking in the cold,

The leaf that catches sunlight,

Mountains quite ablaze,

Corn rows, saffron yellow,

Growing in a maze,

A glimpse of charcoal hunter,

Furry, fierce, and wild,

The calm of foggy morning

Sleeping like a child.

“Awake now, Golden Season!

Harvest, sing your song!”

And yet my heartbeat whispers,

“Autumn, please don’t come.”

The chill brings sorrow’s mem’ry

Piercing through my soul.

It hints of winter weeping

Tears beyond control,

Of trees soon leafless, grieving

Moaning in their pain,

Dark days and longer shadows,

Howling wind, and rain.

The rose sings, “Farwell, summer!

Garden days are o’er.

Be gone ye wildflowers;

Petals smile no more.

Arrive now blust’ry season.

Thunder beat your drum.”

And thus my heartbeat whispers,

“Autumn, please don’t come.”

I can’t hold sunshine captive;

Heavens blue and white;

Can’t keep October waiting,

Cowering in my fright.

I need you, Dearest Jesus!

Savior, please draw near.

You’ve held me through each heartache,

Days both bleak and drear.

I’ve known your precious Presence;

Comfort, healing, peace.

I’ve felt Your gracious hand when

Sobbing would not cease.

This change I cannot welcome -

Nor sing sweet Harvest’s song -

But by God’s grace I’ll whisper,

“Come now, Autumn, come.”

First found here on Dinner’s in the Oven.

Points to Ponder #2

October 26, 2018 John O'Malley

By Jason Tsaddiq

Who doesn’t want to be blessed? Let’s ponder.

(Sources include eSword/Strongs and various online dictionaries.)

Points to Ponder #4

Matthew 7:8 “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Ponder: The verse does not detail what will be received or found or opened. Will I trust Him that what I receive or find or have opened will be the best for me?

The verse does not detail when the receiving, finding, and opening will happen. Will I trust Him in His timing?

Points to Ponder #5

Psalm 37:1-2 “Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

What does fret mean?

To glow or grow warm; to blaze up of anger, zeal, jealousy; be angry, burn, be displeased earnestly, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, be wroth. (Strongs)

What does evildoers mean?

To spoil (literally by breaking into pieces); figuratively, to make (to be) good for nothing, that is, bad (physically, socially, or morally) (Strongs)

What does iniquity mean?

To distort morally, evil, perverseness, unjust, unrighteousness, wicked (Strongs)

What does for mean?

Indicating causal relations (forasmuch, inasmuch, whereas, assuredly, certainly, doubtless) (Strongs)

What does wither mean?

To wilt, to fall away, faint, fail; figuratively, to be fooled or (morally) wicked; causatively to despise, disgrace.

Strongs concordance gives the impression that the word wither in Psalm 37: 2 is the root word of the name Nabal (I Samuel 25:3) (H5037) this word comes from the same root as (H5036) which means “stupid, wicked”; this word comes from the same root as (H5034) which means “to wilt; generally to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively to despise, disgrace: - disgrace, dishonour, lightly esteem, fade (away, -ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither.”

Ponder: Do I become angry because of people doing wrong, especially to me? Why am I wasting my mental, physical, and spiritual resources on that which is wicked, stupid, foolish, despise-worthy, dishonoring, lightly esteemed, fading away, coming to nought?

Points to Ponder #6

Philippians 4:19 “but my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Context: In a chapter about giving to those in need. (4:14, et al)

Ponder:

My – a personal pronoun, possessive

God – not me, not my job, not my family

Shall – a definite word, strong assertion or intention

Supply – transitive verb, demands a receiver of the action

All – not some, not most

Your – a personal pronoun, possessive

Need – not wants, though context implies quality (vs 18: “sweet,” “acceptable,” “well-pleasing”) and quantity (vs 16 “once and again”)

According to His riches – mercy, truth, power, grace, knowledge, forgiveness, justice, holiness, and more

In glory – “In God’s true nature” (Ellicott); “In a glorious manner” (John Gill); “To show Himself glorious and make His people so” (John Gill)

By Christ Jesus – the Mediator “for the sake of Christ Jesus” (John Gill)

God usually blesses those who give and those who will use the resources they have according to His purposes” (biblehub.com)

“Alexander the coppersmith” – if God rewards evil, shall He not reward good?

3 Strategies for Navigating Spiritual Conversations

October 23, 2018 John O'Malley

By Steve Schramm

If you’ve read my work before, you are likely aware that I’m convinced the Bible teaches us to use presuppositional apologetics.

That is, to give a defense of the faith while admitting our bias, standing on God’s revealed truth, and demonstrating that Christianity is the only rational worldview that can make sense of our reality.1

The practical outworking of this methodology can manifest itself in a variety of different ways.

For example, some may feel more comfortable arguing from a historical perspective. Some, from a scientific or philosophical perspective.

Others still may be better listeners than “proclaimers,” so to speak, and may get further along in conversation by asking questions and responding along the way.

I believe one can faithfully use apologetics in a variety of practical conversational scenarios, contrary to popular belief.

Here are just three of the useful strategies I have used with some success in the past to help you navigate these spiritual conversations:

#1. The Expository Approach

Perhaps this is approach is best captured by Dr. Voddie Baucham, author of Expository Apologetics: Answering Objections with the Power of the Word.

Baucham essentially argues that, rather than turning to philosophy, science, etc., to defend Christian belief, one needs to look no further than the text of the Bible itself.

After all, it was Spurgeon who quipped, “Defend the Bible? I’d sooner defend a lion! Turn it loose, and it will defend itself.”

In my experience, I have found this to be true. The nature of most objections to the Christian faith are usually based on misunderstandings about the nature of God, alleged Bible contradictions, or the insistence that Biblical faith is irrational by definition.

Interestingly enough, the best place to find an answer to such objections is the Bible itself!

And while it largely depends on the conversation I am having and who I am having it with, I have found this approach to be useful. Baucham packages this up in a neat and tidy way for us–at least to help us get the conversation rolling.

When asked why he believes the Bible is true, this is his default response: “I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report [of] supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claimed that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.”

(This is an argument based on the text of 2 Peter 1:16-21.)

Of course, there will be objections to this response. But this is where the apologetic endeavor excels! For example, if one contests by claiming that the Bible is not a collection of reliable historical documents, one will then to provide proof of such a phenomenon.

As apologists, we know this proof would be quite difficult or even impossible to produce since it would necessitate the changing of 5,000+ manuscripts in nearly full agreement,2 found on multiple continents across the East.

Not having read his entire book, I’m unable to comment much further on this approach. I can say, however, that he often cites the work of both Jesus Himself and Paul as they leaned on the authority of the Scriptures, and used them often to build their defense.

2. The Preconditional Approach

This is the approach I use most often in evangelistic encounters, simply because I believe it is the most powerful evidence for the God of the Bible.

Perhaps no book makes this approach more accessible than Lisle’s The Ultimate Proof of Creation.

If we were to package it up in a sentence, it would echo the famous words of Dr. Greg Bahnsen: “The transcendental proof for God’s existence is that without Him it is impossible to prove anything.”

I have commented extensively on this approach here, here, and here, but I will attempt to further deal with it and characterize it the context of a conversation.

I don’t think it is lost anyone that we should have good reasons for the things we do. It’s also reasonable to suggest that there should be good reasons for the way things are.

As such, there are some things about the world that are difficult–even impossible–to explain given naturalism. Our ability to be logical, to do science, and to make moral decisions, for example.

These (amongst others) are called the preconditions of intelligibility–things that must be in place in order for our world to operate the way that it does.

The preconditional approach would maintain that God–specifically, the Christian God–is the only reasonable explanation for such things.

I like to work from this premise because there are really only two main objections I encounter–and they are quite easily answered.

Surprisingly often, one rejects this by claiming that they are logical, able to do science, and make moral decisions even though they don’t believe in God, which must mean the argument is false. But this isn’t the argument at all!

In fact, the very point of the argument is that they can do these things! The argument is that there is no reason the world is this way apart from an intelligent Creator–specifically the one revealed in Scripture.3 There is nothing inherently moral about matter, orderly about nature, or rational about protons and neutrons.

The inherent properties of matter simply do not include such phenomena as rationality, order, or morality.

This is actually the answer to the second objection as well, namely that the world just is this way. But, the argument then assumes what it is trying to prove, which is the logical fallacy of begging the question. We all agree that the world is like this–the question is why.

As it turns out, the three objections to Christianity I see the most–rationality, science, and morality–are the very three things that could not possibly be true unless God existed.

#3. The Tactical Approach

Apologist Greg Koukl, in his book Tactics, gives “a game plan for discussing your Christian convictions.”

This is probably the single most useful volume I’ve read when it comes to giving a defense of the Christian faith.

The irony is that the core idea of this approach is one of listening–in other words, you let “the other guy” do all the talking!

If we were to summarize the reason for this approach, we might say that folks often (1) don’t know what they believe, (2) don’t know why they believe it, and (3) have never thoughtfully considered other options.

Greg teases out this notion by offering three helpful Columbo questions–yes, as in the famed TV detective played by none other than Peter Falk:

Question #1. “What do you mean by that?” In his book, Greg gives the example of a waitress he found himself in conversation with. She claimed to believe that moral truth was relative. When Greg asked the question (i.e., “What do you mean by relative“), he found that she didn’t even know what relativism was!

She simply parroted an answer she’d heard time and again. This is often the case in these kinds of discussions. By getting to the bottom of what one believes, we are better equipped to respond to their challenges.

Question #2: “How did you come to that conclusion?” Even if a person knows what they believe, the chances of them actually knowing why they believe it are usually quite slim.

This is a good question to ask someone who claims Jesus didn’t exist. It’s likely that, again, they are just repeating something they’ve heard. This is a perfect example because even the most atheist of scholars agree that Jesus was a real person!

This means the person has (1) not researched this in the slightest or (2) has gotten some very, very bad information from somewhere.

Question #3: “Have you ever considered…?” While the other questions assume a more defensive posture, this one moves you to the offense.

For example, “Have you ever considered that gospel writers were eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus Christ, and weren’t just making up stories?” This opens up a line of communication with your challenger.

While you may not end up at the gospel in your conversation (though this is never a bad thing), the very least you could do is make every effort to point this person one step closer to Jesus.

The Bible says that there are both seed planters and harvesters. Greg is a self-proclaimed planter, and I tend to claim that distinction myself. I’ve used these “tactics” in many, many conversations and have found them to work just as described, so to speak.

If you want to have more productive conversations, consider adopting one or all of these conversation strategies.

You may find one approach fits you best, or you may find (as I have) that they are each well suited to different kinds of conversations and are beneficial in their own way.

But more importantly than anything, just get in the game! There is nothing more exciting than telling the greatest Story of all time to those who will listen.

The best thing about these strategies (and particularly the tactical approach) is how well they work for an introvert like me! I find one-on-one discussions hard, but they are ten times harder with no game plan.

So get in the game for the glory of God, and He will use you mightily to accomplish His purposes.

(This article first appeared on www.steveschramm.com)

Points to Ponder #1

October 19, 2018 John O'Malley

By Jason Tsaddiq

POINTS TO PONDER Introduction

Who doesn’t want to be blessed? Let’s ponder.

(Sources include eSword/Strongs and various online dictionaries.)

Points to Ponder #1

Psalm 34:10b “. . .But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.”

What does seek mean?

Seek: to resort to, to seek, specifically to worship.

What does worship mean?

Worship: “active response to the character, words, and action of God, initiated by His revelation and enabled by His redemption, whereby the mind is transformed (e.g. belief, repentance), the heart is renewed, (e.g. love, trust) and actions are surrendered (e.g. obedience, service), all in accordance with His will and in order to declare His infinite worthiness.” (theopedia.com)

Ponder: Active response. Character, words, and action of God. Initiated by His revelation. Enabled by His redemption. Mind transformed. Heart renewed. Actions surrendered. In accordance with His will. His infinite worthiness.

Points to Ponder #2

Psalm 34: 22b “. . .and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.”

What does trust mean?

To seek refuge, to flee to for protection, to confide in, to have hope in.

What does desolate mean?

To be guilty, to be punished, to perish, to be destroyed. (Strongs)

Ponder: None (not a solitary, single one!)

of them that trust (to seek refuge, to have confidence in)

in Him (the Almighty Creator, Jehovah-Jireh, Abba Father)

shall be (a definitive word)

desolate (guilty, destroyed)

Points to Ponder #3

I John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

What does born of God mean?

Filial devotion, moral resemblance, glorious heirship. (studylight.org)

What does overcometh mean?

Defeat, beat, conquer, trounce, thrash, rout, vanquish, overwhelm, overpower, get the better of, triumph over, prevail over, win over/against, outdo, outclass, worst, crush, get the better of, control, get/bring under control, master, conquer, defeat. (google dictionary)

What does the world mean?

“The sum total of outward things, considered as apart from God – the world and God we make to be antagonists to one another. . . And the world conquers me when it succeeds in hindering me from seeing, loving, holding communion with and serving my Father, God. . . the one victory over the world is to bend it to serve me in the highest things – the attainment of a clearer vision of the Divine nature, the attainment of a deeper love to God Himself, and of a more glad consecration and service to Him.” (biblehub.com)

Ponder: Born of God. Filial devotion. Moral resemblance. Glorious heirship. Defeat/conquer/trounce/crush. Hinders me from seeing my Father, God. Hinders me from loving my Father, God. Hinders me from holding communion with my Father, God. Hinders me from serving my Father, God.

Do I even want to conquer the world?

Weary Pilgrims

October 16, 2018 John O'Malley

By Kristen Kelley

My husband purchased the classic Pilgrim’s Progress for my birthday this year. It is a work that has long been on my “need-to-read” list. As the main character makes his lengthy journey, I find myself wondering, “When is he going to reach the Celestial City? Shouldn’t he be nearly there by now?” But author John Bunyan accurately portrays the Christian life – it is a series of defeats and victories, of valleys and mountaintops, of weaknesses and strengths. Any number of things tries to hinder the pilgrim on his way – the Slough of Despond, lions, Apollyon, the Valley of the Shadow of Death . . . and so it is with us.

It isn’t always easy to travel from one missions conference to another. There are times when I feel the weariness in my very bones.

“I didn’t volunteer for this,” my heart sometimes wants to say.

“Yes, you did,” the Lord whispers in return. “Don’t you remember that day as a teenager, when you kneeled beside your bed? You told me you surrendered all your life to Christian service and that you would do anything I asked of you. This may not feel like ‘missions’ yet, but answering questions, sharing your testimony, riding in a vehicle for long hours at a time, packing, singing, home schooling on the road . . . this is the ministry that I have given to you, right now! Are you still surrendered? Are you still willing?”

God reminds me of my recent book on the subject of miscarriage, as well. “You’re listening to the tears of others who are hurting. You’re sharing the Gospel and the comfort that is found in Christ. You’re in the business of rescuing souls from the power of Satan’s darkness – Do you think you won’t be fought?!”

How about you, Dear Brother or Sister? Do you, too, feel the battle raging? There are days when we all wish to quit – our jobs, our ministries, our role as “mom” or "dad" . . . “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall . . .” Do you recall the remainder of that verse? “ . . . but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

God desires for us to “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” (I Chronicles 16:11) The truth is, we can’t live even the “easy” days without Him! We need THE LORD if we are ever to “ . . . run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

There’s an old hymn that reads:

“He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.”

In Galatians 6, Paul writes “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Have you been struggling with “continuing on”, as I have in recent days? Have you found yourself weary, even in the midst of doing GOOD things - the RIGHT things?

May we allow the Lord to help us and enable us as only He can do!

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (II Cor. 12:9-10)

Perfection

October 12, 2018 John O'Malley

By Holly Minion

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 1 Peter 5:10, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” As a child, and even as an adult, that promise was very appealing. Perfection. I wanted to be perfect.

I agonized over my college choice, because I had to make sure I went to the perfect school. While I was there, I had to make the perfect grades and be sure I was still following the perfect educational path for me. I found the perfect guy and planned the perfect wedding. Then, according to plan, I had the perfect babies I had always dreamed of having.

Along the way, God attempted to show me that my plans for perfection were useless. He upended my college plans between my sophomore and junior years. (That disruption changed my entire life for the better.) I always knew I wouldn’t really find a perfect guy (although I’m pretty sure he’s as close to perfect as it gets), and the crazy things that happened during my “perfect wedding” now make for fun stories at parties. The road to my perfect dream of motherhood was long and hard.

But what if these events in my life weren’t for me? What if my marriage and my husband wasn’t about me? What if my children weren’t the compilation of a lifelong dream? What if everything in my life was a lot more basic than that—they were to make me perfect. Strongs Concordance defines the word perfect in 1 Peter 5:10 as, “to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be.”

Every time my husband forgets to run the dishwasher, it’s not a disruption of my perfect life. It’s God’s way of giving me a chance to become more perfect, more complete. When my five-year-old forgets to be quiet while the baby is napping for the fortieth time in one day, I can choose to see it as an interruption of my perfect plans, or I can appreciate how God is teaching me patience to make me more like Him.

What about those things that I thought I needed to make my life perfect: that spouse, that job, that house, that car? What if the reason that I don’t have them is because God is using different tools to make me perfect? He is using the circumstances I am in and the people surrounding me to ground me, complete me, and strengthen me.

The beginning of the book of 1 Peter reminds us of the temporary nature of this life.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

In 100 years, the things in this life that give me the greatest heartache, as well as the things that bring me the greatest joy, won’t matter. What will matter is that I will be in heaven. And how I responded to those sorrows and joys either brought me closer to the God I will see face-to-face or farther away. If I view every single thing God brings into my life as an opportunity to grow more perfect, holy, and Christ-like then I will begin to treat people and circumstances differently. They aren’t tools towards happiness or success. They are tools in the hand of a loving God to help me see a bigger picture.

I have a choice every single day. I can live it with just today and my wants in view. Or instead, I can live it with a view towards heaven, towards the end of my faith, and take every opportunity—the good and the bad—to really, truly become more perfect.

Treasures in your Sack

October 8, 2018 John O'Malley

By John O’Malley

Genesis 43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

Joseph came from a dysfunctional family. There were sibling rivalries, rejections, and false accusations. Due to unresolved issues from childhood, Joseph's brothers despised him.

The plot of Joseph's story was not just about dysfunction. Joseph's story had a subplot. The subplot was the story of Divine providence. Our verse today brings us a moment in the life of Joseph that brings the plot to light.

Divine providence placed Joseph in the proper place at the right moment. God arranged for Joseph to be in the position to sustain and secure God’s people before a famine. Now in the midst of a famine, God brings Joseph’s past to the present. His brothers arrive and he must deal with them.

Human imagination can easily fill the task list of things he could do to them. Retaliation, retribution, and recrimination all seem justified. However, while any of these may come to Joseph’s mind, they are not what he chose to do.

Instead, Joseph chose to let God overrule his human reasoning. Character and submission to God’s will have a way of producing that kind of choice. He chose to bless his brothers who had misled their father, maligned his name, and seemingly misdirected his life’s path. Joseph did so by giving God the glory in his stewardship of the matter.

Joseph could have easily reconciled any decision to retaliate on his brothers. However, he did not. Joseph rose above life’s injustices. His compassion transcended his sibling’s mistreatment of him. His character buoyed him in a sea of false accusations.

Joseph had his brothers escorted to his house. Surely, the brothers feared that the events of the past had returned to haunt them. The images of lies to their father, the mistreatment of their brother, and the betrayal of family for money all must have run through the cinema of their minds.

Joseph’s house steward allayed their fears with a statement that represents divine providence, protection, provision, and promise. The steward told the men, “God gave you treasures in your sacks.” He explained Joseph’s ruse. Their hearts were comforted and shortly Joseph’s identity was revealed.

The steward of Joseph makes a wonderful point worth noting. He told them their bill for the food they received was paid. There was more than food in the sacks they carried. In their sacks were both earthly and eternal treasures. The steward identified it was God –– their God and their Father’s God –– who placed those treasures in their sacks. Truly the steward’s statement is a statement of God’s gift, goodness, and grace to unworthy travelers.

God puts treasures in our sack. Our sacks contain treasures that represent God’s gifts, goodness, and grace to us. You’re right; we don’t deserve such treasures! But our Savior loves us unconditionally. What great treasure!

I encourage you to look through your sack and rejoice in the treasures He’s left for you. Perhaps it will be the treasure of His Word; maybe it will be the treasure of his presence or miraculous provision you’ll discover. No matter the discovery, just enjoy and embrace His treasures for you today.

What? You say you have no treasures today? You say you only have sacks of burdens? I say you know not of which you speak! Your burden is laden with treasures. Look again I say! Look again and discover His treasure in your sack.