Help Lord!

Grace and Mercy go together. Over the years I have heard Grace and Mercy defined in many ways.  My simple definition is Mercy is Grace in action.  Mercy has shown up in my life over and over again.  Sometimes it took me around the storm and at times it took me through.  I like the around better but have learned that Grace can weather any storm.  It is important that Christians not be presumptuous about Grace and Mercy.  Our Father respects our right to choose our own path.  It is very important that we yield our will to the Lord’s will.  He always knows what is down the road and we don’t.  When we ask for Grace and Mercy to go before, we are asking for God to take charge of our journey.  Too many of us have understood Grace and Mercy as help out of trouble, and overlooked Grace and Mercy to keep us out of trouble.  “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is about embracing His plan, and “deliver us from the evil one” must not be automatic or we would not be told to pray for deliverance.

Now I must tell you that in the middle of writing this blog I had to take my wife to the hospital. It was a problem with her heart.  The difficult part was practicing what I teach.  Trusting when you don’t know what is happening is not always easy.  I can tell you that I prayed for Grace and Mercy and expected the Lord to give it.  Two long nights at home alone without the lady of my life was not easy for me.  I must say it served me well, it made me love her more and appreciate the fifty-two years we have had together.  Tonight we are together again.  Grace and Mercy showed up at the hospital and together we thank our Lord for His faithfulness.

Mt 7:7 ¶ "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  Mt 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.   The Greek word for time can be defined as “well tim

Green Pasture

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work. (Psalms 62:1-12 NKJV)
Sheep Food for the day. jfs

Look Both Ways

It was good advice and still is. The truth is, where I lived as a boy it was not a big problem. The road I lived near was gravel and wagons don’t travel fast enough to smash you. There were a few cars chugging down the road leaving a cloud of dust, but I don’t remember anyone ever getting hit. They finally put in a paved road and cars got faster, and looking both ways became important advice.

Pausing to look both ways is not just about getting across the road, but it is also about getting the most out of life. I’ve looked back a bit lately and found new strength to face the future. There are lessons to be learned from the difficult moments of life. I have come through some difficult times, times when I wasn’t sure if I would come out on the other side. Looking back I am encouraged because God has always been faithful. His record is spotless. He has been more than enough. Now I know one can’t live life always looking back--that would be backing into your future, but our history will serve us well if we stay in touch with it. It is not all something to be forgotten. Acknowledging where we have been will help us get where we want to go.

“Look both ways” is advice for a moment of decision. It is about getting to the other side safely. The other side could mean a lot of things. The other side of any problem is best solved by looking both ways. Getting smashed on life’s highway is not the way to go. The Scripture is filled with examples of people who failed to look both ways. David didn’t look both ways before he took another man’s wife. Judas didn’t look both ways before he betrayed our Lord. Sampson didn’t look both ways before he took Delilah. Looking both ways we can learn the lessons of history and live in the hope of the future. jfs

Scripture: (Proverbs 4:14-15) Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. (NKJV)

Refuge

Life events will teach you something if you will pay attention. One of the first things you are taught in pilot training is, never fly into a thunderstorm. The violence of a thunderstorm can rip the wings off a small plane. Over the thirty- five years of my flying I have spent the night in unexpected places several times because of these big bad boys. I well remember a cross country trip with a couple of my friends when the path up ahead was dark and foreboding. Towering cumulous spoke loudly, “don’t fly this way.” It was one of those moments in life when my heart rate kicked up a notch. Being aware of the closest airport, it didn’t take me long to decide to put the little bird on the ground. The airport was in the mountains of North Georgia and when we landed we found it to be unattended. The little building was locked, and rushing to tie down the little bird before the wind blew and the storm raised its angry head we had no place to go. Then I noticed an old car sitting round back of the building. Running to it we found the doors open. We jumped inside and were very thankful for a place to ride out the wind and rain. It was just an old abandoned car, but for us it became a refuge from the storm. We all need a refuge from the storms of life. It would be nice if we could just avoid them altogether, but as you know that is not always possible. Could it be that people who abuse drugs and alcohol are looking for a refuge, a moment of peace, temporary calm, a false hope for a storm-tossed life? Life is a cross country journey. We simply can’t stay home. We journey whether we want to or not. We get married, children show up, we change jobs and we grow older everyday. In this life’s journey it is good to have a refuge where the door is always open, a place to ride out the storms before we move on toward our destination. There is a refuge available to all of us, and it is not religion. It is a person, Jesus. In Him there is forgiveness and hope, in Him there is acceptance and unconditional love. He doesn’t promise us a smooth journey but He does promise to be with us. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Your ride may be bumpy but you are not alone. So the old car kept us safe during the storm. The rain stopped and we continued our journey home. You can make it home too if you will take spiritual refuge in Jesus Christ. jfs

More Saints Please

There are moments in my life when I wonder WHERE are the saints. After 72 years on my journey I now realize I should have paid more attention to them. A few things I have learned about saints. Sainthood is not about age. We sometimes are fooled into thinking that sainthood is about wrinkles and weak eyes, but not so. The truth is, saints come in all ages and sizes. Wisdom doesn’t always come from the educated. Our world has turned to education and look where it has brought us. We all know smart people can do dumb things. More do dads and gizmos, and I enjoy many of them, but looking back I now know that Sainthood has more to offer than a new invention. Sainthood is about true spirituality, it is about relationship with God. Sainthood is about eternal values, things which last. It is about love and forgiveness, compassion for the hurting. It lives by “whoever would be the greatest among you let him be the servant of all.” Oh Lord! Give us more saints. Jfs

Mr 9:35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
(NKJV)

Everybody needs a staff.

Heb 11:21 "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff."
The leaning on the top of his staff got my attention. In recent years some people have gotten all bent out of shape because the worship services in their Church didn't meet their expectation. The music was bad, the preaching was too long or we stood on our feet when we could have been sitting on a soft seat. I have learned that worship is not about a place but the attitude of our hearts. You can worship anywhere and anytime. My personal worship of God is not about the right music or an inspiring sermon. As I take my walk in the woods behind my house with my hiking stick in hand, the sermon is the beauty of the creation of His hand and the music is the songs He put in the beak of a bird. Like Jacob, I too lean on my stick and worship. I can't help it. jfs

Three Birthdays

This is the day I celebrate my birthday which happened 72 years ago. Thanks Mama, you are the one who paid the price of my physical birth. Your love and care will never be forgotten. Dad, your example of faith and hard work have inspired me on my journey. I had a second birthday in 1953 when I was birthed into the Kingdom of God and it was Jesus Christ who suffered to make that birth possible. Now I look forward to my third birthday when I shall exit the womb of this small world into His glorious presence. At 72 I am in the birth canal and the labor pains have begun, but the “momentary suffering” will be forgotten when I take my first breath of the pure air of Heaven. “But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1Co 2:9 jfs