It was just a few weeks ago that we were studying Hebrews where God commands literally to keep on working hard to enter His rest…working to rest…an interesting paradox.  Right now I’m in the middle of such a paradox.  I’m working intensely with a mild flavor of panic to prepare for a retreat, kind of going crazy so I can stop and think.  So, before I jump headlong back into my preparations, I just wanted to stop and share a few verses that God has used to direct and calm my heart lately.

Psalm 33:16-22 ¹⁶ The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.  ¹⁷ The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.  ¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,  ¹⁹ that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.  ²⁰ Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  ²¹ For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.  ²² Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Have a great day in the Lord!

In Him,

Tim

I’m spending the middle of this week “out of town” preaching in a Bible Conference that I have preached in for several years.  Frankly, there are times when speaking or teaching “out of town” is the hard, right thing to do.  It is spiritual service that needs to be done.  So, you do for the Lord and come home a bit worn out or completely worn out.  This week, this conference is not like that at all.  It is spiritual service.  It is done for the Lord, but here I’m doing it with a great friend…and that makes all the difference in the world.  I typically do come home from this conference tired, but it’s a good tired!  We work hard, talk shop, play hard, and I come home with my heart refreshed.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.

1 Samuel 23:16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

The blessing of real friendships is precious.  These few and precious friends are people who love God and you.  You can feel free to talk about spiritual things whenever you want and not talk about them too.  You can go from the deeply serious to the ridiculously funny, freely and instantly.  You can solve all of the problems of the world in deep discussion or just “get stupid” together for a while to give your brain a brake.   You can laugh until you cry or cry until you laugh!   They will hold you accountable when you start to drift, but won’t hound you about your many imperfections.  They will wound you in love if they must, but have your back when you’re not at your best.  They are gifts from God.

One of the greatest blessings to me personally is that God has given me such friends not just in a distant city, but also where I live and serve…in my family and in my church family.   I am thanking God today for the riches of these friendships.  I trust you can do the same.

In Him,

P. Tim

One of the greatest privileges we have as believers is knowing the end from the beginning. As I look at the “score” between right and wrong, truth and lies, or good and evil in the world, I am prone to discouragement, fear, and anger. As the prophet Habakkuk said, in 1:2-4.

“O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? ³ Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. ⁴ So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.”

The headlines are incredibly dreadful, painful, frustrating, and hope-destroying. It’s almost impossible to watch or listen to the news without becoming disgusted and discouraged…BUT, we do know the end from the beginning! Often I find this stage of the “game” is awful, but God has told us the “final score”, how this will all end. He wins and we’re with Him! Hab. 3:17-19
says,

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.”

So, no matter what’s going on in the Whitehouse, no matter who is doing what in the Congress, and no matter what the people with power are doing with that power, “The just shall live by his faith.”, Hab. 2:4.

Thank God!

P. Tim

One of the great joys in life for me is seeing life through the eyes of my children, and now my grandchildren. Whether it’s all of the new discoveries on the beach or in the mountains or even watching fireworks on the 4^th of July, seeing life through their eyes provides a perspective that is simple, profound, vivid, clear, compelling, filled with wonder and joy, and found now where else! It thoroughly grounds you and yet wonderfully lifts you. Jesus Himself glories in the perspectives of the young in Matthew 21:6, “and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘ Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

A companion joy, the “other half” of the whole joy, is the opportunity to share our perspectives, experience, and understanding with them, seeing their wonder increase even more. Psalm 145:4, says ^“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” There is something exquisitely glorious about those moments when a parent and child, a grandparent and grandchild see a single event through both sets of eyes.

In the very same vein of thought, how wonderfully glorious, how precious and powerful it is when new and older believers look at Christ, His Word, and His work in the world with both sets of eyes. The new believer is overwhelmed by the greater understanding shared by the mature believer. The mature believer is humbled and inspired by the wonder, pure joy, and simplicity in the heart of the new believer seeing God’s Word and work in the world. Both perspectives are absolutely indispensible to the other. As I pray, study, and share with new believers each week, my soul is restored, my perspective is clarified, and my passion for Him is inflamed. Curiously, the same happens in the heart of the new believer. Clearly the scriptures both command and commend inter-generational fellowship. How’s that going for you right now?

This reminds me of our study in Hebrews this past Sunday in 3:13, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

I am often asked if I still get nervous before I preach or teach.  My answer, “absolutely”, seems to surprise a number of people.  It would seem logical that after all of these years and preaching or teaching literally thousands of time, that it would be “no sweat”.  However, since the commission is to preach all of God’s Word and only what He actually said and meant…and since every time I say “God says” He’s listening…and since what is said has the potential to affect people’s lives for eternity…well, it’s a bit sobering.  Often my apprehension about doing what God has called me to do and doing it well increases through the week and doesn’t go away until I open my mouth to preach Sunday morning.

This is not to say that it’s not a great joy, because it is.  Watching the text of scripture unfold and explode with meaning is a glorious blessing.  It’s quite like what David describes in Psalm 119:162, “I rejoice in your word like one who finds a great treasure.” Sometimes, I just can’t wait for Sunday to come so I can get up front and let it all out.  This is one of those weeks.  I can’t wait for Sunday!  Our text this week is Hebrews 3:7-19.  It begins with a powerful quote from Psalm 95, which would be great for you to read before coming on Sunday.  Well, see you this coming Lord’s Day, the Lord willing.

In Him,

P. Tim