"7" Minutes Alone with God

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory,  for the marriage of the Lamb has come,  and His wife has made herself ready  (Revelation 19:7) June is the traditional month for weddings, and we of the female gender seem to love attending them.  There is something very touching about watching a bride and groom pledge their love and faithfulness to each other, and hear them pronounced husband and wife.  But, romantic as it is, the real test of their commitment comes in the years that follow as they build a life together. In Christian weddings, the comparison is often made of a husband and wife’s relationship to that of a believer’s relationship with Christ.  And there is good reason, for the qualities needed for a successful marriage here on Earth are equally important for living in harmony with Christ, the Heavenly Bridegroom. Scripture includes many references to such qualities, and points to Christ as the perfect example for all our relations...

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure  in  infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses  (2 Corinthians 12:10) Paul, formerly named Saul, is one of my favorite contributors to the Scriptures.  He was a man of diversity: born into a prominent Pharisee family; a Roman by birth; educated by a highly-respected rabbi; and a strict follower of Mosaic Law.  He had it all: good background; the best available education; respect of his peers; a moral reputation. (Philippians 3:4-6). Yet, after meeting Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul’s life did a 180 degree turn, as clearly stated in his letter to the church at Philippi:  What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence  of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord   (Philippians 3:7-8) Paul’s conversion to Christianity did not come without conseque...

The Lord sees not as man sees;  for man looks on the outward appearance,  but the Lord looks on the heart   (1 Samuel 16:7) A certain woman received a lovely bouquet of three red rosebuds from her husband.  She had not been well and he hoped the flowers would help her feel better, which they did.  The surprise and delight with which she received them was sustained throughout the evening.  The next day, and for many days after, her spirits were lifted each time she looked at his thoughtful gift. She placed the bouquet in a central place in her home where, passing by a number of times each day, she could stop, admire their beauty, and drink deeply of their fragrance. During the first day, one of the buds began to open, and in the days that followed it slowly unfurled its petals, releasing more of its aroma, and revealing its inner beauty.  By the second day, one of the two remaining buds also began to open.  It, too, revealed more of its...

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves  and pray  and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,  then  will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14) May 2nd was the date that year for the annual of National Day of Prayer.  For the first time in our area, it was officially being recognized community-wide.  The day began with a Prayer Breakfast hosted by the mayor, and attended by a number of clergymen and lay members.  Following breakfast, churches stayed open throughout the day and early evening so people could come to pray.  It was a meaningful experience for those who participated, and hearts were encouraged by the evidence that prayer still played a vital role in our community.  But among the positive things I remember of that time, one incident still astounds me.  It happened during a planning meeting which took place a few weeks in advance. ...

Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant   (Matthew 20:27) Recently I heard a song that spoke of having “a servant’s heart.”  As the phrase was repeated throughout the song, I began to think about what constitutes servant-heartedness. In the first two chapters of the Gospel according to Dr. Luke, I found at least four individuals whose lives exemplify qualities necessary for a good servant:  Zacharias (a/k/a Zechariah) the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist; Mary, the mother of Jesus; and senior citizens, Simeon and Anna. None of them held a high-ranking position in society nor were they rich or highly acclaimed.  They were just four ordinary folks like you and me.  But a closer look at their lives reveals they each possessed at least four servant-hearted qualities: Obedience – Good servants must be obedient and in good standing with their master: Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were living according to G...

Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant  (Matthew 20:27) Recently I heard a song that spoke of having “a servant’s heart.”  As the phrase was repeated throughout the song, I began to think about what constitutes servant-heartedness. In the first two chapters of the gospel according to Dr. Luke, I found at least four individuals whose lives exemplify qualities necessary for a good servant:  Zacharias (a/k/a Zechariah) the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist; Mary, the mother of Jesus; and senior citizens, Simeon and Anna. None of them held a high-ranking position in society nor were they rich or highly acclaimed.  They were just four ordinary folks like you and I.  But a closer look at their lives reveals they each possessed at least four servant-hearted qualities: Obedience – Good servants must be obedient and in good standing with their master. Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were living accor...

Psalm 37 could be entitled the “Do Not Fret” song, but thanks to God’s graciousness, it also contains at least 14 positive things we can do instead of unnecessarily riding the fret-cycle round and round. A list of the fourteen might include the following: 1.   Trust in the Lord (vss. 3, 5); 2.    Do good (vss. 3, 27); 3.    Dwell in the land (vs. 3); 4.    Feed on His faithfulness (vs. 3); 5.   Delight yourself in the Lord (vs. 4); 6.    Commit your way to the Lord (vs. 5); 7.    Rest in the Lord (vs. 7); 8.    Wait patiently for Him (vss. 7, 31); 9.    Cease from anger (vs. 8); 10.  Forsake wrath (v. 8); 12.  Keep His way (vs. 34); 13.  Mark the blameless man (vs. 37); 14.  Observe the upright (vs. 37). The connection between fretting and these actions may not immediately be obvious, but a closer look shows they help replace the negative thinking t...

Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart  (Luke 2:19) “Do you have a ponder box?” she asked the ladies in the breakout session of a retreat.  To their puzzled expressions, she reminded them of Luke 2:19, which tells us that Mary had a ponder box which she must have used from time to time. During His lifetime on Earth, Mary would see her Son misunderstood, misquoted, denied and rejected by those who expected the Messiah to come in power, throw off the Roman rule, and set up an earthly kingdom.  When Jesus did not meet their expectations, He was branded a blasphemer by the religious hierarchy, who eventually caused His death on the cross. Mary, being Jewish, had undoubtedly been brought up with the same beliefs about the Messiah. Over the next few years, there would be times when, as Jesus’ unfolding ministry failed to fit the pattern, questions must have come to her mind regarding the angel’s proclamation. “How could it ever become a reality?...

You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me;  all Your billows and Your waves passed over me   (Jonah 2:3) Have you ever felt like you were in the middle of the ocean, far from the safety of shore, without a single bit of land in sight?  As if giant waves of fear and uncertainty were crashing over you, pushing you down?  All your efforts were in vain, and your strength was waning fast? If so, you can probably relate to this words of Jonah and the psalm writer. Then, you may find comfort and encouragement in the following declarations from God's Word: O Lord my God. For I said in my haste, ‘I am cut off from before Your eyes”;  nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You. oh love the Lord, all you His saints!  For the Lord preserves the faithful… ...be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart,  all you who hope in the Lord   (Psalm 32:22-24) ...

Do not grow weary in doing good  (2 Thessalonians 3:13)  They’re back – the beautiful yellow jonquils that signal the end of winter and the arrival of spring.They seem to pop up everywhere; bravely withstanding the blustery winds and chilling temperatures that often occur in early Spring.  How we welcome their annual arrival! There is a stretch of road not far from my home that I like to travel during this season of the year.  At one particular spot, the road makes two sharp curves.  Here anticipation rises because I know that just beyond the second bend lies a beautiful sight -- a meandering bed of lovely yellow blossoms growing against a background of lush green grass.  They line the fence row and ditch along one side of the highway for about a quarter of a mile at which point they turn and follow a long lane that leads to a house set back in the woods. It seems that almost half a century ago, the woman who lived in the house had quite a green t...

Do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13) They’re back – the beautiful yellow jonquils that signal the end of winter and the arrival of spring.  They seem to pop up everywhere; bravely withstanding the blustery winds and chilling temperatures that often occur in early Spring.  How we welcome their annual arrival! There is a stretch of road not far from my home that I like to travel during this season of the year.  At one particular spot, the road makes two sharp curves.  Here anticipation rises because I know that just beyond the second bend lies a beautiful sight -- a meandering bed of lovely yellow blooms growing against a background of lush green grass.  They line the fence row and ditch along one side of the highway for about a quarter of a mile at which point they turn and follow a long lane that leads to a house set back in the woods. It seems that almost half a century ago, the woman who lived in the house had quite a green thumb....

If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us   (Mark 9:22) A father, perhaps with hopes generated by Jesus’ growing reputation as a healer, came seeking His help for his demon-tormented son.  But when he arrived he found, not the renowned miracle worker, but nine of His disciples.  Apparently willing to settle for any help he could get, he transferred his faith to them.  When they were not only unable to heal the boy but became embroiled in an argument with the scribes who were watching, his hopes must have been dashed. Jesus’ appearance on the scene doesn’t seem to have restored much of his earlier confidence, as indicated by the if that prefaced his request.  The nine had failed; perhaps their leader would, too. How often do our requests for help arrive at God’s throne with that same, perhaps unspoken, if ? Turning a problem over to God means trusting Him to provide a solution even though there is little, if any, evidence that one is po...

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,  but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests,  but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4) A friend who grew up in the South refers to bad behavior as being or acting ugly. Perhaps you, too, use that terminology or have heard it used.  Certainly it is descriptive of how we all act at times, how such behavior makes us feel, and how we look to others. Sometimes it doesn’t take much provocation to get us into an ugly mood, and once we are there, we have difficulty shaking it off.  It hangs over our heads like a black cloud, and taints everything we think, say and do. Most of us don’t really need instructions on how to be ugly; it just comes naturally.  However, the following recipe may serve as a checklist to help us recognize, and even guard against ugly behavior:  RECIPE...

You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.   I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14) These verses from the 139th psalm are indications that we are all created differently; uniquely. While we share some things in common, no two of us are exactly alike.  Take for instance my two oldest grandsons.  The older one was born redheaded and fair complexed, while the second was toe-headed with a warm tint to his skin, and they could not have been more diverse in nature. Around three months, Collin’s personality began to emerge, and from that point on it was apparent he shared little in common with his 2½ year old brother, Cord.  Collin was a quiet child, content to be in his playpen or crib, watching Cord who was in perpetual motion.  At Collin’s age, Cord had loved the wind-up swing but Collin preferred to be held, rocked, and cuddled. In those early days, my daughter sometimes expressed con...

For as we have many members in one body but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ,  and individually members of one another.   Having then gifts differing according to the grace  that is given to us, let us use them   (Romans 12:4-6) I enjoy fruit salad, and serve it often to my family and guests.  Not only is it flavorful, it’s healthy, and pretty in the bowl, especially when made with a variety of fruits. Peaches; pears; pineapple; strawberries; grapes, both red and green; bananas; maraschino cherries; fresh, canned or frozen, or a combination thereof. The variety is endless, the choice individual.  Each fruit, with its unique flavor and texture, adds a special quality to the mix.  So it is with Christians. There is much we can do alone, but by combining our diverse personalities, interests, and abilities with other believers, we are more fully equipped to carry out Christ’s...