Redeeming the Time

I just want to take a moment to publicly honor my grandmother. Today she celebrates 90 years of life! When she sees her cards and gifts, she doesn't always believe us that she's 90 ... 40 or maybe 60 - and that's a BIG maybe - is more like it. But that's okay. And when she does believe us, she laughs and says she doesn't feel 90. And that's a good thing.

Helping provide my grandma's care every day has taught me so much. Patience, for instance. I know there have been times when I have chosen, whether subconsciously or unintentionally, to suppress and ignore such spiritual lessons, but they are lessons all the same. Back in 2001, if I had tried to think ahead to the years to come, I think I would have said that 90 is so far away. Yet 90 is here today! And I wouldn't trade these years away.

90 years is a long time... and yet it's not. Compared to eternity what is 90 years? James 4:14 says, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Life, the length of our lives, compared to eternity is a vapor. Not even a drop in the proverbial bucket! The Psalmist accurately says, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten." What a blessing the Lord gives us when our lives surpass that number! The Shepherd-King David goes on to say in Psalm 90, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

What are we doing with our years? I'm 24. I'm almost halfway to 50. If I live to be 72, a full third of my life has passed! Where has the time gone? I'm not really sure how it has gone by so fast. And so I wonder, "What have I done with my life thus far? Have I done anything important, that truly matters?" I hope so. I think I've strived toward that goal. More importantly, I hope that when I look back I can say I truly did redeem the time I have been given.

Psalm 90 concludes, "And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." In order for the work of our hands to be established, then we have to be doing the Lord's work. We must be walking in wisdom and redeeming the time as the apostle Paul says in Colossians 4:5 & Ephesians 5:15-17, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Redeeming the time, an important thing to do. I pray that we seek after it.

Teach me, Lord, to number my days.

Growing Deeper, Richer, Fuller

This whole month I have been thinking a great deal on this past year and this new year. So much happened in such a short amount of time ... and now the cycle has begun again. But before I start with some thoughts on this year, a few moments of reflection would be nice.

At the beginning of last year, after reading The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, I came to the conclusion that resolutions are a very fine thing if they are done in God's power and not our own, much like Mr. Edwards says in his preface: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will for Christ's sake." So, for the first time in a very long time, I resolved to resolve. It was indeed by God's grace that He allowed me to stand as firmly as I did. I know that I haven't been perfect; in fact, there were times I failed. Thankfully, that's not how our Lord looks at us. That is to say, that He isn't waiting and watching to see how often we fail so that He can then say "I'm done with you." No, instead, when we fall He will pick us up (if we let Him), say that we are forgiven, remind us His grace is sufficient, then let us carry on with Himself walking beside us once again. And that's what He did for me. I know that, in my own power, I could never be as true to Him as I'd like to be, that's why He tells us to come to Him. And in looking backwards, His promises were true throughout the year, He drew me closer to Him, allowing me to grow closer into His image.

Well, now for the year ahead.... Resolutions one the first day of the year are nice, but there is another thing I like about Mr. Edwards' resolutions: they weren't necessarily written on the first of the year, for the duration of that year, and then it was okay to quit. No, Mr. Edwards' resolutions were from that point - that day, whichever day that might have been - from then until the end of his life. And I truly think that's a God-honoring way to live our life. Spiritually we should never quit striving for something, because on this earth we can never fully attain.

So, at this moment, this last day of the month, dated January 31, 2010, I shall add onto the list as found in II Timothy 2:15 & I Peter 3:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" This year and in the years to come, but especially this year because it's an area that needs strengthening, it is my goal to dig deeply into the Word of God. Not because I've neglected reading His Word because there are studies I'm involved in, but my own personal study needs to be deeper, richer, fuller. For myself, yes, very much so! Because for as much as I grew closer to my Lord, I yearn to grow closer still to the One who loved me first. And also that I may be able to further tell others about the Lord Jesus and to be able to answer any questions they might have about spiritual needs.

And just like I saw in the year past, I know I will see that my Lord - all that He is, all that He has said and promised - is again true in the year ahead.

He Shall be Light and Glory

In recent years, I have been struck by a portion at the end of the most commonly read Christmas passage. Interestingly enough, this part of the passage that isn't always read, but it pauses me every time I read it. Jesus is born, and just shortly after is seen by Simeon, of whom we read:

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

~ Luke 2:25-32

Jesus, the Promised One, the Messiah of Israel was finally born! Yet this Anointed One is proclaimed "a light to the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel." I am stilled by Simeon's proclamation which announces that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies in yet another way, specifically the prophecy in Isaiah 49:6 foretelling that the Messiah is to be the Saviour of the whole world, not only Israel. All the love, peace, and comfort Jesus offers is for everyone. He was promised to the Chosen People, a promise that is spoken of over and over in the Old Testament, but the rest of the world was no after thought.

How marvelous that God's plan included a Way for everyone, most especially His people, but also all other nations as well! How wondrous that Jesus would choose to leave heaven and all its glory to come here to a sin-filled earth, all the while knowing the suffering He had ahead of Him! And He really thinks we're worth it. What an amazing thought, and a what an tremendous love the Lord God must have for us! His purpose for coming to earth was to give redemption and eternal life to all who ask, and that is something money cannot buy and death cannot take away. What a truly indescribable gift God has given us through His Son!

Let us not forget that, while it is His birth we celebrate at this time, the reason He came is because of His love for us. As you contemplate this precious Gift, I hope that your heart will truly be filled with the wonder of all that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for you.. just as the wonder of it all has filled mine.

So, as we commemorate the birth of Christ today,
May the light of His Word shine in your hearts,
And the glory of His presence be very real to you.
...
And may you never forget the Christ in Christmas.
...

In My Heart, He's Lord of All

So much has touched my heart this Christmas season, and it's not nearly over yet. One, specifically, was a favorite hymn that has become all the more dear. This year, the words seem so much deeper. As I contemplate the words, the love of the Lord Jesus is very clear even though my mind could never fully comprehend the greatness of it, and my heart soars at the chorus.

I was rather surprised to see that it was from the mid-1800s. For some reason, I thought it might have been a little later, maybe much later. Although this hymn I am about to share is typically sung around Christmas, it could be sung any time of the year, and I just might request it on a "favorite hymns night" during a summer service.

Who Is He in Yonder Stall?

Benjamin R. Hanby

Who is He in yonder stall, At whose feet the shepherds fall?

Who is He in deep distress, Fasting in the wilderness?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall;

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He the people bless For His words of gentleness?

Who is He to whom they bring All the sick and sorrowing?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall;

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He that stands and weeps At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

Who is He the gathering throng Greet with loud triumphant song?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall;

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Lo! at midnight, who is He Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree Dies in grief and agony?

Who is He that from the grave Comes to succour, help, and save?

Who is He that from His throne Rules through all the world alone?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall;

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

I find myself thinking on how, during the time Jesus Christ was on earth, the people wanted Him for what He could do for their earthly state, but so many refused Him for their eternal state. And still today, people continue to refuse Him.

He's done so much for us. His compassion is a beautiful thing, something that ought to be cherished. Do we give Him the place in our heart He deserves? Do we crown Him and allow Him to rule our lives? I have been finding out that the more that I love Him, the more that room in my heart is made to love Him more. The more room is made to love Him, the more there is room on the throne of my heart to crown Him as my Lord of all - all that I am, all that I have, all that there is to come.

How about you? Is He your Lord as well?

Abounding Thanks

On Thursday I said that I have so much to be thankful for, and I truly do. I went into this month intent on it being a month of thanks, and through it, I saw just how often I can be thankful for things. I didn't limit myself to one thing to be thankful for a day - that would be contrary to the point - so when I thought of something, I took a moment to be thankful.

Some of the things I thought on are the typical things to list, others things were something I realized I have been taking for granted, others still were things that have been a major blessing or helped shape me into what I am today.

It would have been nice to share something every day, but time doesn't allot for that. Since I haven't done that, what better way is there to close this Month of Thanksgiving than with a list of things I'm thankful for? Therefore...

The following list isn't all-inclusive by any means, nor is it numbered because several things might be of equal standing, but the majority are the things most important to me. Although a note or two beside each one will probably make this a bit long, I just can't let it go without doing so.

• El Shaddai (Almighty God), Jehovah-Elyon (The Living God), The LORD God - The One Who created us even though He knew we would choose to go against Him; Who never fails nor changes but is always triumphant, always just, always true, & always the same; and Who loves us enough to have made the way for us:

• Salvation - There has never and will never be a more precious gift than the one given to us through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. He gave His own life so that those who trust in Him alone would not just know real life on this earth, but that we shall live eternally... with Him!

• His Written Word, the Bible - There are possessions that are important to me (family keepsakes, photo albums, letters), but if everything else had to go (never to be replaced!), my Bible would be the one thing I would hold tight. His Letter can never be read enough that we could exhaust what He has to tell us, nor will the promises therein ever be broken.

• My Family of 7 - What a blessing it is to be part of a loving, Christian family! To have Christian parents who strive to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; a younger brother who is one of my closest friends; little "tag-a-long" siblings who love me even when I am "upset" or "out-of-sorts" (pretty names for what God calls "sin"); and a grandmother who, although suffers with Alzheimer's Disease, can love us still even when other things are forgotten is a marvelous privilege.

• Extended Family - Aunts, uncles, and cousins, those special people I may not see all the time, but whom I still dearly love.

• Friends - When I think of friendship Proverbs 27:17 comes to my mind: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Of course, the opposite is true, too - if you keep company with people who are a bad influence, it is as if they dull the countenance of those around them. I'm thankful that my friends are such wonderful people; when I'm around them, I do walk away feeling sharpened, and thankful for the time we had to come together before the Lord. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

• My Church and the Bond of Believers - I'm blessed to be in a church that has God-fearing pastors who preach God's Word as it He has given it to us, and such caring people who give real meaning to the phrase "church family". The bond we have as believers in Christ is such a precious thing, the fellowship between one another is so sweet ... and not only does it apply to those in your church, but it carries over to when you meet other Christians as well.

• Faithful Men & Women - I have known quite a few saints in the Lord in my life who serve as good examples of what it means to live a life devoted to God. Now I have only memories of many of them, but their lives still have left an impact on me today. Their lives are and were sincere and strong in character because they walked closely with the Lord, and thinking of them reminds me of how sweet life can be when my focus remains on Christ and when I am truly thankful to Him no matter what the circumstances.

• Christian Schools (& Christian Homeschools) - Although I finished my schooling by homeschool and my younger two siblings are being homeschooled, too, I'm thankful that I also attended Faith Baptist Christian School for Kindergarten through 8th grade. Christian schools are more than just an alternative to the public schools. They provide a higher education along with, and even more importantly, training in God's Word so that today's young people will have a strong foundation in tomorrow's world. Those same things are true of many Christian homeschools, too.

• Conservative Christian Radio - Christian radio has become an important thing in my life. At our house you don't have to check which station we are tuned into; no doubt, you would see the dial is on our favorite station. WCTS is a wonderful station with staff dedicated to making the station live up to being our "Christian Companion." Their programming is filled with Christ-centered music, Biblical exhortation in preaching, morning and evening Scripture reading, as well as moments throughout the day being devoted to reflecting on verses of Scripture, plus programs for all ages. Based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, they can be found at 1030 AM on the radio dial in local areas or streaming online at wctsradio.com.

• Being Made in God's Image - What a special thing to be chosen by God Himself to be made in His very own likeness! The list here is limitless to the things we could include. From logic & common sense to creativity & expression, there are so many things that are unique to mankind than all the rest of creation.

• Neighbors - Nice neighbors are something wonderful to have, and we have some very sweet neighbors. Our "Queen of the Hill" (as my mom calls her because she has lived all of her 80+ years here in her house on the hill and seems to have connections with everyone through someone) is caring enough to keep us all informed. Another dear lady is always ready to talk or lend a helping hand. And who would have thought that a backyard neighbor would be the answer to our prayers for stringed instrument lessons, or that we would be the answer to his prayer to find someone with whom to share his talent?!

• Freedom - The freedom in America is unique to America, and I'm so thankful that the forefathers of this nation cared enough about those who would come after them to put laws, such as the Bill of Rights, in place. I'm also thankful for the many who gave their time, effort, & lives to make it so, and the many to then uphold it.

• Christian Literature, Music, & Poetry - In a passage of Scripture, and between two particular verses, about the contrast of unsaved life to new life in Christ is Ephesians 4:23, which says, "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;" Romans 12 also talks about living a life acceptable unto God, where renewing your mind is mentioned once again. Our mind and thoughts are pretty important; indeed, it's a major part of our very beings. So I'm thankful for Christian authors who seek to please God with their writings, who want to strengthen fellow-believers.

• Housing, Clothing, Food, et cetera - As I've gotten older, I realize more and more just how much of a blessing it is to have the basic necessities. When I was younger, I didn't really think of what it would be like not to have these things - and if things were a bit lacking, I still never went without. Looking back, I can see how the Lord as provided! He has promised to provide for our needs in the future, too. And now I am beginning to understand just what a blessing that is.

• Modern Appliances & Luxuries - We don't need many of the things we have, but they sure can make our jobs easier... and how nice it is to have the extra time those useful things "add" to our day! These little things that we often take for granted can be a blessing if we use them wisely.

We all have so much to be thankful for - even life itself! - and there are so many more blessings besides. I hope you truly are thankful to Whom it is due because we could never begin to thank Him enough!

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.
~ Colossians 2:6-7 ~

With Grateful Praise

These past few weeks have reminded me just how much I truly do have to be thankful for, and it was such a blessing to have our midweek service dedicated to praising the Lord. Testimony after testimony of God's wonderful goodness were shared, and it was a delight to come before the Lord as one heart in gratitude.

We also lifted up our voices in song, and one hymn that we recently sang really caught my attention. Written in 1864, with a tune composed in 1838, these words of sincere praise bid its readers to raise their hearts in thanksgiving. While I contemplated the words, my heart was indeed stirred with gratitude for the many things that are listed that I so dear to me. And maybe that was part of what caught my attention - the things I have been thanking the Lord for were right there in a song so sweet I could raise my voice in prayer.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Folliot S. Pierpoint

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth over and around us lies;

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child;

Friends on earth and friends above; for all gentle thoughts and mild:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy Church that evermore lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thyself, best gift divine, to our race so freely given:

For that great, great love of Thine, peace on earth and joy in heaven:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Psalm 147:1

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Month of Thanksgiving

In a way, it's almost hard to believe that November is already here. There are many things that I like about this month, but one that is extra special to me is a day of thanksgiving. It's especially important to me because, even though we could and ought to pause to give thanks quite often throughout each day, just how often do we make the effort? (Too often the Holy Spirit convicts my own heart for not giving thanks nearly as much as I should.) Our thanksgiving should never cease, but it's something that can easily be neglected. It's also something I have been thinking on quite a bit....

The words "thanks" and "thank you" imply that there is someone to whom such sentiment is due. To whom are we thankful for the many things we could list? There is only One Who could and should receive credit for such things: the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, who by him and for him were all things made, and by whom all things consist (Isaiah 40:28, Colossians 1:16,17).

With all of the above in mind, this year I've decided that I'm not going to set aside just a single day. No, indeed! This year thanksgiving will be the focus of this whole month with the intent that, at the end of November, it will carry over into the months to come. So I'd like to dedicate this month with a little one-stanza song. Its sweet melody is one of complete reverence, yet so full of joy and peace that it causes me to reflect and give Him praise & thanks every time I hear it.

Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul!
Thank You, Lord, for making me whole.
Thank You, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation, so rich and free!

We truly do have so much for which to be thankful. We may not always have everything we want, but He will supply everything we truly need. And what more could we ask for than an everlasting life with Him? Having that is worth more than the world!

May we all truly be thankful for the blessings He sends our way, and for the great salvation He has given to us through Jesus Christ. For the Christian, this is where thankfulness begins.