Connecting Points

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Today’s Topic: Self Examination                                                       

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:59 (ESV)  When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;

In 1968 one of the famous members of the Rat Pack decided to call it quits. At a dinner in Florida with several Mob guys and another musician named Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra declared, “I’m quitting the business. I’m sick of it, I’m getting…out.”

After returning to New York, Paul Anka decided to write a song that reflect Sinatra’s perspective on his own life. In a 2007 interview about the song he wrote, Anka stated, “I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, ‘If Frank were writing this, what would he say?’ And I started, metaphorically, ‘And now the end is near.’ I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was ‘my this’ and ‘my that’. We were in the ‘me generation’ and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use: ‘I ate it up and spit it out.’ But that’s the way he talked.”

In four hours he had written the lyrics to a song that became immediately identified with Frank Sinatra. It was first recorded at the end of 1968, and has been re-recorded by people like Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Andy Williams, and even a penguin in the movie Happy Feet. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the title of the song is My Way, and it goes like this:

And now, the end is here, And so I face the final curtain

My friend, I’ll say it clear, I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and ev’ry highway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way

Regrets, I’ve had a few, But then again, too few to mention

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew, When I bit off  more than I could chew

But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out

I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way

 I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried, I’ve had my fill, my share of losing

And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing, To think I did all that

And may I say, not in a shy way, “Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it my way”

For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught

To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!

 Now, if you read the lyrics with any sort of spiritual sensitivity you will be quickly moved to brokenness, or at least you should be. The life described here is absolutely contradictory to the life of a follower of Jesus Christ, and yet the lyrics are too true of too many who call themselves Christians.

In contrast to the man described in the song, there is a man described in another song, a Psalm. He is a man who is also examining his ways, and as he does he realizes the futility of them and turns immediately away from his way and follows God’s way. Charles Spurgeon describes such a man this way:

While studying the word he was led to study his own life, and this caused a mighty revolution. He came to the word, and then he came to himself, and this made him arise and go to his Father. Consideration is the commencement of conversion: first we think and then we turn. When the mind repents of ill ways the feet are soon led into good ways; but there will be no repenting until there is deep, earnest thought…Action without thought is folly, and thought without action is sloth: to think carefully and then to act promptly is a happy combination…If we are in the dark, and mourn an absent God, our wisest method will be not so much to think upon our sorrows as upon our ways: though we cannot turn the course of providence, we can turn the way of our walking, and this will soon mend matters. If we can get our feet right as to holy walking, we shall soon get our hearts right as to happy living. God will turn to his saints when they turn to him; yea, he has already favoured them with the light of his face when they begin to think and turn.

— Quoted from Charles Spurgeon in The Treasury of David

I love this line – If we can get our feet right as to holy walking, we shall soon get our hearts right as to happy living. Fulfillment in life is not about doing it my way, but about turning from my way and following God’s way.

So if someone heard that you were near the end of your life, and wanted to write a song to memorialize you, what would the lyrics say?

Pastor John

Additional References:

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!  (Lamentations 3:40)

Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. (Ezekiel 18:28)
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Connecting Points

Monday, November 12, 2012

Today’s Topic:  “No Nuts In It”                                                                               

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:57 (ESV)  The LORD is my portion…

My youngest grandson has a severe peanut allergy. It’s literally off the charts according to the doctor, over five times the average peanut allergy ratings. So, at two-years old, he’s already learning to ask an important question about every food he is offered. As he extends his hand he says, “No nuts in it?”

Yesterday as we watched football together, he stood in front of me as I munched from a bag of cheddar popcorn. He stood in front of me, leaning on my knee, and asked, “No nuts in it?” I said, “No nuts in it!” and gave him one kernel of cheesy popcorn to eat. He loved it, and stood in front of me asking for one piece after another, and each time he asked “No nuts in it?” After several minutes his question turned into a statement. No longer was he wondering if the popcorn was safe, but he was declaring that it was safe. He would proclaim, “No nuts in it!!!” followed by chewing and continued hand extending for more, repeated countless times for as long as it was available.

I couldn’t help but think of that event this morning when I rose for devotions and read the next section of the 119^th Psalm. I didn’t get beyond the first phrase – The LORD is my portion. I thought about the spiritual implications of my interaction with Crosby.

First, he knew what was good and bad for him. Even though he may not understand it completely, he is accepting the reality that there are some things that are very bad for him and other things that are acceptable. He doesn’t argue about the things that are bad, because he’s already experienced the consequences of eating them. He doesn’t let the desire for immediate gratification overwhelm the wisdom of seeing the long-term outcome. (I know, he’s only two, but come on, he’s my grandson. Of course he thinks this way.)  Even if he doesn’t understand what I just said, as a child he is teaching me to become more like a child with simple faith. Life can be boiled down to simple choices between black and white. It is only in our corrupted adult human nature that we have invented the varying shades of gray that we use to justify the desires of the flesh.

Second, he trusted the Provider to give him only what was good. WOW! His hand is extended before he asks the question about nuts. He trusts the one giving him the food today because his providers know what is good or bad. They are teaching him to ask the question for the times when someone else – like me – become his provider. The LORD is my provider. He knows what is good and bad. I can trust completely what He is giving me. I have learned to ask about its goodness so that I develop the discipline of seeking only good in all aspects of my life. But God is my Ever-Present Provider even when other options become available. He alone knows what is good and gives what is good. He alone is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. (James 1:17).

Finally, at least for this devotional, my grandson trusted the portion that I would give him. One kernel at a time, and only long enough to satisfy but not make sick. When I closed the bag and said, “All done. That’s enough for now,” he didn’t argue, fight, complain, or cry. He accepted the portion as sufficient for the moment. The LORD is my portion. He is all I need for every moment. He gives me sufficient grace for each day. Not extra grace for tomorrow, but only what is needed for today. And what He gives me is all I need at that moment. Crosby didn’t ask for chips to go with the popcorn, he simply stood in front of me and enjoyed the popcorn that was being delivered. He enjoyed the goodness of what he had, rather than wishing there was something more.

Oh LORD Jesus, give me that kind of faith and contentment. You alone are my portion. I trust you, and am satisfied by you!

Pastor John

I thought this article was so timely. It is written by Bob Lepine, a lay pastor and the Vice President and Chief Content Officer, as well as co-host, of the radio program Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey, and the host of Today in the Word, a syndicated Moody program that features great messages from their archives.

“My Candidate & My King”

Dear Friends,

I have watched all the debates.  I have listened as political reporters and commentators have discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly about each of the candidates.  I’ve read up on a few of the third party candidates.

And I’m ready to vote.  I’ve made my choice.

The candidate I’m supporting this year is…

…a flawed, sinful person.

He has said and done stupid things in the past.

As I’ve listened to his stump speeches and his debate rhetoric, I’m afraid he has vastly overstated what he can accomplish over the next four years if indeed he is elected.  He may or may not be able to get our economy headed in the right direction again.  He may or may not be able to enact policies that will stimulate the creation of new jobs.  Try as he might, there is no way this man can ensure our safety.  There are people in our world who are committed to acts of violence against others.  He can’t stop that from happening.

He will not fix the centuries-old divisions in the Middle East.

He will not be able to persuade the leadership of other nations to respect the human rights of their people.

Greed and corruption will continue to flourish around the world.

If my guy wins, we may be in a slightly better place as a nation four years from now.

Or slightly worse.

Maybe a lot worse.

Probably not a lot better.

If I sound cynical, I’m not.

If I sound pessimistic about where we are headed as a country, I’m not.

Honestly, I’m hopeful.

Not hopeful that “our way of life” will be preserved or that my candidate will make it possible for me to keep more of my paycheck.

Not hopeful that the threat of terrorism and genocide around the world will ebb.

Not hopeful that as a result of having the right man in the White House, our nation will once again embrace our Judeo-Christian heritage.

Here’s why I’m hopeful.

I had a long talk today with the King.

The King promised me that He will be watching things carefully over the next four years.  He didn’t say whether we will be facing hard times as a nation or whether we’ll see things getting better.  But He did say that He has a plan and He will be working everything together for good for those who love Him.  Whatever happens with our country and in our world, the King said, His Kingdom will not fail.

It turns out that whoever wins the race for the White House ultimately reports to Him anyway.

And the King is a very effective manager of people.

He also reminded me that sometimes, what is best for the Kingdom is for a nation – for His people – to go through some very hard times.  That’s often when the King’s men and women do their best work.

So, I will vote.  And I will pray for whoever wins.  And I will do what I can do to see that justice and righteousness will prevail in our country and around the world.

But my hope for the next four years is not built on who wins 270 electoral votes on November 6.

My hope is in the King.  And in His Kingdom.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Copyright © 2012 Bob Lepine. All rights reserved.

Connecting Points

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Today’s Topic: Whom Do You Trust                                                 

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:41-42 (ESV)
⁴¹ Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise;
⁴² then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Two brothers are playing down by the river. Their father has instructed them to not use the tire swing that hangs from a large branch extending beyond the river’s bank. A neighbor boy arrives in his swim trunks and carrying a towel. He heads straight for the swing. He begins to verbalize his intentions of standing on the tire and swinging it far out over the river and jumping into the water below.

As he climbs onto the swing for the first time, he taunts the two brothers who are staying a safe distance away from the water’s edge. He calls their courage into question using words like sissy and scaredy-cat. He accuses them of weakness and physical disability by claiming they aren’t strong enough to hang on to the rope. He challenges their ability to swim. He mocks their manhood even though they are just boys and declares them to be wimps.

As the taunter returns from his first dive into the river, his verbal bashing begins again. One brother begins to make his way towards the swing to prove himself. His brother runs after him and grabs his arm, reminding him of what their dad had said about staying off the swing. The neighbor boy makes another antagonistic comment about boys who can’t make decisions for themselves, and climbs onto the swing for another attempt at an even higher dive off the tire.

The brothers begin to explain to the boy why their dad had told them to stay off the swing. But the swing-happy boy would not listen. As the brother’s eyes followed the swing as it reached an ever-increasing altitude, they noticed the frayed rope their dad had warned them about at the point where it was tied to the tree branch. It was unraveling right before their eyes, and before they could yell out to stop the boy on the swing, the rope let loose. The swing was on a return path towards the tree and the free-falling tire propelled itself and the rider into the rocky river bank. The rider was seriously injured.

After watching the ambulance take their neighbor away, they hugged their dad. He thanked the boys for obeying. They thanked him for warning them about the swing. They began to understand their father’s love that established rules for their own good. They saw that the words of their father could be trusted. They understood that no amount of taunting and ridicule from others should ever convince them to reject their father’s will just to try to protect their own image.

Connecting Points

Monday, October 29, 2012

Today’s Topic: Satisfied!                                                                   

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:33-40 (ESV)
³³ Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
³⁵ Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
³⁶ Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
³⁷ Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
³⁸ Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.
³⁹ Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.
⁴⁰ Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

Monday mornings are hard for me, because I typically don’t sleep all that well on Sunday night. This morning is especially difficult because in addition to the normal reason for not sleeping well, I have this nasty cough that won’t go away and keeps me awake at night. I have been voluntarily sleeping in the grandkid’s Cat in the Hat bedroom so that Denise can sleep while I toss and turn and cough and hack.

The normal reason I don’t sleep well on Sunday nights is because I’m typically reviewing my sermon in my head and wondering why I said some things and why I didn’t say others. Last night I had a huge concern that the main point of the sermon didn’t get across sufficiently. Just about the time I would find peace by surrendering it all to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the hearer, I would cough, thus starting the thinking process all over again.

Then the Lord met me this morning with this next section of the one-hundred-nineteenth Psalm. It is the exact re-focusing of my mind and heart that I needed this morning. Here in a nutshell is what the Lord is showing me:

Surrender – It is the Lord’s way that I need, not more of my own way (vs. 33). It is His understanding of His eternal law that I long for, not more of my own laws based on my own limited understanding of life (vs. 34). It is His direction that I need and that will bring me delight, not affirmation of my own choices and decisions (vs. 35). It is for His glory that I speak forth His testimonies from a heart that is inclined towards them, rather than speaking only those things that benefit me (vs. 36). I confess that all the things of this life are worthless compared to the life you can and will give me, so I surrender them all to you (vs.37)

Supplication – With a surrendered heart, I seek my life from you and you alone. I come before you with a humble heart that recognizes my need and your provision. I specifically ask you for the following things so that my life will be pleasing to you. Teach me the way of life governed by your statutes and I will live in it(vs. 33). Give me understanding so that your law makes sense to me and I will choose it over all other options (vs. 34). Lead me and direct my life in the path you have prepared, for I will find delight in it (vs. 35). Change me by changing the inclinations of my heart so they only and always lean towards you not towards self (vs. 36). Turn me away from the worthless things of the world and show me the value of your ways (vs. 37). Confirm your promises to me, whether they be for blessing or cursing, so that in my heart I have a healthy fear of you that produces obedience to your Word (vs. 38). Give me courage to stand for you no matter what reproach it brings me from the people I live with every day, because ultimately I believe that your rules are good (vs. 39).

Satisfaction – In surrendering my way to yours, and in seeking your supply of all things necessary for life, I find complete satisfaction. I delight in the path you have chosen for me, knowing that behind all the pain of the current circumstances you are there directing every detail to bring glory to your Name and good to my life (vs. 35, 39). You are fulfilling your promise to give me life – real life – abundant life – so I long to know more and more of your precepts (vs. 40).

Suddenly being tired doesn’t matter anymore. I wonder what blessing God has planned for today that will confirm His promises to me and completely satisfy the longings of my heart? I am praying diligently for the same for you!

Pastor John

Connecting Points

Friday, October 26, 2012

Today’s Topic:  Clinging to Dust                                                                              

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:25-26 (ESV)  My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!

When God created man He did it from the dust of the earth. We must not think of dust the way our mothers did. Dust in God’s creation refers to the basic chemical elements from which all things are made. According to Isaiah 40:12, God calculated the dust of the earth and measured it precisely.  In that verse, God is declared to be the Designer of everything that exists, and has carefully and with perfect precision measured the exact amounts of water necessary for the sustaining of life on the earth, and has put in place the natural laws of the universe that control every detail of His geophysical creation, right down to the specific weight of mountains and hills so the world is perfectly balanced.

It is from this dust – the chemical elements of this world – that God creates man in His own image. After the exact composition of the chemical elements is formed, God breathes into Him the breath of life, and he became a living being. Eventually he would sin and rebel against His Creator, causing all of human life to be plunged into the darkness of separation for God, with only the dust – the basic chemical composition of life – to cling to. What a hopeless state.

That is the place the Psalmist has referred to today. He recognizes the times in his own life when it seems like all he has to cling to is what little wisdom and strength that the physical life provides. So many of us have glorified man’s wisdom, abilities, strength, thinking that they are all we need to flourish. What a rude awakening it is when life crashes down so hard that we realize that all we cling to is dust.

But it is in those times of brokenness that the Lord brings His life to us. It is when we are clinging to nothing but the little strength our physical bodies have left that we can confess our ways that have failed to the Lord and He will teach us His ways that bring life.

Notice that the recognition of weakness is not sufficient for solution to the problem. It was not enough that the Psalmist reached the end of his own strength and resources, but he went on to the point of confession to the Lord of all the ways he had gotten there. We see in this the activity of repentance. He was taking responsibility for his ways that got him into this condition. It is then and only then that the Lord meets us with forgiveness, life, teaching, and renewed purpose.

Believe me, I know what it is to reach the point of clinging only to dust. The past two months of my life have been the constant reality of this truth. But in it all, I have discovered the splendor of God’s grace and the life that comes from the Word of the Lord. You can too. If you are at the point of clinging to dust and wonder where you will ever get the strength to move ahead, then fall on your knees before God and confess to him all of the ways of dust you chose that got you to this place. Repent of them, and inhale again the breath of life from God Himself. He will teach you, and you will live.

Now, read the rest of the verses in this section, and see the hope God brings. ²⁷ Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. ²⁸ My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! ²⁹ Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! ³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. ³¹ I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! ³² I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!

Cling to His testimonies, and run in the way of His commandments (notice, you are running again), for the Lord will enlarge your heart.

Pastor John

Connecting Points

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Today’s Topic: More Rules Please!                                                  

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:20 (ESV) My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

When was the last time you heard anyone say this – “More rules please!”? Probably never, right? We are tired of rules. They contradict our inherent sin nature. Anarchy – that’s what we want. Let each one determine their own rules based on their own desires and preferences. That’s the nature of fallen humanity.

But it is NOT the nature of redeemed humans. Those who by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His resurrection have been saved from their sin have a totally different perspective on rules. Bring them on. Load me up. Teach me. I live best within the confines of God’s covenant. More rules please! These are the cries of a transformed heart.

Join me for a moment in reflecting on the nature of being consumed with longing for more rules. This requires a simple study of the meaning of the words. This may seem boring to some of you, but may I remind you that the meaning of words is critical to communication of any kind, so this is very important.

As I sought wisdom from the original Hebrew language using my extremely limited understanding, I discovered a significant truth. (I can’t wait for my friends Hebrew scholar friends Linn and Curt to bounce back their input on this.)  The word consumed is used only three other times in the Old Testament, and each time in the context of crushing. The soul here refers to any living creature having breath. It is the word used to describe the natural life of all animals and humans.  Longing, and its root form long, is a unique word to the author of this Psalm, and is used three times by him and nowhere else in Scripture. It means to desire. And finally, the word rules in its purest definition means verdict pronounced judicially based on the law.

Thanks for sticking around through that teaching in expectation of truth that will be revealed. Here is what God laid on my heart as a result of knowing His definition and inspiration of these words.

Almighty God, my flesh and its natural and sinful desires are being crushed with the desire to know more and more of your law so that I might be in agreement with the verdicts you pronounce on those who break them.

I believe that we believe that ignorance is bliss, and that we will not be judged based on what we don’t know. What we do not understand is that this belief completely denies the nature of God who is Just and Righteous in all His ways. It is not up to us to know only the ways of God that comply with our current choices. Rather, it is our privilege to know ALL the ways of God and conform our choices to His verdicts. In fact, within the very nature of our redemption is the longing to know God and His ways. So powerful is that longing that it consumes and crushes all desires of the flesh – or at least it could if we would surrender to it.

That’s the problem – we don’t surrender to the redeemed nature, but rather we continue to cling to it. Instead of crucifying the flesh daily, our old nature of sinful flesh has been given the right to reside in a state of self-declared coexistence with the nature of Christ. This may seem reasonable to us, but it is an impossibility with God. Daily the sinful desires are to be crushed under the longing for God that accompanies true salvation. Daily the desires to know Him, to know His rules, and to obey Him are to overwhelm the desires of the flesh. This is the power of the Holy Spirit in us, Whom Jesus sent to bring to our minds all the things that Jesus taught and to empower us to obey them. The Redeemer has sent His Spirit into our lives to resurrect the life of Jesus in us so that we might reflect His nature in all we do.

My friends, this is serious business. It is not to be declared too heavy or too deep and thereby ignored as insignificant. Look carefully at the rest of this portion of Psalm 119. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law, as the Psalmist says in verse 18. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! Only then will I know how to represent you in a world where I do not reside nor belong. (verse 19) Your verdicts are just on those who disobey, and ignorance is disobedience. Therefore I will long for your commandments and not wander from the. (verses 21-22). No matter what people do to me, or how the circumstances of life pile up against  me, I will turn only to your statutes and meditate on them, knowing that solutions are not found in my heart, but in yours. (verse 23) My only hope for joy in this life and for guidance through this life is to be found in your Word, so I will delight in it. (verse 24)

“More rules please!”

Connecting Points

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Today’s Topic: Be Pure                                                                     

Today’s Text:  Psalm 119:9 (ESV) How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Are you a GIGO or a TITO? The choices we make every day are determined by which one we are. Our connectivity to the world and our intimacy with God is determined by which one we are. The integrity of our heart is determined by which one we are. The choice of which one we are is ours, and is the most fundamental of all choices which in turn motivates and validates all other choices. After choosing to follow Jesus, this one choice affects all other choices and determines our spiritual health. It is that important!

Are you a GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out – or a TITO – Truth In, Truth Out.

See what the Psalmist says in this powerful passage on personal purity:

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. ¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! ¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. ¹² Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! ¹³ With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. ¹⁴ In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. ¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. ¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Here are some truths the Lord put on my heart as I reflected on this passage today:

• There is an assumed desire to keep our way pure, thus the Psalmist’s question of how to do it. Upon receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, the desire of the heart becomes the holiness of the Savior. You don’t have such a desire? Then go back to the cross and discover the splendor of Christ’s sacrifice for your sin, and allow the love of God to so overwhelm your soul that you rise from your prostate prayers with a passion to please Him.
• There is a personal responsibility for each one of us to guard our way using the Word of God. Nothing just happens. Choices are made and are always the product of the belief system we have chosen for our life. The power of self is strong and results in sin, but the Savior has conquered sin and in His resurrection has provided present and eternal victory. But it is our choice to appropriate it or not. We can choose to not guard our ways and live according to the flesh and its desires, or we can choose to seek the Lord and His commands and keep our way pure.
• There is a vast chasm that separates the intellectual knowledge of God and His Word from the experiential knowledge of God. Many know in their head what their heart has never known. Many can answer questions but have no personal experience to validate the answer. Those who are in the know only will be left with only their knowledge to add to the eternal suffering that awaits them. How horrific is the punishment of hell when the knowledge of the Savior is added to it so physical and mental anguish combine in total agony. But those who move from knowledge of God to the experience of relationship with God, having their hearts captivated by His truth, are already experiencing the fulfillment of life which continues for all eternity in His presence. Your Word, O Lord, have I stored up in my heart that I might not sin against You.
• “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” So says Jesus in Luke 6:45. Our speech does not reveal our intelligence, but our beliefs. We may fool some people some of the time, but eventually our speech reveals the truth of our hearts and their spiritual condition. Notice the progression in the passage – I have stored up your word in my heart…with my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. How you talk and what you talk about is the truth of what you really believe and what you have chosen for the love of your heart.
• One final point – the words and ways of God are to be the top priority of our hearts. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. What we desire, what we pursue, and what we enjoy are the indicators of what we have chosen to love. What we take in, put in, and allow in to our lives fully and unavoidably becomes our identity. It is the absolute truth of God that in the spiritual realm we are what we eat. That is why we must choose to feed only on the Bread of Life.

Today, and every day, I choose to be a TITO!                                                                            Pastor John

Connecting Points

Monday, October 22, 2012

Today’s Topic: The Pain is Gain                                                       

Today’s Text:  Galatians 6:17 (ESV)  From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

I know, I said last week that I was going to be studying the one-hundred-nineteenth Psalm, but that was my plan. God interrupted it already.

For the past several weeks some very serious circumstances in people’s lives have become very heavy to bear. They have not only caused deep hurt and pain on behalf of those involved, but they have reminded me of the pain of my own sin and selfishness. It is an intense time of inner reflection that has become the battlefield of the enemy forces that wage war against my soul. Self-pity, self-degradation, and self-devaluation have raised their ugly heads wearing masks of beauty and hope in an attempt to convince me to travel down their paths.

Then on Saturday night, during a period of sleeplessness, the Holy Spirit of my Savior Jesus Christ delivered a clear message: “Does not Jesus still have the holes in his hands and feet and side? They are there not only as a reminder of the sin that He bore in His body, but more so they are a reminder of the indescribable and indiscriminate grace of God to turn pain into gain.”

WOW! God’s grace turns pain into gain. As a result, every demonic reminder of the past becomes a connecting point to the grace of God.

The picture of my Lord’s hands, feet, and side was forefront on my mind when I arose this morning. As I opened my emails from overnight another e-devotional from Pastor Daniel Henderson arrived. One would have to be spiritually dead to not see that God wants this truth to sink deeply into my soul. His devotional was entitled “Leading and Living with a Limp”. At the end of the devotional he shares a poem he wrote, and it is powerful. May it bless you today as you discover the strength to embrace your pain and your failures and use them as a connecting point to God’s grace.

The Wound 

They didn’t warn me about the wound in seminary
So it has come as quite a shock to my unsuspecting heart.
At times it seems so deep – beyond the repair of stitches.
Even divine sutures seem insufficient and vain; 

The breadth of the wound overwhelms me at moments:
All-consuming – defeating – debilitating.
Then, some days the wound is inconsequential.
I busy myself with administrivia to anesthetize its presence.
I try to enjoy my family and hope it doesn’t surface. 

After the well-delivered Sunday sermon, I forget it is there.
But by Monday, its stench and pain has reappeared,
Creating a noticeable limp in my ministerial gait
And a dullness to my vision and faith. 

I would like to ignore it; just pretend it’s not true.
But its dull, sometimes sharp prompting won’t leave me alone.
It goes with me – following me everywhere –
Within me at all times, reminding me constantly. 

It has become the unwelcome mirror
of my weakness and vulnerability.
The wound is a grinding present memory of my failures;
Its reality shoots through the nervous system of my inner-man,
Calling out for attention, at least a fair estimation. 

So now, in these quiet moments, I sit –
face to face with my woundedness.
Oh, my wound – my horrible wound – you unwelcomed intruder.
Why have you come? Why won’t you go? 

Perhaps I have no recourse but to make you my friend.
You must know that I would not have chosen you as a companion,
For in so many ways you are ugly and troublesome to me.
But now, I must love you, embrace you –
integrate you gladly into the very fabric of my being.

 What? What is that you say?
You are the intimate friend of my Savior Jesus?
You found your discriminating way into His life?
His hands, His feet, His brow, His side are marked by your presence?
His heart, too, wears your brand? 

Oh, wound – precious wound. Forgive me, for I did not understand.
It is you that gave my Master the privilege of suffering for me.
By you I was forgiven and healed, in Him.
So I must welcome you, beloved wound. 

Yes, make yourself a part of me.
Offer your touch to the hurting world around me,
that they too may see your wonder –
and know your healing grace. 

Oh, wound, you are my enigma.
But you are my friend.
Without warning you came.
Now, without question – please, please – stay.

© 1999, 2010 by Daniel Henderson

Copyright © 2012 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.