Freelance writer and Speaker
‘I keep my eyes on the Lord, With Him at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, my body also will rest secure.’ Psalm 16:8-9
Being close to the Lord takes every part of us – eyes to look to Him, right hand to hold on to Him, heart being glad and tongue rejoicing and body being secure. No wonder our walk with God is so all absorbing; it takes every part of us and fills every part of us. Let us praise.
‘The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.’
Ralph Nichols
‘Stop, look, listen before you cross the street, Stop, look, listen before you cross the street.
You use your eyes, you use your ears, You use your ears, you use your eyes,
And then you use your feet.’
I remember learning this road safety little ditty when I was young. (I must have taken note as I’m still here!) But it also applies in our Christian life. In this day and age it is so difficult to stop. Life is a rush. In our rushing we get into some nasty scrapes. We need to stop.
We need to look, look at the Bible, see what it tells us, look around and see God’s many blessings.
Then we need to listen. Listen to His promptings, listen to the word of other Christians and listen to His word.
‘Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His. Job 12:12-13
Well, I can be classed as aged, but I’m not sure how much wisdom can be found in me. I have long life, but there are many things I don’t understand. At times I feel I understand less and less.
I’m thankful that wisdom and power can be found in God. That is where I place my reliance. To God alone belong counsel and understandings
‘Now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.’ 1 Corinthians 13:13
Words change their meaning. Charity now means us giving money and provision to many needy causes. In modern translations we have changed the word to ‘love,’ with the text being much used in wedding services.
The word ‘charity’ comes from the Latin word ‘caritas.’ The characteristics of charity/love are described in verses 4-5 of this chapter and along with all well known verses are not always thought about deeply enough ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered , it keeps no record of wrongs.’
Only with God’s help can we reach this standard of loving.
‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.’ Acts 2:11
My church have chosen this text as their theme for the month of September. Each Sunday will be looking at one of the items :- teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
It seems a fairly good basis for any church. It is very easy to be lacking in one aspect. A good balance is needed. It is a sound structure in our personal Christian life as well. I like the idea of adding to the church daily as well. Maybe not in our church, but in the whole world.
Therefore, Holy Brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus. Hebrews 3:11
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. To fix something it will be very firm. (Not like my D.I.Y.) Fixing in the Bible is super tough and secure. It means blotting out everything else. Many choruses reflect this thought. ‘Turn your eyes on Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.’ Another one tells us ‘Just a glimpse of Jesus, just a glimpse of Him.’ A glimpse will become fixation.
‘If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:8-9
It is so easy to beat ourselves up because of our failings. It’s easy to swing from one extreme to another – ‘Oh my, I’m so wicked’ or ‘I’m not as bad as the next person.’ We need God’s forgiveness to equal ourselves out. Our humanness needs God’s divinity.
‘Sin is not a measurement of how bad we are, but of how good we are not.’ Charles Price
‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword; it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ‘ Hebrews 4:12
When I lived in the south of England I heard the story of a man who found a fragment of the Bible in the debris in the gutter. He read it, sought help and became a believer in Christ.
Strangely enough I had planned to write this today, when yesterday I heard a similar story which happened in my present home town. I don’t know why I use the word ‘strangely’. The God who has the power of His written word, also governs our daily happenings.