Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore”. Ecclesiastes 12:1b. NLT.

I have read the book of Ecclesiastes at least once a year for many years. It is always amazing to me how many times God’s Holy Spirit points out things I have overlooked until I walk in or through the season I need it. (Or if I am honest or when I am paying closer attention I notice more things!) Solomon clearly describes in Ecclesiastes 12 the many changes that happen to older people’s bodies. If you are older, I think you can relate to this section. If you are not in this season but are taking the time to read it, I pray it will help you understand some of the struggles of the senior stage of life, but also encourage us all to “remember our Creator” at any age.

I did some research to try and understand exactly how old Solomon was when he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. Some people think he was about 60 or 70 when he passed. We can tell from the writing that he had experienced enough of life to call it vanity! I admit that reading it through I found it a bit depressing. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher: Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit has a man from all his labor? Ecclesiastes 12:2-3. NKJV.

But then, I came to chapter 12. He begins to admonish young ones: don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Eccles. 12:1 I memorized that verse as a young person, in the KJV. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. It was preached during our youth group, shared during Sunday School and occasionally preached from the pulpit. But people really didn’t focus on the middle of the chapter. Solomon gets quite specific of some of the difficulties older people face his exhortation.

He begins with the eyes. I can kind of remember when my mother began needing reading glasses. I really didn’t take much notice, except for when she engaged us in the hunt for them. Remember him before the light of the sun, moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Eccles: 12:2. I did not really appreciate how hard it was to read things as an older person, until my own eyes began to need help. It is so frustrating not to be able to read things you used to without the help of glasses. (I’ve already discussed this in my post called Faith and Blurry Vision.)

Then he moves on to our legs. Have you watched older people try to get up from a couch or chair? To my embarrassment, I remember watching someone struggle to rise and I thought, why don’t you just get up? Until it happened to me as I struggle with knee issues. Remember him before your legs–the guards of your house–start to tremble; and before your shoulders–the strong men–stoop. Eccles. 12:3. Between years of use and gravity, our bodies begin to lose strength.

Remember him before your teeth–your few remaining servants–stop grinding; and before your eyes–the women looking through the windows–see dimly. Solomon seems to have quite a grasp about the aging process. I imagine when he wrote this part, he had to be experiencing it. Those of us in our “senior” years can say the same to young people. Remember him before the door of life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. There are definitely opportunities that I can no longer choose because of my age. It really is hard to admit it. If you are younger, take advantage of the doors God opens. Use your strength and ability for good. Don’t take for granted your working body parts!

Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grace, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. I, like Solomon, want to remind us all that it is good to remember our Creator no matter what our age.

Solomon finishes the book of Ecclesiastes with these final thoughts: That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. NLT. If we want our life to be productive, even in our senior years, we must fear God and obey his commands. I like to think it will bring our best life ever. My heart and mind goes to the young people in Israel who were at the music festival and had their life cut short by the Hamas attack. I pray some of them did know their Creator, and they are with Him, now; but I fear many did not. We can only remember our Creator for ourselves and pray that our service to Him will be a light for others.

No matter our age, we are useful to God’s kingdom. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18. Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12.They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green. Psalms 92:14. Seniors, you are still useful, don’t let the enemy lie to you.

Father, no matter how old we are, we need you. I thank you for helping every “senior” that is reading this to be encouraged today. Help them to look past the aches and pains and find your strength and purpose. Help every young person who reads this to understand the importance of remembering their Creator when they are young. Oh, Father, we need you no matter what our age, circumstance or situation. I thank you, we have you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Matthew 20:22 NLT.

The back story of the above verse: then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectively to ask a favor. What is your request? He asked. She replied, In your kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left. Matthew 20:20-21.NLT. What she was asking was for her two sons to take the second highest position under Jesus, in His Kingdom. It seems quite a presumptive question in our eyes. I don’t think Mrs. Zebedee, James and John were expecting Jesus’ response. None of us want to drink from the cup of bitter suffering, but as we go through life, it happens.

As I was reading this short interaction between this loving and probably proud mother and Jesus, I thought how many times God’s people ask similar things…not knowing the cost involved. I remember being all excited on my wedding day, vowing the regular vows: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live. About two weeks later, my husband got the flu and I realized life wasn’t always going to be perfect. He was a grumpy patient! I had about a 1/8 teaspoon of suffering to drink as we learned to accommodate each other during this brief illness. These vows were real. Little did I know that a bigger cup was waiting for us. 36 years later, he suffered a heart attack and severe stroke, and I really was tested as his caregiver for 2 1/2 years when he laid in a hospital bed unable to speak or move. My cup of suffering increased.

In some ways, I am still drinking of that same cup of suffering as I walk the widow road. We had many other “bitter cups” along the way. Submitting to His will, not our will, always involves that bitter cup of suffering. My parents thought we were stupid and foolish to pioneer a church. In our plan it was going to grow big and “we would show them”. That didn’t happen. But through our willingness to touch the lives He brought our way, there are some wonderful believers who are still serving Jesus today. I think He often includes humbling opportunities in this cup.

Death and grief are often part of the bitter cup of suffering. It can be the death of our dreams, in exchange for His plan and purpose. People who longed to be married, but ended up living the single life to pursue His Kingdom had to die to those hopes and desires. Struggles with infertility can be a very difficult cup of suffering to drink. Children with addiction issues, children walking away from the Lord or infidelity can be horrible cups to drink.

There is often disappointment in the cup of suffering for us as well. Misplaced or wrong expectations can lead to an increase in the bitterness of our cups. In my own times of drinking the cup of suffering (I know mine are quite small compared to Jesus’ cup), I have found the only solace is following Jesus’ example. Getting alone and simply crying out to the Father all my heartache and seeking Him for His help relieves the bitterness of the cup.

Jesus had to drink His cup of suffering alone. Even though He asked his disciples to wait and pray with Him, they fell asleep. Jesus voluntarily drank of His cup. He did it for us. Many of the testimonies of earlier saints that encourage us today are because they drank their own cup of suffering.

Have you heard of Jim and Elizabeth Elliot? He and four others were killed in an attempt to evangelize the Hourani people of Ecuador, when he was just 28. After his death, his wife, Elizabeth and other missionaries began working among the Hourani tribe and eventually many turned to Christ. You can read about their story in the book Through the Gates of Splendor. It is such an inspiring story. What a cup Elizabeth Elliot chose to drink in returning to the very tribe that killed her young husband, but it was that very persistence and love that won that tribe to Jesus.

We may never know what our choice of drinking our cup of bitter suffering will have on others. As we drink our cups, we must drink it with faith and trust that it will bring God the glory He deserves. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as thought something strange were happening to you, But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. I Peter 4: 12-13. ESV.

Not all suffering is godly suffering. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. I Peter 4:15. ESV. We must be careful not to blame our self-induced suffering on God. It won’t help us or the Kingdom. Choosing to walk in His ways so we don’t fulfill the lust of the flesh will help prevent this extra suffering.

Jesus asked James and John if they were able to drink the cup of bitter suffering. They answered, we are able. According to tradition, James was either beheaded or stabbed with a sword by Herod Agrippa around 44 AD. John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos. None of us know what our cup of suffering may entail. What we do know is that we cannot drink it without God’s help and strength. We cannot drink it for our own glory. It won’t be easy, but we can know it will be worth it.

Father, we know we can’t drink any cup of bitter suffering without your courage and help. I thank you for helping us drink whatever cup we need for Your glory. We trust you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

I can do all things {which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me {to fulfill His purpose–I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] Philippians 4:13 Amp

Do you need this reminder today? I know I do. I actually was reading in one of my older journals from 2011,when I came across this reminder. These past few months, my sister has been enduring Chemo therapy. It hasn’t been easy, especially since this is her second bout with cancer. It has been a joy to help encourage her and ease some of her tasks. After she has surgery next month, she faces additional therapy they call infusion. They take off the chemo drug that has been addressing the cancer cells and give her another drug which is supposed to help with her healing. Both the chemo drug and the infusion meds are delivered into her blood stream via a port. Sometimes they give her extra hydration or magnesium through the same access point. This speeds her meds through her body. But how does the Spirit infuse us with inner strength and confident peace?

There are some fairly basic steps. We turn to Him and ask. When we turn to Him and ask, we must believe that He can and wants to help us. But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 Amp. I admit (and I have watched others too) get tripped up on the earnestly and diligently part. Sometimes, it does take a moment for Him to respond. That is when we must choose to trust Him and His character. Will there really be a reward to my diligently seeking Him?

Last week our church held it’s annual Seek Week. It is a time where our church body is encouraged to take time to pray and fast for ourselves and the church. There was four nights of worship and prayer, that we were encouraged to attend. We were given a guide with special emphases for each day of the week. This guide contained not only the focus, but also compatible scriptures to that focus. People were hungry to spend time with God. Speaking for myself, I looked forward to attending each night, especially after I had spent time with the Lord before I came. It wasn’t hard to earnestly and diligently seek Him (the fasting part, was another story!). Once we settle in our hearts that seeking Him and His Presence is worth the energy put in, it gets easier to do. My body was tired, but my spirit was infused with Him.

One of the other basic steps is pairing worship with prayer. We sang songs that made our God big and reminded us of His power and might. They also reminded us of His great love and mercy. Worship softens our heart and helps us renew our mind to who we are trusting. Worship is part of our arsenal tool to allow HIs Spirit to infuse us in our inner man.

I felt many distractions, of course. My mind wandered. Negative thoughts tried to encroach and take over. I fought Satan’s lies, as well. They may be familiar to you–this is dumb, you would rather be home resting. Nobody cares if you show up. You can pray just as well at home. You know those kinds of thoughts. However, I was already bolstered by daily scripture reading. Which is another way we are infused with His strength–reading and studying His Word. My daily reading path had me in 2 Chronicles for this week. As I read through both the strengths and the weaknesses of Judah and Israel, I found myself once again determining to finish my course well.

Paying attention to each transition between one king and another, I discovered God’s faithfulness to His promises, no matter how people acted. I believe as we pray for our world situation, God is moving. Keeping our heart turned toward Him is imperative. We will be able to accomplish every assignment that He has given us because He will strengthen us and empower us. We are not a weak and wimpy people, but we are strong through His might. Do you believe that part of Philippians 4:13, as the Amplified says: I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace? I pray so. In our partnership with Him to bring light to this world, God needs us to be strong and trust Him, no matter how weak we may be feeling at any particular time. When I copied that verse, I was the fulltime caregiver for my disabled husband. I was so tired and weary of fighting. But I declared, “I choose to be strong in You and in the power of Your might”. My dear ones, it often comes down to a choice. Choose to believe you can do all things through Him, because you can, even those things that are hard and you don’t want to do.

Father, I thank you for infusing us with your power and strength as we choose to trust you. Help us turn to you and believe your word. I pray for every person who is feeling weak and overwhelmed today, that they will turn to you and find confident peace that inner strength to face their difficulties. Please remind them they are not alone, but You are with them. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV.

There was a time I had 20/20 vision. I enjoyed all the benefits of being able to see clearly, at all times without any aids. Then I got older. My vision began to shift, and it was harder to see label instructions at the store. I bought some readers (well, several pair–because if you know, you know!) These wonderful aids helped for awhile. But then, more changes occurred and I bought my first pair of prescription glasses.

When I put those glasses on and looked through the right part of the lens (they were trifocals) I could see. There was a learning curve, but once I figured it out my vision was clear. As i have walked this faith walk, I find myself asking the Lord, “How is my spiritual vision?” How do I know if I am seeing clearly? Do I have some blurry areas with you? We can be thankful our God loves to answer these kind of questions.

First and foremost, we need to view life from an eternal view. This word is not our ultimate home. It can be difficult to understand and remember that as we follow Him, we are storing up treasures in heaven. The Bible is full of such reminds. I love reading Hebrews 11 about the heroes of our faith. How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. Hebrews 11:32-35. Can you see them? Each of them overcoming their own fears. Putting aside their own desires and seeing God’s vision, not only for themselves, but for God’s reputation? Blurry vision keeps us from accomplishing God’s plans and purposes. Clear vision causes faith to arise and the impossible happens. We too, can have our own faith stories, as we walk by faith, not by sight.

Blurred or dim vision can occur when we are trying to walk in our own light, instead of God’s Word and HIs ways. His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105. If we wander off His path, then it is understandable HIs path will be harder to see. Staying in the Word will keep our vision much clearer and focused. We cannot walk two paths at the same time.

Blurry vision can happen when we are tired and weary. We begin to focus on our circumstances, and not our Savior. I encourage you to take a break if you are weary. Re-focus on Him and what He has done for you. Pauls’ wonderful reminder: do not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season you shall reap. Galatians 6:9. When the prophet Elijah struggled with feelings of isolation and fearful of Jezebel’s threats, his vision was blurry. He thought he alone had not worshipped Baal, when God reminded him I have 7,000 others! You are not alone. The Lord saw him, and the Lord sees you. If you are feeling weary, take time to rest, eat and listen to the Lord. God had more for Elijah to do, and once he rested, he did it!

Walking in deliberate or compromising sin will definitely cause blurred vision. WE cannot serve two masters. Sin, by its nature leads us away from God and His purposes. It may seem pleasurable for a minute, but it brings shame, guilt and draws us to hide in dark places. Repentance naturally leads us towards GOd and HIs light. That is when our vision clears and we see how sin desires to bring death to us. This is true for everyone. There are no exceptions. Sin leads to death, separation and darkness.

Learning to walk by faith and not by sight means we must to learn to walk in His love. God’s love helps us see God’s people clearer. We begin to see them as He sees them. Our faith begins to rise not only for ourselves but for others. Walking in God’s love causes us to avoid the blurred vision caused by critical and divisive spirits, which undermines faith.

Blurry vision causes us to walk in fear. We can’t see clearly, so our imagination begins to run wild. Fear begins to run our life instead of trust and faith in the Lord. This is not good. If you find yourself dealing with fear and anxiety, check your vision. What is really there? Or what might be there? We must bring our imagination under control of God’s truth if we are to walk free from anxiety and fear.

Friends, we need God’s clear vision in every area of our lives. Faith is trusting God’s ability to accomplish His promises, where we see it or not. It is God’s desire that we walk in this faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17 NKJV. But without faith, it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11;6. NKJV. Satan loves to blind us to God’s goodness, His character and His purpose in our lives. It is up to us to fight these lies with the truth, which sets us free. Let us continue to walk in the freedom that faith has given us.

Father, I thank you for fresh vision. Help us to see those around us with Your eyes of hope and faith. Clear up any blurry vision we have. Refresh those who are weary in doing good, help them know their labor is not in vain. Encourage those who are stumbling in the dark to get back to Your path. We need Your vision, dear Lord desperately. Thank you for helping us in this area. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16 ESV.

God, in His sovereignty, chooses who He will to fulfill His will and purposes. I suggest as you read through His Word, take note of various individuals. Just in 1 Chronicles 27:32, we find four men singled out. Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise counselor to the king, a man of great insight, and a scribe. Jehiel the Hacmonite was responsible for teaching the king’s sons. Ahitophel was the royal adviser. Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend. These four men had different roles to play, different assignments, if you will. We assume God chose them for these various positions. Imagine simply being mentioned because you were the king’s friend! In 1 Chronicles 28:10, we find David’s admonition to his son Solomon: so take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do the work. NLT. I think we can take advice from David’s words to Solomon…whatever He has chosen us to do: we need to be strong and do the work.

Matthew chapter 2 mentions some more wise men. The Magi who followed a star. No one forced them to leave their homeland. No one forced them to, at their own expense, bring gold, frankincense and myrrh. Somehow, they were the ones chosen to help support Jesus, Mary, and Joseph during his beginning years. They were not Jewish, but pagan! They not only studied the stars, but understood its special meaning and responded to it. As I was thinking about them, I wondered about our callings. Do we not only study the truth that God has a calling and purpose in our own lives? But do we actually invest to accomplish that purpose? Are we, like David’s advice to Solomon, committed to be strong and doing the work it takes? I want to encourage all of us, we have what we need to do His will, because we have Him.

My friends, focus on what you can do to fulfill what you know is His will for your life. Ask for any further revelation, as needed, but I believe if we simply seek Him, follow Him and do what is at hand, our lives will be successful. Maybe we are called to be someone’s friend, like Hushai the Arkite. Or are you a wise counselor? Maybe you have been called to teach the next generation, like Jehiel the Hacmonite. He probably taught Solomon! Maybe if we humble ourselves and do the seemingly “smaller” things at hand, God will do even more in us and through us. It is really up to Him, isn’t it?

Father, I thank You for allowing us to take part in Your purpose and calling. We were chosen, by You to strengthen Your Kingdom through our lives, and for that we are so grateful. Please continue to teach us and guide us in Your ways,my Lord. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

You will make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 NIV.

Paths are important. Most of us are not trailblazers—even though we may want to be or think we are! So we need paths to follow. This scripture always brings me so much hope. When I feel stuck in my life’s journey, I turn to this verse. The promise here is if I ask Him, He will show me the path of life. However, there is no guarantee of what I shall encounter on that path, but I know if I keep following Him, it will lead to life eternal.

So many parts of our paths involve the intersection of others. My dad joined the Navy during WW2. The Navy moved this Texas family to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, in Oak Harbor, WA. When the war ended, my parents chose to remain here. Physical complications prevented my mother from bearing children, so they went the adoption route. If they had moved to Texas, my triplet sisters and I would have had a completely different life. I think it was very much a God directed decision. They adopted all three of us right before the adoption agency was going to split us up. We are forever grateful they did not split us up. Their paths definitely affected ours! Because their path led to Washington state, so did mine. I still touch lives here because of their path following. Who might be in your life because you chose His path? It really is not all about us!

Not all paths lead to life, however. Proverbs 14:12 gives us a warning. There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. NLT. We need to be aware of what path we are taking—the path to life or the path to destruction. Many times, the path to destruction actually looks like the easiest and best. Paul warns us in 2 Timothy 2:16-18, Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. They have left the path of truth. One guideline to watch for if we are on the path of life is if we are seeking truth and are willing to let that truth find us. If we are hiding from the truth, then we have veered off the path of life. Conviction, repentance and correction are found on the path of life. These are good things! I used to be so anxious reading Matthew 7:13-14: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. I finally had a conversation with the Lord concerning it He said, the path to life is not a tightrope! The path to life may be narrow, but it is doable. It is wide enough for you to enjoy the journey! I think as a child I pictured it as a balance beam! Not so.

What great promises we have in the Bible! Proverbs 3:6, Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. How amazing is this? Are you feeling a bit blind in your way or lost? Go back to Him and know the Holy Spirit will guide you. Maybe you find yourself at a crossroads, take the time to seek Him before any decisions. He knows the way you should take. Decision time, no matter how difficult it is, is always a good time to get to know the Lord even better. Spending time with Him, waiting for direction can be challenging, but will pay off in the end.

Father, no matter what season we are in, we need to follow your path. We ask you for the ancient paths, knowing your ways are best. Help us slow down in our decision making and listen to Your Holy Spirit. You want us to follow your path of life for life. Thank you, we can trust in You, In Jesus Name, amen.

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4: 11-16 ESV.

I know that is a long opening passage. Paul gets very wordy, doesn’t he? As I was reading this section today, I began to wonder, is their any area in my life that I have not become mature in, that may be hindering someone else? Paul is encouraging us to allow the apostles, prophets, evangelists, the shepherds (or pastors) and teachers to equip us so that we may grow up in Him. I had a picture of an adult person with a full grown body, but one arm did not grow up. It remained small and for the most part useless. I don’t believe God has provided prosthetics for the body of Christ.

If we are all part of the body, then I don’t want to hinder that body, by NOT growing, learning and maturing. My own childishness could hinder someone else! That hurts! As I look around the body of Christ, I see many who are hungering and thirsting for Him and His ways. I also find others who don’t seem to comprehend the need to grow. It is possible they haven’t been encourage to self feed from the scriptures themselves. I can only try to be an example to them. I trust the Holy Spirit is trying to encourage them to grow in His ways.

I appreciate those before me who have stepped up and followed Him. Their example is so encouraging. I found a poem, written by just such a saint. She was part of our church when we were pastors in Medford, Oregon. Her name was Alice M. Stephens. Alice loved to teach children God’s Word and God’s ways. One of her gifts was writing. Here are her encouraging words, I am sure learned from walking with her Savior:

Looking Unto Jesus

Look not at yourself, for that is in vain:

Look not at your faults, that only brings pain:

Look not at your habits, and hope to transform them:

Look not at your friends, you cannot reform them:

Look not at your failure, it will help not at all:

Look not at success, you will head for a fall:

Look not at results, you cannot control them:

Look not at your sorrows, that does not console them:

Look not at your sin, you only add to it;

Look not at your past, you cannot undo it:

But look unto Jesus, He only is strong:

He is the one who can cover your wrong:

Looking to Jesus, you will not sink in despair:

In success of in failure, you will find he is there.

All things through Christ, in Him put your trust.

His is the doing, and His the result

So look not at self, your gain is His loss.

But look unto Jesus, put self on the cross:

Behold, then, the Lamb, find forgiveness in Him.

Count all things but loss, that Christ you may win.

Forgetting those things that are helplessly past,

Press onward and upward to heaven at last!

–by Alice M. Stephens

My friends, let us determine to grow in Him and His ways. Let us strengthen God’s Church by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. By His help, and His Spirit, we will continue to grow into the fullness of the stature of Christ.

Father, I thank you for your daughter, Alice. I thank you for the legacy she has left in the hearts of many people. I ask for your continued grace to continue to grow up into You and Your ways. You want us to put off childish things, and put on You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding for her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. Proverbs 3: 13-15

It isn’t easy to impart wisdom and pass on our values to others. We find a story of a tribe of people in the Old Testament who did a phenomenal job of it. They were the Rechabites. Some of you may be thinking, “who are the Rechabites?” We find their story in Jeremiah 35. It is an interesting story, one I think we can all learn from. Read this excerpt from the Message Bible.

The Message that Jeremiah received from God ten years earlier, during the time of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Israel: Go visit the Rechabite community. Invite them to meet with you in one of the rooms in God’s Temple. And serve them wine. So I went and got Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, along with all his brothers and sons–the whole community of the Rechabites as it turned out–and brought them to God’s Temple and house of the Lord, to the meeting room of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. It was next to the room of the Temple officials, and just over the apartment of Maaseiah, son of Shalium, who was in charge of Temple affairs. Then I set out chalices and pitches of wine for the Rechabites and said, “A toast! Drink up!” But they wouldn’t do it. “We don’t drink wine.” they said. Our ancestor Jehonadab son of Recab commanded us: “You are not to drink wine, you or your children. Neither shall you build houses or settle down, planting fields and gardens and vineyards. Don’t own property. Live in tents as nomads so that you will live well and prosper in a wandering life. And we have done it, done everything Jonadab some of Recab commanded. The Message Bible Jeremiah 35: 1-9.

Jonadab left some very strict guidelines for his family and descendants. We are not sure how he delivered them; but he did it in such a way that they became known as Rechabites and these guidelines became their values and culture. I wonder how did he communicate them to his family that made them not only keep them for the first generation, but for the next and the next? My research said that by Jeremiah’s time, it had been 250 years since they had been living under these rules. These vows were not part of the Mosaic law, but were instituted by this father hoping to keep his descendants free from falling into the ways of the Canaanites. That is quite a legacy. How clear and set are your values? Would they withstand an invitation to the White House or the King of England? These people were not intimidated by the Temple surroundings or by Jeremiah’s personality. They kept true to their own beliefs, no matter what. By setting wine in front of them, as the Lord led, Jeremiah discovered how devout they really were. Life often tempts us to compromise our character, beliefs, or values. How do we not only keep them ourselves, but pass them on to the next generation?

As we skip down to verse 12, we discover the Lord’s purpose in Jeremiah’s invitation to the Rechabites. Then Jeremiah received this Message form God” “God of the Angel Armies, the God of Israel, wants you to go tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem that I say, “Why won’t you learn you lesson and do what I tell you?” God’s Decree. The commands of Jonadab son of Recab to his sons have been carried out to the letter. He told them not to drink wine, and they haven’t touched a drop to this very day. They honored and obeyed their ancestor’s command. But look at you! I have gone to a lot of trouble to get your attention, and you’ve ignored me. I sent prophet after prophet to you, all of them my servants to tell you from early morning to late at night to change your life, make a clean break with your evil past do do what is right, to not take up with every Tom, Dick and Harry of a god that comes down the pike, but settle down and be faithful in this country I gave your ancestors. And what do I get from you? Deaf ears. The descendants of Jonadab son of Recab carried out to the letter what their ancestor commanded them, but this people ignores me. The Message Jeremiah 35:12-16. Wow, you can tell the Lord is upset with His people.

If we want to influence our children and others, we must decide what we want to pass on. By God’s grace, we modeled for our kids the importance of personal devotions and Bible study. We prayed with them as different issues came up–both big and small. It was important to us to show them that God is available and interested in every aspect of their lives . We modeled forgiveness and apology. It is a joy to watch them passing on these values to their own children. Could we have done better? Of course!

When I was pregnant with my first child, I read a fiction book about a pastor and their family, but it was based on a true story. The “church” criticized their children mercilessly. They expected 100% perfection all the time. After reading this book, I made a vow to never expect more of my children than God would. That I would help them learn His ways with grace and forgiveness. As pastor’s kids, they had their share of unrealistic expectations from our congregations, but we never disciplined them for other’s expectations. I did not want my children to think following Jesus was a bunch of rules, but a life-giving relationship. What are the values and expectations you want to pass on to those you influence? Jonadab the Rechabite made it very clear to his family his expectations. I don’t think we were as clear with our words, but more with actions. No matter what, I am so grateful my children are doing their best to pass them on. Often, more is caught than taught, right?

I don’t know why Jonadab made the particular list he did for his family, but there is still a legacy from their tribe. The Victorian Rechabite Tent is still functioning in Australia. The members sign a pledge to abstain from alcohol, and for a time lived in tents. It is a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

None of us knows how or what God is going to do with our obedience to God and His ways. It is in His hands. The good news is if we sow good fruit, we can trust Him with it. Clarify your values. I think the best ones are those that line up with His values. They are the ones who have the most potency. It is worth it.

Father, I thank you for helping us sort out good values and teach us how to pass them on. Jonadab made set some obvious lines for his family. Help us do the same, in love with grace and mercy. Thank you for helping us influence generations to come by our actions. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Don’t be misled–you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Galatians 6:7 NLT

As I was pumping gas the other day, I felt the Lord ask me a question. “Why do you think you are “the exception?” I was continuing to ponder the connection between wisdom and discipline (last week’s blog post: Faith and Wisdom). I must admit, it stopped me in my tracks. I mumbled, “I guess it’s pride”. It made me think about areas in my life (and others) where I can/could fool myself into thinking I am the exception.

Areas like diet. I can eat what I want, when I want to and I won’t get overweight, get diabetes or other health issues because “I am the exception”. Even when these things occur, people don’t really believe it could really be “that” bad and then they discover it can be. I can be a couch potato and not exercise, because “I am the exception”. I hurt my knee area (lateral collateral ligament). The doctor told me to use the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. I tried a few days, bought a brace and decided doing 1/4 of the prescription would be good enough. When I went back again, he yelled at me. I told you to use the RICE. With hanging head, I apologized and said, I guess I don’t hear the word “rest” very well. Who was to blame? Me. Who suffered because of it. Me, and those I could have spent time with! It made me realize, I am not the exception. Maybe I think, I can ignore my financial situation because “I am the exception”, but that too, comes home to roost. As I’ve gotten older, and my body is starting to show signs of how I have treated it over the years, I am finding out I am not the exception. Then there is the area of spirituality.

The biggest area of “I am the exception” is probably in believing what the Word of God says. Don’t be misled–you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Galatians 6:7 NLT Do we really believe we will reap what we sow? So many live their life ignoring any tugs by the Holy Spirit to surrender to the Lord, because they do not want to consider this truth: and it was appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:17. People don’t really want to believe that we will die and then face God’s judgment.

I think the sooner we swallow our pride and understand that we are not the exception to the Laws of Nature or the Laws of the Spirit we will be better off. I started physical therapy for my knee this week. I chose to leave certain items at the grocery store so I wouldn’t be tempted to consume the entire container of miniature cinnamon rolls. I’ve started paying more attention to my Fitbit, too. But the biggest thing, I have been journaling God’s instruction from His Word. As I read the seven things God hates in Proverbs, I took better note. I prayed for His wisdom and grace to actively listen and avoid the things He hates. We are encouraged to avoid gossip, to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, to cast our cares upon Him. There are no exceptions to these guidelines. If we submit to these and others like them, our lives will prosper much more than if we don’t. I know it is hard to admit we are not the exception….but God already knows it! Just agree with Him.

Father, I thank you that you don’t make exceptions to your mercy, your love and your gracious actions toward your people. I thank you for helping us all learn to submit to your will and your ways. If we do you promise we will prosper, and for that I am very grateful. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Proverbs 1:1-2 NLT.

Wisdom, something we all want (and if we are honest) something we all think we possess! The good news is, if we are humble and teachable, we can be taught wisdom. However, if we look carefully at this verse it declares the purpose is to teach people wisdom along with the challenging word “discipline”. Do you consider yourself a wise person? How about a person with discipline? They both come together. We may receive information or revelation about what we should do, but it is discipline that helps us carry that through. It appears we can’t have one without the other.

We find it stated again in verse 4. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just and fair. So if we seek wisdom we will learn how to not only be disciplined but also learn to do things the right way, the just way and the fair way. Often we think wisdom is useful in difficult decision making, but apparently there is much more to it than that. Young children often complain that life isn’t fair to them. Maybe they can’t see the bigger picture, but only look at life as it relates to them and their needs.? Oops, it isn’t only children that face that dilemma is it?

These proverbs will give insight to to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Proverbs 1: 4. As parents, grandparents and teachers we need to share these proverbs with the young ones in our lives. I have two grandchildren heading off to college this year, plus another one who is enrolling in a program called Running Start. Each of these young people have been home schooled. Their parents have done their best to prepare them for life. It is a joy, as their grandmother, to hear wisdom coming from them. It wasn’t by accident, but by deliberate exposure to God’s Word and ways. Aaron, my oldest grandson, is heading to his junior year at Pacific Lutheran University. He plans to be an elementary teacher. I already know he will need to draw not only on God’s wisdom, but learn about applying that wisdom with discipline.

One day, as I was reading Proverbs 1:8-9: My child listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck, I realized that helping our children gain wisdom actually gives them an advantage. They will have accessories that will help them stand out. A crown of grace and a chain of honor around their neck are quite the gift. As they learn to fear the Lord and walk in His ways, Proverbs 1: 5 will come to them. Let those with understanding receive guidance.

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Proverbs 1:5. Learning to apply this wisdom is more than just reading them. It takes deliberate focus and decision making to listen to them and then apply them. The challenges of life seem to becoming harder and harder, but if we are established in God’s wisdom and character the path gets clearer and more obvious. If you are like me, there is “listening” and then there is “listening”. When we appreciate and respect the speaker, we pay much more attention to what they are saying and become even wiser

None of us want to appear foolish, much less be called a fool. Proverbs 1:7 is the bedrock of walking with the Lord. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. I have grown in discipline in some very practical ways, however, in others, it is still a struggle. Exercise and diet are two of the areas where I have wisdom to do the right thing, but not always the discipline to do it. So am I wise? God is helping me in these areas, and I am grateful. I encourage you to take a look at the book of Proverbs with listening ears. Look for those areas where you can apply the wisdom that is so abundantly there.

Father, thank you for helping us grow in the area of wisdom and discipline. It is the living out of your wisdom and discipline that helps us becomes more useful to You and Your Kingdom. Teach me to really listen to Your Words and apply them. In Jesus’ Name, amen.