T.R.U.S.T.

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” (Ps 37:5, ESV)

Sometimes seeing a scripture in a version of the Bible you don’t usually read it in can give you a fresh perspective. I really am taken by the simplicity of the above verse. It leaves nothing to chance, nothing to conjecture, and nothing to wonder about. It leaves us room only to be in wonder. It is simple, crisp, and full of meaning.

Some years ago I came across the following from Days of Heaven Upon Earth:

April 11. "Commit Thy Way unto the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. 5)

Days of Heaven Upon Earth — Rev. A. B. Simpson "Commit thy way unto the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii.5). Seldom have we heard a better definition of faith than was given once in one of our meetings by a dear old colored woman, as she answered the question of a young man how to take the Lord for needed help. In her characteristic way, pointing her finger toward him, she said with great emphasis: "You've just got to believe that He's done it, and it's done." The great danger with most of us is, that after we ask Him to do it, we do not believe that it's done, but we keep on helping Him, and getting others to help Him; superintending God and waiting to see how He is going to do it. Faith adds its amen to God's yea, and then takes its hands off, and leaves God to finish His work. Its language is, "Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him; and He worketh." Lord, I give up the struggle, To Thee commit my way, I trust Thy word forever, And settle it all to-day.

When I saw the words "Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He worketh", it really caught my attention because of the way it was worded. It comes down to trust, having faith. I would believe the opposite true also, if we don’t commit, don't trust, He doesn’t work.

The Good News Translation of the Bible words this verse as follows: “Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;”

Take some time and ponder on this today and ask God how it fits into your life.

"Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He worketh"

Hello, My Name Is Trouble



One Sunday some years ago my family and I gathered with a church whose pastor is a friend of mine. In the course of the service, he shared about a teen he had met. The impression he gave of the teen was that he is mouthy, craves attention, and can be irritating.

At some point while the teen was around, my friend did a couple things he had not done previously. He gave the teen value by giving him a task to do, and he talked with and listened to what the teen had to say. In the process he found out this young person had never even talked once with their natural father. My friend had a better understanding of the young man after their conversation and the young man had grown in value in my friends eyes.

What to do with this teen was a subject of thought for him. He knew that as a father of three and having three jobs he didn’t have the time or inclination to father this young man. He finally got some understanding from The Lord.

While he wasn’t able to father this person, he was able to carry God’s presence to him. What the young man needed in his life at this point could only be done by God.

Both of these thoughts are part of our own lives. First of all, what we really need in our lives can only be enabled or done by God. Secondly, we are to carry God’s presence with us everywhere we go. The world is filled with needy people who need the presence of Jesus Christ in their lives.




But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)




Let's go forth and smell things up!

Rabbits & Hotdogs

My first hero was a rabbit, and not just any rabbit, he was Crusader Rabbit. He rode a horse, wore a suit of armor, and went on crusades against bad guys and injustice. He had his own TV show on our local channel and on your birthday you had a chance to be on the show.

One day my turn came...I was on the show with a few other kids, They served each of us a single portion carton of milk and a Tarnow hot dog. We sat at a long desk and the host of the show talked to us on the air for a few moments.

I don't remember the contents of the episode of Crusader Rabbit we watched that day, as a matter of fact, I don't remember any of the episodes. But I do remember that hotdog! It was really good.



When I think of Crusader Rabbit, I think of hot dogs. I didn't want to be like him, I did not even want to go on crusades with him, but I would have gladly eaten hot dogs with him at a moments notice.

Could You Tell Me Which Way Jesus Went?

As far as direction goes, God is everywhere, so no matter which direction we go, God is already there. Any direction we take is towards Him. The direction God wants us to go is framed in obedience. When we walk in obedience, we are following Jesus. When we walk in love, we are following Jesus. When we are walking in the Spirit, we are following Jesus. When we are denying ourselves, we are following Jesus. When we are walking in humility, we are following Jesus. When we are being persecuted for His sake, we are following Jesus. When we are feeding the poor, we are following Jesus. When we are visiting orphans and widows in their distress, we are following Jesus.

Following Jesus is not a direction...it's a lifestyle.

 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Lk 9:23 NIV)

Just Say No

 

It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions  (Titus 2:12a, NIV)

I remember some years back that the slogan for the then new anti-drug campaign was “Just Say No”.  I delighted in telling people that this was not the first time that expression had been used, but was in fact in the Bible. Of course the campaign was only directed towards drugs and the verse above was directed towards all ungodliness and worldly passions.

Another difference, the campaign was dependent upon a person being able of themselves to stand against peer pressure and not do drugs. The admonition in scripture was dependent upon the grace of God. Here is the full passage:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14, NIV)

God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions. It enables and strengthens us to no only say no to them but also to resist their pull on our earthly natures. And that is not all. God’s grace also gives us the desire and enablement to live upright, self controlled, and godly lives in the midst of this present evil age.

We have been redeemed (saved, rescued, delivered) from all wickedness by Jesus Christ and are purified by Him to be a people dedicated to Him and who are eager and enthusiastic about doing what is right and just and kind.

And the Blessed Hope -- the glorious appearing of our God and Savior Jesus Christ will soon be upon us!

KINGDOM WALKING

... is living a life filled with love, following the example of Christ

Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

³ Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. ⁴ Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. ⁵ You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

⁶ Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. ⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do.


... while letting the light within us produce what is good and right and true


⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
¹⁰ Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³ But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴ for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
    rise up from the dead,
    and Christ will give you light.”


... as we carefully and thoughtfully understand and do God's will


¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶ Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷ Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁸ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ¹⁹ singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. ²⁰ And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹ And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.


KINGDOM WALKING is us living a life filled with love, following the example of Christ, while letting the light within us produce what is good and right and true, as we carefully and thoughtfully understand and do what God wants us to do.

Relearning How To Walk

A NEW WAY OF WALKING

¹⁷This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk (live) as the rest of the Gentiles walk (live), in the futility (perverseness, depravity) of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; ¹⁹ who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF THINKING

²⁰ But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct (walk), the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

RESULTING IN A NEW WAY OF RELATING

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

A NEW WAY OF WALKING REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF THINKING RESULTING IN A NEW WAY OF RELATING