Oh, That Men Would Praise the Lord for His Goodness!

 

Recent events both in the world and in the lives of people I know have brought to my attention the lovely life I have. The fact that I enjoy good health, have a working car, can attend interesting events, am able to worship regularly with other believers—all these and more inspire me to thank God over and over for my good life. I know that I did nothing to earn my blessings. Nor did you.

Nor did many people of the world do anything to earn their much-less-enjoyable life. It is true that we can bring illness and disaster upon ourselves by our own foolishness, as noted in Psalm 107:17—“Fools, because of their rebellious way and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.” But just two verses later we read that, when these people cry out to God, He saves them. And sometimes the trouble comes totally unexpected. 

John tells the story of a blind man who was healed by Jesus. The disciples wanted to know “who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” Jesus replied that the man’s blindness was not caused by sin but was “in order that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9: 2-3).

Whatever our lot in life, we should be giving glory to God, both in our private worship and in public testimony. When I was a young girl, I was attending one of those all-day-meeting-and-dinner-on-the-grounds affairs at an old country church in the hills of West Virginia. After our sumptuous picnic lunch (dinner on the grounds), we all met back inside the church for a standing-room-only service. I recall being just inside the door, surrounded by tall people. I could just hear the preacher asking if anyone had a word of testimony for the Lord. Silence. He asked again. More silence. Then the preacher held up his Bible and in a loud voice proclaimed, “The Bible says, ‘Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!”

I didn’t know it then, but now I know that this verse is found in Psalm 107:2. Following that verse are many different situations in which people might call upon God for help. A repeated refrain in the psalm says, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for this goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”

As James reminds us, every good gift comes from God. The Sunday afternoon nap, the rain for the tomatoes you might set out this week, health to get up and get your work done, freedom from war, salvation from deserved punishment. And sometimes the good gift is relief from pain, comfort in a time of war, help in the midst of grief.

Life is full of experiences that we might deem good or bad, but all are opportunities to honor and praise God for his goodness. If you were in church to hear Dima and Maria Kotik, you were surely blessed as I was to hear how God has upheld them in very difficult circumstances. You heard Maria say that she finds help and comfort in praying scripture. These dear people are a wonderful example of those who might be tempted to complain but who praise God instead.

So this week, regardless of what happens to us: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!

--Sherry Poff

The Dented Cup

 

Sacrifice is counter-cultural. We live in a society that affirms a “me-first” life. Shoving people in line on Black Friday, honking and yelling our way down the street because Grandpa is driving too slow in front of us, ranting and raving about our Amazon delivery being delayed to day three… Even the idea of self care can lead to an expectation of self-first being the most important way of living. I must know what I need When used appropriately, it is good to find rest and reset, but when it becomes idolatry, it leads us away from Christ-likeness. Yet sacrifice is the theme of the gospel for the believer.

We are constantly fighting against self, sin and Satan. All three pulling us and pointing us away from the Living Sacrifice. All three thriving on the moments we turn inward, self centered, prideful. And those choices leading us to times of folly and dissatisfaction and despair. While sacrifice may be counter-cultural, it is in fact Christ cultural and because of His work in our lives, should be the hope of our hearts. 

As a parent, I find my lack of sacrifice to be glaring. The number of things that pull at me the moment I sit down on the couch for the first time of the day: “Mom, this toy needs new batteries.” “Mom, I’m hungry.” “Mom, come look at what I did!” “Can you play a game of knock-out?” The requests go on and on. And all I want to do is live my life, my way. And yes, there are times for the little ones to practice patience, or receive a “no,” but when the little demands on my own time and interest can be answered with love, a sacrifice of time or energy, that goes a long way too. Because we know this to be true: there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

 One of Gavin and my college professors, Dwight Peterson, used to share an illustration in some of his messages. He talked about a time he and his wife had gone out for a fast food meal together. While getting the drinks for the two of them, Dwight grabbed two lids to put on the cups. As he popped them on, he noticed one cup was slightly dented. He went back to the table and moved to hand his wife the dented cup. Immediately convicted about the lack of love this was showing, he switched it and took the dented one for himself. Such a minor, minute detail that would have caused her no harm, and yet he realized the intent of his heart was to provide the better option for himself. Sometimes Gavin and I laugh to each other as we find ourselves reaching for the slightly better option and reference the dented cup. 

All of these are such small examples of sacrifice. Which, again, I believe shows the immensity of the “me-first” lives we live. Today we celebrate Easter. Resurrection Sunday. The celebration of life eternal because of the greatest sacrifice ever made. So, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of this sacrifice:

Romans 5:8 “But God shows His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds are we healed.”

The perfect, righteous Son of God bearing the weight of our sin, fulfilling the punishment of our death, feeling the separation of the Father. Physical, spiritual torment and abuse at the hands of the ones He loves, the ones He created. The sacrifice that freed, gave hope and a future, destroyed guilt and death. Unmatchable, incomparable. And it is with this freedom through sacrifice that we are called to sacrifice for others. To live counter culturally and continue to model Christ in us. Take the dented cup. 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

 --Sandy Gromacki

Just Like Jesus

Today is Palm Sunday, remembering the last week of Jesus' life, from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the bitter betrayal, the trial, crucifixion and then glorious resurrection.  Tucked in the middle of these events are the last instructions Jesus gave His disciples.  At one point Jesus said, "Do this if you want to be like Me."  What could make us like Jesus? John 13 tells us what we are to do to be like Him.

Jesus "got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.  Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.' "

Edith Schaeffer, in her book Common Sense Christian Living, described her motivation for being a servant to those in her home.

"How do I regard my having run upstairs with tea or having served breakfast in bed, or having continued for years to do this kind of thing for a diversity of people, as well as for my husband and children?  How do I look at it?  Do I feel like a martyr?  Let me tell you.

"First I say silently to the Lord, perhaps not always, but really almost every time:  'Thank you, Lord, that there is a practical way to serve you tea (or breakfast in bed or whatever it is I am doing for someone).  There would be no other way of bringing you food, or doing something special for You.  Thank you for making it so clear that as we do things that are truly in the realm of giving of ourselves in service to others, we are really doing it for You.  These things can be done so often!'

"Second, I go on remembering something of this sort: 'Now Fran really needs this.  He is talking so seriously to this person, and right now this refreshment will pick up both of them.  I'm sure they both need a bit of blood sugar.  This wheat muffin and cheese will give good nourishment, too, for whatever is coming next.'  I walk up the stairs, you see, really thinking of the individuals I am serving, whether adults or my children and grandchildren, in one or another circumstance of life.  A flair of imagination gives me the idea of putting a rose on the tray, or adding some hot nuts roasted in the oven, as I imagine the pleasure the sight and fragrance will bring to eyes and nostrils!  This is the fun of serving.  If you have never surprised anyone in the midst of ordinary life, you've missed a lot of the satisfaction that can be spread through days."

Until I read Mrs. Schaeffer's words, I had not seen myself serving Jesus as I served others.  But you recall His words in Matthew 25.  "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to Me. . . . Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me." 

Brennan Manning in his book, The Rabbi's Heartbeat, said "Servanthood is not an emotion or mood or feeling; it is a decision to live like Jesus."  May we live like Jesus, this week and every week.

                                                                            ~~Faith Himes Lamb

Wait is an Action Verb

 

“God wants us to adjust our lives to Him so He can do through us what He wants to do.”

                                                                                                                          Blackaby

 

“How is it that God will use me?” is often a question we each might pose when profound change or flux or trial is brought into our lives. We have the very evident desire to be actively serving, but God Himself has not revealed the task. This universal question is posed by the young, urgently seeking God’s direction for their lives; by the middle-aged, experiencing times of tremendous change and responsibility; and by senior saints, realizing that God is not finished with them yet; and also by churches or Christian organizations, struggling through times of financial or spiritual trials. Often Isaiah 40, “but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…” becomes that source of great inspiration, especially for those in these times of tremendous stress. How much, however, do we really understand the meaning of the verb wait?

Wait is an action verb. Action?! It would seem to be a passive thing, yet God instructs each of us to be a part of the refining process He calls wait. God encourages us with the injunctions of renewing our strength, running, walking, not fainting, but waiting seems to be the ultimate challenge because the responsibility for the outcome is in hands other than ours—in God’s hands. Wait by its very nature becomes one of the ultimate acts of trust for the person who “walks by faith and not by sight.”

Our Church—Grace—has been waiting and waiting and waiting for God to allow our campus to be restored. It seems as if we have been confronted with roadblocks that have challenged our senses of right and wrong, pressed at the “it is not fair” button, and—at times—left us with a lethargy caused by—what we believe—is too long a wait. God has not forsaken us, but . .  

Uniquely, the timetable involved in waiting is not ours, but God’s. He who does all things well asks us to look for, to hope in, to eagerly expect His direction in our lives. It is in the waiting, then, that our patience and confidence in God is confirmed. Yielding to this process conforms us to Him, more like His image. The product of our waiting is God’s.

As we wait for the coming of the Savior, we are to live in dependence upon God, and we are to walk with Him in fellowship. It is in His presence and leadership that we find our source of strength. We also learn of God’s blessings along the way as we wait. Our sister church Morris Hill welcomed and assisted our Academy. First Adventist has graciously housed our Church family. Our teams of folk who set up, serve, tear down without complaint have encouraged us. We have learned much in our wait.

Thus, the comfort, peace, and joy found in His presence promised to us especially as we wait has been ours. We do not find spiritual benefits in seclusion. We find them in following God’s plan and purpose in our daily activities as we depend upon Him to direct our every path. In one sense, we “must be about [our] Father’s business.” This direction stems from the minute to the earth shattering. In it all, we must be “quiet and wait for the direction of His presence.”

 God is at times silent, and we long for a sense of His presence or for prayer to be answered as we wish. Thus, His leading is dependent upon our determination by faith to set Him always before us. He is always intimately concerned for us, always seeking to bring us more into conformity to the image of His dear Son all in order that we might be usable vessels. Our responsibility, then, is to wait in faith upon that which we know to be true.

Scriptures challenge believers to “walk and not faint, to run with patience the race[—a marathon race—] set before us,” and “to rest and wait patiently” for Him. This is not action centered on our own activities which we perceive will honor God or focused upon our own calculations or perceptions of His Will, but it is an action centered on the ability to place with confidence our entire trust in God’s direction. The worthiness of the object of our trust continues to challenge us to continue moving forward for Him.

The answer and plan will not always be given to us. Our walk before the Lord is a step-by-step walk. Based on God’s character, we can say with the psalmist: “therefore will we not fear.” Confidence and faith in His provision do not, in this life, always reflect themselves in breezy joy. Confident, hopeful people are marked by perseverance and a refusal to seek illegitimate relief during their ongoing struggles because they choose to actively wait upon the Lord.

We, then, actively and with thanksgiving wait.

 --Janet Hicks

 

Reputation Matters

 

Proverbs 18:17, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”

Have you ever known a Biblical principle your whole life, and then one day you get a real-life lesson in it? That happened to me recently when a situation arose between two people I have known for almost 40 years.

We will call them Hazel and Myrtle for anonymity's sake. Myrtle came to me with a complaint about how Hazel had treated her. I believed it straight away, because Hazel had a reputation for being a bully, being arrogant, always thinking she was right about everything, and throwing fits to get her way. I could make a list of all the times I had seen her bully others. I was angry about this incident for days, because I deeply care for Myrtle, whom I viewed as somewhat defenseless.

I began to grapple with what my own response to this incident should be. But the Holy Spirit encouraged me to hold my tongue, to mind my business, and to wait and see what would happen next. Several Scriptures came to mind on these topics. I wrote pages and pages in my journal trying to sort out what my response should be. I wanted it to be godly and wise and not reactionary. I prayed over the situation many times. The ruminative thoughts were taking up too much space in my head, so I had to mute Hazel on social media limiting my thinking about her and the incident. The topic was hot in my mind still, so I was tempted to talk with others about it, but by the strength of the Lord alone, I didn’t (except closest family).

Then one day, 3 months after the incident, Hazel came to me with her side of the story. I knew she would eventually come, but she came much differently than I expected. I braced myself and whispered a silent prayer hoping for a godly response. I had never seen her like this. She was almost in tears, humble and contrite even. The arrogance absent. Normally she would brag about how she had gotten the best of somebody, but not this time. She said it had taken her this long to talk about it, because she had been so hurt. Myrtle had gone-off on her in a way she had never seen. It was a much bigger story than I had known. (Eventually, Myrtle apologized to Hazel for her bad behavior and  explained the circumstances leading up to the outburst.) Myrtle had not told me the whole story.

I was stunned at Hazel and Myrtle’s uncharacteristic behaviors, and I was forced to try to decide who to believe. Although Hazel had a reputation of behaving badly, I had never known her to lie. Myrtle had a reputation of being kind and patient with others and also for being truthful. Each was speaking from her own perspective and thankfully had made peace between themselves without my interference. I was thankful the Holy Spirit had reminded me of the verses above and kept me quiet, because it could have gotten even uglier had I intervened.

I was reminded of some things:

Reputation really does matter. What will people believe if someone tells them something negative about you? (I have had this happen to me.) People who have known you, especially a long time, will notice patterns of behavior. Will they trust your word, because they have never known you to lie? I couldn’t believe Myrtle would act that way, but Hazel was not known as a liar. But neither was Myrtle. That’s how I came to understand that they were both telling the truth as they saw it. Later, Myrtle admitted to me that she had apologized for her bad behavior, so it confirmed that Hazel was still being truthful.

It’s good to wait and let the whole truth come out before deciding what is true. This is especially true with social media. Some people make money out of others’ outrage. Outrage causes people to react on their pages where the money is made. So, they will slant the truth to deceive or to rage bait. Have you ever fallen for that? I have. As in Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story,” there is always another side to consider if we want to be critical thinkers instead of jumping at the first idea thrown to us.

It’s good to mind one’s own business and stay out of strife. (I Thessalonians 4:11, “…and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs…”) I don’t want to be known as a “pot stirrer.” Do you? I want to be a peacemaker. This is pleasing to the Lord. He wants us to get along. Sometimes it ain’t easy, and I’m glad I had lots of time to sort through my thoughts. I don’t always have that luxury, but hopefully, I have learned through these experiences. I bet you have stories of your own and can relate.

Blessings and peace,

joyce hague

A Crown of Beauty

Do you have a favorite ring or necklace that you like to wear, or perhaps a cute pair of earrings? If you see me at any given point in time, I will be wearing my engagement and wedding rings and probably also another ring on my right hand that my husband gave me when we were dating. As a teenager I had no desire to get my ears pierced, but in college, on somewhat of a whim while out with my friends, I went for it. So now, I often don a pair of earrings. On occasion, I also put on a necklace or bracelet. Many of us have an assortment of jewelry, even if it’s small. However, regardless of whether you own necklaces, rings, or bracelets, there is an accessory mentioned repeatedly in Proverbs that is vital for all of us women.

The book of Proverbs celebrates the beauty, not of jewelry and precious stones, but of wisdom. Read these verses and notice how it speaks of wisdom:

-- Wise instruction and teaching are “a graceful wreath for your head and necklaces for your neck” (1:9, NASB).

-- Wisdom and discretion are “adornment to your neck” (3:22).

-- In response to wise teaching, “bind them on your fingers” (7:3).

             In other words, a far better accessory than a gold necklace or a new pair of earrings is wisdom. Wisdom makes beautiful; it adorns its wearer with a quality that comes from the Lord Himself (Proverbs 8:22). I am sure we have all met these women... Whether or not they wear any jewelry at all, they exude wisdom. We are drawn to them and want to learn from them.

             And what about physical beauty? Proverbs speaks to that, too. Listen to this shocking verse: “As a ring of gold in a pig’s snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion” (11:22). Wow! We can put on our best outfit and adorn it with beautiful jewelry, but if we lack wisdom, we will just look like a dirty pig wearing a nose ring! This doesn’t mean that we should get rid of all of our accessories of silver, gold, and precious stones. It does mean, however, that we need to be aware that those things don’t truly make us beautiful. Maybe somewhere along the way, we have been tempted to listen to the world’s definition of beauty and need to be reminded of what God calls beautiful. As we pour into the next generation who are being bombarded with false messages of beauty, let’s be sure to teach them what beauty according to God’s word really is.

            I love Proverbs 4:9, “She [wisdom] will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” Ladies, may that be the beauty we chase after.

-- Amy O’Rear

Mission-Minded

 

I’ve been delighted recently to see the little stack of missionary prayer letters on the table as I come into church. We used to have a Women’s Missionary Fellowship at Grace. The group met monthly to hear about missions, pray for specific needs, and have a little refreshment. From time to time, we also took on projects to meets needs we read or heard about. I have forgotten—if I ever knew-- why we stopped this practice, but I loved it.

Some time after the group dissolved, I realized I needed a specific time to pray for missions, so I adopted Wednesday as my missionary prayer time. I have a folder with prayer cards and letters to help me focus on individuals and the various fields represented. This is why I am especially happy to see the prayer letters.

It is a great privilege to have a part in mission work around the world through the medium of prayer. When I read Melissa Baccarella’s occasional Sunday morning emails and then pray for her neighbor or for an upcoming community outreach, I am eager to read her next email to see how things are going. Then I am able to praise God for the things He’s doing in Italy. It’s the same with the Lethers family in Togo, the Freeze family in Cambodia, the Arces in Venezuela, and on around the world. With all the things going on here in the United States, it’s easy to forget that there is a big world out there where God is at work. It’s good for us to focus away from ourselves now and then and think about the needs of others. We both get a perspective on our own blessings and develop compassion for people in other lands.

But let’s not leave the evangelism to career missionaries. I think it’s appropriate for each of us to see ourselves as missionaries to the people we interact with daily. Maybe you’re a member of a book club or a gym. Perhaps there are people you see regularly when you go running or stop in for lunch at a favorite restaurant. These are opportunities to spread the gospel through conversation and actions.

Jesus left his disciples with instructions to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). That was in the city where they were living, in their region, in a neighboring region, and then all around the world. As followers of Jesus and spiritual descendants of those early disciples, we have a similar calling.

I heard recently of a man who said that knowing he was dying “removed the filter” from his mouth and made him bold to witness. That challenged me to think about how I might lovingly introduce more of the gospel into my daily conversations.

When we all get to heaven some day, one thing I hope to do is talk with believers from around the world and hear their stories of how they came to know Jesus. And we can have a little of that right here on earth.

Please join me in reading the missionary letters and praying regularly for their work. And I’d love it if you want to ask me now and then who I’ve been witnessing to.  

--Sherry Poff