June and I were sharing lunch with old friends last week, and we were discussing our respective visits to Israel. We were privileged to travel there in 2004 while our daughter and husband were teaching at an American school in Herzelia. During our conversation, I shared this story…

While there we did a Sunday afternoon workshop on daily time with God, much like I’ve taught many times and write about here from time to time. It’s a simple plan: take a short section of scripture and…

• Read, marking what stands out to you – what God is saying to you in that moment
• Reflect, on one of those thoughts, applying it personally and specifically
• Respond to God in prayer
• Record the time in a journal

That’s all. It’s simple, doable, and I have journals with instructions available online.

So I was teaching this to a group from our daughter’s church in Israel. As I was wrapping up with questions and answers, in walked well-known international Bible teachers and authors Stuart and Jill Briscoe. I said something like, “Stuart, it’s nice to meet you all. We’ve been spending the afternoon talking about how we can have daily time with God through the Word and prayer. Would you like to say a little something to close us out?” Stuart and Jill live in Wisconsin, but Stuart is originally from England. In his inimitable British accent he said:

In John 21, Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my lambs…feed my sheep.” Now I used to tend sheep in England. And the way you feed a lamb is to pick it up, put it under your arm, and stick a bottle in its mouth. The way you feed a sheep is to take it out and show it where the pasture is. I think in many of our churches, we have a lot of adult sheep under our arms and we’re trying to stick bottles in their mouths!

Then he looked at me and said, “Are you and I on the same page?” And I replied, “Yes sir.”

It was a good lesson. Why are we bottle-feeding people that should be feeding themselves? 1 John 2 is clear: we should be progressing from infants -> children -> young adults -> parents. Young adults feed themselves; parents feed others.

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2.12 – 14, ESV, emphasis mine)

As a graduate of Clemson University and a loyal Clemson football fan, I am following the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL since Clemson’s star quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, is playing for them. Before last Sunday, the Jags had lost their first five games this season, which I think is more games than Trevor has lost his entire life. (They had also lost their last 15 games last season.) But Sunday, October 17, in London of all places, they won. Here’s some of what ESPN said:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a championship pedigree at coach and quarterback [former college coach Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence]. However it took a software engineer-turned-kicker to finally end the misery of a 20-game losing streak. Matthew Wright’s 53-yard field goal as time expired gave the Jags a 23-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

What’s funny is what they reported next:

“I don’t think anybody on our team ever heard him speak until about 10 minutes ago,” Jags coach Urban Meyer said. Wright, playing just his third game for the Jags (1-5), also nailed a clutch 54-yarder to tie the game at 20 with 3:40 remaining.

Here’s what grabbed me. The hero, the guy who was programming computers just six weeks earlier, said:

Just not a huge talker, just here to do my job. – Matthew Wright, 25-year-old kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Matthew is on to something: less talk, more action.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. (Ecclesiastes 5.2, 3, NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak… (James 1.19, NIV)

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech… (1 Timothy 4.12, NIV)

My friend and faithful blog reader Kathleen Krucoff helped organize a display of members’ art at Monument Community Presbyterian Church this month. We both helped close out the exhibition during yesterday’s Sunday morning service. She opened with a snippet from my blog on spirit-filled art from a couple of years ago:

Who was the first person in the Bible said to be filled with the Spirit? And for what?

The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. (Exodus 31.1 – 5, ESV, emphasis mine)

The first person in the Bible filled with the Spirit of God was an artist, called to work on building the tabernacle and teach others to do the same. – Ewellogy, June 9, 2019

As I reflected on that idea in preparing for a dedicatory prayer, I realized that it’s only reasonable that the first spirit-filled person was an artist since the first artist was God himself! On Saturday, we looked at his sunrise.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19.1, ESV)

On Sunday, we admired the fall colors, which continue to dazzle. We can’t stop taking pictures of our aspens.

Today, let’s remember that we ourselves are part of his artwork:

We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! (Ephesians 2.10, TPT, emphasis mine))

The note on “poetry” adds:

The beautiful Greek word used here is translated “poem” or “poetry.” Our lives are the beautiful poetry written by God that will speak forth all that he desires in life.

Continuing with the theme of God’s gifts to us, we weren’t able to drive to the mountains this year to see the aspens, but God was gracious enough to provide scenery right here in the neighborhood. It’s one of the benefits of having to walk the dog several times every day!

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. (Daniel 2.21, ESV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1.17, ESV)

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5.44, 45, ESV)

Sometimes we need to take a break from heavy meditations and just enjoy what God gives us. Earlier this week, we woke up to a most unusual sunrise. June saw it first, and I took a few pictures, but a couple of my neighbors (from NextDoor) did a better job and were kind enough to post:

So that’s a double blessing: God provides the scenery; nice people share it with others.

Here’s one picture I took from my deck. Like the others, no filter. This is the way it looked. Mine has a peek at Pike’s Peak in the background, and my large aspen in the process of changing color.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19.1, ESV)

The other day I read this in Ecclesiastes which says, basically, we can’t figure God out:

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. (Ecclesiastes 8.14 – 17, ESV)

Righteous people get sick and die while the wicked seem to prosper. Decide to be joyful no matter what. No one can figure out what God is doing.

Shortly after reading this text, I received a health update from my Navigator friend Roy Fitzwater, who has been battling cancer for nearly two years. His update begins this way:

We want to communicate clearly upfront that barring a miracle (which we are certainly still praying for), we have received news that my time here on earth is short.

Last Tuesday I started experiencing double vision. We spoke to our oncologist, had a brain MRI on Wednesday and on Thursday found out that the cancer has spread into the lining of my brain. This development is more serious and aggressive than the cancer I have in the rest of my body. The cancer is now growing in the dura near the spinal column. This is putting pressure on the 6th cranial nerve causing the double vision. The cancer is called Leptomeningeal Disease.

The spread to a new area disqualifies me from the clinical trial. There are no further options for treatment of the base cancer and our best option is to do 2 weeks of low-dose radiation on my entire brain to slow the growth/swelling that could cause loss of other functions. The oncology team in Colorado Springs has been very responsive and we had our consultation this past Monday morning, the simulation 90 minutes later and have already had the first 3 of 10 weekday treatments. Praise the Lord! The radiation oncologist said because we caught it so quickly that he thought there would be minimal further loss and the double vision might even be REVERSED! – Roy Fitzwater, Woodland Park, Colorado, emphasis mine

Note the hope and the praise at the end. Not long ago, Roy and his wife, Margaret, hosted their team at their house (they are head of Training, Development, and Care at Navigator Headquarters), and it was vintage RoyAndMargaret (one word!) – games, prizes, affirmation, and encouragement. This despite the fact that Roy is greatly debilitated not only by the cancer but also by the treatments.

So good people die “before their time” from our perspective: my friend Dick Ryerson, active in short-term mission construction projects, dies of COVID. Mike Schmid and Roy Fitzwater, Navigators active in ministry are fighting, it seems, a losing battle with cancer. I don’t get it. But the death rate is, as it has always been, one-in-one. Only the means and the timing are in question.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? (Romans 11.33, 34, ESV)

The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (Psalm 37.39, 40, ESV)

I close this blog with the last paragraph of Roy’s update:

A song that has encouraged us lately is I Shall Not Want. It speaks of Psalm 23, which in the NIV reflects exactly what we are feeling in these difficult days.  The Lord is my Shepherd.  I lack nothing! This is amazingly true as we sense His presence and leading each day.  We pray the song speaks to you as well. – Roy Fitzwater

I wanted to do something in memory of my friend Dick Ryerson except there were no charities specified in his obituary. I had asked his brother what mission organization he did his work projects for, and the brother didn’t know. 

So, in keeping with Friday’s blog on wisdom, I prayed.

Lord, please tell me to whom and how much to give.

A number came into my mind, and I thought at first I would send it to Dick’s church with instructions to use it to help someone go on a mission trip.

Then I remembered that Dick and I had discussed his mission trips way back in 2016 with respect to a friend of mine who was looking for short-term mission opportunities. So I found that email conversation (stored in Evernote) and the name of the organization. 

After a brief email exchange with the executive director, I made the contribution, specifying that it be used to help someone who couldn’t afford it take a trip. An hour later the executive director called with this story:

I wanted you to know that we have a trip coming up, and the fellow who was supposed to lead got COVID. So I called someone who said he could go, but he couldn’t afford to pay for it. Just then, your donation came in to cover that replacement’s trip. Thank you. – Ronald Spears, Executive Director, www.cwe-missions.org

I love it when a plan comes together!

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1.5, NIV)

This is the last in our series of meditations on the book of James:

• 1: Wisdom – ask God! (A second blog on wisdom)
• 2: Works – what we do matters!
• 3: Words – what we say matters!
• 4: Wars – “Where do wars and fights come from among you?”
• 5: Waiting – things aren’t all that good now? Wait.

We now look at one of the messages from James 5: Waiting

This is America. We don’t like to wait for anything. Do you remember the days when you ordered something and were told “Allow four weeks for delivery”? Now many times when I order, it arrives the next day. My son in Atlanta sometimes orders in the morning, and it shows up at their house the same day!

We may get our stuff faster than we used to, but important things take a little longer. With respect to some of what we looked at in James, there’s still a lot of partiality out there (James 2.1 – 7). There’s a lot of vitriolic language (James 3). Wars and fighting? Check. (James 4.1 – 4)

To top it off, there is oppression of the poor.

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 5.4 – 6, ESV)

The solution? Wait:

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand…As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (James 5.7 – 11, ESV)

Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. (James 5.7, 8, MSG)

It’s hard to wait, especially when it looks like things are going to hell in a handbasket, but that’s the word…and the promise. “The Master could arrive at any time.”

But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. (Hebrews 10.36, 37, MSG)

Also at that time, people will say, “Look at what’s happened! This is our God! We waited for him and he showed up and saved us! This GOD, the one we waited for! Let’s celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation. (Isaiah 25.9, MSG)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21.1 – 4, ESV)

We’re continuing our series of life lessons from James:

• 1: Wisdom – ask God! (A second blog on wisdom)
• 2: Works – what we do matters!
• 3: Words – what we say matters!
• 4: Wars – “Where do wars and fights come from among you?”
• 5: Waiting – things aren’t all that good now? Wait.

We now go into James 4: Wars

Where do wars and fights come from among you? … (James 4.1, NKJV)

We interrupt this verse for one answer to the question. Wars and fights come from not heeding the counsel in the previous verse:

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness! Good seeds of wisdom’s fruit will be planted with peaceful acts by those who cherish making peace. (James 3.17, 18, TPT)

Much of the time too many of us are not planting good seeds of wisdom’s fruit with peaceful acts. Rather, we’re practicing outrage at every turn and using social media platforms to yell at each other.

I believe that’s a true analysis; however, it’s not what the verse says! Let’s continue:

What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires? You jealously want what others have so you begin to see yourself as better than others. You scheme with envy and harm others to selfishly obtain what you crave—that’s why you quarrel and fight. And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it! And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! (James 4.1 – 4, TPT)

Wow. That’s war! War inside each of us, war among ourselves, war between us and God.

When it comes to war, Satan is the expert. A former pastor used to say, “The devil’s Spanish name, Diablo, means ‘the splitter.'” If there’s splitting going on, there’s a good chance the devil is involved. He wants to divide:

• within ourselves (“doesn’t the battle begin inside you?“)
• among ourselves (” You scheme with envy and harm others to selfishly obtain what you crave“), and
• between us and God (“Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy!“).

The cure is spelled out in chapter 4 as well, bulleted for easier reading:

• Submit to God.
• Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
• Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
• Cleanse your hands, you sinners.
  • Purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• Lament and mourn and weep!
  • Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
• Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4.7 – 10, NKJV)

Submit and draw near to God, resist the devil, repent. That’s all! But the promise is that if we resist the devil, he will flee. If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Good news. And at least part of the process is simple: draw near to God through our daily time in the Word. Resist the devil through prayer.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. (Psalm 1.1, 2, Living Bible)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might… praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6.10, 18, ESV)

We’re into a series of life lessons from James:

• 1: Wisdom – ask God! (A second blog on wisdom)
• 2: Works – what we do matters!
• 3: Words – what we say matters!
• 4: Wars – “Where do wars and fights come from among you?”
• 5: Waiting – things aren’t all that good now? Wait.

We now go into James 3: Words – what we say matters!

James devotes nearly a whole chapter to it. Here are snippets of James 3:

1 My dear brothers and sisters, don’t be so eager to become a teacher in the church since you know that we who teach are held to a higher standard of judgment. 2 We all fail in many areas, but especially with our words…3 Horses have bits and bridles in their mouths so that we can control and guide their large body. 4 And the same with mighty ships, though they are massive and driven by fierce winds, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder at the direction of the person at the helm. 5 And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power! Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze. 

6 And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire body and is a hellish flame! It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence… 8 but the tongue is not able to be tamed. It’s a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison! 9 We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! 10 Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sister, this should never be! (Parts of James 3.1 – 10, TPT)

Jeremiah warned about the danger of pretending to speak God’s words:

Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the LORD.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23.28 – 32, ESV)

There are prophets (preachers and many other public personalities, Christian and not) whose words “do not profit this people at all.” There are people in all walks of life who stir up all manner of division within their spheres of influence.

Words matter! Ask Jon Gruden, who just resigned as coach of NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders for attitudes exposed in emails dating to 2011 but continuing through at least 2017 and 2018. 

From ESPN:

Jon Gruden has resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following reports that emails he wrote over a 10-year period included racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language.

…

The resignation came shortly after The New York Times reported that Gruden used misogynistic and anti-gay language in numerous emails during a seven-year period. That report came days after 10-year-old emails from Gruden surfaced that included a racist comment about NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith as well as a vulgar criticism of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

It appears that Jesus’ take on what our words reflect is a stance taken by many. Jon Gruden is being punished both for what he said AND for what his words say about his character.

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12.33 – 37, ESV)

Paul leaves us with positive guidance:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4.29, ESV)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4.6, ESV)

James closes chapter 3 by tying together wisdom (from chapter 1) with how we talk and act:

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness! Good seeds of wisdom’s fruit will be planted with peaceful acts by those who cherish making peace. (James 3.17, 18, TPT)