Scripture
The LORD is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him!
~Exodus 15:2, NLT
Quote
Develop the habit of praying in response to God’s word.
~Marvin Williams {ODB}
I begin my devotional time with reading: first I read devotions that others have written, then I read God’s word. Right now, I am reading from three different versions and on average about seven chapters a day. The scripture helps my impotent prayer life. Have you ever struck up a conversation with a person who talks only about themselves. You may begin the conversation with, “How are you doing?” Then you sit and listen to their life story. In the process you discover, they are more than willing to tell you about themselves but they have no time or interest in anything you have to say. You get the idea, it is all about them–you don’t exist. When I read Marvin William’s devotion; I was convicted in two ways: {1} Imagine how God feels when we come to Him and everything we have to say is about ourselves, our needs and our life. I’ve done this and on more than one occasion. {2} I am afraid I have been that person who talks far too much about my self. I made this mistake in a visit last week. I visited someone who really has a crisis and I invariably gave my advice or talked about how my problems are related to theirs. Then when I leave, I think about what I have done and I want to kick myself. You don’t compare a headache to a brain tumor. I am reading Job in the MESSAGE, which I highly recommend. Peterson is not that good with the Psalms but he makes Job come alive. In chapter 19 Job tells his friends, “I don’t need you to tell me what my problem is; I don’t need your advice, what I need is your prayers.” Actually, that is the JEV inspired by the Message. The still small voice spoke to me, “Let that soak in Jack, you are like Job’s friends.” You talk when you should listen and what they really need is your prayers.
One sided conversations are never stimulating; at least, I cannot recall one. Due to my guilt complex and my vanity, I am prone to dive right into prayer with confession and a plea for help. To break this awful habit, I have gone to the scripture. I use the Bible in my prayers. I write most of my prayers. Perhaps you are thinking: who writes prayers? Moses, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Daniel, Hezekiah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, David, and Paul to name a few. Where I desperately need help is on the praise and adoration. I am not very good in this areas and so I use David’s prayers a lot: He excelled in praise. Some times I copy a verse verbatim and sometimes I paraphrase but the scripture is a tremendous help. It is also a guide to intercession. Plus when we pray the scriptures, we know we are asking for God’s will to be done.
Extra
Another great weekend with good attendance. We had 111 at the Point which is good for us and they probably had more than that at DBC last night but we are in two buildings so I have no way of knowing. I was consistent, I laid two eggs. According to my wife’s husband, both sermons were duds but what does he know? I did get a text from one young man who told me God used the message to help him. His encouragement could not have come at a better time. I used my old poem about two frogs last night: I hadn’t used it in years…
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl,
One was an optimistic soul;
But the other took the gloomy view,
“I shall drown,” he cried, “and so will you.”
So with a last despairing cry,
He closed his eyes and said, “Good-bye.”
But the other frog, with a merry grin
Said, “I can’t get out, but I won’t give in!
I’ll swim around till my strength is spent.
For having tried, I’ll die content.”
Bravely he swam until it would seem
His struggles began to churn the cream.
On the top of the butter at last he stopped
And out of the bowl he happily hopped.
What is the moral? It’s easily found.
If you can’t get out — keep swimming around!
Author Unknown
I love this poem. I was preaching to myself. I came home and said to myself, “I need to quit; I’m getting too old.” The a voice said to me, “You didn’t listen to your own sermon did you.”
Lincoln Kallas was in worship yesterday morning and looking great. Praise the LORD. I don’t praise Him enough for answers to prayer and this is definitely an answer. Keep praying for our cancer warriors. My sister Holly has to take 40 radium treatments and Gregg has to go back to Little Rock in February. January is almost gone. When you get old, even January goes by fast.
Locking myself in today: beginning my prep for January Bible Study at Sardis Springs where Tim Keenum is pastor. Pray for Teddy Turrentine. He had a seizure last week and is under some restrictions; for one, he cannot drive and he is use to driving a lot. I woke up thinking about my Father-in-law Woodrow Marbut. He spent the last three years of his life in a hospital bed. I never heard him complain one time. I have no doubt in my feeble mind, he was a better man than I am. I would complain. I’m a little like Teddy, just not as much energy, but I like to be the visitor not the visitee.
Have a great day and a great week. Bless all who have to travel. May the LORD give you traveling mercy.
Exceleant brother Jack.