Some Thoughts on Patience

Patience is not a virtue for the young. It's an aquired skill. Having patience means you have to have strong self control and have put much thought into whatever you do, before you do it. Patience is aquired along with experience and wisdom, sort of like a cumlative IQ.

Patience is that thing that you learn to have when you've come to the end of your own strength. We cannot learn true patience until our own control has ended. It is how our faith survives while God is at work, while we are under construction. We have to wait and see what God will bring about.

You Didn't Know?

That curse that you carry
Like a stone in your heart,
The heartbreak of loneliness
Which holds you apart,
What anger you cherish!
By injustice undone!
The weight of unfairness
Is insanity's son.
Blocked from fulfillment
Through society's venues.
They see only the surface,
Thus make everyone lose.
Didn't you know?
Haven't you heard?
There IS a Deliverer,
Who hears every word!
That ugliness cursed,
You've abused yourself for?
Try seeing it His way,
He's given you more!
Didn't you know?
You're not lost in the lie?
That all life consists of
Is what is seen with the eye?
Didn't you know?
You won't waste your life?
You're forced to dig deeper?
Past meaningless strife?
Didn't you know?
Jesus waits in the wing?
While you exhaust your own effort?
Then acknowledge Him King?
Didn't you know?
He feels all your sorrow?
Will carry you always?
Today and tomorrow?
Didn't you know?
That He cares for you?
He's been where you're at?
Then died for you too?
Didn't you know?
If you'll just open your eyes?
You'll see you're near to the heart?
Of Him who is wise?
Understand that true ugliness
Is him with it all,
who's heart is contemptuous,
In place of mercy, a wall.

By the way everyone (so you won't think I wrote this for you), this is an internal dialog.

Staying Positive

Flying back from visiting my father, I had opportunity to reflect on and put into practice an exercise in faith. The airplane I was in was lifting off through turbulence severe enough to feel like the hand of God was swatting it back and forth like an insect. How does one change one's attitude from that of rigid fear and maybe anger to that of exhilarating joy and anticipation? How is it possible to bring the passionate tenderness of the Savior's precious presence into every moment of our lives, no matter how painful or ackward they may be?

For a believer, a totally different perspective can be achieved by choosing, at all times, to praise God. Understanding what God is doing in your life in a difficult circumstance is not a prerequisite for praise. A change in the specifics of the situation need not happen. The only act that is necessary for a believer to commit to is the acknowledgement of the real truth behind what is going on. God is at work on us and our job is to be exalting Him by confessing His goodness. (Phil 4:4-7)

This is how the hand of the Lord is found and seen by our very own eyes, in retrospect, to be at work in us and for us. This is how we can be refined for His use and how His character is developed in us. This is how we are energized by His love so that it shines out of our face, our speech and our actions.

When I first changed my confessions from complaint to commending the glory of the Lord, I was astounded at the blessings poured out on me. I asked the Lord what the difference was that would merit such a return. His answer? The letters of the word "attitude", when given numerical values according to their sequential position in the alphabet, add up to a total of 100. So the question is, what is the percentage of difference that attitude makes? 100%!


Can you not see that Jesus is Lord?
Inundated by the tide of His passionate joy,
I lose my grip on fear.
It cannot survive the onslaught of His light of celebration!
I feel joy welling up within me in response to His presence.
His life and creativity flow like a mighty river: Irresistible!
One who has met Him is convinced.
All choice is stripped from me: I can only confess the truth.
Glorious truth! Jesus is Lord indeed!

That Great Light

I have seen a great and beautiful light,
A treasure vast beyond my comprehension,
Towards which my heart strains in longing.
His loveliness is expressed in tenderness,
Those that desire Him are overwhelmed
with His compassion.
My striving is to know Him utterly.
Is there anything I have not yet given
to His cause?
Some weakness I can trade
for more of Him?
Whose fortress of strength
is His compassion?
Lord, redeem my suffering
so it is done in Your name.
Let the fire purify,
so that You may be lifted up!
Let only Your name be
found on my lips!
Lift up my hands to You!
Let the holiness of Your
people shine out as a beacon!
Turn the faces of the lost
toward Your light,
So that those who are in darkness
Can see Your great light!

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Jesus has said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt 7:21-23) We've heard all the excuses and even used them ourselves....."I go to church." "I read my bible." "I do charity work." These are all salves for the conscience, defense mechanisms used to slough off confrontation with the real issues. We want to think we're good people. Arrogantly, we seek to impose on God our own standards of what is right, but God tells us the truth about ourselves. (Roms 3:10) When we see ourselves as He sees us, we realize we are utterly selfish and unprofitable in actions and motivation. So then, how do we make sure we have the basic of what God requires from us? What can we do to be saved?

First, we must have the right attitude. Three things comprise a proper God seeking posture. One, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalm 111:10) Obedience does not come naturally, but is a result of the fear of consequences! Second, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, because anyone that comes to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that sincerely seek Him."(Heb 11:6) Having faith is following a Name that is already known and proven holy, just, and all-sufficient. Third, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (Jas 4:6) So anyone who wants to come to God, must come with fear, in faith, and with humbleness.

Jesus also said, "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."(Matt 7: 13, 14) What is this gate He speaks of? He is the gate! "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep."(Matt 10:7) "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (Matt 10:9)

Why does faith (belief/trust) in Jesus save us? It is because He is THE Lord! "In Him dwells all the fullness of the godhead in bodily form" (Col 2:9) Only God Himself, offered up in our place, is yet pure and powerful enough to save us! In Jesus only must we place our trust! Not in ourselves, or in others. "I know who I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day." (2 Tim 1:12)