Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Tomorrow I will have my appointment at Hershey to get a graft of some kind for my pate!  This comes after almost three weeks when the last work they did on my head seems to have done its work.

Please pray with us as we are nearing the end of this long process!

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:4

I place myself in a different setting than these believers in the Greek city of Colossae.  I am a modern believer.  Amazing, our hearts and hopes are the same.

As a believer I, too, believe that my life is in the hands of God, forever.  How it will all work out, I am not all that clear, except that it will be glorious.

This morning I am impressed with the fact that all believers, no matter what century, what culture, what denomination, will praise the Lord for including us in that great gathering when all of us believers, all, will share the same delight when we will all see our risen Jesus in glory, now being gathered in some marvelous way, to himself, forever!   

The longer I live the more I am finding great comfort in knowing that I am like all the saints of Jesus who ever lived.  All human or historical conditions fade, and Jesus Christ is known and seen as the One and Only Lord, forever!

I praise God with all my heart, again and again!

In case you might be interested in a bit more detail on my Thursday hospital visit, it will include adding a strip of skin from my leg!  How about that?  Evidently this is the way to do a skin graft!

Prayers desired and appreciated!

Don

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

John 1:16

Grace upon grace!  When we first believed we were touched by grace, and knew that it was for us, for me!  When that grace touched my heart, I was a different person, a believer in Jesus Christ, the Lord of all.

That is not the end of the story, in fact it is still being written, that is that the grace I first received is the same grace, aged and matured, perhaps, but there is only one saving grace, in my mind, and that grace not only touched me but continues to change me, fundamentally.

Stop a bit!  This grace is not earned, it is given, freely and with no conditions! So as we first received grace, let us walk in it, it is our new home!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

This verse was the culminating last verse in today’s “morning light.”  I do believe that this is our secret to walk with God, our Savior.  It points to the absolute essential nature of belief that becomes the ultimate center for our thought.  “Think about such things.”  What do I believe?  What dominates my thoughts?

First, I have new brothers and sisters who are human like me, but culturally varied!  I do well to listen to them.  God speaks!  What does God say?  Think about things that are true, things that are noble, what is right and what is wrong, what is pure, admirable.   

Join me in recommitting myself to do just that!  Lord, I need your eyes to see reality!  Divert my attention away from seeing the power of evil!  I strive to bring my thoughts into alignment with Jesus.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Is this my life, rejoicing always?  Or just sometimes?  When it feels good to me?  Is it not God’s will for me to feel good?  Certainly, but that is incidental.  ALWAYS REJOICE!  No conditions!  That is the place to start.

If we do that we learn to pray continually.  We cannot even think these thoughts without the prompting of the Holy Spirit!  Prayer is the natural state when the Spirit of God dwells in us, in me!

Giving thanks in all circumstances.  It is hard to give thanks when we are in rebellion against the giver!  If I am rightly related to God, I will give thanks!  That is the only way, the sure way to peace.

Praise, prayer, and thanks are the expression of the power of Jesus in my life!  That is no surprise.  That is God’s will for me!  And you!  We dinot come up with this unbelievable joy, it is of God himself.  We are happy recipients!

“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.  So he said to me, “This is the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.”

Zechariah 4:6

I love gems of eternal truth found in unexpected places in the Old Testament.  Here is one for this morning. The prophet speaks doom on the disobedient nation, judgement they well deserve.

Then in a moment points to the marvelous grace of God to forgive and move forward.  He gave them this promise – they will overcome, not by their own power, but by the power of the wonderful Holy Spirit.

This is a message for me today as I begin this last day of October of 2019.  I have had my challenges recently – but the truth stands – “by my Spirit.”  All other doors lead nowhere.  This is the door to God’s marvelous unearned grace!

It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:26

This is the conclusion of those who have lived under some kind of a trial, as the Jews at that time.  Some of our questions indicate that we do not really understand.  Other questions reveal that we want more than we can handle.

Waiting is not a natural virtue but is God-given. Consider His patience!  Who would not have given up often?

I had an op on my head a week ago, another week and bit more to go.  I find myself wanting this to be over.  I am a poor “waiter” if I must say so.  Sometimes it is very hard to wait.  We want it done now or maybe never!  Waiting is not fun, may that is why we do not handle uncertainty easily.

I am struggling a bit with this issue now so find a word from the Lord most helpful.

“Wait quietly.”  That is huge!  Who can do it?  God is a superb waiter.  He enables us to do the same.  So, I need to throw myself on Him completely and rest!  While I wait in faith and hope on that God is going to strengthen me wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.

1 Peter 1:8

This includes us!  We haven’t seen Jesus as you would a friend, but we have seen Him in many ways.  Peter had been with Jesus almost three years, Peter had an intimate acquaint with Jesus, more than we will ever have.  When writing this scripture Jesus is already in heaven and the mighty work has begun.

For those who find believing difficult, we need to take the leap of faith and believe that Jesus is here, and then see the marvelous things that do happen.  Jesus had to go physically so that all of us could have him as our Lord, our Friend, our Savior and Friend.

Peter says so much – when we believe him, we are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy!  Peter includes us all.

I find this to be not only amazing but as real as any thing can be.  Jesus is here!! Were it not so, we would not enjoy life in Christ!

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the distant shores be glad. 

Psalm 97:1

Here in Psalm 97 we hear the clear call to reach out and evangelize the world.  This clarity of world vision was there in this writing, at least 700 years before the book of Acts.

It begins with a sure declaration, The Lord reigns.  He reigns over all!  This was written by the prophets of Israeli but has universal meaning.  It is as true today as it was then, even though we now have a greater understanding of the breath-taking declaration!

Let the earth rejoice.  The entire world for all time?  Exactly.  God is Lord of all – Creator, Sustainer and Deliverer.

Let the distant lands be glad.  Where are those distant lands?  The very land of God we now inherit through faith in Jesus Christ.

What a word!  Let us receive it and be glad in it!