Week Thirty-Eight - Hedged In

England overflows with beautiful countryside, rolling hills, rock fences, and quaint farms, all with an almost effervescent green haze, but hedges too often block your view. My mother-in-law even said, "It is a beautiful place, except for the hedges." Nevertheless, I count my lucky stars to live on such a luscious isle. 

Dick Brogen's devotional began talking about being hedged in, but he wasn't referring to physical hedges. His thoughts were about God's hedge - the one He places around His children. 

His thoughts are drawn from Psalm 139. In verse one, God has searched and known us. In verse two, He knows when we sit up, get up, and what we think. In verse three, He knows where we go and when we lie down, and He knows all our ways. Verse four tells us He knows every idle word, and most marvelous of all, in verse five, "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." To beset is to hedge in.

Brogen then draws for us three beautiful thoughts based on the truth that God knows us and has us surrounded by His love.

Because God knows us, we do not need others to know us. Our culture perpetuates the notion that if we aren't recognized for something, we're worthless. We are told to promote ourselves, sell our idea, and put ourselves out there, but you'll be hard-pressed to find this ideology in God's Word. "These pathetic cries for attention are not necessary if we are secure in being known by Jesus. When we understand that Jesus knows us intimately and loves us deeply - despite what He knows about us - this alleviates any need to be known and exalted by others." God's love and knowledge of us are enough.

Because God knows us, we keep no secrets. In other words, we have nothing to hide. That doesn't mean we need to air our dirty laundry; it means we need not fear the dirt. Those skeletons in the closet are silenced when we hand them over to God. He knows all about them, and they don't intimidate Him. He isn't ashamed of His children.

Because we are hedged in, we are free. Most people don't like the idea of being confined or having boundaries. They believe restraint removes freedom, but the opposite is true. "Only those who embrace the limits of God have rest, joy, and freedom. To have no boundaries is to be in the prison of insecurity and doubt. When God hedges us in from behind, we have the assurance that we will not falter, fail, or return to our vomit. When God hedges us in before, we have the assurance that we will not go outside of His will or His pleasure. We can run, abandoned and protected. There are no cliffs to fall off." We are fully protected and free to venture with God wherever He calls us.

Physical hedges may obscure our view, but the hedge of God enhances our view. The sky is the limit with God, for with Him, all things are possible. Are you living with the knowledge that He is before, beside, and behind you? Do you rest and enjoy life knowing you are hedged in by His love?

Adapted from Live/Dead, by Dick Brogden

Week Thirty-Seven - What Do You Want?

One of the first verses I claimed as a young Christian was Psalm 37:4, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I didn't have any big tangible desires like a huge house or a fancy car, but what I wanted was the intangible: happiness, contentment, joy in knowing my life was good and blessed by God. My delight was to serve, to be a part of the church family, and to see God at work around me. 

As time went by, God planted further desires in my heart. I wanted to be a missionary, and He granted me that desire. I wanted to have a happy home and raise children who would become good citizens and love the Lord, and He gave me that desire. I wanted to remain faithful in the ministry He had given me, and for over forty years, He has met that desire. How could I ever doubt He would continue to bless as I continue to delight in Him?

What we long for matters. If our attention and focus on life remain solely on the tangible, that may be all we have. We cannot take cars and houses with us when we leave this world. One storm, one flood, one fire, as we have so lately seen, and they are swept away. But what we focus on that is intangible and eternal can never be taken away from us. 

Psalm 37:37 reads, "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Do you want a peaceful life? Then your focus will be directed toward a blameless life. The approval of others is not your concern. The approval of God is your priority. And when our desire or focus is shifted to Him, we enter a world of peace. The striving to please or appease others ceases, and God becomes our peace.

Psalm 37:39 reads, "But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble." The desire for righteousness leads to strength in troubled times. When we face hard times or find ourselves at odds with others, we run to the Lord, knowing He will give us strength and wisdom to endure or forgive. He is the lifter up of our head, our shield, and protector. When our desire is for righteousness, we walk carefully and thoughtfully.

Psalm 37:40 reads, "And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him." Trust isn't usually our automatic response when faced with wickedness. We typically want to fight or run, but the Lord asks us to trust Him. Sometimes we may be required to speak up. At other times, we must remain silent. But no matter, our trust must be in Him, not ourselves. He promises to help and deliver; we must trust that promise. God is delighted when we trust Him.

Do you desire peace? Strength? Help? If so, God promises to grant those desires. The only prerequisites are delight and trust. God will never fail to keep His promises, so you can safely put your delight, joy, and hope in Him. 

Jesus gives us this promise about the things we want in Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." 

Psalm 37:23 reads, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way." Is that what you want? For God to delight in you? Then set your delight in Him, and watch what He can do! 

Week Thirty-Six - A Better Life

Psalm 63:3 says God's lovingkindness is "better than life." His thoughts and actions toward us are better than anything we can imagine. His loving care surpasses anything we consider precious or good, for all He has, all He is, and all He gives far outweigh and surpass our highest reality and enjoyment.

 "God's lovingkindness is better than food, better than peace, better than comfort, better than travel, better than sports, better than marriage, better than adventure, better than nature, better than every good thing we enjoy." (Dick Brogden)

We can't begin to fathom the fullness of Jesus' lovingkindness until we let go of the life we have made for ourselves. Life, as we designed it, is still too affected by sin and self. 

Are you trying to live with Jesus and for yourself? It won't work. It is impossible to run in two different directions at the same time. A better life comes only by living in one direction.

A life that is "better than life" is only truly realized in heaven, but we can begin to experience it now as we live under the shadow of His presence, where there is no iniquity and offense. We enter a better life not by trying to be good, but by accepting what Jesus has done for us and using our energy to seek Him.

A better life is marked by lips that praise Him. Lips that acknowledge the Lord. Lips that render thanksgiving. Lips that seek to bless Him by every word spoken.

And a better life is marked by practical living based on holiness and compliance with God’s Word. Does your life honor Him? Do your daily choices bring you into the place of blessing - where you are living out a better life?

A better life is marked by a soul that is satisfied with Jesus. Godliness with contentment - that is great gain. That is the goal of the better life. And it is evidenced in simplicity, a focus on Christ alone, rest in Him, and the absence of temporal clutter.

Some aspects of a better life can be experienced while on this earth, but oh, for the blessed promise of the better life to come. 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into he heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." or as Isaiah 64:4 says, "those that waiteth for him."

That eternal better life is coming, but that doesn't mean we can't taste a bit of it while we are here. He came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly now. You don't have to wait; draw near to Him, rest your soul in Him, seek His presence, and see if life doesn't get better day by day.

Adapted from: Live/Dead by Dick Brogden

Week Thirty-Five - According To, Too

Last week, we thought about God's power to answer prayer according to His ability. Today, let's look at another aspect of those two words, "according to." The "according to" that places strength and power within us.

In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul basically records his prayer for the people in the church at Ephesus. The verses take a different focus when you read them as a prayer.

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Such a wonderful prayer. I'd love someone to pray that over my life, wouldn't you? To ask God to grant me the strength of the Spirit in my inner man, according to the riches of God. God, who giveth liberally? God, with whom all things are possible? God, who is for me? And for my petitioner to do so based on the power of God that works in us both?

Let's not stop there, for Paul records his prayer for the church at Colosse, as well. Colossians 1:9-12 reads:

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."

There is that request for strength again. This time, coupled not only with the knowledge of Christ's love, but also with the understanding of His will, fruitfulness, and the qualities of patience, longsuffering, and joy. 

These are prayers that recognize the abundance of God's supply, prayers that tap into who God is and what all He wants to accomplish in us, according to His power working within us. 

I don't know about you, but when I think about God's power within me, I'm humbled, fearful, and even empowered. Not by what I can do, but by what He can do according to His attributes and character. I'm not a little non-count, I am a child of God, and according to His Word, all power is given to me as well. Amazing! And when I translate this power into my prayer life, even more amazing things happen. For now, I am praying according to my belief and within God's will. It opens the door of the impossible!

Week Thirty-Four - According To

Two little words, according to, can change the whole focus of your prayer life. For example, when you withdraw funds from your bank account, you can only do so according to how much is available. When you order online, you can only request an amount according to what is available for purchase. And when you pray, your requests are only limited according to what God is able to do. 

And what is He able to do? "Exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). And how much power is available to us? Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). How does that work? Ephesians 1:9 says, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." He does the work through us. His power flows through us. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:29, "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."

So, according to God's reckoning, we have His power working in us according to what He can do, not what we can muster up. 

Dick Brogden wrote, "We must approach prayer knowing that any answer is for the sake of the supplier, not the supplicant. This is a difficult lesson for us: to make prayer God-centric in answer as well as in petition."

Did you catch that? God is central to the answer as much as He is central to the supplication. How many times are we guilty of whining and begging before God, thinking we might use some magic word or mystical tear to tap into His graces? Do we view prayer as only a petition without thought of the God of vast supply available to those who believe? Are we so small that we think only of our puny selves kneeling in some fruitless exercise? Do we get hung up on trying to say it right, be right, or do right, so God will hear us? If so, we are praying with the wrong focus. Prayer isn't about us. That might be hard to swallow. 

Dick Brogden says, "All things, including answered prayer, are for the glory of God - not the glory of humanity. Everything that God does, He does for His own glory and purposes. Everything we do should also be for Him. The only reason this concept offends and unsettles us is because at our core we want to be the center of the universe. The sanctification process is a long lesson in embracing Jesus as the center."

When we grasp the truth that all we are, all we have, and even every petition we put forth are based on Him, prayer takes a different path. We pray, not focusing on what we can do, or what we can figure out, or what we think God should do, but we begin resting in who He is, what He has, and what He wills, according to His mercies, His riches, and His abundant supply for the answer to every prayer. 

He becomes central, capable, trustworthy, and all-powerful to answer according to Himself alone. 

Chew on this for a while, and next week, we will add to the thought according to what God has revealed in His Word!

Week Thirty - Three - Trampled in the Street

Speaking the truth is not always welcomed because the truth can be hurtful. It can also get in the way of people's goals or plans. Truth creates accountability and is a measure of integrity. It is beautiful, but it also stings.

In 1 Kings 22, Jehoshaphat and Ahab, after three years of peace, decide to take back the city of Ramoth from Syria. It sounds like a great day out! All 400 prophets agree. But Jehoshaphat asks, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?" (1 Kings 22:7).

Much to Ahab's chagrin, the prophet Micaiah is called. Ahab's words were, "I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

The messenger pleads with Micaiah to agree with the words of the prophets. Still, Micaiah tells him, "As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak" (Vs. 14). 

Standing before the two kings, the prophet seems to be playing a game with Ahab as he says, "Go, go ahead and go to war." But Ahab isn't easily fooled, saying, "How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?" (Vs. 16).

Even though Ahab hated what Micaiah had to say, he still preferred the truth. Not one to be intimidated, Micaiah goes on to prophesy defeat and the death of Ahab. 

We face pressure every day to conform, keep quiet, and agree, but we must not succumb to these voices. We don't have to be beligerent, we just need to remain faithful. God will take care of the rest.

Dick Brogden writes, "God expects His people to do the dangerous work of trusting Him and remaining rooted in troubled environments."

Speaking the truth, standing firm, and graciously disagreeing can be a dangerous stance. But if we go with the flow, if we shy away from the truth, if we remain silent when God is wanting us to speak, we wash truth away. 

Truth is trampled, or as Isaiah 59:14 says, "Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street."

Someone must man the oars and guide the boat to safety. There must be those who hedge the gap, speak truth, and recognize that God is the majority. Macaiah was that man in his generation. Will you be the one in yours?

Week Thirty-Two - Stop Meddling

My sister and I were too curious for our own good. Hence, the words from our grandparents were, "Stop meddling." They were instructing us to stop poking into things around the house, but as we grew, the same instruction came if we drifted into gossip or surmising about others. "It's not your business, so stop poking your nose in. Stop meddling," was their advice. Have I always managed to follow it? Nope. And it has come back to bite me.

My Bible reading this past week was in 2 Kings. In chapter 14, Jehoash, king of Israel, and Amaziah, king of Judah, meet face-to-face, not for reconciliation, but for power. 

Amaziah, fresh from a great victory against Edom, thought he'd now take on Israel. Jehoash warned him this was not a good challenge, but Amaziah would not hear  (vs 11). The battle ends in a complete thrashing of Judah, resulting in the loss of all the gold, silver, and vessels in the Lord's house, along with all Amaziah's treasure, and a group of hostages taken by Israel.

Some things are better left alone, right? Picking fights, antagonizing others, or flexing our muscles doesn't mean we will win. There is always a cost to such actions. Amaziah lost it all. And when we create drama, stir situations, or show off, we are in danger of losing, too.

Meddling is when you insert your opinion without being asked. Meddling is when you dig for information that should be left private. Meddling occurs when you try to manage others without having the authority to do so. Meddling genders strife and sets people against you. It isn’t the way to win friends and influence people.

Ecclesiasticus 11:10 reads, My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing." (Please note, this quote is from Ecclesiasticus, not Ecclesiastes)  This is still good advice. Meddle not! 

God gives the same instruction to the children of Israel, "Meddle not with them," in Deuteronomy 2:5. And in Proverbs 24:21 we read, “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:”

Meddling puts you in danger of loss. You may lose friends, reputation, or even wealth. God says we are to mind our own business. That will keep us busy enough. 

Let's end with the instruction from 1 Thessalonians 4:11: "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands."

So, stop meddling!