kingdom travelin'

“With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭71:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Pause and think of all that God has done. Your last breath, your beating heart, these and many other things about which we may all be thankful.

Be reminder, dear reader, of God’s greatness and his love for YOU!

It has been noted that Paul’s prayers are more about spiritual development than about one’s circumstances. (If you think this assessment incorrect, read all of his letters and Acts, make a list, and get back to me.) [edited]

One of my favorite prayers to pray for people is this one (it’s written on a 3×5 card and kept with my list of people):

Ok, ok, so, you can’t read my scribble. Here you go: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians‬ ‭1:9-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

This is a great prayer for your loved ones and your hated ones alike.

When distraught, when the feeling of oppression overwhelms us, it is normal to focus our attention on all that assails us. Be it financial pressures, a wayward child, or sickness, it is natural to become focused on our troubles.

Don’t give in.

In the Psalms we read a great series of complaints brought to the Lord.

“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” (Psalm‬ ‭40:16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

When the woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, he told her that her faith had healed her.

She turned to Jesus, went to where he was, reached out to him.

Don’t give in to struggle, turn to God who is our true source of strength.

In this planning retreat I am investing time in 1 Peter as I prepare to give four teachings on it in Hungary this summer.

As I’ve been meditating on the text and studying the sections I’ll be teaching, I’ve observed a theme:

Walking hopefully in Christ can bring glory to God in many ways.

Trivia: I’m up in the northern point of Virginia. The sunrise is actually coming over a bit of West Virginia.

I’m in the Shenandoah valley on a planning retreat. Hiking clears my mind. Since the Appalachian Trail is nearby, I took advantage…

“My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭17:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The climb up the section I was on is a mostly rocky path…

It was worth the effort…

Before I struck out on this hour of exertion, I planned the trip so I wouldn’t fall down one of these…

“Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Afterward, it was back to work with a view…

To ponder our path on a regular basis is valuable. It is helpful to be reminded…

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬