COFFEE ON THE DOCK

Mankind's fallen nature inherited from Adam’s sin made us enemies of God, but the redemptive work of our Savior opened the way for us to become His children. This great salvation proclaims the truth, the LORD is on our side. I would have remained in darkness and utterly lost forever had not the LORD been on my side. My attempts to follow His will or pursue His call would be entirely impossible and my hopes would have been vanquished forever had not the LORD been on my side. While at times I struggle to muster the strength and valor to fight this earthly battle, I know I will finish strong for the LORD is on my side. Glorious Adonai, Captain of Our Salvation, Eternal Father, all glory to You now and forever! I march ahead in victory and abiding peace along with all who are Yours, for You O LORD are on my side. 

While my private thoughts may be hidden from others, all my thoughts, wishes, fears, motives or aspirations are in full view of the Lord. He examines all my paths, not only those I have already taken but even those I merely consider pursuing. This would be a moment by moment battle of wills if I were still of the impression that my life was my own, but this issue is settled; I must decrease, He must increase. Though at times I forget to acknowledge His ever-present examinations, He never, ever looses track; not even for a millisecond. This is sometimes disconcerting, but even my consternation is a sign of His Blessed Meddlings. Glorious Father, it is true, I am Yours. Have Your way in me in every way and at all times. 

Oddly, we admire the success of someone we don’t know, but envy the success of someone we do. As carrying nuclear waste in my pocket would be, envy is deadly to me and harms everyone around me. Malice grows quickly in the heart that harbors jealousy, emptying the soul of joy, peace and purpose. It is a slippery slope from witty criticisms to skillful, malicious rumormongering and malignant dismembering of the reputations of others. To covet someone else’s life is disavowal of God’s care and purpose for our own. O Lord, My Healer, eradicate from my soul all envy, jealousy and malice. May thankfulness be my constant companion and joyfulness the dominant factor in every thought, word and deed.

Every journey, no matter the distance or difficulty, begins with a few steps; the first few are critical to a successful finish.   Here are a few essential first steps: STEP DOWN from Center Stage and give God’s Will that position. STEP UP to Your calling, not your convenience. STEP AROUND those moving at a different pace or in a different direction.   STEP AWAY from whatever holds you back. Finally, STEP AHEAD and keep taking new steps. In other words, get started, don’t stop.   LORD, direct my steps according to Your pleasure. Keep my feet moving toward the course of Your choosing and grant me grace to finish well.

Panic is not a reliable strategy. A life bridled by fear is easily turned in the wrong direction, plunging those driven by it into unrelenting darkness. Fearfulness shuts down our sense of purpose, power and direction, leaving us to roam aimlessly in desolate places. In contrast, a life bridled by the Word of God will always turn us in the right direction, filling us with God’s perfect love and expunging fear from our souls and releasing hope and faith into our hearts and minds. Lord of Life, You set the captive free and set our feet dancing on the hilltops. Make Your Love my constant guide and use me for Your purposes. May my choices always be wise and pleasing to You. 

To think that God uses any of us for His divine purposes in the earth is stunning. Yet, our Heavenly Father chooses to utilize each of His children to display His glory to others. As intimidating as this may seem, my life may be the only source of the image of God the people I interact with each day may have.   While I have no appreciable brilliance in and of myself, the Glorious One shines so brightly that when reflected only slightly, His Beauty is as dazzling as a full moon rising over a calm sea on a clear night. Father, shine upon me in full splendor. May every flaw be hidden by Your brilliance and may others see You reflected in all I say and do.

While driving in unfamiliar surroundings I sometimes follow the crowd, reasoning that the majority must be right. It works out at times, but more often than not it leads to being trapped in in a huge traffic jam along with everyone else. Thoughtlessly copying others in life is a sure way to lose track of your own distinct path. Each person is divinely crafted to fulfill God’s created purpose, and while we can certainly benefit from what others know and do,  we are not designed for mindless following. Our steps must become guided by the LORD. O Lord Our Guide and Protector, keep me from ignoring Your constant provision of guidance. Deliver me from mindless following and direct my feet to Your divine will.

Constant updates are mandatory for the operating systems and applications we all use. Between my phone, computer and other devices, there are multiple downloads required each day. This should be no surprise really, my whole being requires daily downloads, adjustments and updates as well. I too, must be sorted through and updated, spirit, soul and body, until every part is wholly consecrated to God and prepared to face the challenges this new day brings. Yesterday’s surrender is insufficient for today, so here we go again. Precious Lord, I am thankful for Your constant work in me so that You may work more effectively through me. Divine Downloads are my urgent need and daily desire. 

Walking within the Will of God is by definition inconvenient since anything that imposes upon our human desires is bothersome. Following His promptings cannot be done without constant rearrangement of our personal priorities and commitments. Daily infusion of the Word and Spirit is vital to the walk of faith, but will have minimal effect without a corresponding willingness on our part to hear and obey. I am better at this process now than when it first began in my life, but I must still make a daily effort to make further progress. Lord, Your relentless pursuit and unmitigated love are my strength and hope. Grant me grace for immediate obedience. Help me knuckle under and put You first in all things. 

There is nothing shadowed or obscured for the LORD Our Light and Salvation. With laser focus, His Glory penetrates every manner of darkness, His wisdom unveiling every deception, His love uncovering the secretly enslaved. From Him, nothing may be hidden nor camouflaged nor squirreled away. To the one defeated by irreparable loss, to the soul buried in the depths of a lightless abyss, His luminous approach floods the wastelands of destruction with unending hope and rescue. O LORD God Almighty, Ruler of All Things, Our Provider, Our Protector, Our Shepherd Our Peace and Our Victor, we proclaim Your praise and offer our all. 

The Master saw Nathanael approaching and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." “Nothing false”, what an amazing endorsement from the Son of God! I long to be that kind of person but ridding oneself of falsehood is more difficult than I thought it would be. Progress has been made for sure, but still, I struggle. Learning to live with a wide-open heart requires maintaining a “no strings attached” attitude that only deep love for truth and steady willingness to change can sustain. Lord of Light and Truth, take me to the next level. Whatever is false, whatever is impure, whatever is disingenuous, exterminate from me now. Shine Your purifying light into every shadowed space in my soul and  make me more like You. 

As a young family we would pile our four children into a vehicle and take long road trips. What crazy, fun, maddening, soul-stretching affairs those journeys were! After days of planning, preparation, packing and one last headcount, we were off. I was always surprised how swiftly everything became so chaotic and messy. Frankly, spiritual progress in my life now has many similarities to those cross-country treks. The road to victory is often messy and offers many wrong turns and rerouting adventures. The trip itself can be very disorienting since success rarely looks like success until after it is achieved. Lord, grant me grace to finish my course smiling. Help me enjoy the scenery along the detour and be patient with the pace. 

Walking is merely a series of steps. Each stride distances me from something behind and propels me toward what is ahead. Giant ones, tiny ones, fast ones, slow ones, intense ones, easy ones; each step counts since no matter the size, progress is made. The walk of faith is no different. When prompted by obedience to the Miracle Maker, every act of faith, whatever its size, takes us deeper into holy space where everything is possible. Lord, keep my steps firmly centered in Your will. If I should stumble, still I am safe, knowing I remain in Your capable hands. Teach me to walk boldly in the midst of the miraculous as You order and guide my steps. 

“That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” This phrase originated by a German philosopher has many modern versions that are quoted from the water cooler at work to backyard barbeques, from country music to pop psychology and from family, friends and strangers alike. While in some ways it is true, for the believer, the opposite is also true. “Dying to self” is a concept found throughout the New Testament. So whatever Word and Spirit induced actions that kill self-determination, self-promotion and a host of other self-centered characteristics actually make us spiritually stronger. When my confession reflects that of my Savior; “I can do nothing of myself”, then I can also boldly declare: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” Glorious LORD, all of me for all of You. May nothing within me be held back from Your transforming power. 

We exercise our bodies so we will be healthier, yet we ignore our lips, even though they are even more powerful than our strongest muscles. We are told in Scripture: “Life and death are in the tongue”. What I say with my mouth can enlighten or deceive, bless or curse, release or entrap, stir love or hatred. In a world where communication and expression of ideas, opinions and commentaries is easier than ever before, even greater caution should be taken to only speak truth embodied in love for God and others. My mouth must be a fountain of blessings not a caldron of poison. My words must be saturated with kindness and wisdom. O LORD My Maker, fill my heart and lips with words of life. Let my words bring “sweetness to the soul and health to the bones”. 

The bible states: “Promotion comes from the LORD”. Humility is the God-designed pathway to promotion in His Kingdom, so we are instructed to “humble yourselves”.  If we do not, our pride will be our downfall, resulting in humiliation, a painful substitute for humility. Through the grace of God, even humiliation can help us if we respond to it correctly. In those moments, we must turn our faces to the wall and cry out to the Righteous Judge or face the consequences of stubborn arrogance. Pointing to the pride of others to justify our own only increases the length and intensity of our trials. The paradox of faith is that I must diminish so God can work more mightily through me. Then the test becomes giving Him proper glory. Glorious God and Father, I bow to Your Greatness. Make me an instrument of Your blessing. 

While still wrapped in the black shroud of predawn, it is difficult to envision the brightness and power of the light that now approaches. Though I’ve been here over and over, still the terror of darkness can seem endless. But the glory of the coming daylight is far greater, and soon the blackness that surrounds me now will scamper away. So it is with the all darkness that attempts to trap my soul in fear. God’s unending love always approaches whether I can envision it or not, and soon, every fear will bow the knee to the Greater One. The LORD Himself will tear away the darkness and the Glory of the LORD will appear. Great are You LORD and greatly to be praised. I now behold Your arrival in my mind’s eye, but soon will see Your deliverance face to face. 

With one astonishing response to an otherwise unnoteworthy need at the wedding in Cana, our Redeemer revealed so much about His will and ways. For instance, He revealed that He can turn exhausted resources into abundant overflow in an instant, and showed how an ordinary moment can be transformed into a miraculous blessing by simply obeying His commands. He demonstrated that our needs and requests are not ignored, and that He is perfectly willing to do something supernatural in our everyday lives if we ask in faith. He also made known His inclination to save the best for last. Blessed LORD, thank You for making it plain to see, exhausted resources set the stage for Your amazing handiwork. 

The apostle Peter was so taken by what was happening on the Mountain of Transfiguration he was willing to forget everything else and just camp there. Almost perfect moments come along in life from time to time.  While pursuing perfection is a laudable quest, it is never a full reality in this life. Absolute perfection will come only at the final manifestation of the Perfect One. We pursue it, admire it and occasionally get a glimpse of it, only to eventually realize the truth; God is perfect in all His ways, but nothing else or no one else in this world is perfect. Oh Lord, My Perfector, though I am but a wandering exile from true perfection, you confront my shortcomings with mercy. I watchfully await the day of perfection when we see You face to face and are forever transformed. 

The common Hebrew word for patience is “savlanut.” Its actual meaning is rooted in the presumption that God is in every moment, so it is more like: “While you are waiting, take it all in, don’t miss a thing.” When I am patient I often see amazing things that I would have hurriedly brushed by. Every moment is full of lessons and blessings that are thinly veiled but easily missed. God is present in every place at all times; therefore, every second is brimming with all that He is. Each twinkle of time is permeated with wisdom, provision, opportunity, life, light, victory, and peace. Lord, help me to see veiled wonders. Heal my restless haste that I in may know Your mysteries and marvels. 

Generosity is not dependent upon our level of material resources. In fact, the more abundance someone possesses, the harder it is to live with open hands. We easily become so focused on managing what we have or don’t have that we forget why God blesses us with abundance in the first place. The key to generous living is to stop calculating the value of the gift by recognizing the value of being a giver. As God’s instruments of blessing we are to be a resource, not a reservoir. Blessed Giver of Life, all time, talents and treasure are gifts from You. Open and cleanse my heart so my hands will not be sticky and that I may give feely as I have received. 

The human soul must have a continual flow of fresh insight from God; we are not designed to go it alone. Spending too much time circling in our own thoughts leaves us confused and frustrated, yet, just brief a moment of divine inspiration brings clarity, direction and impulse. Each new day demands dipping our cup deeply into the well of God’s life-lifting Word, laying bare our heart before Him and praising the Lover of our Soul without regard to circumstances. Blessed God and Father, Your Love and Light bring Joy and Peace to my heart. Instruct my ways this new day with fresh insight. Grant me grace that I may hear accurately and obey swiftly. 

It is truly ironic that Jerusalem, a city with “Salem” (“Peace”) in its name, would experience so little of it. But still, even with all its internal and external religious and geopolitical troubles, Jerusalem has something so special that peoples and nations have coveted it throughout history. There is simply no experience on earth quite like dwelling in Jerusalem. Even with all its tensions, there is inexplicable joy to walk its streets, to smell its aromas and to ponder the amazing events that have unfolded within its walls. LORD, You have chosen this Holy City for Your Name to dwell forever. I pray for its peace. Quiet its storms and grant prosperity to its walls. Make her enemies to be at peace with her and let Your people dwell safely in The Land.

High-level strategic planning and oversight by military commanders are critical elements to victory, but wars are not won at Central Command, wars are won on the battlefield. While a strong and competent chain of command from headquarters to the frontline is essential, in the final analysis, the battle is won by the foot soldier. Battlefield victory is achieved when each soldier is WHERE they are assigned, WHEN they are scheduled to be there and with the preparation, needed resources and commitment to finish the fight. LORD You have assigned each of us to our station in life and armed us for what is ahead. May I be found faithfully holding position and advancing on the enemy as You command.  

There is an unhappy future for the person with unchecked arrogance. Pride is such a deadly sickness, and yet unlike other diseases, the more of it someone has, the less of it can be seen in the mirror. Conceit blinds the person who has it while others can see it clearly. A close relationship with God deepens our capacity for relationships with others and provides the deepest, most enduring happiness. However, arrogance makes authentic relationships nearly impossible, especially with the Almighty. The Glory of God is not rooted in a superficial void or vacuous need since “As for God, He is perfect in all of His ways”. Father, expunge from me every smidgen of pride. Cleanse me from its deceptive ways that I may reflect Your Glory. 

“Fear the Lord and shun evil.” These are biblical words that seem archaic in modern church culture. A huge mistake in dealing with evil is to focus on the host rather than the source. People can become so overcome by evil, they seem like evil personified, but the source of evil is Satan’s rebellion. People do evil things, but the true enemy is much more insidious. This is critical to understand because good people, godly people can do evil things. Godly fear is to respect and reverence God above all else, not hide from Him, rebel against Him or revile Him. Godly fear is to love and obey God as Father and Lord. It is to hate sin but love the sinner. O LORD my Redeemer, deliver me from evil and help me love You and others with Your Perfect Love. 

We have alarms in our cars and homes, police officers on our streets, military forces on guard for our nation, protection for our credit and wifi and still, it is not enough. None of these can remove fear from our souls. But there is great news, the Bible announces to all who will hear: “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” Scripture declares: “The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” God’s Faithful Promises and Abiding Love offer the highest level of security for the surrendered heart. While trials will come in this world, you can securely trust that God "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. O LORD My Shepherd and Prince of Peace, I rest in Your unending care beside still waters. 

Daybreak, and then the beat goes on. Frankly, I often fail to appreciate the full value of the gift of another day. Over-thinking past or future events diminishes the value of this day, this fresh new start. There is a divine rhythm within every moment, a holy mystery in each twinkling of an eye that is easily missed if ignored. Only sensitivity to the Spirit of God can unlock the constantly present treasury of wisdom, insight, power and heaven-sent comfort. Blessed Father, settle me down. Deliver me from attempting to turn mysteries into formulas. Teach me to patiently take it all in and not miss a thing. Grant me entrance to Your secret place in each instant, day by day.