COFFEE ON THE DOCK

For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 ESV. Faith is the joyful certitude that God does what He promises. Faith unlocks heaven’s rewards and is never bound to earthly limitations or circumstances. Faith unleashes divine promises, matchless wisdom, clarity of vision, and a steady walk through the unseen. If a mustard seed’s portion can toss a mountain into the sea, then it can certainly clear my way forward today. Through faith, I can rest in blessed assurance while the battle rages. Through faith, I maintain triumphant peace in the midst of storms and laughter in the face of adversity. Lord of Hope, Your Word is the fountainhead of faith, therefore I will meditate daily on Your Holy Declarations. By faith, in faith, and through faith, I march forward. 

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day,” Psalm 93:1-3 NIV. The Bible is brimming with music, singing, and worship. After crossing the Red Sea Miriam danced with a tambourine & led Israel in a song. The Psalms is not only jam-packed with praise, but it is also the songbook David, one of the Bible’s greatest worshippers. Jesus was born into this world among a chorus of angels, and all of Heaven seems continually filled with songs and unending worship. The heart of a child of God should remain a place of joyful praise. “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory!  Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. Lord, You have placed a song in the heart of Your people, fill me with glorious praise,” Psalm 57:7-9 ESV. Today I again join the

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water,” Psalm 63:1 ESV.  Sometimes life can feel like a long, arduous journey through a barren landscape. Frankly, the call of God on my life has always seemed to exceed my known resources, proven capabilities, and personal character. I have come to understand this is the way it must be; otherwise, I would foolishly lean too heavily upon my own abilities. It is the daily walk on thin ice that keeps me alert and dependent upon divine intervention. My weakness invites God’s grace. So, I begin another day shrouded in human frailty but anticipating a new measure of grace and victory. O Lord my God and Father, You are not put off by my shortcomings. When I am weak You are strong. Blessed Master, use me this day for Your glory. 

“I sought the LORD and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears,” Psalm 34:4 NKJV. Difficult times bring many valuable lessons. Most of the truly important changes I have made in life have come as a direct result of a crisis of one kind or another. As the pressures of life rise, so does my intensity for seeking God’s face. Fresh grace to deal with unplanned circumstances is granted to the hungering pilgrim. While I do not intentionally seek more problems, there seems to be no shortage. Nor, however, is there ever a shortage of God’s Mercy and Goodness. Every time I get dog-piled by dilemmas there is a corresponding avalanche of grace released from heaven. Glory to You Lord God Almighty, thank You for each new opportunity to know You and Your ways more perfectly. In my darkest hour, You sweetly lead me toward your heavenly light till the dawn of deliverance is mine! 

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets  what he was like.” James 1:23-24 ESV.  As a child   it was fascinating to stare into mirrors, each reflection revealing details I previously missed. I soon learned that the quality of the mirror and lighting made a huge impact on what I saw. As I’ve aged this experience has grown increasingly less pleasant, so I now prefer dim reflections. When it comes to the inner man the opposite has occurred. Having paid the price of human deceptions, I yearn for authenticity within, no matter the consequences. Staring into the lighted mirror of God’s Word daily is the best guarantee of seeing who I am and how I look. Lord of Truth and Light, while there is much pain in the discovery, I desire the transforming power of truth to reconfigure my falsehood into Your glorious image.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us,” Romans 8:18 ESV. Material things and personal benefits are easily taken for granted. When something to which I am accustomed is no longer is available, I always feel surprised and disappointed. Presumption it seems is a constant nemesis and is a sad result of exaggerated self-importance. So, what is God’s answer to our constant tendency to be presumptuous? Shifting sand, inconstant circumstances, tidal changes; in other words, nothing in this world endures exactly the way it is right now, and this is by divine design. In this way, He keeps us constantly reminded and forewarned, this world is not our home. Merciful Father, You, are the Solid Rock on which I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. You Alone are THE FOREVER CONSTANT. Thank You for the reminders.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me,” Psalm 51:10 ESV. We protect what is of great value, and nothing is more valuable than the heart of man. Occasionally, there are news stories about bags of money falling from the open doors of an armored truck. I always wonder how in the world this happens since the entire purpose of an armored car is to protect valuable things; leaving the door unlocked is self-defeating. But the same can be said of my affections. I can’t motor around life with my heart openly exposed to every passing whim; my affections must be managed. Proverbs 4:23 warns us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” To guard one’s heart is not to close it and lock it down, rather, it is to protect it with God’s Word and infilling Spirit. Lord God, You are My Fortress and Deliverer. In Your Mercy, Guard my affections with Your Mighty Hand. 

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you,” Luke 6:27-28 (ESV). As a young man, I was driving along when an Irish Setter ran into the street from between two parked cars. I didn’t see him quickly enough to avoid contact but I hit the brakes hard and fast. My vehicle only bumped him slightly. I leaped out to check and he was under my van; not seriously hurt but dazed and confused. I reached toward him to comfort him and he and snarled, crawled quickly from underneath the van, and ran away. His refusal to be helped was not personal; he reacted from his pain and confusion. People will often do the same. It can be brutal, but in these moments genuine love is authenticated and shallow love is exposed. Father forgive my snarling resistances to Your loving touch. When others react to me as I have to You please grant me the same patient mercy for them You always extend to me. 

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” 1 Peter 5:8 NIV. An intense battle poses many dangers, not the least of which is “friendly fire”. A ccidental attacks on friendly forces while trying to defeat the enemy is one of the most tragic aspects of war. Nothing about the battlefield is pleasant, but to be taken out by those for whom you fight adds insult and deep pain to an already bad situation. I have seen friendly fire in spiritual battles, organizational battles, congregational battles, relational battles, and family battles. Sadly, at times when we are counting on our comrades in arms, they turn weapons on their own. Cain was not only a jealous murderer, but he was also a fool. His ridiculous attempt to justify himself says it all: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” YES, yes I am. You O LORD are my Shield and Defender. Keep me attentive in the fog of war. May I never be confused about who the true enemy is. 

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God,” Psalm 42:11 ESV. The LORD said of David: “‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will”. King David had many qualities and some really serious character flaws, but what is most clear about the psalmist is that he was a man who understood the power of praise. Praise was his daily entry pass into the heart of God. Paul and Silas were chained to a wall, but as they sang and praised God the shackles fell off and the prison doors flung open. Praise frees us from bondage! As it did for the Israelites when Jehoshaphat sent the choir out to battle, praise ensures victory over our enemies! Praise focuses our faith on God’s promises and delivers us from fear. O LORD My God, You are invincible, infallible, and irresistible! The power of Your awesome majesty is beyond description and Your love endures forever.

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you,’ Isaiah 41:13 ESV.  Raising kids grants many insights into spiritual development. While navigating our small children through danger zones such as a busy parking lot or crossing a street I would say: “hold dad’s hand tightly”, but wise parents do not depend upon the strength of their child’s handhold. Instead, we wrap our hands around theirs with a vice grip. It is incredibly comforting to know that I still depend upon the firm grasp of my Heavenly Father's hand. His grip on me is much firmer than my grip on Him. His Word clutches the strings of my heart. His Will clings to my own. I cannot simply pull away on a whim. At times I struggle against His embrace, only to be pulled-in tighter by His Holy Hand. Father, You are “The Lord my Keeper”, thank You for Your encircling love. Your love has no limits and Your grasp is my constant rescue.

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot   love God whom he has not seen,” 1 John 4:20 ESV. Hatred held in the heart can't hide forever. Like underground molten lava, its pressure builds and seeks release on the surface. No matter how hardened we become on the exterior, bitterness will eventually break through unannounced with devastating results. Even when anger is justified its tyranny cannot be contained nor equitably distributed; it must be expunged entirely from our soul. If left to hang around it will multiply and turn to hatred, but Spiritual freedom and unbounded joy belong to the one delivered from hatred’s grasp. Blessed Father, heal every wound of offense within me and uproot every trace of acrimony. Fill my heart with Your unfailing love and make my soul a “no hating zone”. 

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work,” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV. For many years we had a bottlebrush tree that hummingbirds visited regularly. It remained green throughout the year and bloomed the entire summer. Birds and bees were drawn to it like a magnet. We rarely saw the speedy hummingbirds come or go since they fly rather quickly, but there were always a few, delicately hovering like small helicopters, extracting its sweet nectar. God’s blessings are the same; whether I see them coming or not, they are surely on the way. The next blessing may be as close as my next thought, my next prayer, my next act of kindness, or moment of obedience. My Lord, my God, I’m continually amazed by You and Your ways are mysterious yet faithfully predictable. Help me to stay alert to Your works and make me a blessing to others. 

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world,” James 1:27 ESV. A genuinely spiritual person intentionally desires to mimic God’s character. One of the hallmarks of godliness is a humble concern for the “hidden people”; those who are most often ignored or forgotten; widows, orphans, the disabled, the impoverished, the persecuted. Secondly, a genuinely spiritual person does not constantly seek the approval of those who are given over to worldly values; the popular crowd, the mockers of the lowly, or those who need constant recognition. LORD, expunge from my soul the values of this fallen world and grant me a humble heart. Let my life be a stage for Your glorious power, humility, and genuineness. 

“The tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” Luke 18:13 ESV. A heart that understands the unmerited grace God offers will not fall victim to a superiority complex toward others. If we are still under the delusion that we're blessed because of our moral rectitude or exceptional knowledge, then, like the pharisee, prideful judgmentalism is assured. Religious arrogance paralyzes spiritual progress and sets us up for a fall. I want to believe that I’ve left all sanctimonious pride far behind but it still pops up like burnt toast from time to time. Spiritual pride remains in my soul camouflaged as “concern for my brother” or some other pitiful excuse. It's not pleasing to God for me to deny someone else the mercy and grace on which I so heavily depend. Lord, have mercy on my earthly ways and make me more like You. May my pursuit of piety never produce a holier-than-thou response to

“Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine,’” Isaiah 43:1 People within our modern culture seem to constantly chase after a unique personal identity using material things, causes, cliques and practically everything else to discover and then proclaim who they are. As a child of God, I need not chase after my identity. I am who God designed me to be. I am who the Bible says that I am. I need not go on a search for identity since He knew me while I was still in my mother’s womb and brought me into this world to do His bidding. The proclamation, “You are mine,” settles the question. Lord God, I gladly fall into Your embrace and surrender all pursuits to Your perfect plan. I delight to do Your will. 

“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked,” 1 John 2:6 ESV. My life is not defined by my best achievements nor my worst blunders. What defines who I am is how I live each day. While there are many ways to measure life success according to the culture around us, the best measure of a godly life is how we treat others. Walking in love toward God and the people He created throughout each day’s successes and failures, triumphs and troubles, victories and defeats, demonstrates more of who we are than all other human measurements combined. Jesus walked in perfect success precisely because He never lost His love for the Father or His children. LORD, help me see beyond my own desires and needs so that I may treat others as you demonstrated to us when You walked among us. 

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8 (ESV). This simple verse is jam-packed with godly qualities we each need, but none more important than “a tender heart”. A tender heart accepts God’s commands, but a stubborn heart is a fool’s heart. So how do we develop a tender heart? Foolishness can be easily overthrown with the steady effort of   one step of obedience at a time ; “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,” Romans 6:17 (ESV). Each successive surrender tenderizes our hardened heart and soon, His desires and commands become our daily bread. Lord, help me to lay aside rationalizations and cover-ups. Soften my heart to Your promptings that wisdom may prevail. 

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,   “Behold,   an Israelite indeed,   in whom there is no deceit!’”  John 1:47 ESV.  “NO DECEIT”! What an amazing endorsement from the Son of God! One translation says: “nothing false”. Again, a stunning description of Nathaniel from The Perfect One Himself! I wish to be that kind of person but ridding oneself of deceit and 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 clean heart requires maintaining an 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 make me more like You. 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6 (ESV). I have made steady spiritual progress throughout my life, yet many issues seem to recycle over and over. And though I find myself fighting the same battles again and again, it is comforting to know that my Creator and Commander will finish what He started in me. The final outcome is not dependent upon my resolve alone, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,” Philippians 2:13 (ESV). Therefore, while I may still be a work in progress there is a finish line. God will complete what He has begun! Father banish every futile resistance from my soul. Mold me into a faithful servant, pleasing to You in all my ways. Dearest LORD, leaving nothing untouched or unreformed. I am at rest in Your perfect care. 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing,” John 15:5 ESV. As a young man, I often felt naturally clever. I now realize that I was not really clever at, I was blessed. It is the foolishness of mankind to claim more of himself than he ought. My spiritual re-birth happened when I was only five years old. I struggled early and often in my faith, but there was always that inner guidance at work. It saved my life more than once and directed me again and again in crucial moments. Good discernment, coupled with obedience to God’s will, is a far sturdier guidance system than mere cleverness. The good news is that accurate spiritual guidance is readily available to anyone who seeks it; God’s Word and Spirit does not discriminate. LORD, guide me this day into Your highest and best. 

“Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God,” Ephesians 5:2 CEV. A heart solely focused on one’s own desires and needs will, over time, become barren, empty, and sterile. To the contrary, compassion, and concern for the needs of others releases a flood of creativity, purpose, and productivity. God formed us and commanded us to “multiply and replenish” the world around us. He designed us to be His hands extended to others. The person who hoards God’s love and blessings will, in the end, lose what little they have. Those who open the treasures of compassion, and offer them freely to others, will themselves be filled with an inexhaustible supply. Lord of Love, point my heart toward what pleases You. Deliver me O God, from sin-rooted selfishness and move my heart by what moves Yours. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9 ESV. I am eternally grateful that God does not hold grudges against His children. While I have rightfully felt His displeasure at my failures, one authentic tear of repentance opens the floodgates of His forgiveness, one sincere moment of contrition marshals the armies of heaven to my defense. As the psalmist declares: “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning,” Psalm 30:9 ESV. Since my Redeemer so freely washes away my constant failings, who am I to hold hatred toward those who have harmed me? Father, though I fall short of Your greatness, Your favor remains. Cleanse my soul of all acrimony toward others and teach me Your ways of grudge-free love. 

“Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth,’” Genesis 11:4 ESV. The story of the prideful construction of Tower of Babel shines a bright light on one of mankind’s most dangerous deceptions; that we can humanly achieve universal unity and ascend to God through our own efforts. But our   pursuit of God is always preceded by His pursuit of us. Like an adult to a small child, He bends down low to us, His love descending and awakening our love for Him. As the hymn declares: “Heaven came down and Glory filled my soul”. Lord God, Lover of Our Souls, I am humbled and amazed by Your love pursuit. Forgive my attempts to rise to Your Glory on my own. LORD, in Your Mercy, tear down my foolishly assembled towers of religious pride.