DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S FAITHFUL MERCY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S FAITHFUL MERCY

Psalm 89:1-2 – "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever, With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens."

Mercy and faithfulness. Two great words that show God's nature and character. Sometimes we interchange the words "mercy" and grace. Mercy and Grace are two words that are flip sides of a coin. Mercy is not receiving what I deserve. Grace is receiving what I don't deserve.

When a convicted person stands before the judge, he pleads for mercy. The criminal does not fall on the grace of the court. He falls on the mercy of the court. The judge has the authority – even the duty – to throw the book at him. But if the judge is merciful, he does not give him what he deserves. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies." (II Cor. 1:3)

God, in His mercy, does not give us what we deserve. We deserve punishment for our sins. He does not give us the punishment that is our rightfully ours. But more than that, He gives us grace. He gives us not only pardon, but so much more. His grace is abundant. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that "the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 1:14). Paul deserved God's wrath for all that he had done to the church of Jesus by persecuting them, in putting them in prison, in putting some of them to death. But he obtained mercy (vs. 16). God's mercy kept him from God's punishment, but more than that, His abundant grace gave him blessings.

We are all great sinners, deserving of God's judgment. But in His love, Jesus took that punishment on Himself when He died on the cross for our sins. By receiving His mercy, we also receive His grace – His blessing, His inheritance, His provision, His protection, His presence. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3)

Thank God for His mercy. But even more, thank God for His grace, and His faithfulness to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). "He's been faithful, faithful to me. Looking back, His love and mercy I see. Though at times, I have questioned, even failed to believe, yet He's been faithful, faithful to me."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BIRTHPLACE

DAD'S RAMBLILNGS – BIRTHPLACE

Psalm 87:5-6 – "But of Zion it shall be said, 'This one and that one were born in her;' And the Most High Himself will establish her. The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, 'This one was born there.' "

Where were you born? My birth certificate says that I was born in Independence, Oregon, in 1941. I am still waiting for the city to erect a sign that says, "Birthplace of John Schiewek." Don't hold your breath.

The psalmist drew attention to the honor of being born in a certain nation or city. In verse 4, he says, "This person or that person was born in Rahab, or Babylon, or Philistia, Tyre, or Ehtiopia." Where a person was born or his cultural heritage is a point of identification. When we meet people, we say, "Where do you hail from?" "My family came from Germany (or Norway, or England)." Or, " I was born in Iowa." Or, "I spent most of my youth in Atlanta." Birthplace is an important part of my heritage.

It was a distinct privilege and honor for an Israelite to be born in Jerusalem. To have your birthplace in the city where the temple resided gave a person bragging rights. "I was born in Jerusalem."

But more important to me is where I was born again. I remember the place. It was at an old-fashioned altar where I knelt and confessed my sins, and received Jesus as my Savior.

When we get to heaven, God will open the books. One of the books is the "Book of Life" or, perhaps we could call it the Birthday Book. "And I saw the dead, the small and the great, standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds...And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12, 15). I can just imagine that when God opens the Born-Again book, he will look for my name and say, "Ah, yes, here it is. John Schiewek, born again at Stayton, Oregon, in 1950." Then I will sing with the Psalmist: "All my springs – the fountains of my being-- are in You" (vs. 7). And I'll be home where my real life will begin.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TRUSTING OR COMPLAINING?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TRUSTING OR COMPLAINING?

Psalm 81:7 – "You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place of thunder; I proved (or tested) you at the waters of Meribah."

This Psalm is a psalm of rejoicing. Vs. 1 – Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. In verses 3-6, the Psalmist recalled how God delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. God relieved the burden from their shoulder and from the basket – that is, from the slavery to Pharaoh that made them carry baskets of mud and straw to build Pharaoh's monuments. They called out to God and He rescued them through the Passover. The Passover feast was the celebration of God's deliverance from Egypt, and through the waters of the Red Sea.

But then God said, "I proved (or tested) you at the waters of Meribah" (vs. 7). To understand this, we need to go back to Exodus 15-17 for the context which chronicles Israel's early travels from Egypt. Just after the deliverance of the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea, they came to Marah, where the water was bitter. The people complained (15:24). God was gracious even in their grumbling and did a miracle by making the waters sweet.

Then they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and they were without food. The people complained again (16:2) and God provided manna from heaven and quail for meat. God gave them precise instructions on how to collect the manna. God said the reason was so "that I may test them, whether they will walk in my way or not" (Exodus 16:4).

Then they journeyed to Rephidim where again there was no water. And again people contended with Moses – grumbled, murmured, and complained. Moses said, "Why do you tempt the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2). Moses went to the Lord with this problem and God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff. He did and water flowed.

Now which is it? Were the Israelites tempting God by their complaining? Or was God testing Israel to see how they would respond? Tests are not designed to show the teacher how much the student knows but to show the student how much he doesn't know.

Israel was a slow learner. God had shown His power and His provision in Egypt, at the Red Sea, at Marah, and by providing food. But still the people grumbled and did not trust God. They tested him like you would test a rope to see if it was strong enough to hold you. I was on a roof one time and to be safe, I tied a rope around a structure on the roof, and then around my waist. Before proceeding onto the roof, I yanked on the rope to make sure it would hold. It didn't. The rope broke and I went over backwards from the roof. I tested the rope, and the rope failed, but God never fails.

How do we pray? Are like Israel? We forget so easily how God has provided in the past, and when a new challenge comes our way, we grumble and complain. We test Him. Do I come to God murmuring, grumbling, and complaining about the situation? Or do I bring my petitions in faith to the God who never fails? There is a difference between complaining to God and praying to God. It is a matter of attitude. One is focused on our situation, and the other is focused on God's provision. Could God be allowing the test just to see if I will trust Him?

I need to learn to trust God in all circumstances instead of complaining.

Love, Dad

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DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHY AM I HERE?

 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHY AM I HERE?

Psalm 71:17-18 – "O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power for all who are to come."

So many senior people I talk to – especially those who have physical limitations – say, "I don't know why I am here. What is the purpose of my life? Why doesn't God just take me home?" I can assure you that our times are in God hands and that as long as He gives us breath, He has a purpose for us being here.

For most of my adult life, my life-verse was Psalm 26:1: "I have walked in my integrity." But in recent years, God has changed my life-verse to this Psalm, Psalm 71:18 --- Even when I am old and gray headed, I will declare Your power to this generation and future generations – my kids and my grandkids, and my great-grandkids. This is the reason God gives us these extra years – so we can declare His greatness and His salvation to those who are following us.

This is the purpose for life after retirement – when we are old and gray-headed – to declare His goodness to future generations.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A SOURCE OF STRENGTH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A SOURCE OF STRENGTH

Psalm 68:19-20, 36 – "Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burden. the God who is our Salvation. God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death. ….. O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary. The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people."

Sometimes it seems that our strength has evaporated. It is in those time that we learn to depend on God for His strength. We have a source of strength – someone to help carry our burdens. We do not have to carry them alone. This psalm says that He daily carries our burdens. That is why the Psalmist could say, "The Lord is the strength of my life" (Psalm 27:1).

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done.

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

The Father's full-giving has only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power has no boundaries known unto men.

For out of the infinite riches in Jesus.

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Just as we left our burden of sin at the cross, so we take our daily burdens to Him.

We can come boldly to the throne of grace and find help in the time of need (Hebrews 4:16). He is there to help.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S AWESOME WORKS

GOD'S AWESOME WORKS

Psalm 66:1-3a – "Shout joyfully to God, all the earth. Sing the glory of His name. Make His praise glorious. Say to God, 'How awesome are Your works.' Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men."

Each of us has a song to sing of the awesome and marvelous works of God in our lives. He has done great things. The Psalmist recounted some of them.

      Vs. 9 – He keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip.

      Vss. 10-12 – Even in the times of testing, He brings us through the water and the fire and into a place of abundance.

I'd like to tell you of a wondrous and awesome work of God in my life. My wife and I have been married almost 60 years. Now that's a miracle of God's grace!!!

I can hear someone say, "I haven't had anything miraculous happen in my life. But if you have received Jesus as your Savior and you've been forgiven of your sins, that is the greatest miracle. The Psalm says: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies" (Psalm 103:2-4). Jesus asked which was easier: to forgive sins or to heal? (Matthew 9:5). With God, one is not harder than the other. It took a miracle to put the stars in place; It took a miracle to hang the world in space; But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole, it took a miracle of love and grace. You have a song to sing of God's awesome works.

Love, Dad