Where do thoughts come from?

Last night I had two totally unrealistic dreams. In one I was golfing with two balls tied together and scored no matter which one went in the cup. The other was at a funeral and the director was scolding me and my sister for not having flowers. He then described what each color and type of flower represented to prove his point. 

Now awake, I wonder where such nonsense comes from. My dad used to joke that dreams depended on what we ate for supper. Someone else told me that if you remember them, they have something to do with unresolved problems. I gave away my golf clubs a long time ago, and have never planned a funeral that left out flowers. Nor did I watch weird shows on television or read related books. Over-tired? Maybe.

Yesterday’s devotional reading was about knowing and deeply thinking about what God says. That does not fit either. However, Piper does quote verses like these:

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. (1 Corinthians 14:20)
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (2 Timothy 2:7)

Piper says that the Lord gives wisdom about the things He says in His Word, but he also quotes this verse:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

It makes me wonder if my silly dreams are included in “all things” being from Jesus. Could He be saying that the golf dream means I’m trying to play life with twice as much on my to-do list than is necessary? Or that I don’t add joyful thoughts (flowers) to the sad things of life? I must stretch my thinking to come up with metaphors like that. Even if they are accurate, the Lord is able to tell me so with greater clarity.

Piper does say that Jesus is the ground and goal of all thought, or at least He should be. It does not take a great deal of discernment to see that evil or childish thinking is not from Him. I could waste a lot of time and energy with such things as rehearsing how to get even with someone, or having imaginary conversations with people, or in worrying, or in being anxious about getting everything done for today. Far better to rest in God’s thoughts… 

PRAY: and to do that, Jesus, I need to spend time with You, reading and meditating on what You say, submitting to it with all my heart — and my mind. If those odd dreams were actual metaphors from You, then here are two things I need to think about:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9)

Who gets the glory?

The author of the devotional I am using puts focus on faith in the gospel, not only for saving sinners as our Substitute, but also for His grace in our everyday lives. Today he writes of our desire to see the glory of God. Some of what he says feels like a rebuke for not believing, yet he also writes of the reasons to see God at work.

For me, it seems easier to be critical of the lack of faith in others and in myself than it is to rejoice in what God is doing, both in my life and the lives of other Christians. This is my fleshy, old nature side: critical, never satisfied, always wanting more, and so on. However, as I praise God in worship, study the Bible, and pray in Jesus’ name, it is easier to trust God for all things, including the biggies, like the mess in the world, and including the salvation of hard-hearted people that seem far from faith.

Early in my walk with Jesus, He gave me this passage, and my focus back then was on the first part. . . .  

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28–30)

Finally I realized that the “good” was more than what made me feel good; it is about transforming my life to be like Jesus. Then I began to see God's glory in a far different way. Since then, even as I see others going through various circumstances, my prayer is that God will use it for that kind of good — to bring spiritual growth into their lives. That is the glory of God.

Yet far too often, something else is given credit for our victories. I cannot be critical for I do it too. When I was in the hospital last year, I told others that I came out with far more empathy for those who are sick. I should be saying that the Lord gave me this empathy instead of sounding like it dropped out of thin air. This is because. . . .  

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

Years ago I was involved in a seminar where one of the attendees was often giving God glory. Another Christian said, “Who is that woman doing all the God-talk?” as if to make fun of her. Is that why giving God glory is difficult or avoided? That others will mock me? Or treat me as if I am odd? This fear is more than mere selfishness; it is dangerous. Jesus said:

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

So the Lord’s Word to me today is very clear — I am to not only seek His glory but speak it. For instance, Jesus answered prayer and healed BF of back and knee pain that has bothered her for years. My hubby met a man last night who gave him affordable information about a problem in our home, totally providential, thank You Jesus. I prayed for someone to want an odd desk that I could not seem to sell, and it was sold the next day.

PRAY: This is a short list. God, You hear, care, and often answer prayer before it is prayed. It is easy to write about it and toss it out into the world on the Internet. Help me to do the same with my words and actions every day, because You give me so many opportunities to glorify You!


 

Jesus never says goodbye!

My Bible’s concordance is abbreviated. It will run out of words about God before the end of this year. But the Bible will not.

Today my eye stopped at OMEGA. It is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and signals finality, an ending. It is used in only three verses, all in the last book of the NT and seems to Jesus describing the end of something. However, the concept behind this word is vast and fascinating.

First, Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and signifies a beginning, significance and importance. The combination of alpha and omega in secular literature designates the entire universe and all kinds of divine and evil powers. When used of Christ, it refers to His dominion and status over the universe. However, there is more.

The idea of an ending regarding time periods occurs throughout the OT. Events, ceremonies, all sorts of things end, sometimes after a certain amount of days or years. Job was the first to mention it in terms of the Messiah. In Job 19:25, he declared, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” However, there is more.

The prophet spoke for God and God declared Himself the Omega, not using that word but with the same meaning in three verses that identify Him as who He is and what He has done:

Isaiah 41:4. Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Isaiah 44:6. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

Isaiah 48:12. “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.

Here God is not referring to time but to His all-inclusive sphere of authority and high status. In Revelation Jesus says the same thing about Himself:

Revelation 1:8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 2:8. “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life” (referring to Jesus).

Revelation 1:17. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last . . . ’”

Revelation 21:6. “And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.’”

Revelation 22:13. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

This declaration affirms that Jesus in Revelation is the same One in Isaiah who declared His identity as the first and the last. He envelopes all that exists — in the past and in the future, from beginning of time to its end, from the first to the last, the Alpha and Omega!

Isaiah 46:9–10 says it this way: “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’”

Romans 11:36 says it this way: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. This is an eternal focus that begins with His revelation of Himself to me — but it never ends. When He talks about omega, He means the end of things here as I know it. It also means that when all is done, He remains. As the NT says, Jesus will “deliver the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” yet before that happens, He is here with me too. In Matthew 28:20 He commissions me to make disciples and teach them “to observe all that I have commanded you” and adds this wonderful assurance: “And behold, I am (Alpha) with you always, to the end of the age (Omega)” and His promise in Hebrews 13:5 says He will never forsake us — never means we are together forever!

 

To Him be Glory

More than twenty years into being a Christian I listened to a series of eight sermons on worship. These sermons were so convicting that I wondered if I was even a Christian. The preacher emphasized that our whole purpose for being here as believers in Christ is to glorify God. 

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

Before salvation, I was totally into glorifying myself. After salvation, I fell in love with Jesus, but still had that self-interest. Giving glory to God was seldom automatic. To do it required discipline, even practice. I’d write something that put me first, then realized this was of God and edit my sentences. That still happens. Glorifying God means humility, even that I’m never on my mind.

Spurgeon says this should be the single desire of a Christian. All other desires must yield to this one. I might want prosperity, but only so far as it can be used to glorify God. I might want more grace and increased spiritual gifts, but only that I might increasingly glorify God. As the Bible says, “Whenever I speak, it is as one who speaks oracles of God; whenever I serve, it is as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11, personalized)

Today’s devotional says that I must be totally motivated by wanting the Lord’s glory. I am “of God, and through God” so must also live “to God.” This means that He is first, permeating all that I think, say, and do. My love for Him and for His glory should be the ambition of my soul and the foundation of everything I do. When self worms its way into things, then joy rapidly falls away to frustration, lost fellowship, and even sorrow.

This desire to glorify God should be and is a growing desire. At first, it was an ideal, like wanting to be thinner or wanting to be a good artist. Yet He has taught me that neither of these come as easily as the wish for them. Both involve discipline, practicing good habits, and hard work. It is the same for glorifying God. I began wanting to do it, but wanting to do it and actually doing it are not the same. As the years pass, God becomes more central, yet I have not arrived. I still like praise given to me. I still find myself robbing God of His glory and taking it for myself.

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Jesus, You lived for Your Father’s glory and You live in me. When I live for my own glory, this reveals that self, rather than You, is in control of my life. May this desire for Your glory increase. Work in me that I will return to You all that You are due. In You, I live and move and have my being. All that I have and enjoy is because of Your goodness and grace. You have blessed and honored me.

God, forgive me for basking in the sunshine without giving credit to the Son who has shone so gloriously in my life. May You persist in patient grace so that I more deeply and more often spontaneously bless, honor, and glorify You.

So be it!

Amen is a unique word. One of my dictionaries says that it was transliterated directly from Old Testament Hebrew into New Testament Greek, then into Latin and into English and many other languages. This makes it practically a universal word. Some say it is the best-known word in human speech.

People say Amen when they want to affirm their agreement with something. These days, that could be anything, but in the Bible it was associated with certainty and solemnness. It means “it is the truth” and could begin a statement of truth, even be doubled for emphasis or style. Here are two examples: 

For truly (amen), I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)

And he said to him, “Truly, truly, (amen, amen) I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Amen is also used at the end of a passage in Scripture such as in Romans 11:36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Amen is directly related and almost identical to the Hebrew word for “believe” (amam), or faithful, so Amen came to mean “sure” or “truly” and an expression of absolute trust and confidence. Its use was a custom that began in the Jewish synagogues and became part of Christian gatherings. When someone read or preached or offered prayer to God, the others responded with Amen. This meant that they were stating that the substance of what was said was also their own; they totally agreed with it.

It is also used one more way. As many times as I’ve read the following verse, this didn’t register in my mind until today that Amen is also a title for Jesus Christ. 

The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)

By calling Jesus the Amen, the Bible affirms that He is the ultimate certainty, the supreme faithful one. He is the only One that can be absolutely trusted. When I say Amen, I am claiming truth, embodied in the One who said, “I am the Truth” and affirming that I am totally agreeing with all that He is, says and does. (One note, in this verse, “beginning” means the “origin or active cause.”)

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Lord, sometimes I say Amen rather casually, such as when someone says they like a certain movie or a brand of cookie and I agree. No more. I see how this word is another way of declaring who You are. I’m actually saying one of Your names. I do not want to trivialize this because I see now the importance of this word. Besides the word itself, many rich thoughts that go with it. You are the ultimate Amen, the only secure and completely trustworthy person I know. I want to glorify You each time I say Your name, each time that I utter Amen.