Month: July 2019

TeacherStudent

I KNOW I CAN—WITH GOD’S HELP

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

(2 Timothy 4:7)

In the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could,” the Little Blue Engine used positive self-talk to achieve the seemingly impossible task of pulling the train full of toys to the top of the mountain and down the grade to the city below. Merely thinking about the possibility of success was not quite enough as she huffed and puffed: “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” 1 It was only when those spoken words were truly believed that the little engine chugged “faster and faster,” reaching the top of the mountain. The belief was uttered in a new phrase on the decline down the mountain to the city: “I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.” 1

Sometimes, our life circumstances make our daily walk a difficult uphill climb, “chugging” and “puffing” as we struggle to keep ourselves going. Our self-talk during these times is critical. These internal words can defeat us, delay us, or inspire us. This self-talk is not ours alone, for God hears everything we think. There is no alone time. God is ever-present.

If we change our self-talk to “I think I can- with God’s help,” then we are closer to reaching the top of the mountain we need to climb– to reach a goal, endure a crisis, survive the work week, pay the bills, overcome a loss, see a way to keep going.  To truly attain these things, however, our self-wording must be one of firm belief and action based on that faith: “I know I can-with God’s help” and “I thought I could-with God’s help.”

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” (James 1:6-8)

With God as our Engineer, steering the course of our lives, we can know and believe with assurance that we will be able to “finish the race” and reach the “prize” waiting for us over the mountain in the City below:

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:13-14)

 Let us press onward like Paul, trust fully in the Lord, and commit to the ultimate goal of heaven.

   “I didn’t come this far, to come this far.” 2

I know I will behold the view

On the other side of the mountain,

The Eternal City where I shall reside.

 

1 Watty Piper’s 1930 “The Little Engine that Could.” http://www.printmag.com

2 Anonymous. thinkinghumanity.com

 

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/28/19) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Seeing with the Compassion of Jesus

#InvisibleIllnessAwareness: An online hashtag representing a community of people with “invisible” illnesses. In reality, this group could contain the community of the church and that of the world. There is the “invisible” within everyone that only God can fully see, for our vision is limited here.

 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. 13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:12-13)

Even if “dimly”, do we try to see the invisible through our relationships with one another? Does the greatest of the three—love—lead us to an awareness of others? When we become more aware of others’ difficulties and circumstances, this can result in a greater capacity for compassion, a more caring understanding, and the deeper engagement of empathy. It is an awareness the hashtag group seeks, one that Jesus had in His encounters with others.

¹ So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:1-7)

We can have a mindset like Christ, who became like us by taking on the weakness of human form. The more we are in Christ, the deeper our awareness and outreach will be toward others. It is not a mindset of the society in which we live where personal “ME” interests are the priority. It is a self-sacrificing devotion to follow the path of Christ and become the servant, not the served.

–The leper is on our path. Will we try to see what he feels inside and not just notice his outer wounds?

–A blind man passes by with his white cane. Do we seek to understand his darkness?

–The woman who held her head up with worth suddenly looks to the ground as she passes those who begin to mock her. Are we able to feel her pain and fear?

–A child stares, wide-eyed, unmoving as her parents fight profanely, angrily. Can we see the images she has witnessed in her young life–and weep?

How do we look to the interests of these–and others?

With empathy.

Prayerfully.

Seeking wisdom from the Lord.

Having an awareness of the invisible.

Seeing with the compassion of Jesus.

 

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/21/19)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

GOD SIGNS

Light beams

Glowing

Through clouds,

Quietude

At eventide,

A whisper

In stillness-

I AM.

God Signs. Everywhere. Do we see Him? Is His Voice immediately recognized?

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the Voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this Voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:16-19)

The Voice from the Majestic Glory. The Voice from heaven.

The Light through the clouds shining in a dark place.

When our day dawns, do we awaken to His Voice?

As our day closes at dusk, can we still see His Light?

Silent darkness

Permeating all

But for one ray,

Faith can see

Light breaking

Through clouds,

Witness to

I AM.

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing this that our joy may be complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (I John 1: 1-5)

 We did not see firsthand. We did not hear directly. Yet, we are witnesses. We can still see and hear our Lord and our Savior through His creation around us, through His creation within us in our hearts, minds, and souls. We hear and see Him through the Holy Spirit, whom He sent to be with us.

God Signs. Seeking through awareness. Finding through faith. Longing for what was from the beginning.

Through the eyes and ears of faith, we are witness to the ever-abiding Presence of I AM.

 

(Sharon G. Tate blog 07/14/19) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

HIS Unquestionable Authority

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in His spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and He said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12)

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There is always a way to reach the Lord. He is never inaccessible to us, even though throngs of people want His attention, seek His guidance, ask for His help, or need His comfort.

The extent of our faith is our entrance to find the Lord and bring our needs to Him. When the men didn’t give up after seeing the crowds and were determined to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus, He visibly saw their faith. Persistence and action were the evidence of their faith. How can we/how do we show faith to the Lord, so He can truly witness our faith in Him?

We must believe in the power of Jesus. The four men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus did not stop to discuss, question, or evaluate rationally if this attempt was impossible or futile. They made an opening to Jesus, whom they fully believed could heal the man.

Trust fully that Jesus is the Son of God in our thoughts, in our hearts. He asks the teachers of the law: “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?  10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”  Jesus knows our thoughts. We might speak and act like we have faith, but our thoughts and our hearts will betray us if we are questioning His authority. In this case, the teachers of the law spoke and acted according to their thoughts, revealing their arrogance in their own authority and a lack of belief in Christ who would supersede their authority IF He was, indeed, the Son of God.

Obey the Words of Jesus. 11 “ ‘ I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.” The paralyzed man did not question this command. He did not say, “But I can’t. It’s impossible. I have been paralyzed for years. No man can just speak the words and make this happen.” Instead of questioning, the man simply obeyed. And he was healed.

Be in absolute awe of the Lord. 12This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Can we look at the buds sprouting into leaves on the trees in spring and not be in awe? Are we amazed when the colors splash across those same leaves in the fall? Do we think of the intricacy of creation in the human body as we gaze upon a newborn child? Can we see the miracles every day with awe that all this is from the Lord who has amazing power and authority over all creation.

 10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me.11 I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. 13 Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of My hand.  When I act, who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:10-13)

 WE ARE HIS WITNESSES.

 

 (Sharon G. Tate blog 07/07/19) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word