this week was spent meeting new people, getting to know my neighbors and prepping pieces that are slated to make up a reconstructed front porch. i thank God that i haven't quit. in fact one day this week i worked with a special 'vengeance'..a reminder of the way i used to work..and the thot came that that was the first time in memory that i worked on my own property in that fashion. may God give me a steady stream of diligence no matter what i am doing. i want to work just as hard on things i don't want to do as i do on those i do want to do. the pieces were in bad shape so the prep has been going slow but most now are scraped, sanded and primed. the weather has been beautiful and mild until friday at which point i went under cover of the barn. trying to take each day as from God.
i sense a society which is becoming ever more isolated. i sense that i need to do my little part in the face of this alienation of people. what comes is that my part is to set a goal to try to make eye contact however briefly and smile at every person i encounter. (a little sunbeam in the dark dank) practicing this out back this week produced two new neighbor acquaintances and dispensed a bit of warmth to a great number of people who are frozen in the 'stranger' mode. may God enable me to continue to do this for it is truly counter-cultural. sometimes you feel absolutely REPELLED away. may God help me keep joining eyes and keep smiling into dark , possibly very lonely, needy worlds even though most of the time i receive 'frost' back. He loves each one..
God continues to wean me away from trusting in and depending on anyone(thing) but Him. i think of how confidently i had put my trust in a person who has withdrawn and in the withdrawing i lost the EXPECTED completion of this year's pay. i was comforted this week by psalm 146 - 'put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth. in that very day his thots perish. happy is he that hath the God of jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven and earth, the sea and all that therein is, which keepeth truth forever, which executeth judgment for the oppressed, which giveth food to the hungry. the Lord looseth the prisoners. the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind. the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down...'
these come to me as wonderful and create a sonrisa to You...'MANY, o Lord my God, ARE Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and THY THOTS TO US-WARD. they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee. if i would declare and speak of them, THEY ARE MORE THAN CAN BE NUMBERED'..psalm 40.5 another is, 'how precious are THY THOTS UNTO ME, o God! HOW GREAT IS THE SUM OF THEM! if i should count them, THEY ARE MORE THAN THE SAND; when i awake, i am still with Thee..wow, in a world where few thots are directed my way other than irritation, rancor, deceit-hypocrisy and hatred what a contrast! the Lover of my soul is thinking precious and good things about me..AND NONE OF THEM ARE true, but all of them are POSITIONALLY AND PROPHETICALLY TRUE! even though a miserable wretch yet He
1. chose me IN CHRIST, before the foundation of the world, that i should be holy and blameless before Him..
2. predestinated me to adoption as a son BY JESUS CHRIST to Himself..
3. He made me accepted IN THE BELOVED..
4. i have redemption THRU HIS BLOOD..
5. i have forgiveness of my sins according to the riches of HIS GRACE..
6. He made known to me the mystery of His will which He purposed IN HIM..(at the end of time all things will be summed up IN HIM..
7. IN HIM i have obtained an inheritance..
8. He is working all things after the counsel of His own will that i should be to the praise of His glory, who..trusted IN CHRIST..
9. i trusted IN HIM after i heard the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation..
10. i believed IN HIM..
11. i was sealed with the Holy Spirit, whom JESUS sent.
12. this Holy Spirit is the earnest of my inheritance until God redeems me, His purchased possession..
13. He has already made me alive together WITH HIM..
14. He has already raised me up WITH HIM..
15. He has already seated me in the heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS..
16. He did all this so that in the coming ages He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness to me IN CHRIST JESUS..
17. i am His workmanship..He created me IN CHRIST JESUS for good works which He ordained beforehand that i should walk in them..
18. now, IN CHRIST JESUS, i who was far off have been brought near BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST..
19. HE is my peace..
20. He has reconciled me to Himself and every other person BY THE CROSS..
21. IN CHRIST i have boldness and access to God with confidence BY FAITH IN HIM..
22. He grants..the CHRIST may dwell in my heart by faith..that i may be able to comprehend..and know the love OF CHRIST..
23. to me He gives grace according to the measure of the gift OF CHRIST..
24. He enables me to speak the truth in love, thereby growing up into HIM in all things, even CHRIST...
well i've run out of time just trying to tell the reasons God is thinking good of me all the time and i didn't even get all the way thru ephesians..HOW PRECIOUS ARE YOUR THOTS TO ME OH LORD!!!!
have a good week. love, dad
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