Month: January 2025

The Makers Mark

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It was my observation while reading Psalms — we quickly learn it is wise to talk to God about the cool stuff he has accomplished, our needs, and our struggles – then we seek insight from Him and His word. This is an intense encounter – This is meditation. Charles Spurgeon (a pastor from about 120 years ago) often said the Holy Spirit loves to illuminate the Son. For Spurgeon, this visual illumination came in the form of a prayer journal. As I recall, he would say our pencil is like a scalpel for our mind. If we take the time to write stuff down as we ruminate on something, God can and does become part of the formula. Write your internal conversation, ponder on the message, compare your thinking to the scripture you are thinking about. When we document things, we slow down our thoughts, we process more carefully, we hear more from the Holy Spirit. Try it — I suspect you will be pleased with the outcome.

Psalms 119:9-16 (paraphrased) says — How can a person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. As I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have taken the time to hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against you through ignorance. … Lord; teach me your decrees, your truth. Then, with focus, I am able to recount all the truth that comes from your heart. I rejoice in following your statutes and wisdom. … I meditate on your truth and consider your ways. I delight in your wisdom; I will not neglect the truth within your word when making decisions (NIV).

The last sentence in this quote says, ‘I meditate on your truth’. This is the notion I have been talking about. This is a commitment, a focused affirmation that we will start and stick to it. It is a response to the word of God, to the one true living God – we are saying YES. I know this takes effort; I am talking to myself as much as anyone who is reading this essay. But this level of thought should not be only for pastors, theologians, monks, but us, ordinary Christians who are slugging it out in a sea of evil, looking for the right path to follow. I suspect, without this kind of focus, it is difficult to experience a vibrant relationship with the one true living God. Push into this. You will be rewarded.

So, have a seat, read a few passages, think about the message, and press on with your day. Ask yourself, what exactly did I notice, how did it affect me, how will it affect my relationships at work and at home? Joshua wrote — Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8).

Do not make this complicated, do not be too hard on yourself. God gives you grace; you should be comfortable doing the same. The outcome of this effort is simple – you will grow, become at peace with yourself, your family, and your Job. Goodness, I know scripture is not easy to read. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable. I am not saying you need to become a Rhodes Scholar. But I do want to encourage you to dig a little deeper. When God speaks, we should listen. Good stuff will happen.

This notion of meditation, focused prayer, and scripture mining can help you become more stable. I am suggesting you think about stuff you are reading in scripture, ponder on it, poke around the verses, focus on the ideas, the individual words, and parallel passages. Actively ponder on the meaning and how you can employ this new-found data in your life. Seek his wisdom. You will soon see the impact on you.

You will know that you are getting someplace when you are able to say – I have learned something from scripture and I need to make some life changes. The hardest part of failure is getting back up. Successful people know this small but particularly important difference between success and failure. Get back up. Find the right path. Move forward. Give Elohim permission to put his ‘Makers Mark’ on your heart. I choose Jesus.

The Internal War

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It was my observation; about 44+ years ago, as a baby Christian (only a few years old in Jesus), I was drawn into a very dark situation while involved in helping a church establish a building program. I believed I had been lied to by my district leaders, I felt betrayed and hurt. I was self-focused, heartbroken, but after a short while, that heartbreak turned to vindictive unforgiveness. At first, I convinced myself I had every right feeling this emotion. Then common sense set in, and I knew I was in trouble. For weeks I struggled. I wanted what was right but could not shake loose from the troubles. I prayed, thought I was free, then a few days later, a trigger would actuate my feelings, and I was back in the ditch.

The relentless feeling of righteous anger was a drug that would overpower the small voice pulling the desire of my heart towards forgiveness. Yet I held onto unforgiveness. I prayed openly for mercy and kindness towards the people I was struggling with, but I was way too young in the Lord to enter his rest.

The war inside me was exhausting. It affected my marriage, my children, and my work. There was no relief. One side in me wanted a cease fire the other side in me wanted total victory.

Then a friend of mine, seeing my struggle, talking with friends who also were aware of my struggle decided to enter the fray. He started talking to me about standing down, ending the struggle. I resisted. I wanted victory. Fortunately, he was on a mission. He knew what I did not.

He knew I needed to let go or I would digress into a disabled human, a trophy of Lucifer. He kept showing me passages on forgiveness, I was hopeless. He kept at it. My friend showed me Psalms 130 and helped me to really understand the message from David.

David said — Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy (Psalms 130:1-2).

I wanted to be free, even if it meant forgiving someone undeserving of my forgiveness and had not even asked for it. I wanted out of the prison I had created. Yet I could not find the door. How do I get out?

David said — If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you (Psalms 130:3-4).

I realized I had been living in a state of oppression from Lucifer, and it was affecting everything. It affected my choices each day. It affected my peace, joy, and happiness each day. In pursuit of a twisted form of justice, I lost sight of God’s goodness, his mercy.

David said — I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his Word, I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalms 130:5-6).

From a worldly perspective, I convinced myself I was justified to be angry and unforgiving, but from a godly perspective, I saw with fresh eyes that my anger and unforgiveness held me hostage to a lack of joy – my close communion with God and my family had been marred. I was wrong in God’s eyes. I was trying to do his job. I repented.

David said — Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins (Psalms 130:7-8).

I learned all over again about forgiveness, given to me as a gift by the actions of Jesus. His forgiveness had opened the door, then blew out the hinges so it could not close again. The prisoner was me. The Door was clinging to my anger and unforgiveness. My friend had pointed me to the cross and Jesus. My friend helped me put down the crushing burden. My peace returned. The war inside of me was over. My friend knew one thing I did not know. The way out of the problem. He was a blessing to me.

I choose Jesus.

We’ll Get Through This

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Lord, our troubles
Are so great,
We don’t know what to do;
The price for our
Iniquity
Is finally coming due.

The world is crumbling
All about;
No safe place can be found.
Right is wrong,
Wrong is right;
The change is quite profound.

Lord, we need
Your guiding light
To lead us out of here;
We’ll focus on
Your Word, and prayer,
To take away our fear.

Temptations of
This dying world
We’ll rule out and let go;
Give our burdens
All to you,
Shed all worldly woe.

That’s how we’ll
Get through this, Lord,
Fixed on heaven above,
Assured of your
protection, help,
And everlasting love.

By Joanna Fuchs

This Christian poem tells of Jesus’ never-failing support for us.

Hollywood and the sound of Old Boots.

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In his early days, Hollywood spent his time working on ranches. He made friends with everything around him, not just people. He made friends with his horses; he made friends with all the critters that he looked after. He made friends with the people that came to the ranch. He had friends from all over Eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota.

He learned many, many songs from his mother. These songs were about all different kinds of things. Sometimes she taught him songs about riding on the range. Sometimes she taught him songs about storm clouds and about the power of the river. Sometimes she taught him songs about how it felt when people came by to visit. She used the songs to teach him truth and life lessons.

On this day he walked way out onto the backside of the ranch. Drifting up into the foothills of the Wind River Range; he sat down in a deep crevice to ponder. Hollywood watched the clouds drift by as his mind wandered. He thought of one of those songs from his mom. In his mind he could hear her voice singing –

Laying in a narrow, daydreaming on life,

Looking at a cleft between tall walls.

heard a deep rumble of old boot heels,

They were coming down the draw.

Been a while since I put eyes on them,

I would guess three or four months.

This clatter could not be mistaken,

If you had ever heard it once.

His mind drifted once again. Watching the clouds come by, observing the formations with an imagination, you started guessing what he was seeing. Sometimes he could see the head of a coyote. As it drifted by another time, he thought he was seeing a turtle floating across the sky. Then a long, narrow snake moving across the sky; then that snake transformed and it became the round dot with another dot and another dot and it looked almost like a music note. But that seemed a little too strange for him. Then his mother’s voice came back to him again.

She often wondered about people and how they thought about the things of God. She was very willing to listen to their thoughts and pray for them and help them understand the things about Jesus that would change their lives. Hollywood knew that.

His relationship with God happened because of his mother talking to him over and over as he wrestled with the things of life. Hollywood wondered what his life would have been like if he had not paid attention to her thoughts. He was eternally grateful for her willingness to keep talking with him and keep praying with him until finally he understood that there was a God out there that loved him in spite of all the things he had done. This God really loved him in spite of himself. Hollywood struggled with a lot of things in his younger years, but he never forgot the words of his mother.

He ran away from home when he was a young man. He was convinced that he was going to find his own way and that he knew better than anybody else what was going to be good for him. Ohh my, the troubles he got himself into. He started running with the wrong crowd. This crowd was not a good influence. Because of his mother’s prayer and Fathers influence, he was truly fortunate to isolate himself before they started robbing banks.

He found a very loving and gentle sheriff that picked him up and put him in jail for a couple of weeks and talked with him about the path that he was on. That sheriff then reached out to his mother and determined that she was a woman of God. So, he released Hollywood into his mother and father’s hands.

Boy did she scold him. ‘Hollywood’ she sternly blurted out as she grabbed his ear and twisted. But she also showed him great mercy when the time came for him to sit down and take account of his life. So, as he slowed down in this small valley on this day; He heard her voice once again. — She was singing —

Started thinking about God’s grace.

I wondered if this was their today.

Told them about the goodness of God.

Turned out Jesus was the right play.

Their hearts renewed by mercy.

The wild horse in them put to rest.

They did not expect this blessing.

God gave them grace and his cleft.

Hollywood was at peace with himself now. He had Miss Tillie (his wife and best friend) at his side. And he had responsibilities. He worked for a good man on a ranch that needed his help. He felt like he had a purpose.

His boss said — You’ve come a long way since that little boy who ran away. It was clear, you were running from life, from your parents, from your friends, and from everything else. Anyone could see you were trying to figure out what this life is all about.

Today, out on the range, Hollywood just thinks about the songs his mother used to sing to him to help calm him down when the day was hard. On those days, his mother’s voice, and the God that he serves brought him peace.

And then, there is Miss Tillie, his wife. She was a gift from God. She made him feel needed and wanted. Life does not get much better. And with that, the sun started to drift down. Hollywood hopped back up from his resting place and headed home. His workday was done, his thinking was done, he was ready to go home and spend time with his wife. It was a good day….

Proverbs 31:10-12 – A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Please note: In 1956 a cowboy poet, Jim Jennings, published a short book about his experience working at ‘dude’ ranches in the west. My Great grandmother, Goldie Livingston, obtained a first edition copy of Jim’s self-published book in the fall of 1956.  The poetry in this story is adapted from Jim’s book.

The Lowly Prayer Journal

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It has been my observation — Using a simple book (Journal) of blank pages or lined pages to keep a written record of the ideas and experiences in prayer and bible study is not uncommon. Many prayer warriors keep one to remind them of their successes (discovering God’s will) and their failures (stepping outside the swim lane).

This Journal will be full of their ideas, requests, notes on when and how they met the objectives, how they felt, what they talked about, and how God responded. And, most importantly, what they learned while reading and meditation on scripture.

Most people who keep the journal (wall of truth) do not talk much about the journal they are keeping. Occasionally they publish excerpts of their prayers as poetry or prose on electronic media or the printed page – or perhaps an essay or two.

Sometimes the entries are used to develop lyrics for songs. For the most part, their content remains private. If they keep a journal, you know they are spiritual warriors. They stand toe to toe with Lucifer. You would be wise to give them a bit of respect. I do.

The notion of expressing your prayer in writing is as old as the psalms. When David, a mere shepherd by was anointed to King by Samuel, he gradually began to journal his thoughts (inspired by the Holy Spirit) in the form of psalms. You may recall he was a musician and a dancer. It was a small step to integrate his prayer into music and lyrics.

Others such as Asaph, Moses, and the sons of Korah, created a wonderful library of inspired prayers and laments. These songs became the tools used by the Israelites in worship; they psalms become part of their knowledge about the things of God – they became a wall of truth.

This flow of journaled prayer morphed into the early church. Songs and recited liturgy were based upon the journaled prayers of the priests, monks, and scripture. The psalms (journaled prayers) have brought comfort and clarity to many people through the ages who sometimes use them as a beginning point for their own prayers and song lyrics even today. This is how the catechism came to be.

Many psalms are prayers to God and express a wide array of emotions, questions, and conclusions as the writer wrestles with life situations. One reason God placed the book of Psalms in our Bible was to give us examples of the kind of prayers we can create. The prayers in Psalms are honest, heartfelt, and pure streaming thought. We should do no less. We may never rise to the level of David in our thoughts, but we can make notes and write the things that come to our mind. As we review the thoughts, we can see our gradual growth in Jesus.

A prayer journal is an excellent way to keep our thoughts focused as we bring them to the Lord. Prayer journaling also helps document seasons of our lives – things that are important in one part of our life lose importance in other periods of our life. Writing our thoughts on paper helps us clarify them, and, like the psalmists, we gradually are able to develop a proper line of reasoning by the time we finish journaling. During the development process, the eraser is our best friend.

Even our darkest musings can be a seed for a wonderfully honest praise. For example, look at the power of Psalm 121. It starts with a question — I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? The psalm ends with the answer – the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. He is our help. This is an extraordinary flow of thought. Comforting and honest.

I think a journal is a grand tool for the thoughtful focused prayer warrior. The tool is a wonderful register of how God leads us to think about things while studying scripture and how he answers prayer. When we read the history of our life in conversation with the one true living God, we stand a bit easier, knowing he is there. 24/7. We stay on task because we want to stay on task.

For those who are called to pray and study, I thank God you have embraced this calling – you are the vanguard of the living truth.

I choose Jesus.