…Order
Out of Chaos…
…Order
Tag: gratitude
Substance
I am grateful to have the small chicken coop moved under the trees, where the chicks will be cooler in the summer heat!
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrews 11
Substance, here, in the NKJV, is hypostasis; a compound of hupo and histemi; a setting under (support), i.e. (figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively) — confidence, confident, person, substance.
I note that we get our English word stasis from the Greek word histemi, meaning – in this context – equilibrium or a stable state. The Strongs exposition, above, incorporated the word concretely, which we equate with stability.
In the third verse, the writer speaks of the worlds being framed by the word of God as a basis for understanding faith. The word of God is surer as a foundation than is concrete! Concrete will eventually decay, but the word of God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).
Lord, thank You that Your word is faithful and true, a sure foundation for life! Thank you that our relationship with you is by faith in You, and not by our always-inconsistent performance.
Life and Death
A short stroll through Romans 8
I am grateful that You are Spirit!
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:6-11
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I think Romans 8 may be my favorite passage of scripture.
Abba: What is not to like? No condemnation, freedom, righteousness, life, peace, adoption, heirs, glory, hope, help, purpose, deliverance, and protection, just to skim the surface.
Me: The benefits you have given us in Jesus are truly boundless! Thank You! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you!
Peace in the Midst of Turmoil
From my handwritten journal entry of 4/5/2025
I am grateful for peace in my heart!
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:14
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
John 17:22
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I lament the “divide and conquer” inroads the enemy is making into our society. There is so much discontent, name-calling, accusation, and even outright violence!
Holy Spirit: Do not expect peace to prevail where the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) is rejected. Your statement of gratitude today recognizes that the heart is the residence of Peace.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteousness of God tests the hearts and minds.
Psalm 7:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9
Those who have accepted Our invitation, who have allowed our indwelling have the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:26 –
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Those who have not accepted will still be subject to hosting evil vitriol, and will remain in fear, be filled with hate, strive in turmoil, and be overrun with anger. This is what you observe around you, to varying degrees of progression. The cure to this terminal sickness was purchased through Jesus’ blood shed for all. However, fear, hate, chaos, and anger are blinding. They obscure the light of Truth (Matthew 10:34).
Let the light you have been given shine (Matthew 5:16). The darkness has no defense against it. Encourage those who will listen to not respond to evil speech in kind. The dark response will merely merge with the darkness that baited them, resulting in more darkness.
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!
Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!
Peace Personified
Unimaginable Gift
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over. Isaiah 51:1, 6, 22-23
Beginning in verse 1, above, we see admonition to look in two directions that we might remain mindful. Attentive, first, of the Lord our creator who has made us in His image and His intention that we would walk after Him in His way. Heedful, second, we are not to forget the pit from which we have been pulled, our incarceration before the release afforded us by Jesus. We will only be able to maintain our way on the upward path through gratitude in our relationship in Him and humility that remembers our inability to extract ourselves from the mire. We were utterly unable to turn away from the downward trail we were trudging until we accepted the finished work of Christ and His guiding hand to turn us to the upward way.
Though the heavens be removed and the earth fail, the salvation that God has made available to all who willingly receive it endures forever, because it rests on the eternal foundation of His own nature, which changes not. This salvation is offered freely, a gift beyond human comprehension, more priceless than we have yet understood. Though we ought to remember the pit of the past, increasing appreciation of the life we have been handed does not lie in that direction, but in adoration of the Giver.
Finally, observe verses 22 & 23. Our old lives accrued only wrath. Now, some assert that God’s wrath was vengeful anger directed at His own disobedient children. However, an honest reading of the word will reveal that His heart has ever been for our welfare and not for our destruction. (Deuteronomy 28, Jeremiah 29:11). In Jesus, we find an incalculable love, holding Him to bear all the oppressions of the fetid pit in which we wallowed. No more will the tyrant oppressor walk all over us, for our Savior has imputed to us soaring freedom on wings of light and love.
Merry Christmas, my friends!
Liberty
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Yesterday, we attended the 30th Annual Quad-Cities Prayer Breakfast at RiverCenter in Davenport Iowa. The location is some 150 miles east of home. We had an invitation from the organizer, who, with his wife, have become good friends over the course of the past year. The venue held, probably 1600 attendees. The couple to my right at our table had driven from Cleveland, a trip of 500 miles. There was awesome special music by recording artist Steve Amerson. The keynote speaker was Governor Mike Huckabee. His talk centered on God bringing good out of some challenging events in his life as he expounded on Romans 8:28.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
All morning, the verses from 2 Corinthians 3 that open this post kept coming to mind. This passage was not something mentioned by anyone during the event, but was something God was putting on my heart. Meditating on it further, I can certainly see that the message of Romans 8:28 is addressed solely to believers and the passage in 2 Corinthians 3 is addressed likewise. None other are indwelt by the Holy Spirit or might see that change to be more like Jesus (increasing glory). We ought not to lose sight of the fact that God is bound by nothing, save His own nature and unbreakable word of Truth. We are made in His image and are intended for unfettered liberty. At some level, we know this intuitively. Tyrants oppress. The law restrains. But one who walks in the love and grace of the Almighty transcends both.
What enables this joyous transformation to work in the willing?
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:4-6 (KJV)
It operates by His undimmable goodness.
Sober
I am grateful for Your provision from the garden! The baked, red-skinned potatoes made a wonderful dinner!
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Titus 2:1-2
[sober: circumspect, grave: honorable, temperate: self-controlled, sound: healthy, charity: love]
Me: Jesus, all these come to those who are Yours and led by the Spirit!
Jesus: Paul was telling Titus to speak My word. The trait of being circumspect does not come quickly to the young. Those with some experience ought to model it. Here is my aim:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:11-12
Me: I see the next verse goes on to say, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
Jesus: You should take from that the need to walk in My calling ever more diligently as the day of My return approaches.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:14-16
Me: Are you speaking of “him who sleeps” as the unsaved one who is merely drifting through life, carried along by the currents of time? (No one I know disputes that the days are evil.)
Jesus: Yes. I Am the life. Yet this one has not even considered his “deadness”. Give a wake-up call where you can! You surely know how transforming to a sober life requires a circumspect outlook, understanding the whole truth about the consequences of drifting mindlessly along vs being awake and alert to the Life. Look to Me for help! I Am with you!
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!
Beneficiary
It seems in my life; I am often the beneficiary of the love and grace of others. Does it go without saying that I have unfathomably received of the love and grace of God? How can I let such a gift pass without a thank you?
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5
Thank you, Jesus!
The picture at the head of this post is of some garlic that I was gifted by my friend Cheryl last fall to plant in our garden. I harvested the results the middle of August. I needed a way to hang it to dry, as I understand one is supposed to do that.
That brings me to another gift that I was given. Another friend had an unsuccessful political campaign years back and had a lot of heavy wire sign frames, of the type that typically are used by stretching what is essentially a printed plastic bag over the frame, which is then poked in the ground. This friend figured since I was politically active, that I could make use of them. Frankly, political signs are always provided with new wires frames of one type or another. Still, I seem to have found a near endless array of things I could make from the heavy steel wire. Which brings me to this picture:
It occurred to me that if I had a really big heavy needle, I could use it to run a string though the stalks of the harvested garlic. So, with a bolt cutter I cut off a length of steel sign wire. I clamped it in a vise for my drill press and used a Dremel tool cut-off wheel and a steady hand to grind a slot through the wire, halfway on each side. I sharpened one end on my bench grinder and polished the rust off with a wire wheel. Viola! A needle!
And the result, hanging in the pole barn.
By the way, some pieces of that same sign wire became S-hooks to connect the string between some shelving units, via a simple loop tied on each end of the string.
The very presence of mature garlic from little cloves planted in the ground prior to winter is still one more example of my status as beneficiary.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. 30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? Mark 4
God made all these mysterious things to work according to His design to sustain and keep us. I am thankful to Him! Praise His holy name!
P.S. I have been pretty occupied with things this summer and posting here has certainly suffered. But all is well.
The Source of Gratitude and Peace
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies (heart of compassion), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:9-13
Whoso offers praise glorifies Me: and to him that orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23
Do the things that Colossians 3:9-13 lists that we are to “put on” seem difficult? Does the prospect of attaining prevailing gratitude, love and peace seem a distant hope?
First, Paul was speaking to those who have accepted Christ as savior. Outside of His indwelling Spirit, these things are not just difficult, they are impossible.
Second, these traits do not come after getting our sin in submission by our own efforts, any more than we can evict all the darkness out of a room so it will be light in there. If the light is turned on, the darkness is driven out by the presence of light. [Let me observe here that light does not fill a room in a static manner, as water fills a container. It flows from its source in a continual manner. The speed at which it travels is considered the “universal constant”, the fastest physical thing in the cosmos.] Rather, it is the instantaneous saving transformation of our sprits at salvation, and the purposeful transformation of our minds by the Word that enables banishment of the things that we are to “put off” and the adoption to the characteristics that we are to “put on”.
“Put” is a verb. This passage is not saying the process of transformation is automatic. We do have to resist the flesh and the devil. I am not backpedaling on what I have said in the previous paragraph; I am saying that the power to resist comes from the Spirit of God and that must come first to drive out the darkness.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Further, we must stay deliberately engaged in the Word. Engagement in this sense is not mere reading. It implies willingness to be conformed to the revelations of the Holy Spirit.
The Righteous Judge
The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. Psalm 103:6
From a purely physical perspective, it doesn’t always look like that to us, does it? My last post was from a conversational journal passage about the unrighteous judge. God, on the other hand, is a righteous Judge for all that are oppressed. That invites the question, are we oppressed? I believe that is a perspective that we often have because there has been some truth to it for all and that may be the actively downward-spiraling situation for others.
When Peter was sent to by the Spirit to minister the Gospel to Cornelius and his household, his discourse included this:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38
Well, what manner of oppression might this be?
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10
(This verse in John 10 is in the middle of a parable where Jesus is describing Himself as the Good Shepherd.)
Is something stealing your peace? Have you been involuntarily divested of property? Is health being destroyed in some fashion? Has death darkened the door of your house yet? If not, certainly the door of friends and loved ones. The methods of such oppression are varied and far reaching.
That is what makes the message of 1 John 3:8 so encouraging.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
It is by sin that the devil gained access to trouble mankind with all manner of things leading ultimately to death. All of us have sinned and continue to do so. So what of Jesus’ statement that He came to give us abundant life? That is the good news, for sure.
I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9
(Remember in John 10, Jesus was likening Himself to a good shepherd.)
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
The remainder of Psalm 103 gives quite a list of benefits we can expect from the Righteous Judge. It is certainly worth frequent reading to be reminded of God’s mercy, redemption, compassion, and more.
I will leave you with a cautionary reminder for all of us.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
On the positive side, this is great news given to believers in Jesus! But even for believers, the corollary is that the devil will not flee without resistance. Continuing to engage in intentional sin is not resistance, and in fact gives him further access.
Though His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), choose you this day whom you will serve. (Joshua 24:15)
