Words of Wisdom

Baby Isaiah

Isaiah Robert Turner was born on Thursday, August 29, 2018 at 1:19 p.m. - two days before mine and Kathy's birthday!  He was a couple of weeks early, so everyone was surprised.  I was still out of town in Duluth visiting Kathy & Nathan when I received the phone call of his arrival.  What a way to return home!

I have yet to hold the little man but am grateful for the pictures  his daddy sent me.

 

Welcome into the world, Isaiah!  I pray that you will grow up to love the Lord Jesus with all your heart and serve him all the days of your life.

Ladies' Tea

I'm grateful for the Lord's blessing on the Ladies' Tea last night.  This last week was quite stressful preparing for the event, and just yesterday afternoon, I was beginning to wonder if my weeks of careful planning were for nought.  Between dealing with a severe reaction to poison sumac that almost knocked me off my feet to a pipe bursting at the church Thursday afternoon and the building having no water until Friday afternoon, it is only because of the Lord's mercy, the fervent prayers of my friends, and the faithful help of many that the evening proved to be lovely.  I am so grateful.

Here are a few photos -

I loved the way the flower arrangements looked:

Dad and Benjamin, Essie, and Sarah put together these little treat bags which were at each place setting.

My friends loaned some beautiful tea cups to use for the evening:

The menu consisted of chicken salad sandwiches, buttermilk scones, cranberry white chocolate scones, poppy seed muffins, British shortbread, grapes, and cheese.  We brewed four types of tea:  English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Decaf Irish Breakfast, and Cinnamon Spice.

It was a treat to have State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell share with us about her work and the blessing that Public Servants' Prayer has been in her life.  We continue to pray for her and all those working on  our behalf.

Rachael's Baby Shower

It was a delight to gather with our friends last Saturday and celebrate the baby girl Rachael & Eric look forward to meeting later this fall.  We were blessed by so many who came - some from quite a distance - to share in our joy.  Here are a few pictures documenting the day:

Laura prepared quite a feast for our guests:  chicken salad & crackers, cheese slices, veggies & dip, summer fruits, muffins, scones, and cookies.

By the time everyone had arrived, the gift corner was overflowing!

Someone had a front row seat the entire morning - and she really enjoyed the opening of the gifts, too!

Such a treat to have friends from all ages and stages of life...

Our youngest guests made a beeline for the toys and had a grand time playing together!

The opening of the gifts took quite a while since there were so many.  One thing is for certain: this baby girl will be well dressed!  

We had many eager helpers ready to manage all the gifts.

In the middle of all the festivities, Eric popped in for a brief moment and expressed his gratitude for everything that been done for them.

A great time was had by all.

It was a beautiful day with many beautiful memories. We thank the Lord for the gift of life.

Psalm 5: Confidence in God's Presence

Psalm 5 is a morning psalm followed by an evening psalm in Psalm 6. So from Psalms 3-6, we have the pattern of morning and evening, and morning and evening.  This illustrates the importance of prayer encompassing our entire day.

“Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. Devotion should be both the morning…and the evening star."  -Charles Spurgeon

Psalm 5 illustrates with clarity the tension which characterizes certain dimensions of the life of prayer.  On the one side, there is God:  on the other, evil human beings.  And the thought of the Psalmist alternates between these two poles.  He begins by asking God to hear him, but recalls that evil persons have no place in God’s presence.  He turns back to God again, expressing his desire to worship and his need of  guidance, but then is reminded of the human evils of the tongue.  Eventually, he concludes in confidence, praying for protection and blessing.  -Craigie

This Psalm can be divided into three parts:

1.     An appeal to God to be heard (verses 1-3)

2.     An expression of confidence in which the psalmist declares his acceptance by a righteous God, a God who hates wickedness and those who persist in it. (verses 4-7)

3.     A prayer for divine guidance, judgment on the wicked, and protection for those who love the Lord (verses 8-12)

We will look at these divisions in further detail below.

1.  An appeal to God to be heard

Notice the passion and emotion David has in his appeal:

·       Give ear to my words

·       Consider my groaning

·       Give attention to the sound of my cry

David is praying with urgency!  And he is confident that God will answer, for he says, “you hear my voice.”  And notice the expectation in the word “watch”. 

There seem to be three types of “prayers” mentioned in these verses: words, groaning, and sound (of my cry). The amazing thing is that God hears all three!  And he has given us his Spirit. so that when we do not know how to pray, “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)

David address God as LORD two times as well as “my King” and “my God”. Here is the covenant relationship. 

The covenant relationship expressed by the repeated my…gives the prayer a firm footing.  Kidner

2. An expression of confidence in which the psalmist declares his acceptance by a righteous God, a God who hates wickedness and those who persist in it. (verses 4-7)

In verses 4-6, David turns his attention to the wicked, and he views them from his understanding of who God is:  a holy God, the only One who can stem the tide of sin.  Notice the progression:

·       You are not a God who delights in wickedness

·       You hate all evildoers

·       You destroy those who speak lies

·       You abhor the bloody and deceitful man

The phrase, “Evil may not dwell with you” means that sin cannot dwell – even temporarily – with the Lord.

This is man in the presence of a holy God.  God does not tolerate him.

So now we have a better understanding of David’s statement in verse 7. He recognizes that he can only come into the presence of God because of God’s steadfast love.  The righteous is accepted in God’s house.   They can enter with confidence but also with awe and humility because they recognize who God is.

The Psalmists’ entrance into God’s house would be based only upon ‘the abundance of your steadfast love’; that is to say, it was only God’s grace and covenant love toward this people which made entrance into his presence possible.  Craigie

3. A prayer for divine guidance, judgment on the wicked, and protection for those who love the Lord (verses 8-12)

David asks the Lord to lead him in righteousness (the first request in the psalm), to give him divine guidance because he is facing deceivers.

The reason for his request is based on the intent of his enemies – 

·       There is nothing trustworthy in their mouth

·       They desire to destroy wicked

·       What they say will ruin people

·       They speak deceit

So David asks God to judge them.  (This happens to be the Psalter’s first imprecatory prayer.)  This request was within the will of God since he was not asking God to do something he was not already planning to do.

The prayer ends on a note of peace and joy as David asks God to spread his protection over the righteous that they may rejoice.  In contrast to the wicked, the righteous can take refuge in their God and find joy and protection.  They have the blessing of the Lord with his favor upon them.

“The righteous are the beneficiaries of God’s love.  Therefore, when the wicked try to destroy them, they know their King hates and destroys the wicked.  This is their confidence.”  -Allen Ross

Summer Highlights

The summer has been full with both joys and sorrows.  I'm grateful for God's faithfulness and for the evidences of his love that comfort my heart through the simple things he brings my way -

I was part of a committee who planned the first 2RP Women's Retreat in June.  It was a blessed time together growing in our understanding of discipleship and fellowshipping with one another.  I'm grateful for these sisters in Christ!

The dry and warm weather has brought plenty of opportunity for bike rides, and these little ones are great companions!

All the pedaling requires stopping for some sweet treats. :)

These two aren't quite up to speed on their own two wheels yet, but they are full of smiles and hugs.

One lonely sunflower can bring so much joy...

...and the American flag against the backdrop of a clear blue sky makes one grateful for the privileges they enjoy in their own country.

The evenings have been spent catching up with longtime friends who now live out-of-state...

...or getting to know someone better by walking 7 miles together!

I work with some of the best people one could ask for!  I'm blessed to serve with them for the sake of the gospel.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed I have a beautiful inheritance. 

-Psalm 16:6 - 

Psalm 4: Confidence in Distress

Psalm 4 is a cry for help (verses 1 and 2), but the prayer is dominated by the psalmist’s confidence in the Lord’s loving care of his people.  There is great distress and great confidence existing simultaneously.

“It is a Psalm that reflects the anguish of the innocent  and oppressed, or of the righteous suffer.  And thus it is a particularly important kind of psalm, for it addresses a fundamental human experience, the experience of injustice, suffering, and oppression.”  (P.C. Craigie)

God can give relief to his people when they are in distress.  The psalm begins with a brief prayer based on God’s dealings with him in the past.  (vs 1) David uses the term “God of my righteousness”, meaning that God maintained or vindicated David’s righteous cause against those who oppressed him.

The proven confidence of the people of God should be a warning to those who try to disgrace their faith.  (v 2-5)

                  -The people of God may be confident that God will answer their prayers in spite of false claims. The psalmist addresses his enemies by beginning with rhetorical questions.  These rhetorical questions are based on his confidence that God will answer his prayer and deliver him.  Verse 3 strikes the note of confidence:  they should know that God has set apart the godly (the beloved, the one who has entered into covenant with the Lord by divine love) for himself.  God will not abandon his people to the wicked.

                  -The people of God may confidently warn their antagonists to abandon their sins and put their trust in the Lord. David calls his enemies to repentance and faith.  “Be angry” is a call for them to be shaken to the core so that they will stop sinning.

-The faithful find greater joy in God’s provision of peace and security than the  joy at the time of harvest (6-8).    The antagonists are asking for something good, some evidence of divine favor (as seen in fruit from the ground)  But David asks for divine favor  ("Lift up the light of your face upon us”) and declares that God has given him greater gladness than that which comes with full granaries and vats.  

David’s confidence was in the Lord; therefore, he could lie down quietly and sleep in peace.