WHEN PRAYERS SEEM UNANSWERED

Posted on October 29, 2020 by randscallawayffm

There are days in our lives when we feel God is not listening to our prayers for help in difficult situations.  He seems far away.  Our prayers begin to repeat themselves each day with no seeming or apparent resolve.  We become impatient.  Anxiety builds in our limbo living between problem accepting and problem solving.  We feel our prayers hit the ceiling and bounce back to us for review.  We sometimes become indignant in our human thinking and selfishness.  We think, maybe God isn’t listening.  Maybe this problem is not important to Him.  Then we think maybe I’M not important or significant enough to Him to be heard.  STOP!  These are the very lies of temptation Satan feeds us on the elegant plate of wait.  In our wait, we look in instead of looking up for God’s work to be completed in and through us during which time the problem that weighs on us is being resolved by Him!  It is a matter of trust.  WHO do you trust?  The Liar or the Creator?

God is always at work!  Always remember that.  God so loved us, that He sent His Son to die for our debt sin.  God hears every prayer.  God knows every need.  God knows us by name.  He knows the number of hairs on our head.  We don’t know that!  God also knows what is best for us right now and in the future.  God is not only working on our problem but he is working IN us during the problem or difficulty!  We actually are growing and maturing because of God’s work in us!  This is His Perspective.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah.  Psalm 68:19

“The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.”  Lamentations 3:22

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6

“John 5:17 But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 28, The Message

A David Psalm

Don’t turn a deaf ear
    when I call you, God.
If all I get from you is
    deafening silence,
I’d be better off
    in the Black Hole.

2 I’m letting you know what I need,
    calling out for help
And lifting my arms
    toward your inner sanctum.

3-4 Don’t shove me into
    the same jail cell with those crooks,
With those who are
    full-time employees of evil.
They talk a good line of “peace,”
    then moonlight for the Devil.

Pay them back for what they’ve done,
    for how bad they’ve been.
Pay them back for their long hours
    in the Devil’s workshop;
Then cap it with a huge bonus.

5 Because they have no idea how God works
    or what he is up to,
God will smash them to smithereens
    and walk away from the ruins.

6-7 Blessed be God—
    he heard me praying.
He proved he’s on my side;
    I’ve thrown my lot in with him.

Now I’m jumping for joy,
    and shouting and singing my thanks to him.

8-9 God is all strength for his people,
    ample refuge for his chosen leader;
Save your people
    and bless your heritage.
Care for them;
    carry them like a good shepherd.

TRUTH: “God is all strength for His people, ample refuge for His chosen leader”…

Once again, David found himself in difficulty and cried out to the Lord for help. We don’t know what caused the problem, but it involved wicked people and workers of iniquity and deceptive people who pretended to be David’s friends but were working for his ruin. 

David had prayed fervently about his dangerous situation, but the Lord hadn’t answered him. It has often been said that “God’s delays are not God’s denials,” and David was learning that important lesson. In verse 1, he called on the Lord, and in verse 2, he cried out to Him in desperation, but the Lord didn’t answer.

The unchanging Rock had changed! Was the Lord silent because He could no longer hear and speak? David lifted his hands in worship as he prayed toward the sanctuary of God, but the Lord apparently didn’t see him. But Jehovah is the “living God” who sees His people, hears their cries, and speaks His Word to them!

David felt like a dead man whose body was in the tomb. He also felt like a criminal who was being dragged away with the wicked to be executed. They were hypocrites, but he was speaking the truth. They had no regard for the words and works of the Lord, but David was a servant of God who worshipped Him faithfully. According to God’s covenant with Israel, David’s idolatrous enemies should have been judged and condemned, but the Lord was doing nothing. How could God treat His anointed king like a criminal?

But we should remind ourselves that the Father allowed His own Son to be unjustly treated like a common criminal (Isa. 53:7-8, 12; Luke 22:37). David’s prayer was not an expression of personal revenge but a call for God to fulfill His covenant and bring righteousness and peace into the land. “Let them reap what they have sown” was his request.

Joy floods in like the morning sun!  Suddenly, the perspective changes, and David is singing instead of sobbing! The reason is given in verse 7: “My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped” (nasb). Faith in Jehovah made all the difference. The hands of the enemy were busy doing evil, but when David believed God and lifted up his hands in prayer (v .2), then God’s hands went to work and met the need (v. 5).

Faith moves the hands of God, and God’s hands control the universe.

Proverb 14:14-19, The Message

Sift and Weigh Every Word

14 A mean person gets paid back in meanness,
    a gracious person in grace.

15 The gullible believe anything they’re told;
    the prudent sift and weigh every word.

16 The wise watch their steps and avoid evil;
    fools are headstrong and reckless.

17 The hotheaded do things they’ll later regret;
    the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.

18 Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
    wise realists plant their feet on the ground.

19 Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good;
    the wicked will respect God-loyal people.

WISDOM: “Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good; the wicked will respect God-loyal people.”  Why?  Because God is ALWAYS at work.  He sees all, knows all and will always be in control.

David blessed the Lord for his deliverance and wasn’t ashamed to confess it. His testimony was clear: “God heard me and God helped me! I trusted Him and now I praise Him!” David now had the strength to obey God’s will, no matter what the enemy might do. He also had the Lord as his shield (3:3; 7:10; 18:2, 30; 33:20; 84:11; Gen.15:1; Deut. 33:29).

David had God’s power and God’s protection. How wonderful that David turned a painful experience into a song of praise to the Lord and that he left behind a witness that has encouraged other believers for centuries.

David’s experiences, lessons learned and songs of praise have encouraged me.  How about you?

Abba Father,

Thank you for the trials that teach us, grow and mature us to bear your Spiritual fruits of your character in us. Thank you for problems that teach us your wisdom in solving them.  We haven’t arrived but we are not who we were yesterday because of You.  You are always at work.  I trust You.  I sing your praises, glorifying your Name!  Thank you for continuing to work on me!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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STAY WITH GOD!

Posted on October 28, 2020 by randscallawayffm

In less than a week, it will be decided who will be our nation’s leader.  This is not an easy decision for voters who are believers.  While searching for truth, we only hear voices on each side that promise what we know they cannot keep, declare the faults and sins of the other guy, but do not provide truth of what they believe and how they will lead.  We are outsiders to insider information.  We don’t really know their hearts.  Only after the vote will “this is what I say…” is later revealed in true character and behavior.

As believers, we have to sort through all the talk that is not reliable and humbly ask God what HE wants and how HE wants us to vote.  We cannot rely on the rhetoric or the media’s translation of it.  We must realize that God is not a democrat, republican or independent and be grateful that this is not how God thinks!  God is God and we are not.  God is in control and no one else is, no matter what we are hearing.  God, alone, is Truth and that Truth is unchanging no matter what we think or believe about Truth.  We don’t decide who God is.  We don’t limit God by what we believe about God.  God just is and always will be.

“So, with him (God) on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing”, declares David.  The outcome of this election will not change my relationship with God.   God will not change His love for me based on the outcome of how I will vote.  Hallelujah!

Perspective.  Stay with God.  I won’t quit.  But I will stay with God.  No matter what.

“Stay with God!  Take heart. Don’t quit.  I’ll say it again:  Stay with God.” 

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 27, The Message

A David Psalm

Light, space, zest—
    that’s God!
So, with him on my side I’m fearless,
    afraid of no one and nothing.

2     When vandal hordes ride down
    ready to eat me alive,
Those bullies and toughs
    fall flat on their faces.

3 When besieged,
    I’m calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
    I’m collected and cool.

4 I’m asking God for one thing,
    only one thing:
To live with him in his house
    my whole life long.
I’ll contemplate his beauty;
    I’ll study at his feet.

5 That’s the only quiet, secure place
    in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
    far from the buzz of traffic.

6 God holds me head and shoulders
    above all who try to pull me down.
I’m headed for his place to offer anthems
    that will raise the roof!
Already I’m singing God-songs;
    I’m making music to God.

7-9 Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
    “Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
    my whole being replied,
“I’m seeking him!”
    Don’t hide from me now!

9-10 You’ve always been right there for me;
    don’t turn your back on me now.
Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;
    you’ve always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me,
    but God took me in.

11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
    direct me along a well-lighted street;
    show my enemies whose side you’re on.
Don’t throw me to the dogs,
    those liars who are out to get me,
    filling the air with their threats.

13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness
    in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
    Take heart. Don’t quit.
I’ll say it again:
    Stay with God.

TRUTH:  Stay with God.  Don’t quit.  Stay with God.

Proverbs 14:10-13, The Message

The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
    will be an outsider at their celebrations.

11 Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks;
    holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
    but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

WISDOM:  Stay with God.  Don’t quit.  Walk with God.  Learn the rhythm of His grace.  Tune our ears to hear God’s voice above the din of the world and do what He says for what He says is the best for us based on His relentless love.  God loves us more than we can imagine.  Stay with God.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” –Jesus (Jn 15:4)

Abba Father,

When we are perplexed but the world, you clear the air with Your unchanging Truth.  I’ll stick with You, Lord.  You are Wisdom, Power, Strength, Love, Grace and Mercy.  Why trust in anyone else for my life?  I love you, Lord, heart, mind and soul.  Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in my life that brings me closer and closer to You.  I love our relationship and I wouldn’t give it up…for the world.  Ever.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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EXAM TIME!

Posted on October 27, 2020 by randscallawayffm

Imagine sitting in the classroom of one of your most challenging courses.  In a few minutes the Professor will give you the exam.  You are anxiously wondering if you studied the right lecture notes and text passages.  Suddenly the room is too hot…or too cold.  Your mind is full of facts and figures, diagrams and illustrations, along with your experiences.  But is what your mind holds momentarily going to be asked on the final exam?  Now it’s time to take the test to see what you know revealing what you need to know! 

What if God is the Giver of the Exam?  What if you seriously asked HIM to exam every part of you; heart, mind, body and soul? 

Will everything you have been thinking, studying, being and doing in this life be examined?

Will what the enemy has done to you count as credit in the exam given by God?

David has courageously and willingly asked God to examine Him.  No wonder David is “a man after God’s heart”.  This humility before God is what our Father asks from us.  He, after all is said and done, is God and we are not. 

Micah the prophet speaks for God with a clue for the exam, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8, NIV)

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 26, The Message

A David Psalm

Clear my name, God;
    I’ve kept an honest shop.
I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and
    I’m not budging.

2     Examine me, God, from head to foot,
    order your battery of tests.
Make sure I’m fit
    inside and out

3     So I never lose
    sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
    never missing a beat.

4-5     I don’t hang out with tricksters,
    I don’t pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
    I don’t deal with double-dealers.

6-7     I scrub my hands with purest soap,
    then join hands with the others in the great circle,
    dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
    telling God-stories.

8-10     God, I love living with you;
    your house glows with your glory.
When it’s time for spring cleaning,
    don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
    women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

11-12     You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;
    now be aboveboard with me.
I’m on the level with you, God;
    I bless you every chance I get.

TRUTH:  Examine me, God, from head to foot, order your battery of tests.  Make sure I’m fit inside and out so I never lose sight of your love, but keep in step with you, never missing a beat.

The Examination by God will be loving, kind, direct, gentle, and helpful to grow us into all He created us to be.  Welcome the exam, for it leads to God’s best life for each of us!

Proverb 14:1-9, The Message

Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home;
    Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

2 An honest life shows respect for God;
    a degenerate life is a slap in his face.

3 Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile;
    wise speech evokes nothing but respect.

4 No cattle, no crops;
    a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.

5 A true witness never lies;
    a false witness makes a business of it.

6 Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
    the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

7 Escape quickly from the company of fools;
    they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.

8 The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track;
    the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.

9 The stupid ridicule right and wrong,
    but a moral life is a favored life.

WISDOM: “…a moral life is a favored life.”  God will never disappoint those who follow Him and walk in His ways with a sincere, humbled heart.  God is not looking for perfection but thoroughly committed people who love Him back enough to seek His wisdom for life.  This is life lived with God’s best!  It is the life God favors for all who believe and are willingly growing in His character.  This is God’s blessing, growing in His ways!

Abba Father,

Examine me.  Cleanse every dark corner.  Deal with those who slander me, for that is not my battle.  Help me to love and forgive like you love and forgive me.  Show me your will, purpose and plan, then help me to take one step at a time toward what you have prepared for me before I was born.  You are amazing, Father.  You know us inside and out.  Why hide anything from you that you already know?  That’s foolish on our part.  Restore, refresh and renew all that is needed in me to do what you want to do through me.  I love you, Lord with all my heart, mind and soul.  Transform me to be before I do anything.  Thank you, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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“TRUST AND OBEY, FOR THERE’S NO OTHER WAY…”

Posted on October 26, 2020 by randscallawayffm

One of my favorite hymns from my past is “Trust and Obey”.  I think it’s a favorite because I still hear Grandpa Lacquement’s voice leading the congregation.  He would always choose this song when we baptized people in our church.  Grandpa sang all the verses while people were drying off and changing clothes.  It was sung at my own baptism.  Yes, we believe in immersion baptism.  Dead to sin, rise to new life in Christ! 

Today, I am reminded of the importance to trust and obey God in good times and bad while reading David’s lament to God in our next Psalm followed by the wisdom Proverb.  Let’s learn by going deeper!  Trust God for there really is no better way!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psychologist M. Scott Peck writes, “Once we truly know that life is difficult–once we truly understand and accept it–then life is no longer difficult.” David knew that the path of life wasn’t easy, but he succeeded in the journey because he held to three unwavering assurances.

  1. The Help We Need Comes from God.  Other people may lift up their hearts to idols (24:4), which are only manufactured substitutes for God, but David lifted his heart up to the Lord, for He is the only true source of encouragement. In one of the darkest hours of his life, when David had lost everything, he “encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Sam. 30:6). He desperately needed wisdom to make the right decisions, avoid the traps, and reach the goal.  David not only prayed for God’s guidance, but he asked for insight to understand the Word; for only there could he learn God’s ways and understand his own path. “Lead me in thy truth” reminds us that the Word and prayer always go together (1 Sam. 12:23; John 15:7). 
  2. God Can Be Trusted!  At this point, David paused to meditate on the character of the Lord his God. After all, why pray to the Lord if He can’t be trusted? But He can be trusted! To begin with, He is “good and upright,” and what He says and does are always right. If we submit ourselves to Him in meekness, He will teach us His ways, but if we are arrogant, He will be silent.  God can be trusted to be merciful and gracious to those who repent (v. 11), but we must walk in the fear of the Lord (v. 12). “He [God] will instruct him in the way chosen for him” (v. 12 niv). Knowing that the Lord has a plan for our lives and that this plan is the very best for us should give us great joy and confidence as we seek His will (16:11; 139:13-16; Eph. 2:10). According to God’s covenant arrangement, those who obey will receive His provision and protection, and there will be blessing also for the next generations in the family (Deut. 4:1-14).  DO YOU HEAR the song “The Blessing” playing in the background?
  3. Trusting God Brings Victory!  David once again turns to prayer and mentions to the Lord the special burdens that beset him, the dangerous enemies without, and the distressing emotions within. But he wouldn’t mention them to the Lord if he didn’t believe the Lord could help him! 
  1. Danger (v. 15).The enemy had put snares in the path, but David trusted the Lord to protect him. Satan is a destroyer and a murderer and would trap us all if he could, but if we are in God’s will, he can’t harm us.
    1. Loneliness (v. 16).  Those who have never had to exercise authority and make difficult decisions involving other people sometimes overlook the loneliness of leadership. As we obey the Lord, we sometimes see friends and even family members turn against us, and this is painful. Three of David’s sons–Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah–turned against him, and so did his close friend and counselor Ahithophel.
    1. A broken heart (v. 17). If we sit alone and feel sorry for ourselves, we will never grow in the Lord and accomplish greater things for Him. Enlarged trouble will either make us or break us, turn us into giants or crush us into pygmies.  See how God helped David to grow. God can heal a broken heart if we give Him all the pieces and let Him have His way.
    1. Regrets (v. 18). As we have seen from verse 7, David may have had deep regrets because of things he had done in the past, and these regrets were robbing him of peace and joy. Satan is the accuser (Rev. 12:10) and wants to remind us of our sins, even though the Lord has forgiven them and holds them against us no more (Heb. 10:11-18).
    1. Fear (vv. 19-20). We don’t know what the situation was, but whatever it was, David feared for his life. Even more, he feared that he would fail and bring disgrace to the name of the God he loved. His enemies were increasing and so was his fear, but he trusted the Lord to take care of both.
    1. Despair (vv. 21-22). “I wait on you” also means “I have hope in you.” To lose hope is to surrender the future to the enemy, and that only destroys the meaning of the present. David was a man of integrity (7:8; 26:1, 11; 41:12; 78:72); he was wholehearted in his obedience to the Lord. Whatever lies the enemy was spreading about him, David knew that the Lord saw his heart and approved of his character. 

Psalm 25, The Message

A David Psalm

1-2 My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.

3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?

Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.

4 Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

5 Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?

6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

7 Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!

8 God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.

9 He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.

10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.

11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.

12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.

13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.

14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.

15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.

16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.

17 My heart and kidneys are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.

18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.

19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?

20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.

21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.

22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.

TRUTH: “God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction.”  “If I keep my eyes on God, I won’t trip over my own feet.”  Stay focused on the One who loves us most and wants His best for us.  We are never alone in our trials, for as members of God’s believing community, we have encouragement from one another. Our brothers and sisters around the world are also suffering trials (1 Peter 5:9), so we are not alone.

Tomorrow we will read how David survived his trials and was able to write Psalm 26:12: “My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord” (niv). May we follow his example!

David’s son, Solomon writes to his son…

Proverb 13:21-25, The Message

Disaster entraps sinners,
    but God-loyal people get a good life.

22 A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren;
    ill-gotten wealth ends up with good people.

23 Banks foreclose on the farms of the poor,
    or else the poor lose their shirts to crooked lawyers.

24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
    love your children by disciplining them.

25 An appetite for good brings much satisfaction,
    but the belly of the wicked always wants more.

WISDOM: “…God-loyal people get a good life.  A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren…

Abby Father,

Bless all who believe and trust in You alone.  We know You will for You have promised to be with us always, unto the end of the age.  Thank you, Lord.  In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.  I believe.

And we sing…

“The Blessing (Elevation Worship)

The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace

As we receive, we agree, amen

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen (amen, amen)
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children, and their children…

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WAKE UP!

Posted on October 24, 2020 by randscallawayffm

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 24, The Message

A David Psalm

1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
    God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
    laid it out on River girders.

3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

5-6 God is at their side;
    with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
    to God-seekers, God-questers.

7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

8 Who is this King-Glory?
    God, armed
    and battle-ready.

9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
    King-Glory is ready to enter.

10 Who is this King-Glory?
    God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
    he is King-Glory.

TRUTH:  Are we ready for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies to come?  God is always at our side, going in front of us and standing behind us ready to catch us when we fall.  God is.  God has been.  God always will be.  He is God, King of Glory, with Jesus, His Son, who is coming again to claim those whose hearts are committed to Him.  Yes, He is God and we are not.  We cannot save ourselves, only God.  Wake up!  Live Truth!

Our wisdom comes from God, King of Glory, who defeats all evil in our path.  Here is a hint of what to think and do versus what to avoid.  Seek advisors who know God and walk in His Ways.  THINK with prayer to God before speaking.  Get in the habit of asking our inner selves, is what I am about to say Truthful, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary and Kind.  We will discover that most of our words are unnecessary.  Speak life into people instead of sucking life from them with words that are unkind.

Proverb 13:14-20, The Message

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    so, no more drinking from death-tainted wells!

15 Sound thinking makes for gracious living,
    but liars walk a rough road.

16 A commonsense person lives good sense;
    fools litter the country with silliness.

17 Irresponsible talk makes a real mess of things,
    but a reliable reporter is a healing presence.

18 Refuse discipline and end up homeless;
    embrace correction and live an honored life.

19 Souls who follow their hearts thrive;
    fools bent on evil despise matters of soul.

20 Become wise by walking with the wise;
    hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

WISDOM:  Irresponsible talk makes a real mess of things, but a reliable reporter is a healing presence.  THINK before speaking.  Walk with the wise who know God.

Abba Father,

Thank you for stopping my foolish thoughts from becoming hurtful words when I pray for help.  Thank you for saving my soul.  I repent of those times hurtful words did spill out and you helped me clean up the mess from the experience.  You are God and I am not.  I believe what you say is True.  You are Truth whether I believe it or not.  I know this fact, too.  Help me to give life today with encouraging words to others.  Help me to love others like you love me.  Help me to leave nothing left undone but done well, in the most excellent way, by your love in me.  Thank you, God of Angel Armies for being by my side, helping in all the details of this day.  I am awake!  I am expectant!  I’ll be looking for you at work today!  And I will give you all the praise, for you are My God, the One and Only God!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

Posted on October 23, 2020 by randscallawayffm

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 23, The Message

A David Psalm

23 1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.

TRUTH:  The Lord is my Shepherd who loves, cares, protects, guides and provides.  We who believe are His sheep.  As His sheep we follow Our Shepherd.  He knows us by name.  He knows when one of us wanders away.  He leaves the ninety-nine to find the one who is lost.  Our Shepherd died and rose again for us, all because of His relentless love for us.  He is everything we need now and forever.  We’re home when we walk with God.  His sheep hear His Voice and follow no matter what is going on around them.  Pandemics, floods, fires, murders, mistreatment, bullying gossip that maims and kills do not faze the sheep who follow The Lord as Shepherd. 

The Lord is my Shepherd.  I have everything I need.

Proverb 13:7-14, The Message

A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
    a plain and simple life is a full life.

8 The rich can be sued for everything they have,
    but the poor are free of such threats.

9 The lives of good people are brightly lit streets;
    the lives of the wicked are dark alleys.

10 Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord,
    but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.

11 Easy come, easy go,
    but steady diligence pays off.

12 Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
    but a sudden good break can turn life around.

13 Ignore the Word and suffer;
    honor God’s commands and grow rich.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    so, no more drinking from death-tainted wells!

WISDOM: “…a plain and simple life is a full life.”  A life following The Shepherd as the only Way, the Truth, leads us to Life forever with Him.  The Lord is my Shepherd.  I will follow Him. 

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  –Jesus (John 14:6

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” –Jesus (John 10:27-28)

Abba Father,

Hallowed is Your Name.  May Your Kingdom come and reign supremely in us and all around us.  May Your will be done in every detail today and always.  Give us this day a glimpse of You at work in all Your glory.  Provide where you guide us.  Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from all evil.  For you have all power, all knowledge, all wisdom.  Nothing is too hard for You.  To you be all glory, honor and praise.  There is NO ONE like YOU!  So, cleanse me.  Restore the joy of your salvation in me.  Transform me to be all you created me to be.  Renew a right Spirit within me.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

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GOD DOES WHAT HE SAYS

Posted on October 22, 2020 by randscallawayffm

Truth and Consequences

David is human.  David is not afraid to be honest, completely honest, before His God.  David, “the apple of God’s eye”, falls into depression from all the troubles he momentarily has.  He is wondering why he is in trouble, thrown to the dogs of this world and feels like God is not listening or working on his behalf.  Though this “song” in sad, mixed with high anxiety in the beginning, David thinking begins to lift higher towards the end.  He begins to praise God by the last stanza of his retort.  This is common in the psalms of David. 

Those of us who tend to have high highs and low lows all in the same day or week can relate.  It is honest crying out to God, however, that we come closer to God.  We are not fooling God!  So, why shouldn’t we be honest with him as well as ourselves.  When we do, we realize that He was, is and always will be at work on our behalf.  We learn we cannot trust our current feelings but must wholly lean of His love and faithfulness to us.  God love’s never fails.  God’s faithfulness to us never ends.  His love, mercy and grace are new to us every morning. 

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.  Praise God for what we learn in and through our temporary troubles.  Praise God for sending His Son, Jesus to rescue us once and for by paying the complete debt for all our sins.  Praise God for being reconciled to Him through His Son, Jesus.  Thank you, Jesus!

We see the Messiah in between the lines of this prophetic song of despair that turns to praise.  Our proverb reminds us of the consequences of rejecting God’s Truth.  Living in defiance to our Creator is a dangerous way to live.  The prophet Isaiah wrote about the foolishness of telling God what to do,

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” Isaiah 45:9, NLT

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 22, The Message

A David Psalm

1-2 God, God . . . my God!
    Why did you dump me
    miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God
    all the day long. No answer. Nothing.
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.

3-5 And you! Are you indifferent, above it all,
    leaning back on the cushions of Israel’s praise?
We know you were there for our parents:
    they cried for your help and you gave it;
    they trusted and lived a good life.

6-8 And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm,
    something to step on, to squash.
Everyone pokes fun at me;
    they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
“Let’s see how God handles this one;
    since God likes him so much, let him help him!”

9-11 And to think you were midwife at my birth,
    setting me at my mother’s breasts!
When I left the womb you cradled me;
    since the moment of birth you’ve been my God.
Then you moved far away
    and trouble moved in next door.
I need a neighbor.

12-13 Herds of bulls come at me,
    the raging bulls stampede,
Horns lowered, nostrils flaring,
    like a herd of buffalo on the move.

14-15 I’m a bucket kicked over and spilled,
    every joint in my body has been pulled apart.
My heart is a blob
    of melted wax in my gut.
I’m dry as a bone,
    my tongue black and swollen.
They have laid me out for burial
    in the dirt.

16-18 Now packs of wild dogs come at me;
    thugs gang up on me.
They pin me down hand and foot,
    and lock me in a cage—a bag
Of bones in a cage, stared at
    by every passerby.
They take my wallet and the shirt off my back,
    and then throw dice for my clothes.

19-21 You, God—don’t put off my rescue!
    Hurry and help me!
Don’t let them cut my throat;
    don’t let those mongrels devour me.
If you don’t show up soon,
    I’m done for—gored by the bulls,
    meat for the lions.

22-24 Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,
    and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
    give glory, you sons of Jacob;
    adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
    never looked the other way
    when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
    he has been right there, listening.

25-26 Here in this great gathering for worship
    I have discovered this praise-life.
And I’ll do what I promised right here
    in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God’s table
    and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
    is here, praising him.
“Live it up, from head to toe.
    Don’t ever quit!”

27-28 From the four corners of the earth
    people are coming to their senses,
    are running back to God.
Long-lost families
    are falling on their faces before him.


God has taken charge;
    from now on he has the last word.

29 All the power-mongers are before him
    —worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
    —worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
    —worshiping!

30-31 Our children and their children
    will get in on this
As the word is passed along
    from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
    will hear the good news—
    that God does what he says.

TRUTH: “God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.”  He is God and we are not.  He is always at work for us, not against us.  God has always been in charge.  God IS the Creator.  His Son, Jesus Christ, was there at the beginning.  Once we come to our senses, see our sin and how it destroying our lives, we run to God to be saved.  The work Jesus did on the cross saves us and reconciles us to a right and holy relationship with our Creator, God.  Pass on this truth to all the generations to come, your children and their children and their children…

“God does what he says.”

The wisdom from our Proverb today points out the consequences of living for evil instead of the world.

Proverb 13:1-6, The Message

Intelligent children listen to their parents;
    foolish children do their own thing.

2 The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation;
    bullies push and shove their way through life.

3 Careful words make for a careful life;
    careless talk may ruin everything.

4 Indolence wants it all and gets nothing;
    the energetic have something to show for their lives.

5 A good person hates false talk;
    a bad person wallows in gibberish.

6 A God-loyal life keeps you on track;
    sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.

WISDOM:  Listen to godly parents who know, believe and behave Truth.  “A God-loyal life keeps you on track”, sin does not.  A life lived for self is no life at all. 

Abba Father,

Help us to know you, hear your voice above all others and realize the depth of love you have for us.  When we do, we discover the joy of your salvation in us.  Our energy for real life is renewed and our thinking refreshed.  Knowing that you have wiped the slate clean of our sins, we are lifted to greater heights of behaving in ways the show your love to others.  Our confidence is in you dear Jesus!  Continue to transform us with knowledge of your relentless, unconditional love.  Help us to love like you love us.  In Jesus Name, Amen.  I believe!

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HOLLERING HOSANNAS!

Posted on October 21, 2020 by randscallawayffm

Growing up in Oklahoma, the word “holler” is not new to me.  I am amused by just saying it, however.  Did you ever have a word that just made you smile for no apparent reason?  “Hollering” does it for me.  Momma was hollering at her kids to come home for dinner.  Dad was hollering because he can’t find the tool he is looking for in the shed.  The kids were hollering at each other when Billy played the game unfairly.  The manager hollered at his employees when sales were down or when he got a complaint.  The church lady hollered at the pastor when didn’t do what she wanted him to do.  Everyone hollers at something or someone each day.

After the victory, David “hollers hosannas” to God for the victory, as we read in Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message.  I love this.  David teaches us to expect God to intervene and then follow up with giving HIM all the glory.  This is a life lived of expectancy for God, trusting God with obedience to God.  This life leads to hollering hosannas of praise to the One and Only God who loves us more than we deserve, doles out generous grace and mercy that saves us from death.  That alone is the reason we holler hosannas today and always.  Amen?!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 21, The Message

A David Psalm

1-7 Your strength, God, is the king’s strength.
    Helped, he’s hollering Hosannas.
You gave him exactly what he wanted;
    you didn’t hold back.
You filled his arms with gifts;
    you gave him a right royal welcome.
He wanted a good life; you gave it to him,
    and then made it a long life as a bonus.
You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud,
    then dressed him in rainbow colors.
You pile blessings on him;
    you make him glad when you smile.
Is it any wonder the king loves God?
    that he’s sticking with the Best?

8-12 With a fistful of enemies in one hand
    and a fistful of haters in the other,
You radiate with such brilliance
    that they cringe as before a furnace.
Now the furnace swallows them whole,
    the fire eats them alive!
You purge the earth of their progeny,
    you wipe the slate clean.
All their evil schemes, the plots they cook up,
    have fizzled—every one.
You sent them packing;
    they couldn’t face you.

13 Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it.
    We are out singing the good news!

TRUTH:  Helped by God, we holler hosannas!  “Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it. We are out singing the good news!’  We are hollering hosannas for all you have done, are doing and will do.  

In case you missed it in context, holler means to shout with all that is in you to get the attention of the one in whom your words are directed.  Who are you hollering to this morning?  What is the attitude of your hollering?  Who is the victor? 

Proverb 12:20-28, The Message

Evil scheming distorts the schemer;
    peace-planning brings joy to the planner.

21 No evil can overwhelm a good person,
    but the wicked have their hands full of it.

22 God can’t stomach liars;
    he loves the company of those who keep their word.

23 Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge;
    talkative fools broadcast their silliness.

24 The diligent find freedom in their work;
    the lazy are oppressed by work.

25 Worry weighs us down;
    a cheerful word picks us up.

26 A good person survives misfortune,
    but a wicked life invites disaster.27 A lazy life is an empty life,
    but “early to rise” gets the job done.

28 Good men and women travel right into life;
    sin’s detours take you straight to hell.

WISDOM:  Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up.  There is good hollering and bad hollering.  Be the one who makes a difference in someone’s life by hollering hosannas to God and blessings of encouragement to others.  Yes, be a blessing of God’s character today.  God smiles when we do.  He loves it when his kids get along in unity, loving each other like He loves us! 

A side effect of being genuinely cheerful, speaking words of encouragement to others, stems from an attitude of peace and gratitude that diffuses all worry.  God is like that. He takes the bad that happens and helps us see how He can use the bad for good in our lives.  Yes, God is the victor of all that the devil throws at us or in situations we brought on ourselves through bad decisions or missteps in judgement.  Lives given to God are victorious lives. 

Abba Father,

Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in our lives for our good and your glory!  I’m hollering hosannas and praises to You this morning!  I love you with all that is in me because of realizing the deep love you have for me.  Help me to love like you love today.  Help me to see you at work and stand ready to join you when you provide the invitation and opportunity.  Oh Lord, You alone are worthy of all our praise.  Great are you, Lord, indeed! 

In Jesus Name, Amen!

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PRAYER BEFORE BATTLE

Posted on October 20, 2020 by randscallawayffm

As believers who have said a hearty YES to God, who want what God wants for the lost to be found in Him, a battle begins to escalate rapidly.  That’s why it is important to know God, know ourselves, know where we stand with God, and know our enemy.  Satan, the fallen angel of God, who wants to be God, has a war-hungry band of demons who battle us daily with evil, degrading thoughts causing distractions from God’s work in us and through us.  His schemes are relentless, causing disruptions and frustrations so we will give up and quit doing what God wants.  How will we respond to this daily battle?  On our knees!

What the evil one hates most of all are believers on their knees crying out to God in Jesus Name.  Satan knows he cannot win but that doesn’t stop him from pestering us daily until we give up.  Will we?

Our psalm today is a prayer before battle from David and the people who pray for David  to claim victory as their king of Israel.  They are asking God for help and thanking God for the victory over the enemies of Israel.  Did you get that!?  They are planning a victory celebration knowing God will defeat the enemy!

What if we prayed expecting victory each day from our real enemy, Satan?  What if we called out to God, on our knees, bowed in humble adoration of God, in Jesus Name, thanking him for the victory before the battle even begins today?

Pause to think about it.  Take all the time you need.  I did.

Our accompanying Proverb teaches us to seek God’s truth along with wise advice before doing anything.  Do we ask God what HE wants for our day while praying for our daily needs as we see needs?  Maybe, just maybe, He has something much better, more than we could ever think or imagine!

Are you planning the victory as you pray today?  Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow!  No matter what, God wins.  Remember that.

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 20, The Message

A David Psalm

1-4 God answer you on the day you crash,
The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm’s reach,
Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,
Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,
Exclaim over your offerings,
Celebrate your sacrifices,
Give you what your heart desires,
Accomplish your plans.

5 When you win, we plan to raise the roof
    and lead the parade with our banners.
May all your wishes come true!

6 That clinches it—help’s coming,
    an answer’s on the way,
    everything’s going to work out.

7-8 See those people polishing their chariots,
    and those others grooming their horses?
    But we’re making garlands for God our God.
The chariots will rust,
    those horses pull up lame—
    and we’ll be on our feet, standing tall.

9 Make the king a winner, God;
    the day we call, give us your answer.

TRUTH: “everything’s going to work out.”

Proverb 12:13-19, The Message

Wise People Take Advice

13 The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble;
    the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.

14 Well-spoken words bring satisfaction;
    well-done work has its own reward.

15 Fools are headstrong and do what they like;
    wise people take advice.

16 Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly;
    the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

17 Truthful witness by a good person clears the air,
    but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

18 Rash language cuts and maims,
    but there is healing in the words of the wise.

19 Truth lasts;
    lies are here today, gone tomorrow.

WISDOM:  Wise people take advice from truth filled people who love God.  Truth lasts, lies do not.  Go with Truth.

Abba Father,

Thank you for advice, help in trouble, listening to the cries of our hearts. Thank you for helping us daily to win the battle over satan’s attacks. Thank you for victory that you will provide today!

In Jesus Name, Amen! Yes, and Amen! I believe.

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PULL MY LIFE TOGETHER, LORD!

Posted on October 19, 2020 by randscallawayffm

This is the song playing in the background of my mind as I read our Worship and Wisdom passages for today:

Overwhelmed

Big Daddy Weave

I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

I know the power of Your Cross
Forgiven and free forever You’ll be my God
And all that You’ve done is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

And God I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

You are Beautiful, You are Beautiful
Oh God, there is…

I think you will get it and sing it, too, as you read God’s Words of truth and wisdom…

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 19, The Message

A David Psalm

1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
    God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
    Professor Night lectures each evening.

3-4 Their words aren’t heard,
    their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
    unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

4-5 God makes a huge dome
    for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
    leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
    racing to the tape.

6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
    from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
    warming hearts to faith.

7-9 The revelation of God is whole
    and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
    and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
    showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
    and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
    with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
    down to the nth degree.

10 God’s Word is better than a diamond,
    better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
    better than red, ripe strawberries.

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

TRUTH:  “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.”  Knowing God, hearing God’s voice and letting Him work while we pray is the best way to go.  Start each day scrubbed clean of sin, read and meditate on His Word for His Word never changes.  His Word guides us to His Ways and Will for our lives.  Listen to Him.

Proverb 12:1-12, The Message

If You Love Learning

If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—
    how shortsighted to refuse correction!

2 A good person basks in the delight of God,
    and he wants nothing to do with devious schemers.

3 You can’t find firm footing in a swamp,
    but life rooted in God stands firm.

4 A hearty wife invigorates her husband,
    but a frigid woman is cancer in the bones.

5 The thinking of principled people makes for justice;
    the plots of degenerates corrupt.

6 The words of the wicked kill;
    the speech of the upright saves.

7 Wicked people fall to pieces—there’s nothing to them;
    the homes of good people hold together.

8 A person who talks sense is honored;
    airheads are held in contempt.

9 Better to be ordinary and work for a living
    than act important and starve in the process.

10 Good people are good to their animals;
    the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them.

11 The one who stays on the job has food on the table;
    the witless chase whims and fancies.

12 What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin,
    while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life.


WISDOM: “…the roots of the righteous give life, and more life.  A leader is a learner.  A learner knows that only God has the right answer to every question.  A learner who follows God, obeys His ways and walks with God daily gives life to others who are seeking.  “A good person basks in the delight of God.” THIS is something to chew on and think about all day long and into the night.  Am I the delight of God?

Abba Father,

We worship you because you are God.  You created the heavens and earth.  You created us.  You love us and you want us to simply love you back.  Reveal your glory to us today.  Pull our lives together as only you can.  You have all the answers but you want us to ask for the answers because that reveals who we are…a learner seeking you with all our hearts, minds and souls, knowing that we do not have all the answers. 

We ask for wisdom to live this day all day long and into the night.  We pray for you to give us the right answers to give someone else seeking you.  We pray that we make the most of every opportunity you give us to help someone else find their way to you, too.  My soul delights in you while I delight in you!  What a thought that you would love me so much to delight in the details of my life!  Teach me, Lord, still for I am your servant.  I a learner.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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