Coffee With The Lord

Here’s one voice joining that of the Psalmist urging you to trust in the Lord, regardless of the evil around you or the opposition you’re facing! Don’t be frustrated… Wait for the Lord to act – He will! In the meantime, continue doing what is right and trust Him! He is faithful! Ultimately you will be vindicated!

That’s the message of Psalm 37:1-11 – It’s God’s word, you can depend on it!

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off…In just a little while, the wicked will be no more! But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”

A good word from my time of “Coffee with the Lord” this Wednesday morning!

Someone needs to hear this summarized message of Psalm 30 today! … “With the Lord involved there is always HOPE for tomorrow!!!” (My personal paraphrase/summary of the Psalm).

Now here’s a taste of what the Psalm says…

“I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

“Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

“As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ … You hid your face; I was dismayed!

“To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: ‘What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!’

“But you have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” (From Psalm 30 ESV)

One more time – it’s true! … “With the Lord there is always HOPE for tomorrow!”

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I got just a taste of Apostle Paul’s philosophy of ministry in my Bible reading… Here’s what he said…

“We endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ! … If I preach the gospel that gives me ground for boasting! Necessity is laid upon me! Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I do this of my own will I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them!” (From 1 Corinthians 9:12-19)

I want Paul’s declaration to be mine! I never want to simply be a “hireling” – someone that simply does “ministry” or Christian service for money! It’s a divine calling! I’m doing what I do for the Lord! He redeemed us, He gives us the gifts we have, the call we have is a divine call! I want to do my best for Him!

As I reflected on this today, the probing words of an old gospel song came to mind…

“I wonder have I done my best for Jesus,
Who died upon the cruel tree?
To think of His great sacrifice at Calvary!
I know my Lord expects the best from me.

“The hours that I have wasted are so many
The hours I’ve spent for Christ so few;
Because of all my lack of love for Jesus,
I wonder if His heart is breaking too.

“I wonder have I cared enough for others,
Or have I let them die alone?
I might have helped a wanderer to the Savior,
The seed of precious Life I might have sown.

“No longer will I stay within the valley
I’ll climb to mountain heights above;
The world is dying now for want of someone
To tell them of the Savior’s matchless love.

Refrain:
“How many are the lost that I have lifted?
How many are the chained I’ve helped to free?
I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus,
When He has done so much for me?

“Have I Done My Best for Jesus?”  -Ensign Edwin Young, Harry E. Storrs, nd