Coffee With The Lord

Going to do a little personal paraphrasing today… Hope it’s a blessing! One of my very favorite passages (and one of the best known) in all the Bible… Psalm 23

“The Lord is my guardian and guide… Because of that I have everything I need!  He leads me to places where I find bounty,blessing and peace.  He restores and refreshes me when I am physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent!  He leads in the way I ought to go so that my life is honoring to Him.

“Even when I face challenges and circumstances in my daily walk with Him that seem as dark as death itself… I don’t have to be afraid!  I know that You are with me Lord!  You are there to what a shepherd does… guiding and guarding all the way.

“Even when enemies surround me you have a wonderful way of providing a table filled with bountiful blessing!  If I’m wounded you have just the salve I need to bring healing!  My cup of blessing overflows!  And I’m confident of this fact… Your goodness and steadfast love (yes, your covenant love) will be there for me every day I live… and beyond this life?  The confident hope of spending eternity with you in Heaven!”

Yes, I just LOVE that Psalm… Hope I did it justice!   It was part of my Bible reading today.  Sometimes it just helps to do a personal paraphrase…  Oh, and “The Lord IS my Shepherd!!” 

I got up this morning, looked at the headlines, and felt deep, deep concern!  Then had “coffee with the Lord” and read these words…

“His disciples came to him privately and said, ‘Tell us… What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’  Jesus answered them, ‘Watch out that no one misleads you… You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED, FOR THIS MUST HAPPEN, BUT THE END IS STILL TO COME.  For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.   ALL THESE THINGS ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS.  They will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.  Then many will be led into sin, and they will betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will appear and deceive many, and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.  BUT THE PERSON WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME!’”  (Matthew 24:3–14 from the NET Bible)

Seems like really good advice to me!  Glad I read it!

After today’s reading in the Bible, I want to go on record about something…

If you see me and want to get my attention or address me… Just call me “LeRoy” or as a fellow Christian, “Brother…”  I prefer “Dad” from my children or “Grandpa” from my grandchildren.  And if you can’t remember my name I’ll even respond to “Hey, You!” 😉

Pride is an insidious thing… We defend it by insisting that others give “honor where honor is due” (and I’m not arguing with that – in fact I support that idea)… I’m just talking about what I insist on personally… And I’ve got to admit, arrogance can slip in, and before long it’s all about us, our rights, our position, and our achievements.

Jesus spoke about those who “do all their deeds to be seen by others” and “love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues (their houses of worship) and elaborate greetings in the marketplace” and those that “love to have people call them ‘Rabbi…’”

He went on to say…  “You are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.  And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ.  (And here’s the rationale…) The greatest among you will be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8–12 from the NET Bible)

So one more time… Just plain “LeRoy” will work for me… or “Brother…” (or if you can’t remember just call me “Hey, you!”  (And if you’re teaching your children to be respectful of other’s… Hey, it’s your call 🙂