smattern, Author at Resonant 7 Page

August 6, 2019 by smattern Leave a Comment

Talking to One with a Much Bigger Perspective

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our trouble
He will hear our faintest cry, He will answer by and by
And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin’
And you will know a little fire is burnin’
Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus
By: Cleavant Derricks (1909-1977)

Listen as you read. This is an updated version of this old hymn.

This week we wrap up the talking portion of our walking/talking journey, I hope you will take a little time today to tune your heart, and tomorrow as Dr. Sherri Woods returns with her third Wednesday Wanderings, a different look at the text we will use to tune today. You can be certain of getting it if you are on our list, since it will come directly to your email. If you are not on our list, sign-up today in the box to the right.

Let’s tune our hearts!

A Little Talk with Jesus

We need to learn to bring our bumps and bruises to Jesus. That’s what the image above reminds me. We have a tendency to try to handle things on our own, or rationalize that we should not bother Jesus with the small stuff.

The little boy has a skinned up knee, maybe he fell down. One corner of His mouth is bruised, maybe he said something someone thought he should not. His eye is black and blue, maybe he saw something that got him in trouble. I can relate to the possible causes of his pain, and I am certain you can too.

Some of our trouble we bring on ourselves, and some comes through others. Either way it hurts. You can see he is discouraged, and you know what that feels like.

The dove perched there and the face on the bench remind me that God is near to the brokenhearted, but I am not convinced the boy knows it. How often have we been guilty of not taking advantage of the access we have to God? Like a little child, we can come to our Jesus, and…

Tell Him All About Our Trouble

The look on this little boys face could be taken many ways. Maybe he knows He has brought some trouble on Himself. “Dad, there is something I have to tell you.” Maybe someone else is giving Him the trouble. “Dad, someone at school is being mean to me.” Either way, going to his Dad to talk is a great idea.

They will be likely be able to sort out the problem, get to the root cause of it and maybe even figure out a way to deal with it in that one little talk. Maybe they will only be able to begin to plot the course out of the trouble, but even that is better tan dealing with it on his own.

What trouble are you dealing with today? Have you had a little talk with Jesus about it? Have you told Jesus all about it? If so, do you have s sense of what He is saying to you? If not, why not? Either way, take a minute right now before reading any further to have a little talk with Jesus.

He Will Hear our Humble Cry

Though there are many reasons we do not talk to Jesus about our troubles, I have often said one of the most basic reasons is we simply lack the faith that He actually hear us. Even if we have resolved that crucial issue, many wrestle to find rest in a certainty that He cares enough to do anything.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 ESV

That is pretty straightforward. When we cry for help the Lord hears us. Maybe you dismiss this verse because you feel you are not righteous. If you have determined to put your confidence in Christ’s work to make you right with God, the Father does not determine your righteousness based on what you done, but on what Christ has done. Simply resolve to trust Christ, and believe He hears you.

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 ESV

This Scripture encourages us to tell Him all about our troubles and the anxiety they create as a response to His care for us. Because He cares for us, we should cast our cares on Him. Are you convinced God cares for you? Think about your life, and all the good things. God is the source of all of them. Ask Him to help you accept this foundational truth.

He is reaching out to you even now. Even as you read this. Trace His finger reaching out to you and respond by reaching to Him. He will hear because He cares for you.

He Will Answer

The last part of Psalm 34:17 puts God on the hook to do something. It says He will “deliver them out of all their troubles.” For me this is the hardest of the equation, as if this were a formula at all. But there is a promise element to these words, a stronger element than just a principle at work when God intervenes.

When the righteous cry for help, He will deliver. If you have cried out for help before, trusting in the finished work of Christ to impart His righteousness on you, you may have been left wondering when the deliverance would come. You may have been let waiting for it for a long time. You may still be waiting for it today.

Our song text contextualizes God’s answer with a copious timeframe. By and by. Not in common usage today, this poetic phrase means simply, “before long” or “eventually”. Those two definitions seem very different, although they are one and the same.

To One who is eternal, before long comes much more quickly than it seems to one bound by time. The song is reminding us that God will answer eventually. The problem with that promise is that it came seem like a long time coming, but that is simply our limited and frankly very small perspective.

He will answer. It may not be until by and by. But He will answer.

Take a few moments and have a little talk with Jesus about the troubles you are experiencing today or this season. Tell Him you are confident He will answer, and ask Him for the patience to wait until the before long or eventually happens. He will hear even your faintest cry because He cares for you.

We will continue to warm our hearts with these truths as we consider our conversations with Jesus on Thursday and subsequent weeks, but be sure to take a few minutes and cultivate that heart to converse with Jesus through the video log and/or transcript below the prayer. The video is available only to our Subscribers, but the transcript is available to everyone. Become a Subscriber today. Simply click here.

Restful Tuning!

Jesus, teach me the value of having little talks with You throughout this day. Help me to practice the discipline of telling You about my troubles, confident You hear me and will answer. Give me the patience to wait until You do. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Below is content available only to Subscribers. Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here, or the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the Subscribers content, click here.

Subscribers enjoy this video! Everyone, the transcript below.

Video 8.3 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Make little talks with Jesus a habit. Work at just normal conversation. Share your heart, but make sure you spend time listening as well, because God gave you one mouth and two ears for a reason. Ask Jesus to help you grow in your ability to talk with Him.

He hears even our faintest cry, so don’t worry if you are having trouble finding the energy or courage to pray with passion, just let it out. He will answer, it may be soon, or after a little while, but rest knowing His response is coming.

I believe the prayer wheel symbolizes praying without ceasing. That does not mean constant talking, but always praying, and especially when something is burning inside that you just have to share with Jesus. Ask Jesus to stoke that fire.

Though talking with Jesus may not immediately change your circumstances, it can immediately change you. Whether just telling HIm about it, or actually sensing His response, it changes things. Talk to Jesus right now for a few moments right now.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
A Little Talk – https://pixabay.com/photos/outdoors-grass-summer-field-sunset-3202494/
Tell Him All About Our Trouble – https://pixabay.com/photos/sad-child-boy-kid-crying-tears-219721/
He Will Hear – https://pixabay.com/photos/michelangelo-abstract-boy-child-71282/
By and By – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/acient-planet-astronomy-astrology-1841699/

August 1, 2019 by smattern Leave a Comment

Steered Safely To Heaven’s Shores

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a Closer Walk with Thee
By: Anonymous

Listen as you read. This is a really nice gospel instrumental version.

As we established in our Tunings on Tuesday (find it here), we all have an expiration date, yet will also live on beyond time as we know it. When all these moments end, and the rest of eternity begins, we will be just as secure in God’s care as we are today. Let’s think about this.

Guide Me

Having acknowledged out weakness and our mortality, we now turn our attention to God’s direction and sovereignty. We begin with the simple prayer for Him to guide us. This is important because it allows us to admit our need for His help in this most crucial moment, the one when we step beyond time.

Jesus promised in John 14 that He was going to prepare a place for us and would return to take us to be with Him. Thomas spoke what all the disciples where probably thinking.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:5 ESV

Jesus answered the question with one of the most profound and powerful phrases in Scripture.

“I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” John 14:6 ESV

Jesus is the Way to the Father, and He faithfully leads us through every step of our journey, including that last leg that brings us to our eternal home. Our need for Jesus to guide us will possibly more evident in those moments that every before, but it is no less real for every other moment we will live until then. Prepare yourself to rest in His guiding influence then by practicing it now.

Ask Jesus to teach you how to walk His Way, so you may know the Truth and in it find real life. Then keep your mind open for opportunities to practice it today. They will most assuredly come.

Gently, Safely O’er

Let’s begin to develop our understanding of the end of this life and the beginning of the next as another part of our great journey with Jesus. He is our Captain. Imagine you are on a ship. As the sun sets on your life as you know it, like in this image, you will have the opportunity to trust Jesus to guide you through the coming night to a brighter day.

We can face death, which can threaten to swallow us up in its darkness, with a confidence that the One who is Life can lead us through it gently, and safely. Though we do not know exactly what to expect, we can trust that the One who led us the rest of the Way will lead us then as well into the Truth of all He has promised us.

Think of some of the things Jesus has led you safely through. Remember how gentle He was with you, even though the circumstances seemed to want to tear you apart. Decide you can and will trust Him to lead you to the very end of your journey.

To Thy Kingdom Shore

Our destination. The shores of His Heavenly Kingdom. What a beautiful image to create for people well aware they are on a journey! On the other side of the ocean of life is a certain harbor or haven.

I am reminded again of some words shared at my dad’s funeral service. A woman I did not know stood and read poem. It was powerful and gave symbolic expression to exactly what I believe had happened for my father. These are those words, from the poem entitled “Gone from my Sight”.

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze,
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch her until she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: “There! She’s gone!”
Gone where? Gone from my sight – that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side,
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of her destination.
Her diminished size is in me, and not in her.

To Thy Kingdom Shore

And just at the moment
when someone at my side says: “There! She’s gone!”
there are other eyes that are watching for her coming;
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout:
“There she comes!”

What a powerful illustration! This picture captures some sense of that. Jesus led my dad, gently, safely over to that kingdom shore. Jesus will lead each of us gently, safely over to that same shore.

Are you trusting Jesus for that last final part of your journey? Is there anything that is keeping you from trusting Him completely? Tell Jesus you will trust Him to lead you all the way to His Kingdom shore.

To Thy Shore

So have you even imagined what your arrival there will be like? Who will greet you? What you will see? When we arrive there we will be just as real and alive as we are now, and so will that place be as the place where you are reading this.

This idea of a shore is helpful because it makes a place that seems almost too good to be true just a bit easier to fathom, though I am certain in its grandeur it is truly unfathomable. I have remarked for years that if God made all we see in 6 days, but it has taken Jesus 2,000 years to “prepare a place for” us, then how much better must that place be than even the grandest vistas this creation affords. Even if shores are not your favorite places to find rest and rejuvenate, I am certain you will love that one.

Jesus, thank You for the confidence Your care in the past gives us as we face otherwise uncertain futures, including our own demise, of the demise of those we love. Teach us to trust Your guidance, knowing it is gentle and safe, like You. Take us at the end of our days to that Kingdom shore. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Careful Thinking!

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Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this podcast! While everyone can the transcript below! The podcast features meditative music and moments to follow the instructions given herein.

Podcast 7.3 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

When my feeble life is o’er,

1 Corinthians 15:53 ESV

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

There will be an end to this life. The songwriter says feeble, the Scripture says perishable and mortal, all three make clear it will not last forever. Though painful, this is an important reality to acknowledge because it forces us to deal with our mortality. Thank Jesus for the courage to face death.

Time for me will be no more;

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Time versus eternity. We are so constrained to the construct of time that it is difficult for us to even fathom what eternity is. He put it in our hearts, yet we still can not truly understand it. Ask the Holy Spirit to deepen your understanding of forever.

Guide me gently, safely o’er

Romans 8:38-39 ESV

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from His love, not even death. That hope gives us the courage to trust that He will gently, safely take us to our eternal home with Him. Give Him praise!

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

An eternal kingdom awaits us. Like the passengers on a ship, our Captain will get us to our final destination, no matter what storms may come.. We will arrive there safely as certainly as we can leave here peacefully. Thank the Father for all that awaits us beyond this life.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Guide Me – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/navigation-points-of-the-compass-272178/
Gently, Safely O’er – https://pixabay.com/photos/mast-rigging-ship-sailboat-983904/
To Thy Kingdom Shore – https://pixabay.com/photos/sail-sunset-sea-water-ocean-3585674/
To Thy Shore – https://pixabay.com/photos/sunset-sky-water-waves-ocean-sea-2575958/

I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,
But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night.
I go to Him in prayer, He knows my every care,
And just a little talk with my Jesus makes it right.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus
By: Cleavant Derricks (1909-1977)

Listen as you read. This is an updated version of this old hymn.

Last week a little walk, this week a little talk. Walking and talking with Jesus, spending time with Him, changes us and our perspective. I hope you will take a little time today to tune your heart, and tomorrow as Dr. Sherri Woods returns with her second Wednesday Wanderings, a different look at the text we will use to tune today. You can be certain of getting if you are on our list, since it will come directly to your email. If you are not on our list, sign-up today in the box to the right.

Let’s tune our hearts!

I May Have…?

Our text today starts with those words. “I may have doubts and fears”. May have? Will have! Oh yes, I will have doubts and fears, but they will not have me.

It is important not to take things out of context. These first two lines which we will use to tune today are really one thought. I understand the writer is saying that though I may have doubts and fears, I also have Jesus, and that awareness changes everything. We will be examine this more thoroughly, but I think it is valuable to consider the difference between having something and it having you.

We all have doubts. We doubt others. We doubt ourselves. We even doubt God. There is a difference between having doubts and doubts having you, and it is a very important distinction. You see, to have a doubt means simply that you lack certainty in something that may actually be worthy of it. This can be overcome as we allow God to replace our doubt with faith.

It is another matter altogether for doubt to have you. By this I mean that rather than simply possessing some doubt, doubt possesses you. It takes you captive. It overwhelms and controls you, influencing you in ways of which you are not even fully aware. It is possible to overcome even when doubt has you, but it is much more complicated and challenging.

The same is true of fear.

Like doubt, fear comes in a variety of packages and from a myriad of sources. Those listed in the image here are not an exhaustive list, but you quickly get the gist of the different kinds of ways fear manifests in our lives, often masking itself in other feelings. So what are the most prevalent feelings for you which show the underlying root of fear? Helpless, worthless, powerless, inadequate, lost, shameful, etc.

Before we move on to consider the tears they cause, take just a few moments to recount some of the doubts and fear you have, and evaluate if any of them have you. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them and help you see them clearly.

Tears

We all have doubts. We all have fears. And those doubts and fears fill our eyes with tears on more than one occasion. This is true not only for us, but all others who have professed our faith. The Psalmist indicates as much on numerous occasions. Here is one of the most common.

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:3 ESV

See, you are in good company with the very ones who experienced the inspiration of the Scripture. Even they shed tears from doubts and fears. Though it may not feel like much of a consolation now, as you reflect on this reality you will quickly see the universal condition of the human soul.

Life has many challenges. Many of them leave us feeling very powerless and small. But we are never without hope. We will examine why that is true as we tune our hearts to the truth of the next phrase, but first…

Take a few moments and have a little talk with Jesus about the tears you are shedding today or this season. I am certain you do not have to think long and hard for these things tend to be near the surface, but ask Him to reveal anything that might be below the surface so you can deal with that pain and its’ causes.

But Jesus…

So you have done a little inventory or the doubts and fears that are causing the tears in your life. Let’s bring them to the One who cares for you. Your friend. Your shepherd. Jesus.

I do not live in a society that is intimately familiar with shepherding so I do not have a deep experiential understanding of this illustration as used in the Scripture. I can appreciate that Jesus watches over me not like one who is doing a job, but as one who has taken a personal interest in me, in you.

Over the years however I have learned some things about shepherding which have aided my understanding of this powerful image. The most powerful one says a shepherd is willing to go to extreme measures to exercise his care for his sheep. A lamb prone to wander must be taught stay near the shepherd to avoid danger.

If a lamb continues to wander, a good shepherd is willing to break the leg of the lamb and then carry it until it heals, so the lamb gets so used to the shepherds voice it will no longer wander. That seems like going too far, but when you realize if could be the difference between life and death for the lamb, it seems less so.

The same is true for us. I imagine there are some tears the Lord could spare us, but they are worthwhile if through the shedding of them, and the nearness to our Good Shepherd they foster, are are sparred much greater harm. That possibility may give you a much better perspective on the things that have been the source of your tears.

Thank Jesus for being such a good shepherd that He would allow some pain to spare you far more.

Day and Night

Allow me to leave you with one final thought.

Jesus is eternally, continually vigilant in His care for you. Even when you are sleeping, He never is. Not only is He a good shepherd, but He is one who NEVER stops shepherding, even when you are asleep, or in many other ways unaware of His care.

…indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4 (NIV)

That is hard for me to fathom, but I believe it is true. Like that statue looking down upon Rio de Janeiro depicts, Jesus is watching us. He never closes His eyes to us. He never quits. So I can always talk with Him since He is ever inclined to hear from me. Hallelujah!

We will continue to warm our hearts with these truths as we continue considering our conversation with Jesus on Thursday and subsequent weeks, but be sure to take a few minutes and cultivate that heart to converse with Jesus through the video log and transcript below the prayer. The video is available only to our Subscribers, but the transcript is available to everyone. Become a Subscriber today. Simply click here.

Restful Tuning!

Jesus, I have my share of doubts and fears, and they cause me many tears, but You are always watching over me. I believe this, but I pray you will help me walk with a greater awareness of that, especially in those moments when I may be tempted to act like it is not true. In Jesus name. Amen.

Like what you finding here? Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each new post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Subscribers and Free Members enjoy this video! Everyone, the transcript below.

Video 8.2 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

I love the honesty of the opening line. We all have doubts and fears and things that bring us to tears. What sets the believer apart is that we can take all those things to Jesus. What do you need to bring to Jesus today?

There is no friend like Jesus. This reminds me of His suffering in the Garden of Gethsamane when He asked His disciples to watch and pray but they kept falling asleep. Thank Jesus that He is always watching over you.

Because He is always watching over you, He knows your every care, even the ones you have trouble articulating. Fortunately, the Spirit helps you even when you do not have the words to speak. Maybe you need some help like that right now?

I love the idea of a “little” talk. Many words are not needful. Like sitting with a friend who knows you so well that few words get the job done. Some of the together time is spent just being. Spend a few moments right now with Jesus.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Doubts – https://pixabay.com/photos/depression-sadness-man-2912424/
Fears – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/fear-emotion-anxiety-vulnerability-2083651/
Eyes Filled with Tears – https://pixabay.com/photos/eye-tear-cry-sadness-pain-emotion-609987/
Jesus is a Freind – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/angst-anxiety-anguish-apprehension-802639/
Day and Night – https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-redeemer-231724/