A S P E C T S - a monthly devotional journal For subscription information on receiving Aspects every month via e-mail, or the laser-printed edition by mail, see NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION near the end of this file. Aspects is written by David S. Lampel. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Issue #09, August 1991 (Internet Edition) P R O P E R T Y ----------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: Perspective - His World Perspective - His Possessions Perspective - His Custodians Perspective - His Glory ----------------------------------------------------------------- The day was brilliantly warm, with a generous layer of that typically Iowan, mid-summer humidity hovering over the green land. We dressed in jeans and long sleeves, hats, boots and a spritz of Deep Woods Off. We found the first yellow-tipped stake, driven deeply into the soil, directly east of the house, next to the old barbed-wire fence that runs along the quarter mile, gravel driveway. The second stake was discovered south of the first, back in the weeds, where a different fence shoots off through the woods and leads to a clearing and the back side of the pond. The next stake was directly south of the back of the house, alongside a sadly weathered wooden gate, and just a few steps from the depleted and mucky pond (which, after a meaningful discussion with the gentleman at the local Soil Conservation Office, would more accurately be called a "drainage control basin"). Lost somewhere deep in the adjoining woods, west from the pond, was the stake marking the southwest corner; maybe a visit will be paid this winter, when the man-size weeds have been reduced to brown mulch and snow has cleaned the path. Heading north, we passed over the pond's dike, traveled along the fence that runs near the west side of the house, and climbed over that fence to the meadow filled with purple-capped thistles--each taller than a basketball player; through this meadow we came to a second fence that roughly defined the western boundary. We headed North again, passing through a wide sloping meadow of tall grasses and weeds, crossed over the dry gulley at the bottom of the meadow and climbed up to the gravel road that defined the northern boundary. The dusty road took us to the beginning of our drive and the stake marking the northeast corner. We then followed the drive back to the house These boundaries define a dwelling place for which we have longed for many years; with only minor variations it is the physical realization of our dreams. Here one finds peace from the world's strident cacophony. Except for the occasional distant airplane or passing vehicle, the only sounds we hear are those of nature. Our house is surrounded by trees full of birds of many dialects: nagging bluejays; cardinals, a fluttering shadow of scarlet between the green boughs; robin red-breast, of course, in his unceasing quest for the fattest worm; woodpeckers, starlings, red-wing blackbirds, and one lone quail who spends every evening calling for his mate (bob-white!). At night, the thunderous chorus begins: cicadas from the trees and frogs from the pond. Here we have the bounty of nature at our doorstep. On our land are three apple trees, two pear trees, a cherry tree (upon which the birds feasted this year), wild raspberries, many russian olive trees, walnut, and even wild (I swear, wild) marijuana. Wild flowers and flowering weeds are peppered about our land; we do not yet know all their names, but their brilliant yellows and deep purples make a pretty bouquet upon our dining room table. As I walk about our property I am moved to wonder, what have we done to deserve such generosity from God? Then I realize the gross error of such a question. God's blessings--whether flowing freely as a mighty, surging river or trickling slowly as a drying creek bed--have nothing to do with our performance. They are based on His love for us, not our love for Him. If this is true, then what is our response? I mean, after the praise, the thanksgiving, the worship of such a God who would be so generous, so loving--what next? Do we simply raise our heads, throw a salute to the heavens, and continue on with the business of living? Do we congratulate ourselves and silently, privately, hope for more? There is a progression of thought that I have discovered. No, the word discovered is too lame a verb to describe the emotions that have surged through me as I have contemplated the whys and wherefores of the good fortunes of God's blessings. I have been overwhelmed, driven to my knees by the realization that - Everything about us, including the earth itself, belongs to the Father - We, too, are His possessions to do with what He wishes - We don't really own anything, but are simply custodians of those things entrusted to us by the Lord - Everything entrusted to us, including Spiritual gifts, is to be used in His Kingdom for His glory _______________________ When thro' the woods and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze. Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! How great Thou art!(1) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective H I S W O R L D ------------- The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.(2) _______________________ "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!' Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place, That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken. Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this." JOB 38:4-18 (NKJV) This Is My Father's World This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise. This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world: the battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heav'n be one.(3) _______________________ "The prophets and psalmists of the Old Testament wrestled as do we with the problem of evil in a divine universe, but their approach to God and nature was much more direct than ours. They did not interpose between God and His world that opaque web we moderns call the laws of nature. They could see God in a whirlwind and hear Him in a storm and they did not hesitate to say so. There was about their lives an immediate apprehension of the divine. They were not lonely amid impersonal laws as men are today. God was near to them, and everything in heaven and on earth assured them that this is God's world and that He rules over all. "I once heard a Methodist bishop say that when he was a very young minister he was called to the bedside of an elderly woman who had obviously but a few hours left for this world. The bishop admitted that he was badly frightened, but the old saint was completely relaxed and radiantly happy. He tried to commiserate with her and muttered something about how sorry he was that she had to die, but she wouldn't hear any such talk. 'Why, God bless you, young man,' she said cheerfully; 'there's nothing to be scairt about. I'm just going to cross over Jordan in a few minutes, and my Father owns the land on both sides of the river.'" (Tozer) "All nature, including the nature of man, is a wondrous instrument of many strings, delicately tuned to work God's will and upon which he plays with a master hand." (Machen)(4) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective H I S P O S S E S S I O N S ------------- If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. JOH 15:19 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ROM 14:8 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1CO 6:19-20 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." REV 5:9 PSA 74:1-2 JOH 8:42-47 JOH 15:19 ROM 1:5-6 ROM 7:4 ROM 14:7-9 1CO 6:11-20 1CO 7:22-23 REV 5:7-10 God owns all believers, but we sometimes live our lives as if we hold the deed. What Biblical characters are good examples for us, in that they displayed in their living God's ownership of their lives? _______________________ It was during a study of Ephesians, quite a number of years ago, that I came to understand that choosing to become a bondservant of Jesus Christ does not mean choosing slavery over freedom. Through that study of "be subject to" and "submission" and "is the head of" I came to realize that we are all slaves to something; the people of this world who do not belong to Jesus are simply blind to their own servitude to Satan (The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2CO 4:4). When I became a servant of the Son of God I didn't switch from freedom to bondage, I simply exchanged the Father of Lies for the Lord of Light. And in the bargain I found a friend. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known.(5) My favorite illustration of this relationship--God's ownership of my life--is the one of the potter and the clay. Isaiah seemed to say it best: Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. ISA 64:8 (See also: JOB 10:8-9 ISA 29:16 ISA 45:9-12 JER 18:1-6 JER 19:1-12 ROM 9:19-21) What wonderful, gracious freedom this brings to our lives! When we grasp this concept that we are God's possession, to do with what He so desires, no trial can overcome us and no fortune can turn our head: It all comes equally from Him. God moves us about at His discretion and He gives us lives designed to bring Him glory. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Hold o'er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me!. Amen.(6) _______________________ "When you gave your life to Christ, you gave Him everything. Those are the terms of discipleship. Jesus has to be Lord. It may be that you will spend the rest of your life working out the implications of His lordship in practical ways, but they are all implicit in that initial surrender. You come to Him on His terms. You are now His."(7) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective H I S C U S T O D I A N S ------------- "The real value of a thing is the price it will bring in eternity."(8) _______________________ From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. LUK 12:48b But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. EPH 4:7 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1TI 6:17 MAT 6:19-21 LUK 12:33-48 1CO 3:4-15 EPH 4:7-16 PHI 3:1-11 1TI 6:17-19 HEB 13:5-6 GEN 22:1-3 1SA 1:1-2:11 _______________________ I Surrender All All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now. I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.(9) _______________________ Consider the example of Hannah. Never has a possession been more dearly and righteously desired than her son, Samuel. Hannah experienced not only the shame of a barren womb, but an overwhelming love for the Lord. More than anything she wanted a child--more than anything, that is, than her devotion to the Lord God. The Lord answered her earnest prayer and Hannah kept her promise. Samuel was delivered to "the house of the Lord in Shiloh." Did Hannah regret this sacrifice of her only child? Not a bit of it; 1 Samuel 2:1 says Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord!" With gladness and praise in her heart she came to her God and said, "Here, this precious child belongs to you." Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.(10) _______________________ "Maturity in grace makes us willing to part with worldly goods. The green apple needs a sharp twist to separate it from the bough, but the ripe fruit parts readily from the wood. Maturity in grace makes it easier to part with life itself. The unripe pear is scarcely beaten down with much labor, while its mellow companion drops readily into the hand with the slightest shake. Rest assured that love for the things of this life and cleaving to this present state are sure indications of immaturity in the divine life." (Spurgeon) "The pilgrim is not to despise the comforts which he may meet with by the way, but he is not to tarry among them, or leave them with regret." (Wilson) "When we give to God we are taking the gift out of one of His hands and putting it into the other." (Blanchard) "When a man dies he clutches in his hands only that which he has given away in his lifetime." (Rousseau)(11) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective H I S G L O R Y ------------- Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1CO 15:58 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 2CO 9:13 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. COL 3:23-24 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1PE 4:11 JOH 6:27-29 JOH 9:4 ROM 11:33-12:1 ROM 15:17 1CO 12:4-31 1CO 16:8-10 1CO 16:15-18 2CO 8:10-12 2CO 9:6-15 GAL 6:1-10 EPH 3:20-21 COL 1:10-12 2TI 3:16-17 HEB 6:10 HEB 13:20-21 1PE 4:10-11 REV 1:4-6 _______________________ Lord, Speak to Me O teach me, Lord, that I may teach The precious things Thou dost impart; And wing my words, that they may reach The hidden depths of many a heart. O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord, Until my very heart o'erflow In kindling thought and glowing word Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show. O use me, Lord, use even me, Just as Thou wilt and when and where; Until Thy blessed face I see, Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share. Amen.(12) _______________________ A very wise man once helped me to understand that we ultimately do not serve man, but Christ. We were discussing one of my recent performances and I was complaining about the seeming lack of positive response from the souls in the pews. I had given my best, in service to the Lord, but the people didn't seem to appreciate it. I pouted that maybe I should take my work for the Lord elsewhere, to a people who would more encouragingly respond. O, I praise God for placing into my life this saint, this man so tuned to the spirit of God. For he spoke to me with the wisdom of God when he said, "You're not performing for them. You are singing to Jesus, and He will distribute the blessings where he wants them." I have not forgotten that day when the Holy Spirit sat with us and gave this man the words I needed to hear at just that moment. And, to honor the memory of this man, I will not forget the lesson we both learned that day (for he was as moved by the wisdom coming from his mouth as I), that no matter what work the Lord has assigned us, whether singing or acting, or preaching or teaching, or cleaning the church bathrooms--no matter what, we do it for the Lord, trusting that He will use it to His glory. Thank-you, God, for sending Jim McCary into my life. _______________________ "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."(13) ======================================================================== NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Notes ----- 1. How Great Thou Art, Verse 2 & Refrain, Stuart K. Hine, Hymn #4 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 2. Psalm 24:1 (NKJV) 3. Maltbie D. Babcock, Hymn #58 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 4. A.W. Tozer, Born After Midnight (Christian Publications, 1959), p.117f; J. Gresham Machen in More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.212. 5. In the Garden, C. Austin Miles, Hymn #425 (Refrain only) in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 6. Have Thine Own Way, Lord, Adelaide A. Polard, Hymn #371 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 7. John F. Balchin, from his book Citizens of Another Kingdom (NavPress, 1985), p.35 8. John Wesley, in More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.222 9. Judson W. VanDeVenter, Hymn #366 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 10. Proverbs 3:5-10 11. Charles H. Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon (Shaw, 1990), p.373; Geoffrey B. Wilson in More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.223; John Blanchard, Ibid, p.108; Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Ibid, p.109. 12. Frances Ridley Havergal, Hymn #450 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (WORD, 1986). 13. Mark 10:45 Copyright Information --------------------- All original material in Aspects is Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel."). This data file may not be used without the permission of David S. Lampel for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content. Brief quotations not to exceed more than 500 words may be used, with the appropriate copyright notice, to enhance or supplement personal or church devotions, newsletters, journals, or spoken messages. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture is from the New International Version. NIV quotations are from the Holy Bible: New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission. NASB quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Subscription Information ------------------------ Aspects is published monthly. There are two preferred methods of receiving it on a regular basis: 1) You may subscribe to the laser-printed (hard copy) edition, which is sent out via regular mail. 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