I found myself up earlier than usual this morning, but then taking an early morning nap when I became fairly fatigued. I did make it to my fitness center workout with my trainer. However, my level of strength and stamina was significantly different than  Tuesday even with two days of rest. It may have been one of those times when I pushed the limits and have had to regroup.

In a few minutes I will be leaving to go pick up Stephanie and McKenzie at the airport. We are looking forward to having them with us for a few days. Too bad it is right in the middle of this cold snap, but it will feel more like Colorado and less like Atlanta.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,  who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility;”   Zephaniah 2:3

The prophet Zephaniah spoke forth God’s word during the reign of Josiah the godly king of Judah. Although the seeds of sin and destruction were in the veins of the people, Josiah did all that he could to avert judgment and turn the people’s hearts back to the Lord. Zephaniah 2:3 is an appropriate description of the response of Josiah to the words about the Lord’s anger against His people. He made a commitment to lead the people to a time of seeking the Lord and returning to the law of Moses.

Yet we see Zephaniah foreseeing the day when the hearts of the people of Judah and the nations around revealed their true loyalty. He speaks these words of condemnation, “Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,  the oppressing city!She listens to no voice;
she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God.” Zephaniah 3:1-2

What a vivid contrast is seen in the verses of these two chapters. One highlights seeking the Lord, humility, righteousness, and obedience. The other deaf ears, stiff necks, refusing to trust the Lord and refusing to draw near to the Lord. But as we see in the New Testament book of Hebrews the “Lord disciplines those He loves.”  That is what we see happening in the hearts and lives of God’s people. It took many long hard lessons, suffering and it took God’s judgment on surrounding nations as well. But in the end the prophet of the Lord speaks to a day when all hearts turn to the Lord and this is what they come to see.

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

These people go from taking pride in themselves to being humbled by the Lord and then being restored and becoming the ones the Lord exults over. What a privileged position.

How important for us today to be those who seek the Lord, seek  righteousness and humility. When we do we experience the Lord’s presence “in our midst, a mighty one who will save….” It is one thing to please the Lord, it is another to experience His pleasure over us. You will find those two go hand in hand.

Today I joined about two hundred people a the “Prime-Timers” potluck at Timberline Church. It was a great meal and a program with a focus on Veteran’s Day. Jerry and Virginia Pippin did an outstanding job. Debbie and I will be speaking at this event in February.

With the cold weather and feeling a little fatigue, I did not venture out to the fitness center. I did make some calls about some possible work at the Capitol coming up in this next legislative session. I will see how that develops in coming weeks.

We are looking forward to Stephanie flying in tomorrow with McKenzie for a brief visit. Christian and Bridget will come up with their kids for a couple of days was well. It should be a “crazy, but good time.”

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “….Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14,15

It is interesting to find a reference to a more obscure early descendent of Adam in one of the last New Testament books. In the genealogy the leads up to Noah, scripture references twice that “Enoch walked with God…” His life was shorter than his son Methuselah, grandson Lamech and great grandson Noah. It appears his departure from this world was a supernatural one. The Bible simply says, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24)

As you look at the timeline established in Genesis 5, it appears that Enoch’s son Methuselah outlived Lamech by five years meaning he was still living when Noah’s sons were born. Undoubtedly the life and character of Enoch was passed on the the succeeding generations even to the point that a grandfather could share first hand with his grandson Noah about his godly ancestor.

While the number of years of lifespan have significantly shortened, the opportunity exists even today. That is the opportunity for parents and grandparents to share about the faith of “fore-fathers and mothers”. To consider Noah the “preacher of righteousness” and his connection to this great family tree reveals the faith being passed from generation to generation.

At the same time it appears that Methuselah would have seen the beginning of the moral decay that brought about the flood of Noah’s day. Perhaps just as in the New Testament church as Jude writes there were those who should have been defending the faith, but in reality were destroying faith in God. And when faith in God is destroyed, when God is not honored above all, moral decay is sure to set in.

It appears that the Lord allowed Enoch to see ahead, not just to the days of his great grandson (Noah) but down through the ages to a time when  “…the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God….” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) and a time when “…the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8) the Anti-Christ and all those who oppose the Lord. Perhaps he saw what John saw, “…I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war….And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.” (Revelation 19:11-14)

As in Peter’s letters, so in Jude we find a warning about not just those “in the world” but those who are in the “church but of the world.” The danger is the same. Scoffers, those who encourage and practice sin and promote a lifestyle contrary to God’s plan. These individuals find themselves opposing the Lord in their words and their actions.

That is why Jude warns believers to “contend for the faith” and to “build yourselves up in the most holy faith…” That battle of faith can be exactly that….a battle. It may be from the circumstances of life, it may be from the words and actions of those used by spiritual darkness. This is a battle that must be won. Contend for the faith, build yourselves up, keep your focus, love people but hate the sin. That is our call and challenge. Just as Enoch prophesied we can trust the Lord to take care of the final battle.

One year ago, I celebrated my birthday at Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital. In the morning I had a doctor’s appointment with an EENT specialist to evaluate my trach stoma and other throat issues. Not the ideal birthday.

I have come along way since then. This morning I had the opportunity to share in the staff chapel at Timberline Church. Later Pastor Steve took me out to lunch. I navigated in the snow and the distances with my walker which is a far cry from one year ago. There is so much to be thankful for and this day provides a good “pause and ponder” moment for me on the journey to full recovery.

This morning I shared from a CaringBridge post that my daughter Stephanie wrote on November 10, 2013. It was the first time that I have read it. It won’t take the space to post it all but you may want to look it up.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kensummers/journal/view/id/527fdd0dcb16b45278d134cb

Here is the final paragraph that I found challenging and insightful.

As children, we have found our parents faithful to everything they would have hoped that they would be, if anything like this were to ever happen. Then, we also notice a generation behind us. These 6 grandchildren are forever changed by this experience. For their entire life, they will see a wheelchair as an invitation, not a barrier. They will see someone who is sick as a testimony, not a disease. And then I realize…..this nightmare just might lead us to our dreams!  (Stephanie Munn, 11.10.2013)

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  2 Peter 3:17,18

As Peter writes this letter he is very much aware that this will be his final encouragement to believers. What we find is that Peter makes his purpose in writing clear…“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord…” 2 Peter 3:1,2

Peter is reminding, encouraging and warning believers so that they will be growing in the Lord and will not be discouraged or caught in error as the return of the Lord draws near. In chapter one he talks about the “….precious and very great promises, [given by Christ] so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:4) Peter’s concern is the growth of Christian character.

He then warns believers of false prophets and teachers and is fairly descriptive of their character and the end in store for them. “They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed.” (2 Peter 2:13)

As Peter closes the letter he assures believers that the Lord will come. Don’t confuse delay as failing to fulfill His promises. Keep your focus, keep your faith, remain stable. His admonitions remind me of the idea of “putting blinders” on a horse so the horse is not distracted in the race. Peter realizes that people will distort the truth and that false teachers and prophets will contradict what the Lord has spoken and promises.

Peter’s final admonition is to simply, “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ…’ This almost reminds me of our theme during my hospitalization that we adopted from Gary Harkness, my physical therapist at McKee Hospital, “stay the course, keep your eyes on the cross.” I believe in many ways that is exactly what Peter is saying. That is good advice as we face the challenges of our day and endeavor to keep holding forth the Word of Truth.

The first measurable snow fall for the season. It is at least two weeks late from what you could expect in past years. I remember commenting to someone recently that it seemed like it always snowed on or by Halloween.

In spite of the weather and cold, I did make it out for my Tuesday morning prayer meeting. I also made it to my fitness center workout with my trainer. As I was getting ready to leave for the gym Ted Grizzel was finishing up shoveling our sidewalk and driveway. Thanks Ted!

My workout went well, but I think after three days in a row, I am ready for a rest day tomorrow. It is interesting how fatiguing some of my exercises can be. While making progress, I’m not up to my five or six days of workouts per week, like in the past. My neurologist, told me that he believes that all of my thymus gland may not have been removed during my surgery last year. That was his best take, without a chest MRI, as to why  the Myasthenia Gravis blood panel comes back show the same results as before the surgery. I scheduled my next appointment at Northern Colorado Rehab Hospital for a week from Friday. This will be sooner than I expected, but hope to see some positive results from the past few weeks.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word….May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ….Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”  1 Thessalonians 2:16,17; 3:5,16

Paul is writing to a church, but it seems many of his admonitions and instructions apply to those devoted to serving Christ’s purposes in the world. Paul writes with a perspective of Christ’s second coming in view. It is this promise that is to give focus and perseverance in the face of persecution for the sake of the gospel. His prayer is…“that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power…”       (2 Thess. 1:11)

In chapter 2, Paul writes about the coming of “man of lawlessness” (i.e. The Antichrist) and then pronounces God’s blessing on their life, trusting God to do for the Thessalonians  what they had received from the Lord. Paul says,  as we have received from Christ comfort and good hope, [we pray] for your hearts to be comforted and established in every good work and word.

As Paul brings this short letter to a close he expresses confidence in the Lord’s protection of His people and their obedience and then prays for the Lord to direct their hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ. I find it interesting, but not out of place, for Paul to place a focus on these two areas. When persecution comes love for God and love for others can be tested. Our perseverance can be challenged as well, especially when fruit may be lacking in our efforts. I believe this is in Paul’s focus because before his final “benediction” he says, “do not grow weary in doing good.”    (2 Thess. 3:13)

Paul’s final desire is for God’s peace to be with [the Thessalonians] at all times and in every way. This not peace that comes from the absent of conflict from without, because these believers have been experiencing the opposite of that. This is peace that resides on the inside regardless of what is happening in our world.

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, His greeting was, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:21) We see in the upper room that Jesus twice makes reference to the peace He desired to characterize the life of the disciples. When Paul writes to the Ephesians he says, “Christ is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:12). When he writes to the Philippians he tells them as they focus their thoughts on the right things that the “God of peace will be with you…” (Phi. 4:9) When Paul writes to the Thessalonians he refers to Christ as the “Lord of peace.” It is then only natural that when we are walking in relationship with “Lord of peace” that God’s peace will characterize our life.

Comfort for hearts, being establish in every good work and word….hearts directed in the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ….peace at all times in every way...the Lord’s abiding presence…with those attributes characterizing our lives, we are ready for the “glorious appearing” of our Savior.

A change in weather today in northern Colorado. The cold that we have avoided all fall has come into the state. I’m glad we are ready for it.

After some office work today, I headed to the fitness center for a workout. I was able to get into the pool and swim some laps which I always enjoy. Soon after returning home, Debbie was able to come home and I was in the midst of my daily routine of writing my blog. I felt like even my right leg felt stronger than in recent days. I appreciate everyone’s prayers for strength and full recovery. I am eager to see what the Lord has in store for the coming months.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” Micah 7:8

The prophet Micah personifies Israel and God’s judgment on His people as he opens Chapter 7 with this lament… “What misery is mine!…The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.Both hands are skilled in doing evil…” (Micah 7:1-3)

But while God’s judgment is upon His people, the promise of restoration is also clearly seen. There are those who have watched from the sidelines and looked at Israel like it is their final hour; but the assurance is sounded that “I will rise again…” And not only that, but those who have ridiculed God’s people will themselves be judged when God’s people are restored.

“Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.” (Micah 7:10)

Even in the midst of judgment and heavy hand of the Lord upon His people they know where their true source of strength lies. Their confidence of rising back up and the light breaking through the darkness comes from hope in the Lord.

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.  (Micah 7:7)

Micah 7 ends on an encouraging note of prayer and praise to the Lord:

“Who is a God like you…You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.You will again have compassion on us;  you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”  (Micah 7:18,19)

How do we have confidence that when we are down, we are not out? We can learn from the words of Micah; our hope must always be in the Lord and we must realize that He hears our cry for forgiveness and mercy. Then we realize the Lord is a God of compassion and mercy. As we submit to Him and place our trust in Him, we realize the assurance of Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

When we fall the Lord allows us to rise again. But it is to a new path, a new hope and a new life. One that is lived in the light of His presence.