Stevemidkiff's Blog

“That the eyes of our heart would be enlightened”

Ephesians 1:18

We may know things in our mind. But, to grasp those things in our heart is enlightenment.

Film is treated with a chemical. When the shutter in the lens of the camera opens,

the objects that the lens is pointed at allows the light to be captured and grasped by the film.

It’s one thing to say; I know all that in my mind.

But to say; I grasp this in my heart.

Yes, I see it now, it lifts me, encourages me & changes me.

Someone may tell me honey is sweet. I may read it is sweet.

But when a spoonful of honey hits the tastebuds of my mouth I grasp it.

We need the Spirit to sensitize our hearts with His chemistry

so that we taste truth & cling to it in our hearts.

Gods Spirit takes God’s truths in His Word & speaks light & sweetness

through it to lift us up, move us, strike us & even melt & compel us.

The eyes of my heart (the tastebuds of my heart)

Need constant enlightening.

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Psalm 10:1

Life is full of odd encounters & an assortment of peculiar rejecting accusers

God is . . . an ever-present help in trouble” Ps 46:1

But He allows trouble to pursue us,

as though He were indifferent to its overwhelming pressure,

so we may be brought to the end of ourselves.

Through the trial,

we are led to discover the treasure of darkness

and the immeasurable wealth of tribulation.

We may be sure that He who allows the suffering is with us throughout it.

It may be that we will only see Him once the ordeal is nearly passed,

but we must dare to believe that He never leaves our trial.

Our eyes are a times foggy & blinded so we can’t see the One our soul loves.

The darkness & our bandages blind us so that we cannot see the form of our High Priest.

Yet He is there & is deeply touched.

Let us not rely on our feelings but trust in His unswerving faithfulness.

And though we cannot see Him, let us talk to Him.

Although His presence is veiled, once we begin to speak to Jesus

as if He were literally present,

an answering voice comes to show us He is in the shadow,

keeping watch over His own.

Your Father is as close to you when you journey through the darkest tunnel

as He is when you are under the open heaven!

from Daily Devotional Commentary

“Active & interactive communication is the order of the day.

From the shortest texts & tweets to the humblest website,

to the angriest blog, to the most visited social networks,

the daily communications of the wired world attest that

everyone is now in the business of relentless self-promotion—

presenting themselves, explaining themselves, defending themselves,

selling themselves or sharing their inner thoughts & emotions as never before in human history.

The great goals of life, we are told, are to gain the widest possible public attention

and to reach as many people in the world with our products—

and always, our leading product is Us.”

Fools Talk

I have a little friend. He keeps asking me “why?”

When I explain he says “why?”

I’m starting, myself, to wonder. “Why”?

Do all things without murmurings and disputings

Or do everything with no complaints or doubting

Does this mean we are evolving or devolving?

“There really is no rational reason for saying a human being has special rights,”

Ingrid Newkirk, cofounder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.” *

In 2013 the group Non- human Rights Project (NhRP) filed a series of lawsuits

in an attempt to get judges to declare that the great apes are legal persons.

Serious ethicists now argue that an animal’s rights should sometimes

take precedence over a human’s.

Princeton’s Peter Singer suggests that an adult chimpanzee may have more value

than a human infant, especially a “defective” child.

Infanticide should take place as soon as possible after birth, he says,

though it would be acceptable to kill one- year- olds with physical or mental disabilities.

This proposal comes from a man The New Yorker calls the most influential living philosopher.

The Wild Earth states: that the extinction of Homo sapiens would mean survival for millions,

if not billions, of other Earth-dwelling species. . . .

Phasing out the human race will solve every problem on earth, social & environmental.”

“The last humans could enjoy their final sunsets peacefully,

knowing they have returned the planet as close as possible to the Garden of Eden.”

“The Holy Spirit will only bless in conformity with Jesus own set purpose.

Our Lord explains what that purpose is: ‘He shall glorify Me.’

He has come forth for this grand end & He will not put up with anything short of it.

If then, we do not preach Christ, what is the Spirit to do with our preaching?

If we do reveal how the Lord Jesus is glorious;

if we do not lift Christ high in the esteem of men,

if we do not labor to make Him King of kings & Lord of lords;

we shall not have the Spirit with us.

Vain will be rhetoric,

Vain will be music,

Vain will be architecture,

Vain will be energy,

Vain will be social status:

if our own design be not to magnify the Lord Jesus, we shall work alone & in vain”

Spurgeon

I sought the LORD & He heard me & delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto Him & were lightened & their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried & the LORD heard him & saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear Him & delivers them.
O taste & see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.

Psalms 34:4-8

When we seek to get near to God we walk His direction about one inch to see Him. But the Lord walks the hundreds of miles that we’ve put between us & Him. Then He surrounds us with His comforts & take all our fear & anxiety away.

We look at Him when He gets close to us & He has a radiant smile on His face. He assures us in the light of His warmth. He gives us the confidence that we can share all our feelings with Him. When we’re desperate we can trust Him to hear everything in our heart He will get us out of every tight spot. He puts His army of Angels all around us as a mighty protective force. The taste of His love, the sight of His presence is beautiful and amazing. He is one blessing after another blessing after another

“O Lord! We would remember You

And on Your care depend

To You in every trouble flee

Our safe unfailing friend

When human cisterns all are dried

Your fullness is the same,

May we with this be satisfied,

And glory in Your name.

Ryland

So would we rather have a smooth path, or a path so rough that the Lord is compelled to show His shinning face to us every step of the path.

The psalmist moans in Psalms 39

I was determined to watch steps & tongue so they won’t land myself in trouble.

I decided to be silent as long as the word twisters we’re surrounding me.

I kept my mouth shut. I said, I’ll keep quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got—

my insides got hotter & hotter. My thoughts boiled over; I spilled my guts.

“Tell me, what’s going on, GOD? How long do I have to live? Give me the bad news!

You’ve kept me on pretty short rations; my life is string too short to be saved.

Oh! we’re all puffs of air.

Oh! we’re all shadows in a campfire.

Oh! we’re just spit in the wind.

We make our pile, and then we leave it.

What am I doing, Lord? Hoping, that’s what I’m doing— hoping You’ll save me from a wasted life,

save me from the contempt of idiots.

I’ll say no more, I’ll shut my mouth, since you, Lord, are behind all this.

But I can’t take it much longer. When you put us through the fire to purge us from our sin,

our dearest idols go up in smoke. Are we also nothing but smoke?

Ah, GOD, listen to my prayer, my cry— open your ears.

Don’t be callous; just look at these tears of mine. I’m a stranger here. I don’t know my way—

Im a migrant Give me a break, cut me some slack before it’s too late and I’m out of here.” …

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?

God is the one who justifies;

who is the one who condemns?

—Romans 8:33–34

So, is God really on our side?

Since He is, we can’t lose!

Sure, but if He’s for us, why do ugly things get

heaped on us from unusual sources?

Could there be a plan to it all?

If God didn’t hesitate to pay such a steep price for us then what’s it all about?

He has embraced our condition & exposing Himself to the worst in us!

He did it all by sending Jesus for us! Is there anything else he wouldn’t do for us?

Now who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen?

Who would attempt even to point a finger at us since He’s our Father?

Will, unfortunately lots of people. It’s been boiling over since the beginning of time.

We are seasoning through these awkward measures & it take time to get ripe.

Situation can fester & appear to be going in a weird direction.

Actually crazy getting crazier can be answered prayers.

Jesus is sticking up for us!

Nothings going to drive a wedge between us & Christ’s love for us?

There is no way that stuff coming our direction isn’t filtered through His sovereign love! Even the hard times, the slander, the misrepresentations & the hatred.

What about the strange backstabbing?

Could it be God is teaching us to just to trust Him?

Could it be He’s showing us we’re sitting ducks until He sorts it all out?

The fantastic thing is none of this fazes us because Jesus loves for us is so awesome!

The fact that Jesus our Master embraces us in some supernatural & amazing ways is worth the odd times where rejection & ridicule collide!

Your anger, for what we have done,

The good news forbids us to fear:

Our sins You have charg’d on Your Son:

Your justice to Him we refer:

Be mindful of Jesus and us!

Our pardon He suffer’d to buy;

And what he procur’d on the cross,

For us he demands in the sky.

Augustus Toplady

Let the Word of Christ— drench our entire lives.

Let it fill & have the run of the soul of our house.

Give it plenty of space.

Let every room in our lives be its dwelling & occupation.

Col. 3:16

Is it possible to plunge our whole heart into God’s Word.

Is it achievable for our minds to be asoak in the sounds of God’s voice all day.

Is it an impossible goal to Thoroughly bathe ourselves in the texts of Scripture

Can we actually Let it be sucked up into our very soul.

Is it within our reach to Allow it to saturate our hearts!

Charles Spurgeon wrote

Reading many books doesn’t always make us learned.

But if we read three or four books over & over, they will be mastered by us.

Or, better yet, their contents will master us & will give us flavors from above.

We must set our hearts on God’s Word!

It is the only way to know it thoroughly:

let our whole nature be plunged into it

Potentially we should let our entire being be submerged in God as a cloth into a dye.

What are we going to read this year? I’ve been retired now for 9 years. I’ve tried to increase my reading goals each of those 9 years. I read before but never like I’ve read in the last 9 years.

So what changed. I also not only retired but I got remarried 9 years ago. Jill my new wife has revolutionized my life. I’m in a relationship with someone who is intensely interested in everything I read and everything I write. She also is a tireless reader and writer.

I’ve been journaling since 1969. In that time I’ve composed a variety of journals & outlines. I’ve also kept track of many other things written over those 51 years. Things that my Dad wrote. Letters I got in the military. I have files of things my kids wrote in their home schooling. I have things written by my former wife and her current husband. I have things written by previous church pastors & counselors.

Reading is cathartic. Journaling is centering and very healing also.

One thing Jill & I we’re doing when her mom was still with us was to read through a book out loud at dinner time. We read through various books on prophecy. We read a medical book called Grey Matters about a brain surgeon who prayed with his patients before he operated on their brain.

It’s not like reading a book is necessarily a sign of any great virtue—some of the world’s worst people have been some of the world’s most voracious readers. Tim Challies wrote that Joseph Stalin was a bookworm who had an extensive library and was usually the best-read and most knowledgeable person in any room. His reading made him a worse, not a better, person. But still, reading has incredible value.

It’s was amazing to read out loud to Jill and her mom Rita. When Rita became bed bound I would read to her in bed. And she valued it up to her last moments on earth.

So far this year I’ve reread Knowing God by Packer. I’ve reread The Mortification of Sin by John Owen. Since I’ve read those books many times I’m doing it differently this time through. I’m writting a summary of each key thought in a prayer journaling format for review.

I’ve found a blog that has 200 sermons on prayer by Charles Spurgeon which are an incredible read.

I’m only 15 sermons into the 200 but Spurgeon’s insights, illustrations & analogies are the most amazing concepts I’ve ever read on prayer.

Another book I’m going to re-read and do a prayer journal summary of is The Holiness of God by Sproul.

It’s hands down the most amazing treatise on worship.

So what are your reading goals this year?