No Shame

This post is seventh and final in the Psalm 127 series "Live Like a King."

~ ~ ~

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:56 (NKJV)

With sin comes death and shame.

God said of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, "In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Worse than the slow physical death which began on that day they tasted sin, Adam and Eve experienced an immediate spiritual death and its accompanying spiritual barrenness. Fig leaves became a pitiful substitute for the clothing of righteousness.

So like the barren tree which also attempted to cover itself with fig leaves (Matthew 21:19), mortals came under God's curse. The labor to bring forth fruit from earth and womb are trivial next to our struggle for the soul's spiritual fruit. And as if the consummate penalty—God's face being hidden from us—were not sufficient, we also have an accuser who day and night recounts the details of our sins (Revelation 12:10), making a case for our condemnation before God.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
~ Romans 8:31 (NKJV)

The Ten Commandments were kept inside the Ark of the [Old] Covenant, beneath the mercy seat of God, covered with atonement blood and glory of YHWH—all of it merely representative of the true mercy seat in Heaven's court, where the law which condemns is covered with the atonement blood of Jesus Christ's New Covenant.

Now.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
~ Romans 8:1-2 (NKJV)

The accuser —(both "satan" [from the Hebrew śâṭân] and "devil" [from the Greek diabolos] mean "accuser")—must make his case based on the law. Once we are adopted as children of our Father in Heaven, we become subject to His paternal discipline for our sinful words, actions, thoughts, and feelings, but we are no longer subjects to the law, its demands, or its penalties (Matthew 17:25-26).

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
~ Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

During every mortal's sojourn in this world under curse, a case is now being built: our lives compile evidence and give testimony in a case for condemnation under law, or a case for faith under the blood of Jesus.

Our spiritual fruit is evidence of the Holy Spirit within us (Galatians 5:22-23). Our word of testimony to the blood of Jesus overcomes testimony of the accuser. (Revelation 12:11) Our spiritual clothing, clean and bright, is our righteous acts (Revelation 19:8).

They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
~ Psalm 127:5 (NKJV)

Though we experience the consequences of sin during our sojourn, we who are Christ's can live like royalty, secure in the knowledge that we stand in the gates of God, accused by our enemy's words and yet bearing no shame.

Right now.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You for covering our shame with royal garments of righteousness. Please give us courage to cooperate with all that You work on the inside.

Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Ultimate Security

This post is third in the Psalm 127 series "Live Like a King."

~ ~ ~

Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
~ Psalm 127:1 (NKJV)

King Solomon knew peace and security as intimately as his father David knew war and homelessness. David surely wished to assure himself that his son's destiny would be different than his own, and likely took a census near the end of his life in order to assess military strength as the measure of security.

Coming from David, that census must have stung God. More than anyone, David understood that his ultimate security lay not in any might at his disposal, but in the name of YHWH (1 Samuel 17:45; Psalm 20:7).

Throughout Israel's history, this truth played out repeatedly: to turn away from the name of YHWH was to turn away from His protection; to call upon the name of YHWH was to call down His protection in every way. Israel's days of sovereignty opened with dramatic deliverance from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. They drew to a close shortly after King Hezekiah's miraculous deliverance from Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem, when Hezekiah called upon YHWH and 185,000 Assyrian soldiers mysteriously died overnight.

Of everything else the name of YHWH (Jehovah, Yahweh, "LORD") represents, it especially embodies deliverance from our ever present God.

The same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
~ Romans 10:12-13 (NKJV; also see Psalm 91)

In every story, every book, every physical act of the Old Testament lies a spiritual principle taught in the New Testament. The physical protection given to Moses, David and Solomon, Hezekiah, and countless other OT champions came through their willingness to call upon the Lord. As children of the New Covenant, we wage war in spiritual realms. Empowered by the Holy Spirit—God Himself living within us!—we possess spiritual might greater than the whole of America's military strength or any other king's army in history.

We tend to look for physical security first, and may think we have much to fear. Violent crime, economic upheaval, and hostile nations threaten physical security. New diseases and drug-resistant bacteria, environmental deterioration, and sedentary lifestyles menace health. Gross moral decay and spiritual apathy manifest the peril of living in the last days.

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
~ Franklin Roosevelt

If we put spiritual security first, we need not fear the above threats, we need not fear death, and we need not fear even fear itself. In contrast to FDR's words, Jesus says our ultimate security is found in fearing only God:

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
~ Matthew 10:28 (NKJV)

Most High God, Your wings are broad and secure. Please awaken us to Your presence.

Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

The End

Even if—by some ironic stroke of God's humor—the rapture did occur day after tomorrow, the end doesn't follow the rapture by five months. We've got an entire millennium of Jesus' peaceful reign as King on planet Earth before the end.

But you can plan on disaster. Whether it's the increasing frequency and intensity of earthquakes the Bible prophesies, the solar flare super storm scientists forecast for May 2013, or the meltdown of a key relationship in your life, Jesus told us to expect tribulation.

He also told us to have peace in the face of it (John 16:33).

A good man ... will guide his affairs with discretion.
Surely he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
~ Psalms 112:5-7 (NKJV)

It is not possible to carry enough insurance or make enough preparations to ward of the end of life as you know it.

It is also not possible to exhaust the Lord's ability to provide for all your need—body, mind, heart, and soul—in any disaster.

All that is necessary is to establish our love for Him and remember to call upon Him.

"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him."
~ Psalms 91:14-15 (NKJV)

Your comments, questions, and respectful disagreement are most appreciated. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments, or e-mail buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Keys of Hades and Death

"The proof of how real Jesus knew hell to be
is that He came to earth to save us from it."
Peter Marshall

Keys of Hades and Death

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."
~ Revelation 1:17-18 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
~ John 14:6 (NKJV)

Thoughts on Jesus and His possession of the Keys of Hades and Death.

It seems interesting that in the same place Jesus tells His beloved apostle "do not be afraid," Jesus also reminds John that He holds the keys of Hades and Death. It might be compared to the judge in a human court declaring, "I hold the keys to the prison." To one being held in jail who has just been judged innocent, this is good news and relieves fear. To one who was walking free and has just been judged guilty, this is very bad news and induces fear.

Jesus taught that the devil is the father of lies and that He Himself is truth. He says He is the only way to the Father and life, holding the keys of Hades and Death. Therefore truth trumps lies, life trumps death, and Jesus trumps the devil. If this seems too obvious to be worthy of note, consider how often we evade truth with a lie, fear death while we possess life, or allow the devil's words to counter the Lord's.

The Person Who holds the keys of Hades and Death admits He was once subjected to Death, and Scripture indicates He visited Hades. Thus our Lord gained those keys by facing those enemies and wresting away their power. He can rightfully declare, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) If we need not fear Death, what lesser power on earth should be able to intimidate us?

Lord Jesus Christ, Author of peace, let us ever remember that You hold the keys to the power we might most fear. As we face the massive numbers of deaths in Haiti, as we face the deaths of loved ones, keep us mindful that which side of the door we stand on makes all the difference between joy and sorrow.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
#Biblestudy
Image from religion-cults.com

Heavens Shaken

"I like to think that the moon is there

even if I am not looking at it."
~ Albert Einstein

Heavens Shaken

My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth...
He who keeps you will not slumber...
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil ...
The LORD shall preserve
your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
~ Psalms 121:2-3,6-8 (NKJV)

"... the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."
~ Mark 13:24-26 (NKJV)

Though taking out the ash bucket isn't my chore, necessity required it of me a few nights ago. I was grateful for a clear night's full moon by which I could watch for coyotes. Then I reached the back of our yard, and was astounded by the glory of gorgeous moonlight shimmering off a field of fresh snow. The unpleasant task became the Lord's opportunity to sneak up on me.

The blessing's Part Two was a night later in a vivid dream. I usually sleep too deeply to even know if I dream. In this dream I saw a brilliant full moon. A hand appeared in the sky and palmed the moon, then took it away. I immediately awakened with a heart of peace. I was not alarmed to see the Lord remove the moon. I had joy to have seen His hand.

The hand of God is terrifying only to those who stand to oppose Him. For those who stand with Him, His hand preserves us from all evil—evil of the day and evil of the night, from this time forth, and forevermore.

Jesus said we'd know the signs of the end times. End times aren't coming. End times are here. They are no cause of fear to those who walk with Him called the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. For us, His coming is a cause of joy.

Father in Heaven, thank You for the great peace You make available to Your people at all times. Please speak peace and guidance to our hearts in these last days. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

#secondcoming
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Photo from smokeandmirrorsaswego.blogspot.com

Days Ahead

"Fear does not exist anywhere except in the mind."
~ Dale Carnegie

Days Ahead
#secondcoming

Upon the upright rises light in the darkness—
gracious, compassionate, and righteous...
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings
His heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
~ Psalms 112:4,7 (author)

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
~ James 4:12-14 (NKJV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
~ Psalms 119:105 (NKJV)

Our pastor is preaching from Revelation, linking recent events to prophecies going back 2500 years with spine-chilling accuracy.

Countless prayer requests come to me for those without a job in an economy which continues to falter—and for loved ones struggling with illnesses which have ominous implications.

I often speak with people for whom I care, who face decisions with long-range impact.

At every turn are situations shadowed by uncertainty and anxiety for the future. If we only knew what awaits us in days ahead, we might better know how act today. But our Maker reserves to Himself knowledge of what tomorrow holds.

It’s one thing to say we must trust the Lord for the days ahead. It’s quite another to rest in that trust. The psalmist says of the upright (Hebrew yâshâr, meaning "straight" or "erect") that his heart is fixed. He stands tall, without fear, in the face of the storm. Rather than veer away from being gracious, compassionate, and righteous, the upright resolutely stays the course.

We have surely entered the days when darkness will not recede before the Son appears on the horizon. The one who fears God need not fear darkness or whatever may lie there, because the risen Lord is our Light. Amid darkness, sufficient is the Light for the next step.

Heavenly Father, Your Word is living and powerful and reliable. You are all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving. You bid us fear not, be not anxious, have no worry for the morrow. Please make us unmovable and unwavering in faith amid the perils which threaten. Ever open our eyes to Who You are.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
sjbrown58.wordpress.com

While I Have My Being

Note: Be looking for thoughts on praise and suffering as we work our way through Psalms 101-125 til about Christmas.

"Think not of death as the extinguishing of life,
but rather the snuffing out of a candle because dawn has come."
~ Anonymous

While I Have My Being

You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
You hide Your face, they are troubled;
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust...
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him ...
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
~ Psalms 104:28-29;33,35 (NKJV)

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."
~ John 11:25-26 (NKJV)

A speaker recently challenged our audience to write down five aspirations. If you've been hanging around me or my blog at all, you know that my inner Don Quixote is quite given over to the Impossible Dream. I nonetheless hesitated, because I also like to let God lead in the dance through this life.

But we were encouraged to dream big. So I thought about some joys I'd like to be mine. Secret stuff, you know.

Want to hear one? (Won't be a secret after today, I guess.)

With my dying breath, I want to bless the Lord.

Because the Lord has blessed me in ways far beyond my highest imagination, I share the psalmist's resolution: "I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." Every breath He gives me is opportunity for praise—whether I walk through land that is plentiful, where streams of abundance flow (been there); or whether I'm found in the desert place, walking in wilderness (done that).

So I want to die the way I'm living. The manner of death is irrelevant. (Except for dying in my sleep. I don't get my wish if I die in my sleep, so I hope to exclude that one.)

If you think me silly, I really don't mind you laughing. Whether or not I attain this particular quest, I plan to have the last laugh.

Lord, You've indeed blessed me, exceedingly, abundantly, in the knowledge of You. I bless Your name today. I'll bless Your name while I have my being. If I have found favor in Your sight, I ask You to grant my desire to bless Your name with my final breath.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Photo from dannorcott.co.uk

Send Me On My Way

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
"Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?"
Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
~ Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)

In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what prayers to offer nor in what way to offer them. But the Spirit Himself pleads for us in yearnings that can find no words ...
~ Romans 8:26 (WNT)

Send Me On My Way

Along the way of my journey toward Heaven, my prayers are much like this song—my words to God come out in pieces that sound like nonsense of which only the Spirit might make sense.

But underlying the music to which I often dance is a clear message to the One Who directs my life: "Here am I! Send me on my way. I go wherever You say with joy."

(With thanks to Wendy for turning me on to this song. :D)



send me on my way
by rusted root

on my way
on my way
on my way
on my way

I would like to reach out my hands
I may see you, I may tell you to run
you know what they say about the young
well pick me up with golden hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
you know what they say about the young

(2x)
I would like to hold my little hand
how we will run we will
how we will cry

(7x) send me on my way (on my way)

I would like to reach out my hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
you know what they say about the young
well pick me up with golden hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
you know what they say about the young
well

(2x)
I would like to hold my little hand
how we will run away we will
how we will crawl away
send me on my way, on my way

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
"Send Me on My Way" lyrics © 1996 The Island Def Jam Music Group

Seven Saturdays

"Life isn't a journey to the grave, arriving safely ...
but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up and worn out,
loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a ride!' "
~ Bill McKenna

Seven Saturdays

My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.
~ Psalms 63:8 (NKJV)

I'd love to hear from you today. (Please?)

If you had a week to drop out of life
with all relationships and obligations happily on hold
to do anything you want (humanly possible)
to go anywhere you want (no time travel allowed)
with money, permission, or skill being no obstacle
(you could ride the space shuttle or perform at Carnegie Hall)
and you can keep only something you've created yourself
(do-it-yourself house remodel is a Yes, Porche is a No)
but there's no guarantee of safety ...

What would you spend your seven Saturdays doing?

And be sure to stop back for tomorrow's follow-up question.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Friday Freelance: FRIEND Part III

"All's well that ends well.
And if it isn't ending well, it isn't the end."
~Max Lucado, from his book Fearless

Friday Freelance: FRIEND Part III

Those of you who caught Parts I & II know of the recent visit by my friend Gwen Stewart and I to Colorado for the ACFW Writers Conference, and our side trip to the Rocky Mountains—complete with Gwen's abject fear of heights and our drive along terrifying cliffs.

I'd planned to blog only of that escapade and its spiritual lesson, but moments before I posted Part II, I was compelled to add these closing words:

FOOTNOTE: Lest it appear that I paint myself a hero and Gwen a weakling, I shall this Friday tell you of the chasm from which Gwen deftly rescued me.

Here goes.

Gwen calls me intrepid. I had to look up "intrepid," which literally means "not alarmed," and is defined as "characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance."

I like the word "fearless." Speed and heights thrill me. I fondly recall days spent skydiving, rappeling, and doing technical climbs on sheer faces of granite. Emergencies mean someone needs to take action, and if not me then who? I've dashed into a home engulfed in flames protected by only a wet handkerchief over my nose. The one emergency I faced where I honestly thought I was going to die was one I nonetheless ran toward.

I'm just telling you all this so you'll understand that I don't lightly toss around the word fearless.

Two Thursdays ago, Gwen and I spent the morning in Rocky Mountain National Park. We safely negotiated a switchback which presented potential danger and gave me no pause. A bit later I stood at 12,000 above sea level cliff overlooking a 4,000' high chasm which sent Gwen retreating to our vehicle.

Then Thursday night we were safely back down to only one mile above sea level in Denver. We sat in a banquet room filled with some 600 publishing professionals and aspiring authors. Gwen and I were separated by seating arrangements as we listened to the speakers.

I felt out of place. I'm at ease with people from all walks of life, including those dedicated to writing. Yet I found myself overwhelmingly intimidated by a situation thoroughly beyond my ability. I cannot face the portals of publication and simply fight fearlessly or work hard or stand them down. Those gateways are opened or closed by the hand of God. And He's had me standing upon the same threshold for seventeen months.

Which is entirely His right. He bought me and owns me. I'll go wherever or do whatever He wants. No problem.

I guess. Sort of.

But if I'm honest, I'm horribly afraid of at least one thing.

I'm terrified by the idea of being unfruitful.

While I was avoiding eye-contact with my fear, I listened to ACFW President Cynthia Ruchti speak. Then she said something along the lines of, "This was billed as a fragrance-free conference. But throughout this room is the fragrance of all of you pouring out yourselves in offering for our Lord."

Whatever else causes trepidation in others yet brings intrepid out of me, I was immediately terrified by the vast chasm of wasted effort. Overcome by the need to step away from it's edge, I quietly exited the banquet hall and found an isolated corner in which to recover.

I know well that some areas of my life are quite fruitful. I just hate that any hours should be squandered when life is so short and time is incredibly precious. I fear any of my labor being for naught. I can allow how long the journey takes, as long as I see fruitful progress. Lacking that, I feel utterly impotent and diminished.

I returned to my table, still bewildered that I should be there. At the end of the session, I found precious Gwen at my side, her eyes asking what was wrong. She listened to me rant. She held me in her love with her gaze. The chasm became tolerable with a friend at my side to negotiate it with me.

Throughout the conference, I enjoyed the love and fellowship of many friends with no knowledge of my fear. But another dear friend also understood my trepidation without me speaking of it—my agent Rachelle Gardner. She also came alongside me, sensitive to the needs of her client and genuinely caring about the heart of a friend. The fact that she understood so much that went unsaid is testimony to her own tender and gracious spirit.

Gwen emerged from the mountains with new courage to face the journey before her because a friend eased her through terror. She returned the favor to me at the edge of my own fearful precipice. The Lord sent a second angel of His love to confirm His will that I stay the path.

With such friends, I stand ready for the journey the Lord has ordained. I remember that a true sacrifice means one lavishly pours out all for the Lord without thought of waste.

I resolve to prove intrepid.

A postscript (added 10 hours after original post): My intent was to end this piece with the message of how much every single one of us needs every other one of us. It got lost in all else being said. Those words must not remain unspoken: Every one of you is needed.

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Friday Freelance: FRIEND Part I

"It is difficult to say who do you the most mischief:
enemies with the worst intentions or friends with the best."
~ E.R. Bulwer-Lytton

One week ago I was in Colorado with a dear friend, Gwen Stewart. I mentioned on last Friday’s post that we flew there together with plans to visit the mountains. Seeing the Rockies was Gwen’s idea. Entering Rocky Mountain National Park was mine—before I knew that Gwen is terrified of heights. Once I learned, she reassured me that she fully intended to enter those mountains, despite the high cliffs and sharp drops which lay there.

While we waited for our flight to take off, Gwen and I contemplated the Rock of Ages mentioned in Isaiah 26:3-4. We then flew off into the sunset that our plane would chase west for another 1300 miles. Gwen had threatened to squeeze all life from my hand in her fear of flying. Not so. She found the flight peaceful, and my hand still works.

The after-dark drive to our Estes Park hotel spared Gwen a clear view of the winding road up Big Thompson Canyon. Then we entered the national park well before dawn to hear elk bugle. At sunup, we embarked upon familiar-to-me Fall River Road—the narrow 15-mph dirt road which hugs the side of the valley wall until it meets Trail Ridge near its 12,183' elevation point. The single-lane road is uphill only, so one commits to the entire 9-mile trip once it’s begun.

Our four-wheel drive pick-up with a manual transmission proved ideal for the steep hairpin turns, which I've never seen more deeply rutted. The higher we climbed, the fewer the trees to obstruct a breathtaking view of the valley bathed in alternating shadow and horizontal rays of dawn. The sheer drops accentuated the view—exhilarating for me and terrifying for Gwen.

The only thing fearful to me was Gwen. She took something for a migraine, and evidenced alarming anxiety about those cliffs. I closely clung to the inside of the road. But on a road that narrow, hugging the mountain wall doesn’t mean much. When I asked with concern about her breathing, she explained that she sometimes experiences asthma. If measured, her blood pressure and pulse would have surely dismayed a physician. Gwen assured me that she had her inhaler, and that she trusted no one more than a veteran like me for the drive.

I took the drive at a crawl in proximity to cliffs, occasionally pausing to take in the view. Each pause meant starting again from a standstill, with a slight backward roll for the split second it took me to release the brake and engage clutch with gas pedal. I continually spoke words of confidence and peace to Gwen, all the while determined that she enjoy the sights of a lifetime.

We reached a particularly evil looking cliff at a hairpin turn. I stayed to the inside for Gwen’s sake, and found myself halfway around the wall before I realized I’d cut the sharp turn too tightly. I had no alternative but to back up, on a steep downhill, toward the cliff, then make one of those quick standstill starts uphill which would require just a little backward roll. I wished to perform my maneuver too quickly for Gwen to ascertain any danger and panic. But too quick a start would stall the engine, and put me even closer to the cliff with the next start.

I’ve filled a page. Enough for now. I’ll continue next week and tell you what a Friend we have in Jesus.

You will keep in perfect peace
The one stayed upon You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For Yah, the LORD,
Is the Rock of Ages.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4 (author)

Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

FRIEND (Prologue)

"A dreamer is one who can find his way by moonlight,
and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
~ Oscar Wilde

If all went according to plan, one of my best friends and I spent Wednesday evening on a plane to Denver. Then yesterday morning well before dawn, Gwen Stewart and I listened to elk bugling before we traversed Trail Ridge Road, the highest through roadway on the continent at 12,183 feet above sea level, and my old stomping grounds.

I love dizzying heights and Gwen is deathly afraid of them—the difference between a frequent-flier Colorado native bred in the low oxygen environment of high altitude, and a lowlander who lives near a manmade "ski area" called Mt. Holly with a elevation drop of 350 feet—less than half the height of a Denver skyscraper. (Don’t even get me started on that.)

But Gwen has placed her Trust in God (and my mountain driving). If you're reading these words, yesterday went too long for me to tell you about it in time for today's post. You’re getting a pre-scheduled message I wrote several days ago, while I was still only dreaming of the thrilling wonders I could hardly wait to share with Gwen.

Or, perhaps Gwen’s fear proved valid, and we’ll see you all when you join us in heaven.

Either way, the next two days’ posts are already in the queue. Stop back tomorrow! :D

Contrasting points-of-view (from fans of Mt. Holly), questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com.

YHWH Yireh / YHWH Will See to It

For July, each post examines an Old Testament name of God.

YHWH Yireh / YHWH Will See to It
(pronounced: "yahd hay vahv hay YIR-eh"
Also: Jehovah-Jireh / The LORD Will Provide)

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place YHWH Will See to It. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the YHWH it will be seen."
~ Genesis 22:13-14 (author)

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
~ Luke 12:30-32 (NKJV)

This is among the names of God most familiar in Christiandom. With all due respect to far more educated scholars, few of them adequately translate it to do it justice. It is commonly known as Jehovah-Jireh, and translated, "The LORD Will Provide."

It's not terribly significant to me whether someone translates YHWH / YHVH as Jehovah, Yahweh, or LORD. (I'm a nut for accuracy over tradition, so I go with YHWH.) But to translate Yireh as "will provide" is just too small for me to accept.

Yireh attaches a prefix to the word raah, which means "to see." The context means "will see to it" or "will look after it."

To sum this up as merely "provide" narrows the scope of what the Lord did. Yes, He provided a ram for Abraham, so that he might sacrifice it instead of his son Isaac. But Abraham's vision and faith was far lager than the provision of a ram. In Hebrews 11:17-19 we learn:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.

To provide is to simply supply or give (Hebrew kul or nathan) and be done. To see to something or look after it begins before the need exists and continues to be involved.

Yes, we need to trust the Lord to provide for all our needs, of body, heart, mind, and soul. But Jesus calls us to live in such dependence on God that we have no worries or anxiousness or fear. (In fact, the instruction Jesus gave more than any other one is some form of "Fear Not.") He assures us that our loving Father in heaven wants us to seek only the Kingdom of God—to dwell in His presence—and not even think about what we need Him to provide.

More on this tomorrow as we look at the name, "Father."

Feedback appreciated! Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Surrender

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live ... you and your house shall live." ... And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid ... lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me." But Jeremiah said, "... Please, obey the voice of the LORD which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you ..."
~ Jeremiah 38:17,19-20 (NKJV)

But the Chaldean army ... captured him ... Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes ... Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon.
~ Jeremiah 39:5-7 (NKJV)

Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid..." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
~ Luke 5:10-11 (NKJV)

We fear the word "surrender," for it means to give control over to another.

Jeremiah pleaded with King Zedekiah to surrender to the Chaldeans, and therefore to the Lord's will, so that he and his children would live—"so it shall be well." Zedekiah named his fear, that he would be abused. Fear prevented his surrender and obedience to God. He not only lost the preservation of his sons' lives, but his worst fear came to pass as well.

We are little different. The Lord asks us to surrender to Him—surrender all we have, surrender all we do, surrender all we are. We fear what it might cost us. We forget that we stand to preserve or even gain far more.

How foolish that we hesitate to surrender, in fear that we will lose control over what the Lord asks of us, when we in fact hold so little (if any) control at all. Each surrender relinquishes little more than an illusion of control, yet acquires spiritual life in ever greater measure.

Beloved Lord and Master, there is no greater blessing than what comes in surrender of ourselves to You. Your love and goodness are too great to justify any fear. Please move our hearts to yield to Your touch upon our lives and receive You and Your life in ever greater measure.

Your feedback is appreciated. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Behold Your Enemies

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day.
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High....
I will triumph in the works of Your hands....
You, LORD, are on high forevermore.
For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish....
My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies.
~ Psalms 92:1-11 (NKJV)

If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.... And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ... If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead ... in Christ all shall be made alive.... He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:14-26 (NKJV)

"O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?" ...
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:55-56 (NKJV)

Because of the resurrection, everything Christ said and did—especially His death—is vindicated. We have confidence in His every Word.

Because of the resurrection, Christ lives. We serve a living God.

Because of the resurrection, we are victorious over Death, the greatest enemy. We shall not fear lesser enemies. We shall fear only He who is greater, Death's Conqueror.

Behold your enemies: Death, Sin, Flesh, World, Satan. All are defeated in the new life that is ours in the resurrection. Today, and every day, is our celebration of victory.

The Lord is on high forevermore!

Lord Jesus Christ, You are God and Ruler of all! You are Death's Conqueror! You are our King! We behold Your enemies who are our enemies, and we behold them defeated. Please move us to yield to Your Spirit and live in that victory. Please conform us to the life of Your Word.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Days of Famine

"But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest ... to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or ... reap what grows of itself ... You may ask, 'What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?' I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years."
~ Leviticus 25:4-5,20-21 (NIV)

The upright ... shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied....
I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
~ Psalms 37:18-19,25 (NKJV)

The Lord showed exceptional zeal for His Sabbaths—the seventh day of the week and the seventh year. When the Jews were taken captive to Babylon, the time of their captivity was seventy years, according to the number of Sabbaths the land was due (2 Chronicles 36:21).

Farmers know the benefit of rotating crops to prevent excessive depletion of the soil. Setting aside time from work to devote to the Lord imparts peace of mind and body that makes a person more productive six other days. Observing this important sign shows faith in the Lord's ability to accomplish more for us in six days (or years) than we ourselves attain in seven.

The present economy is not yet days of famine. But it can undermine faith in the Lord's provision, and tempt disregard for principles of tithing and Sabbath rests. If we would yet have "all things added," we need only seek first His kingdom.

Loving Father, You didn't say we would not go hungry, but that You would satisfy our hunger. Please let whatever we lack in health or wealth be the means by which You increase our faith in You and make us more dependent upon You. Give us hunger for You above all else.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

You Can Do Nothing

After greetings were exchanged, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. After hearing this, they praised God.
~ Acts 21:19-20 (NLT)

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
~ John 15:5 (NKJV)

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NKJV)

When Paul gave his missionary presentation to the church and reported its successes, he did not claim credit, but described what God had accomplished through him. Paul saw himself as merely an instrument in the hand of the Lord, and the work itself as divine accomplishment.

Are there circumstances in your life which frustrate what you want to accomplish? Are there relationships, ministry / career obstacles, or financial stresses beyond your control? News flash: You can do nothing yourself, but only cooperate with the Lord (or not) in what He's doing.

The acceptance of our utter helplessness apart from the Lord Jesus Christ is blissfully liberating. We need not worry, or strain, or stress. We need only ask for marching orders and comply, trusting our loving Father for all He intends to accomplish through us and in us.

Our Father, You have never failed to work all things together for good to those who love You. Many of Your children are facing situations that defy solution. Please help us trust You, strengthen us, and show us how to be used by You to accomplish Your plans for us.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy

Most Dangerous

They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
~ Acts 14:19-20 (NKJV)

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
~ Philippians 1:21 (NKJV)

O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?
~ 1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)

Hostile forces stoned Paul to apparent death, then cast him aside as refuse, believing him silenced. The life in Paul was the life of Christ, which can be neither killed nor silenced. After being stoned, Paul went about his business undeterred.

John Eldredge writes, "The most dangerous man on earth is the man who has reckoned with his own death. All men die; few men ever really live." The person who completely crucifies Self is reconciled to death and lives without fear. Is anyone more dangerous?

Would your life change if you discovered you have a terminal illness? It shouldn't, because you already have a terminal illness called mortality. You know not the number of your days on earth. Forfeit them all now. To die is gain, both on the day God lends your final breath, and today.

Live for Self no more, but only for Christ. To do so is to be one who really lives.

Dear God, our lives are contained in You alone. However often Self is crucified, it shows its will to live. Please give all of us the strength to surrender our lives to you so completely that Christ fully lives within us. Let His life in us make us the most dangerous people to draw breath.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy

You Will Be Hated

Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen ... disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
~ Acts 6:9-10 (NKJV)

"But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit... You will be hated by all for My name's sake."
~ Mark 13:11-13 (NKJV)

But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
~ 2 Timothy 2:23 (NKJV)

Human nature is to fear Darkness. God's nature is to push it back with Light. If you are Christ's, you are His vessel of Light dwelling amid Darkness. You will be hated by Darkness because it is weakened by Light in you. It will resist, dispute, or arrest you wherever it has opportunity.

Throughout the world, Christians are actively persecuted. Persecution in our nation is not yet as severe as elsewhere. But when the beast soon arises, it will be "granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them ... [with] authority ... over every tribe, tongue, and nation."

We need not worry beforehand. The Lord will give the wisdom and the Spirit in the hour needed. Even now, He is preparing us with small tests. We must learn when to avoid a foolish dispute, and when to contend for the faith.

Do not shrink back from the tests which make you strong.

Lord Jesus, You are the pure and holy Light of the World. You did not shrink back when Darkness reviled You, persecuted You, and killed You. You have utterly overcome Darkness in its every manifestation. Please give us courage to face Darkness when we encounter it.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy

Wings Like Eagles

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31 (NKJV)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

So then, after the Lord [Jesus] had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. ~ Mark 16:19 (NKJV)

When asked which animal I would be, I chose the eagle. I love heights, for straining toward the heavens above clouds seems to draw near to God. Twice, mountain peaks clothed in clouds and light actually looked to me like the throne room upon which I'll some day gaze continually.

Tommy Tenney likens waiting upon the Lord to a restaurant waiter of excellence who is content to simply stand by and watch for the slightest gesture of his patron, that he might rush to do his bidding, with no thought of either personal inconvenience or gain.

A good waiter might receive a generous tip from a benevolent patron of wealth. The Lord upon whom we wait rewards with strength, endurance and vigor to do all things—and with the ability to soar above the clouds near the presence of God, then plunge back to earth without fear.

Everlasting God who is with us always, however impatient we grow, remind us often that it is no burden to wait upon You and do Your every bidding. Let us not grow weary in well-doing amid people or tasks we find irritating or tiresome. Teach us how to depend fully upon You.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy