It’s 3:00 a.m. as I write this.

I was awakened by the storm. The thunder is loud and relentless. I try, but cannot go back to sleep. My wife sleeps quietly beside me, despite having her arm in a sling and propped on a pillow. It looks uncomfortable, but she says it is better than the “bed chair” she has used for the past two weeks, and far better than the recliner and sofa for the two weeks before that.

I come to an awareness that God had awakened me to speak to me. Not in an audible voice or with a new revelation. His revelation to me and everyone was complete with the Scriptures. But He still impresses His truth upon me through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Tonight, He yelled through the thunder. He used it like a knock at the door of my heart and consciousness.

Once I am awake, He whispers in the steady rainfall some things He wants to impress upon my heart. Things I know. But I need reminding. This is not the first time this has happened. I recognize His presence.

When things are on my mind, lying in bed sometimes leaves me feeling helpless, almost suffocating. Getting up or even sitting up restores my bearings. Movement always helps. I sit on the side of the bed. I relax a little and lie back down. I no longer feel stressed or anxious.

In the hours well before dawn, He reminds me that life brings changes. Some of these are painful. Some are hard. Some are joyful. Some are even funny. But change will come, and we need to be prepared for it.

I think about aging and health. I am aware that for our ages, my wife and I are healthy. She’s had a few more bumps, breaks and pains than me. I don’t understand that, but I accept it. She also accepts it, gracefully and with a thankful heart. But we are able to do everything we want to do. That says a lot about how gracious God has been to us.

I remember that my oldest grandson moves into his dormitory room at college on Friday. My first reaction is to be sad. He grew up too fast. He is the one who named me “Papaw”. Then God reminds me to be joyful and thankful that he is a healthy, bright hard-working and most of all godly young man. He’ll be fine.

Then He reminds me that this is hard for his parents, especially his mom. “Pray for them,” He prompts me.

I do. I pray for my daughter, her husband and both sons. I pray for my two sons, their wives and my five remaining grandchildren.

I pray for my wife’s continuing recovery and health. I am reminded how blessed I am that God gave her to me.

I pray for a family who recently lost a loved one tragically.

I pray for another family whose name God brought to my mind. I don’t know why, but I feel led to pray for them. To me it is random. To God, there is a purpose.

I thank God for a work He is doing in my life. It’s hard. He’s called upon me to be better. I want to be, but it is hard. He will help me.

I again think of all the changes that I and others are facing. Then God reminds me that the only constant in my life is Christ. He is strong. He never changes (James 1:17). He never sleeps (Psalm 121:4).

He is there…
-in the storm
-in the rain
-in the stillness.
He is there.

Then, just to remind me, the thunder returns as if to provide an exclamation point! It’s as if God is saying, don’t forget!

He is there. Always. He is trustworthy. Always. He loves me. He loves my family. He loves you. Always.

I’m thankful that I am His.

On my other blogsite, https://lifeandmiles.com/, I just posted an article about setting goals.  I post a similar blog every year, normally in late December.   This year, I’m a little late.  If you have time, I hope you’ll read it.  It’s my prayer that it will be a blessing to you.

I shared briefly in that post that we don’t set goals for ourselves. As believers, we should set them so that our lives might be used to advance the Kingdom of Christ, and so that we might glorify Him and serve others.  That would be the only biblical reason to set goals, or so it seems to me.

The Scriptures clearly teach that our goals must be in alignment with God’s will for our lives.  Proverbs 19:21 tells us that “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  Further, we read in Psalm 127:1 the following, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”

So, we should be careful about making plans without seeking God’s will in all matters.  James reminds us of this in James 4:15, where he writes, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

But I believe that God does expect us to plan with humility, yet with confidence, not in ourselves, but in Him. Shown below are some passages which teach this.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13-14) Our pastor used this text this morning in teaching how to not waste our lives.

Also, “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” (Isaiah 32:8)

The whole concept of sanctification, or spiritual growth for believers, anticipates that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will progress or do better as we continue our journey toward eternity.  We are being conformed to the image of Christ, little by little, day by day, until that work is completed in glorification.  And while we, in no way, participate in God’s work of salvation, we are called upon to take an active role in our growth.  This includes repentance, followed by a renewal of our commitments to Christ and to His church.  How can we do this without setting goals for our lives.  I can’t. 

As we move into this new year, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you those areas of your life that need renewal and growth, that He will show you what you need to do in this new year and that you will glorify Christ in your goals and in your efforts to accomplish those goals.

Have a blessed and happy 2023!

As I write this, I am on my return from a recent mission trip overseas.  Our pilot warned us that we would encounter rough air and turbulence about halfway through our trip home.  It’s been my experience that the air over the Pacific Ocean can be more than contrary at times.  As is usually the case, our pilot has proven to be right. My sleep has been disturbed by a shaking and rattling, along with a call from the purser to fasten our seatbelts.   I wouldn’t say it’s the worst turbulence I’ve flown through, but it’s close enough.  It has awakened me and certainly has my attention.  I’m not frightened.  I’ve encountered this before.  And I did what I always do in this situation.  I began to pray.  As we navigated through the first of several encounters, praying was my only resource.  But it was enough.

I prayed for safety.  Obviously.  I asked the Lord to calm the rough air, to equip our pilot and to bring us through this uncomfortable, if not frightening leg of the flight.   I also prayed for my family, not because I feared the worse, but because I don’t know what God has in store.  I want to rest in the assurance that He is in control, and that whatever He wills is what is best.  I prayed that whatever happens, He will continue to lead them, bless them, and use them for His glory.

This is exactly what I did a few years back when our plane kept circling a small island in southeast Asia, pulling up after its approach for three consecutive attempted landings.  We were given no explanation, and the passengers on the plane became eerily quiet.  Was it the landing gear?  Was the runway blocked?  Was the wind off the ocean too strong?  Thankfully on the fourth try, we had an uneventful landing.

It’s in times like these that we are called upon to trust the Lord completely.  When you’re in the air, unless you’re the pilot, everything is beyond your control.  And while I’m sure we have a competent pilot, even he is subject to the will and forces of the Creator.  And these circumstances aren’t limited to being in an airplane flying 35,000 above the earth.  They are the same when any event beyond our control comes into our lives, whether it be the incurable illness of a loved one, the loss of a job, severe weather such as heavy thunderstorms, tornadoes, or hurricanes, or simply growing older, with the challenges it brings.  These things move us beyond our comfort zone and require us to look to Him for comfort.  These are the times we truly realize that we are helpless.

If we believe that God is sovereign, that he is aware of and in control of every aspect of our lives, we have no alternative but to trust Him completely.  And we need no other alternative.  If He is not in control, then things are hopeless anyway.  Does this mean we’re always fearless?  No.  We’re human and fear is a natural response.  But as believers, we hold that fear captive to the power and grace of a loving God who does what is best for his children, for His glory and for our good.

Did I wish that shaking on this plane would stop?  Of course.  I prayed to that end.  And the fact that you’re reading this is evidence that our Lord returned all of us safely home.  I trust that will be the case in all situations.  And trust is all we have.  But it is sufficient because He is sufficient.  Nothing surprises Him.  Nothing unnerves Him.  Nothing overwhelms Him.  He is in perfect control.  His protection is perfect.  His peace is perfect. He is perfect.

May our Lord bless and keep you.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety” (Psalms 4:8 NASB)

Please check out our other site at https://lifeandmiles.com

If you’ve spent any time at my other blog (www.lifeandmiles.com), you may have noticed that I have written on more than one occasion on setting goals, New Year’s resolutions, and such. This year, I chose not to write about those things. But, I didn’t make that decision because I am not still setting goals and making plans for 2022.  On the contrary, I am probably working harder at doing so than in any previous year.  But I’m also aware that with 2022 is now here, and with the realities of a Covid and divided world still staring at us, I don’t want to become so focused on my goals that I neglect the more important priorities.

That’s my intent and purpose in this kick-off of the “Life and Grace” blog. I hope my writings on the other side have reflected my beliefs as a follower of Christ.  It is my desire to glorify Christ in all areas of my life, and a blog that fails to do so is a failure on my part.  But here in Life and Grace, I want to be intentionally biblical and write and spend time on matters specifically related to my relationship with our Savior.

With that in mind, let’s talk. In 2022, I have a desire and a need to see improvements in certain areas of my life. These are not New Year’s resolutions. These are not goals. Resolutions and goals are generally viewed as things that I desire to achieve, and things that can generally be done in the strength of the flesh. To the contrary, these are things that I cannot do. These are changes that can only come about by a renewing work of Christ in my life. These are changes that can only come about through sanctification by the Holy Spirit.  It is true that God calls on me to exercise obedience, but this is His work in me, not my work in myself.

It’s not “self-help”.  It’s divine work by a risen Savior in the life of his children.  It is a work He desires to do if I will submit to him and get out of the way.  Does it require a degree of effort and participation on my part?  Absolutely.  Can I do it alone?  Absolutely not.

First, I desire to walk in holiness and to live each day in a manner that seeks to glorify Christ and to obey God’s command to be holy. This is not sinless perfection.  There is no such thing. But it is a walk that seeks to avoid sin and runs from the temptation that bring about sin.

First, I have a greater desire to walk in holiness.

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Psalms 1:1-3 NASB)

God commands us to be holy, just as He is holy. It cannot be done in our own strength. It is my desire to submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in a greater and more consistent manner than I have in the past.

Second, I want to deal more kindly to those I come into contact with. As believers, we should be characterized by kindness. This kindness is not our natural behavior. It is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) Whether it’s the grocery clerk, the bank teller, a member of my family or church, I have a biblical command to demonstrate kindness. I pray that God will strengthen me in this area in 2022.

Next, I want to be generous and bless others wherever and whenever God gives me an opportunity. Obviously, this begins with my local church where I have a biblical admonition to give. (1 Corinthians 16:2). But God will undoubtably bring opportunities in our lives to glorify him by helping his children (Psalms 41:1-2).

“Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2 NASB)

Also, there is a strong need for me to be less critical. It’s so easy to find fault in others. And some of us (translated as “me”) are too quick to point out the faults of others. Jesus warned us to be careful of complaining about a speck in the eye of others while ignoring the log in our own eye. Is that true of you? It often is of me.

I, Frank Spires, need to be less judgmental of others. This does not mean that I need to turn a blind eye to sin or that I should neglect  to hold a brother accountable. I would expect them to do the same for me. But it does mean that I need to be careful to judge the motives and intents of others, especially when I am guilty of some of the same things for which I wrongly judge someone else.

The next one is a hard one. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible. But I want to show more patience in 2022. I want to be more understanding when others don’t meet my expectations or when I feel like others create an inconvenience for me. As I said, it’s impossible for me, but not for God. Patience is also an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. I pray that He will do this work in my life in 2022.

These are only a few of the areas where I desire to see improvements in my walk with Christ in 2022. No doubt there are others. And as I read through this, it seems a bit overwhelming, until I realize it’s not my work. As I stated earlier, it’s a work of the Holy Spirit. It’s up to me to seek to walk in the Spirit through prayer and study and meditation on God’s Word on a daily basis. As I seek God’s will, He can and will strengthen me as he makes me more and more in the image of His Son. It’s a matter of obedience and trust.

I need to live my life each day, not in my strength, but in the strength of our Lord. Then these changes will begin to take place. How about you? Are there things that you need to trust God to change in your life? I pray that you and I will both seek better things in 2022 for His Glory.

We’ll talk again soon. In the meantime, be blessed. May Christ be glorified in our lives.

(Please check out our other blog at https://lifeandmiles.com/)