I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate "the pearl oyster"—A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but "cover" it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl! Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have harmed us.
—Charles Spurgeon
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
DRIFTING
I read this today from JONI AND FRIENDS and thought it so worth sharing. It spoke to me because there are times in my walk that I drift and it is not hard to do if you do not focus on Christ and make you every day about Him and not yourself. Please Lord help me keep focused on YOU....
Drifting
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
--Hebrews 2:1
Do you recall, as a child, riding your rubber mat on the gentle waves of the ocean? I remember the warm sun and the rocking motion almost sending me off to sleep. In fact, I once did just that. When a giant swell woke me up, I raised my head and realized with horror how far from shore I had been carried away. A strong current had caught me and carried me down the beach. I don't know how it happened... and so quickly! I didn't realize how far I had drifted away until the moment I saw that great distance between me and my family further up the beach.
Drifting can be dangerous. Always, always there are currents pulling at us. Always we are swimming upstream, against the tide. There is always the temptation to drift, and we never realize how far we are carried away until we see Christ... until we see the others from whom we have parted. It is possible for any of us to drift spiritually or morally. No one is immune. Think of the powerful currents in your life that would carry you along unless you "kept at the oars" to control the direction. There is the current of social opinion or fad. There is a current of personal desire, of doing the things you want to do. Lust is a powerful undertow. Materialism is a relentless tug.
Following God does not come easy. Today, anchor yourself with a recommitment to keep at the oars, to keep rowing against those strong undertows. Let's not be lolled to sleep and carried away.
* * * * *
Someone has said, "Sow a thought, reap an action... sow an action, reap a habit... sow a habit, reap a character." Drifting from God starts in small ways with little thoughts. To keep the current of your thoughts in line, find a King James Bible and look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. Can your thoughts be controlled? Who gives you the power to do so?
Lord, you are a lighthouse for me, a center point, a high tower. I can always tell whether or not I'm drifting by looking to see how close, or how far from you I am. Keep me anchored near you.
Drifting
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
--Hebrews 2:1
Do you recall, as a child, riding your rubber mat on the gentle waves of the ocean? I remember the warm sun and the rocking motion almost sending me off to sleep. In fact, I once did just that. When a giant swell woke me up, I raised my head and realized with horror how far from shore I had been carried away. A strong current had caught me and carried me down the beach. I don't know how it happened... and so quickly! I didn't realize how far I had drifted away until the moment I saw that great distance between me and my family further up the beach.
Drifting can be dangerous. Always, always there are currents pulling at us. Always we are swimming upstream, against the tide. There is always the temptation to drift, and we never realize how far we are carried away until we see Christ... until we see the others from whom we have parted. It is possible for any of us to drift spiritually or morally. No one is immune. Think of the powerful currents in your life that would carry you along unless you "kept at the oars" to control the direction. There is the current of social opinion or fad. There is a current of personal desire, of doing the things you want to do. Lust is a powerful undertow. Materialism is a relentless tug.
Following God does not come easy. Today, anchor yourself with a recommitment to keep at the oars, to keep rowing against those strong undertows. Let's not be lolled to sleep and carried away.
* * * * *
Someone has said, "Sow a thought, reap an action... sow an action, reap a habit... sow a habit, reap a character." Drifting from God starts in small ways with little thoughts. To keep the current of your thoughts in line, find a King James Bible and look up 2 Corinthians 10:5. Can your thoughts be controlled? Who gives you the power to do so?
Lord, you are a lighthouse for me, a center point, a high tower. I can always tell whether or not I'm drifting by looking to see how close, or how far from you I am. Keep me anchored near you.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
2 Corinthians 12:9 My power is made perfect in weakness.
When we are weak, He is strong. In times of trouble we go to Christ to go before the throne of God to plead our case either to heal us, to help us grow, to forgive us etc. When illness strikes, it humbles us and we realize we are nt in control, He is.
When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, an orderly list of "sixteen good biblical reasons as to why this is happening" can sting like salt in a wound. You don't stop the bleeding that way. A checklist may be ok when you're looking at suffering in a rearview mirror, but not when you're looking at suffering in the present tense. When people are sorely suffering, people are like hurting children looking up into the faces of their parents, crying and asking, "Daddy why?" Those children don't want explanations, answers or reasons why, they want their daddy to pick them up, pat them on the backs, and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. God, like a father, doesn't just give advice. He gives himself;
He becomes the husband to the grieving widow (Isa 54:5)
He becomes the comforter to the barren woman (Isa 54:1)
He becomes the father of the orphaned (Psalm 10:14)
He becomes the bridegroom to the single person (Isa 62:5)
He is the healer to the sick (Ex 15:26)
He is the wonderful counselor to the confused and depressed (Isa 9:6)
This is what you do when someone you love is in anguish; you respond to the plea of their heart by giving your heart." Joni Eareckson Tada
"There is no university for a Christian, like that of sorrow and trail" CH Spurgeon
God is teaching us even in times of trouble, we just need to trust and lsiten to His words.
Cristina
When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, an orderly list of "sixteen good biblical reasons as to why this is happening" can sting like salt in a wound. You don't stop the bleeding that way. A checklist may be ok when you're looking at suffering in a rearview mirror, but not when you're looking at suffering in the present tense. When people are sorely suffering, people are like hurting children looking up into the faces of their parents, crying and asking, "Daddy why?" Those children don't want explanations, answers or reasons why, they want their daddy to pick them up, pat them on the backs, and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. God, like a father, doesn't just give advice. He gives himself;
He becomes the husband to the grieving widow (Isa 54:5)
He becomes the comforter to the barren woman (Isa 54:1)
He becomes the father of the orphaned (Psalm 10:14)
He becomes the bridegroom to the single person (Isa 62:5)
He is the healer to the sick (Ex 15:26)
He is the wonderful counselor to the confused and depressed (Isa 9:6)
This is what you do when someone you love is in anguish; you respond to the plea of their heart by giving your heart." Joni Eareckson Tada
"There is no university for a Christian, like that of sorrow and trail" CH Spurgeon
God is teaching us even in times of trouble, we just need to trust and lsiten to His words.
Cristina
Thursday, June 18, 2009
"as thy day, so shall thy strength be."
1 Peter 4:11"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
When adverse winds and waves arise,
And in my heart despondence sighs,
When life her throng of care reveals,
And weakness o'er my spirit steals,
Greatful I hear the kind decree,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
When, with sad footsteps, memory roves
'Mid smitten joys, and buried loves,
When sleep my tearful pillow flies,
And dewy morning drinks my sighs,
Still to thy promise, Lord, I flee,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
One trial more must yet be past;
One pang, the keenest and the last;
And when, with brow convulsed and pale,
My feeble quivering heart-strings fail,
Redeemer, grant my soul to see,
That, "as her day her strength shall be."
by Lydia H. Sigourney
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
When adverse winds and waves arise,
And in my heart despondence sighs,
When life her throng of care reveals,
And weakness o'er my spirit steals,
Greatful I hear the kind decree,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
When, with sad footsteps, memory roves
'Mid smitten joys, and buried loves,
When sleep my tearful pillow flies,
And dewy morning drinks my sighs,
Still to thy promise, Lord, I flee,
That "as my day my strength shall be."
One trial more must yet be past;
One pang, the keenest and the last;
And when, with brow convulsed and pale,
My feeble quivering heart-strings fail,
Redeemer, grant my soul to see,
That, "as her day her strength shall be."
by Lydia H. Sigourney
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Monday, June 08, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
SEE YOU SOON STEVIE!
Have you ever known a person that touched your life immensely? Today we attended a Memorial Service for a dear man that passed away in April of this year, His name was Steven or as many called him, Fred. I had the privilege of meeting Steven at the church that I was attending when I first came to know the Lord as my Savior.
Steven attended the church with his father and mother Murray and Connie. Steven was born with Down Syndrome and his parents are two of the finest parents I've had the privilege of knowing. Steven was around 17 or 18 when I first met him but he always seemed like a child to me, even when he was in his 30s, he still seemed childlike. At the memorial service his brothers both stood up and commented on how loving and kind Steven was and how much of hole is in their lives now that he is not with them.He was such a gentle , kind soul. You would walk in their home and he would come towards you with the biggest smile you ever seen, with one tooth missing in the front,you would be looking into these beautiful smiling eyes and he would wrap his arms around you and tell you he loved you. He was never angry, always so happy to see anyone. At church he would stay in the Nursery and help out there, every church he attended the children loved him so and so did the congregation. At the memorial Service 8 children stood up front and sang Steven's Favorite song, " Jesus Loves Me This I know, for the Bible tells me so" I remember a few times that he came and spent the day with me while his dad and mom had things to do and it was easier for them to get it done on their own. I spend those times looking through His view Master at Scoobie Doo. He brought over his favorite VHS movies that we watched together. they are memories I will treasure forever.
At the service Stevens brother Dan shared a time that his dad told him about. One day there were kids playing outside their home and Stevie was out the front with them. A little girl that was with them fell down and hurt herself and all the other children just stood around and watched. Steven went over to the little girl and helped her up and asked her if she was ok. Tears came to my eyes hearing that because I could see Stevie doing just that. If you would have had the privilege of meeting this young man you would have loved him too.
We know God made Steven this way, for a purpose.You can not imagine the lives this young man has touched. Thank you Lord for bringing Stevie into my life, because I consider myself truly blessed by him. We can learn so much from folks like Stevie, they put us to shame sometimes.
Tonight as I type this out I am thinking Stevie is now whole, no more pain, no more ridicule from folks that are just plain ignorant. I am going to miss that beautiful smile on his face and in his eyes. Thank you Lord for Steven "Fred" Riordan! I Love you Steven! I will miss you but I know I will one day see you again, whole.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
Cristina
Steven attended the church with his father and mother Murray and Connie. Steven was born with Down Syndrome and his parents are two of the finest parents I've had the privilege of knowing. Steven was around 17 or 18 when I first met him but he always seemed like a child to me, even when he was in his 30s, he still seemed childlike. At the memorial service his brothers both stood up and commented on how loving and kind Steven was and how much of hole is in their lives now that he is not with them.He was such a gentle , kind soul. You would walk in their home and he would come towards you with the biggest smile you ever seen, with one tooth missing in the front,you would be looking into these beautiful smiling eyes and he would wrap his arms around you and tell you he loved you. He was never angry, always so happy to see anyone. At church he would stay in the Nursery and help out there, every church he attended the children loved him so and so did the congregation. At the memorial Service 8 children stood up front and sang Steven's Favorite song, " Jesus Loves Me This I know, for the Bible tells me so" I remember a few times that he came and spent the day with me while his dad and mom had things to do and it was easier for them to get it done on their own. I spend those times looking through His view Master at Scoobie Doo. He brought over his favorite VHS movies that we watched together. they are memories I will treasure forever.
At the service Stevens brother Dan shared a time that his dad told him about. One day there were kids playing outside their home and Stevie was out the front with them. A little girl that was with them fell down and hurt herself and all the other children just stood around and watched. Steven went over to the little girl and helped her up and asked her if she was ok. Tears came to my eyes hearing that because I could see Stevie doing just that. If you would have had the privilege of meeting this young man you would have loved him too.
We know God made Steven this way, for a purpose.You can not imagine the lives this young man has touched. Thank you Lord for bringing Stevie into my life, because I consider myself truly blessed by him. We can learn so much from folks like Stevie, they put us to shame sometimes.
Tonight as I type this out I am thinking Stevie is now whole, no more pain, no more ridicule from folks that are just plain ignorant. I am going to miss that beautiful smile on his face and in his eyes. Thank you Lord for Steven "Fred" Riordan! I Love you Steven! I will miss you but I know I will one day see you again, whole.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.(Matthew 18:2-6 ESV)
Cristina
SOUND THEOLOGIANS
from Spurgeon’s, "Plain Words with the Careless"
No. 778 Luke 8:28.
A man may know a great deal about true
religion, and yet be a total stranger to it.
He may know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and yet he may be possessed of a devil.
Mere knowledge does nothing for us but puff us up.
We may know, and know, and know, and so
increase our responsibility, without bringing
us at all into a state of salvation.
Beware of resting in head-knowledge.
Beware of relying upon orthodoxy,
for without love to Christ, with all your
correctness of doctrine, you will be a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.
It is well to be sound in the faith,
but the soundness must be in the
heart as well as in the head.
There is as ready a way to destruction by the road
of orthodoxy as by the paths of heterodoxy.
Hell has thousands in it who were never heretics.
Remember that the devils "believe and tremble."
There are no sounder theologians than devils,
and yet their conduct is not affected by
what they believe, and consequently they still
remain at enmity to the Most High God. A mere
head-believer is on a par therefore with fallen
angels, and he will have his portion with them
forever unless grace shall change his heart.
No. 778 Luke 8:28.
A man may know a great deal about true
religion, and yet be a total stranger to it.
He may know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and yet he may be possessed of a devil.
Mere knowledge does nothing for us but puff us up.
We may know, and know, and know, and so
increase our responsibility, without bringing
us at all into a state of salvation.
Beware of resting in head-knowledge.
Beware of relying upon orthodoxy,
for without love to Christ, with all your
correctness of doctrine, you will be a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.
It is well to be sound in the faith,
but the soundness must be in the
heart as well as in the head.
There is as ready a way to destruction by the road
of orthodoxy as by the paths of heterodoxy.
Hell has thousands in it who were never heretics.
Remember that the devils "believe and tremble."
There are no sounder theologians than devils,
and yet their conduct is not affected by
what they believe, and consequently they still
remain at enmity to the Most High God. A mere
head-believer is on a par therefore with fallen
angels, and he will have his portion with them
forever unless grace shall change his heart.
Friday, May 22, 2009
MERCY
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient to you." (2 Peter 3:9)
Do you look back at your life and see just how merciful Jesus has been in your life? I shake my head sometimes thinking how undeserving I am of his grace and mercy. Even now as His child I still fail Him and He still shows mercy on me. He is the one person that will love me the most, he will never let me stand alone. Folks can really hurt you at times, but you know, I never feel alone, not meaning I don't feel pain, but I know He feels my pain. I am so blessed.
Mercy is what grace offers. The grace of God comes to us in our poor sinful condition and offers us the mercy of God when we deserve His wrath. So grace comes to us giving us mercy. I admit it is somewhat semantical, and the terms are virtually interchangeable. There is a subtle difference in the two words. Mercy has meaning more synonymous with compassion.
" 'Grace' is more than mercy and love, it superadds to them. It denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendently superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals, and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace." Thomas Goodwin
" Mercy is God's favour that holds back
"God hath in Himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you." Thomas Brooks
Do you look back at your life and see just how merciful Jesus has been in your life? I shake my head sometimes thinking how undeserving I am of his grace and mercy. Even now as His child I still fail Him and He still shows mercy on me. He is the one person that will love me the most, he will never let me stand alone. Folks can really hurt you at times, but you know, I never feel alone, not meaning I don't feel pain, but I know He feels my pain. I am so blessed.
Mercy is what grace offers. The grace of God comes to us in our poor sinful condition and offers us the mercy of God when we deserve His wrath. So grace comes to us giving us mercy. I admit it is somewhat semantical, and the terms are virtually interchangeable. There is a subtle difference in the two words. Mercy has meaning more synonymous with compassion.
" 'Grace' is more than mercy and love, it superadds to them. It denotes, not simply love, but the love of a sovereign, transcendently superior, one that may do what he will, that may wholly choose whether he will love or no. There may be love between equals, and an inferior may love a superior; but love in a superior, and so superior as he may do what he will, in such a one love is called grace: and therefore grace is attributed to princes; they are said to be gracious to their subjects, whereas subjects cannot be gracious to princes. Now God, who is an infinite Sovereign, who might have chosen whether ever He would love us or no, for Him to love us, this is grace." Thomas Goodwin
" Mercy is God's favour that holds back
"God hath in Himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you." Thomas Brooks
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