O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to Thee. I Lord Jesus, great high priest, Thou hast opened a new and living way by which a fallen creature can approach Thee with acceptance.
Help me to contemplate the dignity of Thy Person, the perfectness of Thy sacrifice, the effectiveness of Thy intercession.
O what blessedness accompanies devotion, when under all the trials that weary me, the cares that corrode me, the fears that disturb me, the infirmities that oppress me, I can come to Thee in my need and feel peace beyond understanding!
The grace that restores is necessary to preserve, lead, guard, supply, help me. And here Thy saints encourage my hope; they were once poor and are now rich, bound and are now free, tried and now are victorious.
Every new duty calls for more grace than I now possess, but not more than is found in Thee, the divine treasury in whom all fullness dwells. To Thee I repair for grace upon grace, until every void made by sin be replenished and I am filled with all Thy fullness.
May my desires be enlarged and my hopes emboldened, that I may honour Thee by my entire dependency and the greatness of my expectation.
Do Thou be with me, and prepare me for all the smiles of prosperity, the frowns of adversity, the losses of substance, the death of friends, the days of darkness, the changes of life, and the last great change of all. May I find thy grace sufficient for all my needs.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
You are walking in the midst of snares and traps!
(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")
"Be very careful, then, how you walk!" Ephesians 5:15
To honor Jesus in your thoughts, words, and every action—should be your constant aim.
You are in an enemy's land; surrounded by temptations; and have a heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked!
This present world is not your home! Satan's family are not to be your intimate friends. Riches, honors, or pleasure—are not to be your objects of pursuit. You are walking in the midst of snares and traps! Be watchful, prayerful, depending upon Jesus, and cultivating fellowship with Him.
O keep your eye on Jesus, as your example! Walk by His Word—as your rule. Do not be venturesome or presumptuous, but avoid the very appearance of evil. Never leave the Lord's ways—to join the world's vanities or to please a carnal lust. Keep close to Jesus—and follow on to know the Lord.
Walk as a beloved child, who going home to his loving Father's house! "Be very careful, then, how you walk!"
"Be very careful, then, how you walk!" Ephesians 5:15
To honor Jesus in your thoughts, words, and every action—should be your constant aim.
You are in an enemy's land; surrounded by temptations; and have a heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked!
This present world is not your home! Satan's family are not to be your intimate friends. Riches, honors, or pleasure—are not to be your objects of pursuit. You are walking in the midst of snares and traps! Be watchful, prayerful, depending upon Jesus, and cultivating fellowship with Him.
O keep your eye on Jesus, as your example! Walk by His Word—as your rule. Do not be venturesome or presumptuous, but avoid the very appearance of evil. Never leave the Lord's ways—to join the world's vanities or to please a carnal lust. Keep close to Jesus—and follow on to know the Lord.
Walk as a beloved child, who going home to his loving Father's house! "Be very careful, then, how you walk!"
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Man's religion & God's religion
"That no flesh should glory in His presence."
1 Corinthians 1:29
Man's religion is to build up the creature.
God's religion is to throw the creature down in
the dust of self-abasement, and to glorify Christ.
What a mystery are you!
"So I find this law at work—When I want to do
good, evil is right there with me." Rom. 7:21
Are you not often a mystery to yourself?
Warm one moment—cold the next!
Abasing yourself one hour—
exalting yourself the following!
Loving the world, full of it, steeped up to
your head in it today—crying, groaning, and
sighing for a sweet manifestation of the love
of God tomorrow!
Brought down to nothingness, covered with
shame and confusion, on your knees before
you leave your room—filled with pride and self
importance before you have got down stairs!
Despising the world, and willing to give it all
up for one taste of the love of Jesus when in
solitude—trying to grasp it with both hands
when in business!
What a mystery are you!
Touched by love—and stung with hatred!
Possessing a little wisdom—and a great deal of folly!
Earthly minded—and yet having the affections in heaven!
Pressing forward—and lagging behind!
Full of sloth—and yet taking the kingdom with violence!
And thus the Spirit, by a process which we may feel
but cannot adequately describe—leads us into the
mystery of the two natures perpetually struggling
and striving against each other in the same bosom.
So that one man cannot more differ from another,
than the same man differs from himself.
But the mystery of the kingdom of heaven is this—
that our carnal mind undergoes no alteration, but
maintains a perpetual war with grace. And thus,
the deeper we sink in self abasement under a
sense of our vileness, the higher we rise in a
knowledge of Christ, and the blacker we are in
our own view—the more lovely does Jesus appear.
J. C. Philpot
1 Corinthians 1:29
Man's religion is to build up the creature.
God's religion is to throw the creature down in
the dust of self-abasement, and to glorify Christ.
What a mystery are you!
"So I find this law at work—When I want to do
good, evil is right there with me." Rom. 7:21
Are you not often a mystery to yourself?
Warm one moment—cold the next!
Abasing yourself one hour—
exalting yourself the following!
Loving the world, full of it, steeped up to
your head in it today—crying, groaning, and
sighing for a sweet manifestation of the love
of God tomorrow!
Brought down to nothingness, covered with
shame and confusion, on your knees before
you leave your room—filled with pride and self
importance before you have got down stairs!
Despising the world, and willing to give it all
up for one taste of the love of Jesus when in
solitude—trying to grasp it with both hands
when in business!
What a mystery are you!
Touched by love—and stung with hatred!
Possessing a little wisdom—and a great deal of folly!
Earthly minded—and yet having the affections in heaven!
Pressing forward—and lagging behind!
Full of sloth—and yet taking the kingdom with violence!
And thus the Spirit, by a process which we may feel
but cannot adequately describe—leads us into the
mystery of the two natures perpetually struggling
and striving against each other in the same bosom.
So that one man cannot more differ from another,
than the same man differs from himself.
But the mystery of the kingdom of heaven is this—
that our carnal mind undergoes no alteration, but
maintains a perpetual war with grace. And thus,
the deeper we sink in self abasement under a
sense of our vileness, the higher we rise in a
knowledge of Christ, and the blacker we are in
our own view—the more lovely does Jesus appear.
J. C. Philpot
Saturday, January 08, 2011
DAD'S CLOSET
I opened the door and hanging there were my dad's clothes. So many memories, I could picture him in these clothes. His shirt and pants were always neatly press, his pants with the sharpest crease, his shirt always crisp looking. His baseball hats lined up at the top of his closet, neatly put and then in the corner of the top shelf laid this old grey T-Shirt with "AIR FORCE" written across it. It was tattered because in my dad's later years he contacted Shingles and this T-shirt was light on his skin and he was always proud of serving in the "Air Force" so he wore it a lot and it was washed a lot. I boxed up all his fine clothes, trying to think of someone that could use them because they were all in such perfect shape.It's hard to believe in those three boxes lay the memories of such a dear father whom I will never stop missing. I closed the boxes and stuck them in the corner till mom gets home and then we could decide who we could donate them to. I went to the empty closet but before I closed the door I placed the old grey T-shirt back on the shelf. Out of all those fine close the old grey T-shirt ment the most to me because It meant the most to my dear old dad. I will admit I had a real good cry, something I haven't been able to do. I love you my dear ole dad.
Friday, January 07, 2011
HONOR ME AND I WILL HONOR YOU
Lord my prayer is to honor you in all I do. Lord it can be so hard at times to fight against the flesh. I am finding more and more when I remind myself of these words "Honor you and you will honor me", it reminds me that you are always watching and hearing all I do. May I honor you, may I make you proud of me Lord.
My Father's eye!
"Your Father—who sees in secret." Matthew 6:6
Can anyone hide himself from the Lord in secret places?
Can I, under any circumstances, escape His notice?
Impossible!
The eye of God has been fixed upon me every second of this day; it is now at this moment fixed fully upon me. But it is my Father's eye! My Father sees in secret!
He sees my needs—and my woes.
He sees every secret working of my foes—and will save me from them.
He sees every secret influence which is likely to injure me—and will prevent it.
He sees . . .
the secret workings of my heart,
my hidden thoughts,
my unuttered desires,
my soul conflicts,
my private temptations.
But He sees also my secret sins!
Every evil thought,
every improper action,
every unfitting word—
passes under His eye!
Solemn consideration this!
May it make me cautious. May it preserve me. . .
from yielding to temptation,
from nourishing sinful thoughts, and
from acting inconsistent with my profession.
My heavenly Father sees me!
He sees me at this moment!
He sees me every moment!
He sees my most secret motives, thoughts, and purposes!
He who thus sees me—hates every sin with an infinite hatred
My Father's eye!
"Your Father—who sees in secret." Matthew 6:6
Can anyone hide himself from the Lord in secret places?
Can I, under any circumstances, escape His notice?
Impossible!
The eye of God has been fixed upon me every second of this day; it is now at this moment fixed fully upon me. But it is my Father's eye! My Father sees in secret!
He sees my needs—and my woes.
He sees every secret working of my foes—and will save me from them.
He sees every secret influence which is likely to injure me—and will prevent it.
He sees . . .
the secret workings of my heart,
my hidden thoughts,
my unuttered desires,
my soul conflicts,
my private temptations.
But He sees also my secret sins!
Every evil thought,
every improper action,
every unfitting word—
passes under His eye!
Solemn consideration this!
May it make me cautious. May it preserve me. . .
from yielding to temptation,
from nourishing sinful thoughts, and
from acting inconsistent with my profession.
My heavenly Father sees me!
He sees me at this moment!
He sees me every moment!
He sees my most secret motives, thoughts, and purposes!
He who thus sees me—hates every sin with an infinite hatred
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