Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Monday, March 01, 2010
TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels." 2 Corinthians 4:7
Do not be surprised if you feel that in yourself you are but an earthen vessel—if you are made deeply and daily sensible of your frail body. Do not be surprised if your clay house is often tottering—if sickness sometimes assails your mortal tabernacle—if in your flesh there dwells no good thing; if your soul often cleaves to the dust—and if you are unable to retain a sweet sense of God's goodness and love. Do not be surprised nor startled at the corruptions of your depraved nature—at the depth of sin in your carnal mind—at the vile abominations which lurk and work in your deceitful and desperately wicked heart. Bear in mind that it is the will of God that this heavenly treasure which makes you rich for eternity, should be lodged in an earthen vessel.
We have ever to feel our native weakness—and that without Christ we can do nothing—that we may be clothed with humility, and feel ourselves the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints. We thus learn to prize the heights, breadths, lengths, and depths of the love of Christ, who stooped so low to raise us up so high!
Do not be surprised if you feel that in yourself you are but an earthen vessel—if you are made deeply and daily sensible of your frail body. Do not be surprised if your clay house is often tottering—if sickness sometimes assails your mortal tabernacle—if in your flesh there dwells no good thing; if your soul often cleaves to the dust—and if you are unable to retain a sweet sense of God's goodness and love. Do not be surprised nor startled at the corruptions of your depraved nature—at the depth of sin in your carnal mind—at the vile abominations which lurk and work in your deceitful and desperately wicked heart. Bear in mind that it is the will of God that this heavenly treasure which makes you rich for eternity, should be lodged in an earthen vessel.
We have ever to feel our native weakness—and that without Christ we can do nothing—that we may be clothed with humility, and feel ourselves the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints. We thus learn to prize the heights, breadths, lengths, and depths of the love of Christ, who stooped so low to raise us up so high!
Friday, February 19, 2010
HE LEADS US
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30
Consider what heavenly blessings there are for those who have a living union with the Son of God. Everything is provided for them that shall be for their salvation and their sanctification: not a single blessing has God withheld that shall be for their eternal good. View them as foolish, ignorant, unable to see the way, puzzled and perplexed by a thousand difficulties, harassed by sin, tempted by Satan, far off upon the sea. How shall they reach the heavenly shore? God, by an infinite act of sovereign love, has made his dear Son to be their "wisdom," so that none shall err so as to err fatally; none shall miss the road for want of heavenly direction to find it or walk in it. Their glorious Head, who is in heaven, is made of God unto them wisdom on earth to bring them to their heavenly inheritance. He opens up his word to their heart; he sends down a ray of light into their bosom, illuminating the sacred page and guiding their feet into the way of truth and peace. If they wander, he brings them back; if they stumble, he raises them up; and whatever be the difficulties that beset their path, sooner or later some kind direction or heavenly admonition comes from his gracious Majesty. Thus the wayfaring man, though a fool, does not err in the way of life, for his gracious Lord being his "wisdom" leads him safely along through every difficulty until he sets him before his face in glory.
~J.C. Philpot~
Consider what heavenly blessings there are for those who have a living union with the Son of God. Everything is provided for them that shall be for their salvation and their sanctification: not a single blessing has God withheld that shall be for their eternal good. View them as foolish, ignorant, unable to see the way, puzzled and perplexed by a thousand difficulties, harassed by sin, tempted by Satan, far off upon the sea. How shall they reach the heavenly shore? God, by an infinite act of sovereign love, has made his dear Son to be their "wisdom," so that none shall err so as to err fatally; none shall miss the road for want of heavenly direction to find it or walk in it. Their glorious Head, who is in heaven, is made of God unto them wisdom on earth to bring them to their heavenly inheritance. He opens up his word to their heart; he sends down a ray of light into their bosom, illuminating the sacred page and guiding their feet into the way of truth and peace. If they wander, he brings them back; if they stumble, he raises them up; and whatever be the difficulties that beset their path, sooner or later some kind direction or heavenly admonition comes from his gracious Majesty. Thus the wayfaring man, though a fool, does not err in the way of life, for his gracious Lord being his "wisdom" leads him safely along through every difficulty until he sets him before his face in glory.
~J.C. Philpot~
Sunday, February 14, 2010
GODLY MEN AND WOMEN WEEP
We cannot have too low an opinion of ourselves;
or too high an opinion of Christ.
Godly men weep over the evils which
are found in themselves, such as . . .
error,
ignorance,
prejudice,
pride,
self-righteousness,
worldliness,
levity,
unloving tempers and dispositions,
censoriousness,
envy,
sinful anger,
hatred,
a proneness . . .
to remember wrongs,
to indulge complaints,
to forget mercies.
There is no plague like the plague of an evil heart!
There is no misery like the wretchedness of
'conscious vileness'.
There are no sighs so long and so deep-drawn
as those caused by indwelling sin. Though the
righteous shall not weep always, yet they may
weep bitterly.
"What a wretched man I am!" Romans 7:24
"I abhor myself!" Job 42:6
"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4
"Woe is me! For I am undone!" Isaiah 6:5
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Luke 5:8
~William Plumer~
"Let your tears flow like a river. Give yourselves no
rest from weeping day or night." Lament. 2:18
or too high an opinion of Christ.
Godly men weep over the evils which
are found in themselves, such as . . .
error,
ignorance,
prejudice,
pride,
self-righteousness,
worldliness,
levity,
unloving tempers and dispositions,
censoriousness,
envy,
sinful anger,
hatred,
a proneness . . .
to remember wrongs,
to indulge complaints,
to forget mercies.
There is no plague like the plague of an evil heart!
There is no misery like the wretchedness of
'conscious vileness'.
There are no sighs so long and so deep-drawn
as those caused by indwelling sin. Though the
righteous shall not weep always, yet they may
weep bitterly.
"What a wretched man I am!" Romans 7:24
"I abhor myself!" Job 42:6
"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4
"Woe is me! For I am undone!" Isaiah 6:5
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Luke 5:8
~William Plumer~
"Let your tears flow like a river. Give yourselves no
rest from weeping day or night." Lament. 2:18
THE GREATEST LOVE STORY. HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP
All for you!
(MacDuff, "Encouragements to Patient Waiting")
Take a pilgrimage in thought, to Gethsemane
and Calvary! Gaze upon His sufferings! He knew
all the sorrows that await Him--the shame, the
suffering, the anguish--but He takes the bitter
cup, and, with His heart set on the salvation
of His people--with His heart set on you--the
blessed Savior drains it to the very dregs!
See Him on Calvary . . .
unpitied by the crowd;
deserted by His disciples;
forsaken by His Father;
the Lamb led to the slaughter;
and all for you!
(MacDuff, "Encouragements to Patient Waiting")
Take a pilgrimage in thought, to Gethsemane
and Calvary! Gaze upon His sufferings! He knew
all the sorrows that await Him--the shame, the
suffering, the anguish--but He takes the bitter
cup, and, with His heart set on the salvation
of His people--with His heart set on you--the
blessed Savior drains it to the very dregs!
See Him on Calvary . . .
unpitied by the crowd;
deserted by His disciples;
forsaken by His Father;
the Lamb led to the slaughter;
and all for you!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
GLOBAL WARMING
God hates the Lukewarm gospel of Half-Truths that is now spreading over the Globe. This gospel says, 'Just believe in Jesus and you'll be Saved. There's nothing more to it.' It ignores the Whole Counsel of God, which speaks of Repenting from former Sins, of Taking up your Cross, of being conformed to the Image of Christ by the refining work of the Holy Spirit. It is totally silent about the Reality of Hell and an After-Death Judgment."
HE BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU TILL THE END Phil. 1:6
It is so comforting to know that He never gives up on His children.
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," - Hebrews vi, 12
Patience is necessary in order to prove the genuiness and reality of faith. The Lord generally--I may say invariably--does not accomplish his purpose at once. He usualy-- I might say almost invariably--works by graduations. Is not this the case in creation? Do we see the oak starting up in all its gicantic proportions in one day? Is not a tiny acorn committed to the ground; and is not the giant oak, whose limbs we admire, the gorwth of a century? Men and women are years growing up to thier full stature. So spiritualy, "He that believeth shall not make haste." Faith in the soul is of slow growth for the most part; for the Lord takes care that every step in the path shall be tried by the perplexities and difficulties that suround it. And appointed this that it may be a means of distinguishing the faith of God's elect from the faith of those who have a name to live while dead. They apostatize and turn away from the faith. Like the stoney ground hearers, they believe for a time, but in temptation fall away. The various hindrances of nature, sense and reason, sin, the devil, and the world get the better of them; thus they turn back, often give up all profession of religeon, and die in thier sins. But the Lord's people cannot so die. Thier faith is of a lasting nature, because what God does He does forever. Thus thier faiith. stands every storm and endures forever.
EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES/J.C. PHILPOT
Lord thankyou for Mr. Philpots and the many more men and women you have given your children to encourage.
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," - Hebrews vi, 12
Patience is necessary in order to prove the genuiness and reality of faith. The Lord generally--I may say invariably--does not accomplish his purpose at once. He usualy-- I might say almost invariably--works by graduations. Is not this the case in creation? Do we see the oak starting up in all its gicantic proportions in one day? Is not a tiny acorn committed to the ground; and is not the giant oak, whose limbs we admire, the gorwth of a century? Men and women are years growing up to thier full stature. So spiritualy, "He that believeth shall not make haste." Faith in the soul is of slow growth for the most part; for the Lord takes care that every step in the path shall be tried by the perplexities and difficulties that suround it. And appointed this that it may be a means of distinguishing the faith of God's elect from the faith of those who have a name to live while dead. They apostatize and turn away from the faith. Like the stoney ground hearers, they believe for a time, but in temptation fall away. The various hindrances of nature, sense and reason, sin, the devil, and the world get the better of them; thus they turn back, often give up all profession of religeon, and die in thier sins. But the Lord's people cannot so die. Thier faith is of a lasting nature, because what God does He does forever. Thus thier faiith. stands every storm and endures forever.
EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES/J.C. PHILPOT
Lord thankyou for Mr. Philpots and the many more men and women you have given your children to encourage.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
"They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them."—Jeremiah 31:9
Until God is pleased to pour out upon us the spirit of grace and of supplications, we cannot worship him aright; for God is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth; nor can we without this spirit offer up that spiritual sacrifice which is acceptable to him through Jesus Christ. When this spirit has been once given and kindled in a believer's breast, it never dies out. It is like the fire upon the brazen altar, which was first given by the Lord himself from heaven, and concerning which God gave this command: "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out" (Lev. 6:13). This fire might sink low; it might be covered with the ashes of sacrifice, but it never was suffered to go out for want of supply of fuel.So at times it may seem to you as if there were scarcely any spirit of prayer alive in your bosom; and you may feel as destitute of a spirit of grace and of supplications as if you had never known its lively movements and actings. But you will find it drawn out from time to time by circumstances. You will be placed under peculiar trials, under which you will find no relief but at a throne of grace; or God will in tender mercy breathe again upon your soul with his own gracious Spirit, and by his quickening breath will revive, I will not say kindle, for it is not gone out, that holy fire which seemed to be buried under the ashes of corruption, that inward spirit of prayer which he gave you at regeneration, and which will never cease till it issue in everlasting praise.
I am reading a Devotional called "EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES" by J. C. Philpot
And I am being so blessed by it.
I am reading a Devotional called "EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES" by J. C. Philpot
And I am being so blessed by it.
Friday, January 29, 2010
"Much mental suffering is tied to our false expectations. We may so link our hopes and joys and future to a new job, to a promotion, or to certain kinds of success, to prosperity, that when they fail to materialize, we are utterly crushed. But quiet confidence in God alone breeds stability and delight amid "all the changing scenes of life. The degree of our peace of mind is tied tour prayer life because we address a prayer answering God, a personal God, a responding God and a sovereign God whom we can trust with the outcomes of life's confusions." DA Carson,
Our expectations of God are sometimes too much. We expect Him to solve all of our problems by a mere prayer. "Lord help me I am in trouble" and then a wave of some kind of force and all our problems are wiped away and we continue on.
NO! Sometimes He answers our prayer and the answer is "deal with it", "I am here but you need to deal with it. " God may be putting you through a trial and that trial maybe there so that you will realize just how much you need the Lord or that your walk is weak and God has put this trial upon you to make your dependency in Christ.
I have failed God so much and I'm realizing just how much, I am so weak and He is so strong. I am such a wretched sinner and He is perfect. I love Him so much, but I don't love Him enough.
I have disappointed Him in so many ways, and He keeps on loving me, I wonder why sometimes. The flesh can be so strong at times, living in this sin infested world can be so difficult.
God will make you face the sin in your life and he will do what ever it takes to do it! If you face up to the fire, God will guide you through it and it may takes hours, days ...or years, but God is there and if it is a lifetime of pain and you leave this world suffering from it, think about the second you leave this world and you enter eternity in Glory, it's worth it.
I believe the hard heartiest, most cross grained and most unloving Christians in all the world are those who have not had much trouble in their life. And those that are the most sympathizing, loving and Christlike are generally those who have the most affliction. The worse thing that can happen to any of us is to have a path made too smooth. One of the greatest blessings the Lord ever gave us was a cross." Charles Spurgeon
Please pray for me because I am so weak and and in the hours, day and months ahead I want to draw nearer to our Savior, I want Him proud of me.
"You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall. Stay alert, keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptation s will be effective in sapping strength. The bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones." Oswald Chambers
Our expectations of God are sometimes too much. We expect Him to solve all of our problems by a mere prayer. "Lord help me I am in trouble" and then a wave of some kind of force and all our problems are wiped away and we continue on.
NO! Sometimes He answers our prayer and the answer is "deal with it", "I am here but you need to deal with it. " God may be putting you through a trial and that trial maybe there so that you will realize just how much you need the Lord or that your walk is weak and God has put this trial upon you to make your dependency in Christ.
I have failed God so much and I'm realizing just how much, I am so weak and He is so strong. I am such a wretched sinner and He is perfect. I love Him so much, but I don't love Him enough.
I have disappointed Him in so many ways, and He keeps on loving me, I wonder why sometimes. The flesh can be so strong at times, living in this sin infested world can be so difficult.
God will make you face the sin in your life and he will do what ever it takes to do it! If you face up to the fire, God will guide you through it and it may takes hours, days ...or years, but God is there and if it is a lifetime of pain and you leave this world suffering from it, think about the second you leave this world and you enter eternity in Glory, it's worth it.
I believe the hard heartiest, most cross grained and most unloving Christians in all the world are those who have not had much trouble in their life. And those that are the most sympathizing, loving and Christlike are generally those who have the most affliction. The worse thing that can happen to any of us is to have a path made too smooth. One of the greatest blessings the Lord ever gave us was a cross." Charles Spurgeon
Please pray for me because I am so weak and and in the hours, day and months ahead I want to draw nearer to our Savior, I want Him proud of me.
"You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall. Stay alert, keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptation s will be effective in sapping strength. The bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones." Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
REPENTANCE
A child of God weeps that he is sometimes overcome by the prevalence of corruption. "For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do." (Romans 7:19).
Repenting tears are precious. God puts them in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). Repenting tears are beautifying. To God—a tear in the eye, adorns more than a ring on the finger. Oil makes the face shine (Psalm 104:15). Tears make the heart shine. Repenting tears are comforting. A sinner's mirth turns to melancholy. A saint's mourning turns to music! Repentance may be compared to myrrh, which though it is bitter to the taste—is comforting to the spirits. Repentance may be bitter to the flesh, but it is most refreshing to the soul. Wax which melts is fit for the seal. A melting soul is fit to take the stamp of all heavenly blessing. Let us give Christ the water of our tears—and he will give us the wine of his blood!
Godly men weep over the evils whichare found in themselves, such as
. . . error,
ignorance,
prejudice,
pride,
self-righteousness,
worldliness,
levity,
unloving tempers and dispositions,
censoriousness,
envy,
sinful anger,
hatred,
a proneness . . .
to remember wrongs,
to indulge complaints,
to forget mercies.
There is no plague like the plague of an evil heart! There is no misery like the wretchedness of 'conscious vileness'. There are no sighs so long and so deep-drawn as those caused by indwelling sin. Though the righteous shall not weep always, yet they may weep bitterly. "What a wretched man I am!" Romans 7:24"I abhor myself!" Job 42:6"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4"Woe is me! For I am undone!" Isaiah 6:5"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Luke 5:8
True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further and further from sin—and a daily turning of the soul nearer and nearer to God.True repentance includes . . . a true sense of sin, a deep sorrow for sin, a hearty loathing of sin, and a holy shame and blushing for sin.To repent is to make . . . a clean head and a clean heart; a clean lip and a clean life.To repent is for a man to loathe himself, as well as his sin. Is this easy for man, who is so great a self-lover, and so great a self-exalter, and so great a self-admirer—to become a self-loather? To repent is to cross sinful self,it is to walk contrary to sinful self, yes, it is to revenge a man's self upon himself.True repentance lies in a daily dying to sin, and in a daily living to Him who lives forever.
Grace Gems
Repenting tears are precious. God puts them in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). Repenting tears are beautifying. To God—a tear in the eye, adorns more than a ring on the finger. Oil makes the face shine (Psalm 104:15). Tears make the heart shine. Repenting tears are comforting. A sinner's mirth turns to melancholy. A saint's mourning turns to music! Repentance may be compared to myrrh, which though it is bitter to the taste—is comforting to the spirits. Repentance may be bitter to the flesh, but it is most refreshing to the soul. Wax which melts is fit for the seal. A melting soul is fit to take the stamp of all heavenly blessing. Let us give Christ the water of our tears—and he will give us the wine of his blood!
Godly men weep over the evils whichare found in themselves, such as
. . . error,
ignorance,
prejudice,
pride,
self-righteousness,
worldliness,
levity,
unloving tempers and dispositions,
censoriousness,
envy,
sinful anger,
hatred,
a proneness . . .
to remember wrongs,
to indulge complaints,
to forget mercies.
There is no plague like the plague of an evil heart! There is no misery like the wretchedness of 'conscious vileness'. There are no sighs so long and so deep-drawn as those caused by indwelling sin. Though the righteous shall not weep always, yet they may weep bitterly. "What a wretched man I am!" Romans 7:24"I abhor myself!" Job 42:6"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4"Woe is me! For I am undone!" Isaiah 6:5"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Luke 5:8
True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further and further from sin—and a daily turning of the soul nearer and nearer to God.True repentance includes . . . a true sense of sin, a deep sorrow for sin, a hearty loathing of sin, and a holy shame and blushing for sin.To repent is to make . . . a clean head and a clean heart; a clean lip and a clean life.To repent is for a man to loathe himself, as well as his sin. Is this easy for man, who is so great a self-lover, and so great a self-exalter, and so great a self-admirer—to become a self-loather? To repent is to cross sinful self,it is to walk contrary to sinful self, yes, it is to revenge a man's self upon himself.True repentance lies in a daily dying to sin, and in a daily living to Him who lives forever.
Grace Gems
Monday, January 18, 2010
DEATH AND LIFE
The last thing a child of God has to fear is death! Death to a christian means to be in the presence of their Savior. Oh the Glory of that moment absent from the body, present with the Lord, not even but a second of closing your eyes and then to open them and see the Holy one that you have served. The joy will be indescribable! All the pain and suffering you endured will be wiped from your mind.
"The sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more!" Isaiah 65:19
The joy we will experience when we look into His face and see the love He feels for us, a love no greater.
"And they shall be Mine, says the Lord Almighty, in that day when I make up My jewels." Malachi 3:17
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
To meditate on how much He loves His own to remember how He suffered so much for us by laying down His life. ..No greater love then to lay down your life.
He is preparing it for us brethren! Home Sweet Home Awaits us!!
~Cristina~
"The sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more!" Isaiah 65:19
The joy we will experience when we look into His face and see the love He feels for us, a love no greater.
"And they shall be Mine, says the Lord Almighty, in that day when I make up My jewels." Malachi 3:17
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
To meditate on how much He loves His own to remember how He suffered so much for us by laying down His life. ..No greater love then to lay down your life.
He is preparing it for us brethren! Home Sweet Home Awaits us!!
~Cristina~
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
FOR THOUGH ART WITH ME
Brethern, In times of trouble remember your not alone
Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: thou anointest [2] my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord for ever
Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: thou anointest [2] my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord for ever
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
HE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU
"The things we try to avoid and fight against - tribulation, suffering and persecution - are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. Huge waves that would frighten the ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. "We are more than conquerors through Him" IN all these things - not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint doesn't know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. Paul said "I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation". Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Rom 8:37, 2 Cor 7:4)
Sunday, November 29, 2009
HAPPY 25 ANNIVERSARY MY LOVE!
DECEMBER 1st a day that will be never forgotten.......
Love that’s grown over many year
Looking back with joy and tears
Silver thread now marks the day,
I am so thankful for you in every way.
Remembering back to that day
Walking down the isle with my bouquet.
You waiting there, our journey ahead
Remembering now the words we said.
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer,
for poorer, in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish; from this day forward
until death do us part.
My love, when God choose you to be my man,
Now looking back, I knowing it was his sovereign plan.
You have brought such joy and laughter into my life
And I am so blessed to be able to be called your wife.
Jim, I love you more today then the day we were wed!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
TRANSFORMED
I was listening in a chat room tonight and some were saying that if you do not believe automatically in the 5 points of Calvinism, you are not saved and then I got this e-mail in from "Grace Gems" and thought what perfect timing! It's all in God's timing!
A believer's life-mission
(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind!" Romans 12:2
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness." 2 Corinthians 3:18
The character of every true believer is being transformed. If Christ dwells in you, He will produce in you the same kind of life which He himself lived when He was on the earth. This change does not come in its completeness, or instantaneously the moment one believes in Christ. But it does begin then.
Life is large. Life's lessons are many and hard to learn! Paul was an old man when he said, "I have learned, in whatever state I am, therein to be content." It had taken him many years to learn this lesson of contentment.
Likewise, it takes us years to get life's lessons learned. But nothing is clearer, than that a believer's life-mission --is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. There is to be a transformation of character. Holiness must become the every-day dress of the Christian. We are called to be saints, even in this sinful world.
"So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe!" Philippians 2:15
A believer's life-mission
(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind!" Romans 12:2
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness." 2 Corinthians 3:18
The character of every true believer is being transformed. If Christ dwells in you, He will produce in you the same kind of life which He himself lived when He was on the earth. This change does not come in its completeness, or instantaneously the moment one believes in Christ. But it does begin then.
Life is large. Life's lessons are many and hard to learn! Paul was an old man when he said, "I have learned, in whatever state I am, therein to be content." It had taken him many years to learn this lesson of contentment.
Likewise, it takes us years to get life's lessons learned. But nothing is clearer, than that a believer's life-mission --is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. There is to be a transformation of character. Holiness must become the every-day dress of the Christian. We are called to be saints, even in this sinful world.
"So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe!" Philippians 2:15
THANKSGIVING
"Thanksgiving should characterize God's people at all times: "In everything, give thanks." What does it mean to give thanks in all things? One thing it surely does not mean is that we should be thankful for all things. The command is not "be thankful for all things," but "be thankful in all things." We are not expected to thank God for the horrors of life. There are legitimate behaviors, circumstances, and attitudes that should repulse us. Though we can't be thankful for all things, we can be thankful in the midst of all things. How can this be? Gratitude looks underneath the surface. Gratitude "is not simply a form of "positive thinking" or a technique of "happy-ology," but rather a deep and abiding recognition and acknowledgment that goodness exists under even the worst that life offers."
~Rich Vincent
~Rich Vincent
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
FORGIVENESS
THE FAINTING SOUL REVIVED
Spurgeon- 'The fainting soul revived'
God does not resent our ingratitude--
"My child, my poor child," he says,
"though you have gone and spent your substance;
though you have been feeding swine;
though you are all black, and foul and filthy--
yet you are my dear child still,
and my heart yearns towards you."
Without a word of rebuke, or even a taunting look,
as soon as ever a poor sinner comes back to the Father's
house, the Father's arms are round around his neck,
and the kiss of pardon is pressed on his cheek.
"I remember you well," he says;
"I have blotted out your sins like a cloud,
and your iniquities like a thick cloud."
This is just like when we sin against another and ask forgiveness we are to act like God and forgive. When we don't except forgiveness we are not one with God. When someone hurts you, even when it is harsh we are still to forgive. It is sure hard at times but I look at myself and how I have sin against others at times and my God forgives me. He has blotted out out our sins, we should forgive thoses that sin against us. I am not saying forget because it is hard to forget being human still, but forgiveness gives us such freedom...and it may free thAT person that sinned against you to feel free to go on with their walk.
Spurgeon- 'The fainting soul revived'
God does not resent our ingratitude--
"My child, my poor child," he says,
"though you have gone and spent your substance;
though you have been feeding swine;
though you are all black, and foul and filthy--
yet you are my dear child still,
and my heart yearns towards you."
Without a word of rebuke, or even a taunting look,
as soon as ever a poor sinner comes back to the Father's
house, the Father's arms are round around his neck,
and the kiss of pardon is pressed on his cheek.
"I remember you well," he says;
"I have blotted out your sins like a cloud,
and your iniquities like a thick cloud."
This is just like when we sin against another and ask forgiveness we are to act like God and forgive. When we don't except forgiveness we are not one with God. When someone hurts you, even when it is harsh we are still to forgive. It is sure hard at times but I look at myself and how I have sin against others at times and my God forgives me. He has blotted out out our sins, we should forgive thoses that sin against us. I am not saying forget because it is hard to forget being human still, but forgiveness gives us such freedom...and it may free thAT person that sinned against you to feel free to go on with their walk.
Friday, October 16, 2009
O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
Romans 8:28-39
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among any brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
Romans 8:28-39
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among any brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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