My son Patrick has been in Iraq for over a year now. God has been so merciful to us, to him, to his fiancee... we have moments of worry and then God builds up our faith in his great kindness and mercy. In one of my "mommy" moments I wrote the following poem. I had a day of reminiscing and then wrote what was on my heart...needless to say I am very proud of my son. May God bless him and all those soldiers who sacrifice their lives, hearts and minds for what God has called them to do.
MY Hero
a little boy
pudgy
so cute
JI JOE!
"MERICAN HEWO"!
a growing boy
moving to va
crying
sad
new friends!
phil
josh
matt
mark
doug
nells
play war
paint gun wars
a college boy
rotc
twin towers
pentagon
"I must help"!
"let me give blood"!
NO!
too dangerous downtown
today
a
MAN
a
SOLDIER
airborne
iraq
a
war
no!
too dangerous!
"I must go"
"I must help"
a
war
a soldier
my
son
my
American Hero!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
This morning I sit here amazed yet again at God's incredible mercy and grace. I just finished reading a devotion from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening book where he discusses the gravestone heading for William Carey (known as the Father of Modern Missions, died in 1834)... He wrote in his will that he desired the following on his gravestone:
William Carey, Born August 17th, 1761; Died-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm
On Thy kind arms I fall."
WOW! He understood his helpless estate. Here is a man who as a christian "did" many great works.. and still he understood that even His best works needed the blood of Jesus and the grace of God upon them.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about John Piper's response to Rabbi Kushner (see my August 7 blog entry) and that Dr. Piper understood that even his own righteous anger at biblical truth being compromised was stained with sin.
It is good for us to remember that for all of life in all we do, think and say we need the grace of God. Oh how wonderful it is for christians that we fall into the everlasting arms of our God. It is good that we remember it is not on our own works that we rely on. We do not rely on our works before we are saved and we still do not rely on our works after we are saved. It is on Christ and Christ alone on whom we depend to bring us safely home. He alone is sufficient to save and sanctify. There is nothing we can add to our salvation.
Our hope is always in Christ alone.. not anything we do. Even our obedience that results from salvation is a work of God in us.
It is good that we remember that it is onto God's kind and everlasting arms we fall.
"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Deuteronomy 33:27
I love the following song from Sovereign Grace Ministries which reminds me of the surety of God's promise to complete what he has begun in me:
Jesus, My Only Hope
Item # M4005-01-51
Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on All We Long to See
Listen to song sample
Lyrics
I come into Your presence
With nothing in my hands
I only bring thanksgiving
For Jesus, God, and Man
I cast myself on mercy
I cast myself on love
I trust Your gracious promise
To wash me with Your blood
I will not fear Your judgment
For me no wrath I dread
For it was spent on Jesus
Poured out upon His head
When Satan’s accusations
Make my poor heart afraid
I hear my King declaring
“Father, that debt is paid!”
Jesus my only hope
My only plea
My righteousness
My Great High Priest
Who intercedes for me
Before the throne
Jesus, I trust in You alone
Though I am poor and naked
Your prodigal come home
You place Your robe upon me
Your holiness alone
Though I be dry and barren
By grace this love springs forth
Love for You and Your Kingdom
Joy in Your glory, Lord
© 2002 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).
Format: MP3 download
May you be encouraged and amazed today by the reminder of JESUS who is our only hope and plea before God. May you be encouraged and amazed, as you surrender it all to Jesus, that underneath us are God's everlasting arms. His mercies and grace are greater than all our sin! May we spurred on to love and obedience as we press into God and His Word. My prayer today is that we be captured by the beauty of Jesus Christ. He is good.
William Carey, Born August 17th, 1761; Died-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm
On Thy kind arms I fall."
WOW! He understood his helpless estate. Here is a man who as a christian "did" many great works.. and still he understood that even His best works needed the blood of Jesus and the grace of God upon them.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about John Piper's response to Rabbi Kushner (see my August 7 blog entry) and that Dr. Piper understood that even his own righteous anger at biblical truth being compromised was stained with sin.
It is good for us to remember that for all of life in all we do, think and say we need the grace of God. Oh how wonderful it is for christians that we fall into the everlasting arms of our God. It is good that we remember it is not on our own works that we rely on. We do not rely on our works before we are saved and we still do not rely on our works after we are saved. It is on Christ and Christ alone on whom we depend to bring us safely home. He alone is sufficient to save and sanctify. There is nothing we can add to our salvation.
Our hope is always in Christ alone.. not anything we do. Even our obedience that results from salvation is a work of God in us.
It is good that we remember that it is onto God's kind and everlasting arms we fall.
"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Deuteronomy 33:27
I love the following song from Sovereign Grace Ministries which reminds me of the surety of God's promise to complete what he has begun in me:
Jesus, My Only Hope
Item # M4005-01-51
Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on All We Long to See
Listen to song sample
Lyrics
I come into Your presence
With nothing in my hands
I only bring thanksgiving
For Jesus, God, and Man
I cast myself on mercy
I cast myself on love
I trust Your gracious promise
To wash me with Your blood
I will not fear Your judgment
For me no wrath I dread
For it was spent on Jesus
Poured out upon His head
When Satan’s accusations
Make my poor heart afraid
I hear my King declaring
“Father, that debt is paid!”
Jesus my only hope
My only plea
My righteousness
My Great High Priest
Who intercedes for me
Before the throne
Jesus, I trust in You alone
Though I am poor and naked
Your prodigal come home
You place Your robe upon me
Your holiness alone
Though I be dry and barren
By grace this love springs forth
Love for You and Your Kingdom
Joy in Your glory, Lord
© 2002 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).
Format: MP3 download
May you be encouraged and amazed today by the reminder of JESUS who is our only hope and plea before God. May you be encouraged and amazed, as you surrender it all to Jesus, that underneath us are God's everlasting arms. His mercies and grace are greater than all our sin! May we spurred on to love and obedience as we press into God and His Word. My prayer today is that we be captured by the beauty of Jesus Christ. He is good.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Quotes from my Pastor's (Steve Whitacre) sermon yesterday:
"The Son of God bears the wrath of God for the people of God."
"The anger of God was poured out for every sin of every person that Jesus came to save."
"For the Christian, every sin was punished. Every sin is forgiven. This should bring great joy!"
"It is finished... if you are a christian there is no more wrath left for you."
My Lord and my God! Thank you for your death on the cross. Thank you for drinking the cup of God's wrath for my sin! Thank you Jesus that because you did bear the wrath of God for my sin, I will never bear the wrath of God. Thank you that because you willingly went to the cross for my sin I do not have to cower in fear of God when I sin, but I can go to Him with confidence of receiving grace. Oh Lord, thank you for capturing my heart with the beauty of Christ. Lord, may my response be increased love and affection for you and help me bear the fruit of obedience. I need Thee every hour! My Lord and My God. Thank you.
"The Son of God bears the wrath of God for the people of God."
"The anger of God was poured out for every sin of every person that Jesus came to save."
"For the Christian, every sin was punished. Every sin is forgiven. This should bring great joy!"
"It is finished... if you are a christian there is no more wrath left for you."
My Lord and my God! Thank you for your death on the cross. Thank you for drinking the cup of God's wrath for my sin! Thank you Jesus that because you did bear the wrath of God for my sin, I will never bear the wrath of God. Thank you that because you willingly went to the cross for my sin I do not have to cower in fear of God when I sin, but I can go to Him with confidence of receiving grace. Oh Lord, thank you for capturing my heart with the beauty of Christ. Lord, may my response be increased love and affection for you and help me bear the fruit of obedience. I need Thee every hour! My Lord and My God. Thank you.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
This is where I am today.. meditating on and praying through Psalm 91.. may it also be an encouragement to the readers of this Psalm today.
Psalm 91
My Refuge and My Fortress
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Psalm 91
My Refuge and My Fortress
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
I was reading John Pipers blog this morning, specifically his response to a radio interview he heard with Rabbi Kushner. http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/750_response_to_rabbi_kushner/
The following sentance written by Piper provoked me to think of the severity of my sin and God's great mercy.
The most astonishing thing is that God’s grace is so great neither the Rabbi nor I was struck dead by God during the interview—he, because of his blasphemous belittlings of God, and I, because of my contaminated anger at what he said.
I was struck by John Piper's humility and understanding that even his righteous anger at the remarks made by Rabbi Kushner were contaminated by sin. Surely we should be righeously outraged at the remarks made by the Rabbi!! And yes, we should be.. but we must also understand that even our most righteous anger at wickedness and sin is contaminated by our own sin! THUS, the need of a Redeemer and Savior!
Oh how I long to have an even deeper awareness and understanding of my own sin.
CJ Mahaney spoke at my church this Sunday about "the cup" that Jesus had to drink. I was reminded that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath so I could drink the cup of salvation!!! Oh Lord, thank you!!!!
In reading Piper's blog I am reminded of total depravity.. not that I sin to the most extreme all the time but that ALL my life and all parts of it are tainted by sin. This rememberance makes me all the more grateful that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath that I was supposed to drink.
Oh Jesus! Thank you so much for drinking the cup of God's wrath that is deservingly mine so that I could drink the cup of salvation. May my life be worthy of the calling. Work in me oh Lord to make me more like you! Thank you for refreshing in me the joy of Thy salvation!
The following sentance written by Piper provoked me to think of the severity of my sin and God's great mercy.
The most astonishing thing is that God’s grace is so great neither the Rabbi nor I was struck dead by God during the interview—he, because of his blasphemous belittlings of God, and I, because of my contaminated anger at what he said.
I was struck by John Piper's humility and understanding that even his righteous anger at the remarks made by Rabbi Kushner were contaminated by sin. Surely we should be righeously outraged at the remarks made by the Rabbi!! And yes, we should be.. but we must also understand that even our most righteous anger at wickedness and sin is contaminated by our own sin! THUS, the need of a Redeemer and Savior!
Oh how I long to have an even deeper awareness and understanding of my own sin.
CJ Mahaney spoke at my church this Sunday about "the cup" that Jesus had to drink. I was reminded that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath so I could drink the cup of salvation!!! Oh Lord, thank you!!!!
In reading Piper's blog I am reminded of total depravity.. not that I sin to the most extreme all the time but that ALL my life and all parts of it are tainted by sin. This rememberance makes me all the more grateful that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath that I was supposed to drink.
Oh Jesus! Thank you so much for drinking the cup of God's wrath that is deservingly mine so that I could drink the cup of salvation. May my life be worthy of the calling. Work in me oh Lord to make me more like you! Thank you for refreshing in me the joy of Thy salvation!
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