DailyPraytoGod

2010-06-28T09:34:00.003-04:00

Long time no see! To my friends who have been faithful to check in on this blog every once in a while I apologize for being AWOL! I have taken a break from writing and I am coming back with a new blog!!! Here is the site of my new blog! Please consider visiting and interacting with the blog!

http://joyinjesus-theemptynester.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!!!!!

2010-01-08T09:25:00.003-05:00

Greetings to those few people who follow my blog! Happy New Year!!!! I cannot believe that it is 2010!!! Does that blow anyone else away? It does me.

My husband and I laugh because this is the year we turn 55. Of course, I have to say that he turns 55 a FULL 9 months earlier than I do. Our responses to this fact of our aging was quite different... he is THRILLED that he finally will get the senior discount at Bob Evans Restaurant and I, upon the realization of turning double nickels this year, dyed my hair on New Years Day to cover up those gray hairs!! haha! Dennis is ready to embrace it and I'm just not quite ready to look the part although I will take advantage of that senior discount (and let me repeat:) a FULL 9 months after my husband does! :)

I have been away from writing this blog for a long time. Honestly? I ran out of things to say! haha! Those who know me well aren't buying that, I'm sure... but it's true. I came up against a writer's block of sorts but I have a feeling that I'm back!!!! :)

I am looking forward to waiting this year... waiting for what you might ask? Well, in August of '09 our youngest son went away to college so for the majority of the year we are empty nest. I have been stuck with not knowing what to do with myself. I think I have been downright "in the dumps"... kind of stuck... I have had some WONDERFUL things happen in the second half of '09 .. two beautiful grandchildren (our first ones!!!) were born! Charlie Michael and Gabriel Jacob! Charlie in July and Gabe in November... they bring SUCH joy to me... but I still felt "stuck".

So what do i do now?

Well, on New Year's Eve my husband was sick. By 630 PM he was sound asleep on the couch. I got online and just surfed around, played games, read blogs . In doing so I came across a live stream of John Piper preaching about Holy Ambition to I'm assuming young adults. I began to listen and was captivated by his words. His words brought me to a place of repentance of my laziness this past few months, of unbelief, of harshness towards others (in thought mostly, but also in words to some people around me.).. of wasting those few months of my life. My time in Scripture was not daily, my daily prayer life was minimal.. I was in a dry and barren land and didn't even know it until the last day of 2009.

As I said, I had a time of repentance and worship and prayer and at Dr. Piper's suggestion I prayed that God would give me a holy ambition, that I would not waste the rest of my life. At 55 I may have 2 hours, 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, 20 years, 30 years left to live on this earth before I go to be with my God and Savior but I do know that I do not want to waste another minute! I immediately felt as though I were airlifted out of that dry and barren land and my joy returned! How kind and merciful of God!!!!

So... what does my life look like since then? Well, not a whole lot different . I am waiting. I don't know what God has for me but my heart attitude is different! I enjoy more time reading the bible, I am praying more, I am TRUSTING God more! I am joyful and hopeful! I am continuing to serve my church and my family .. I'm not just going to "sit and wait" for God to "voila" show me what the rest of my life is going to look like.. I am going to put one foot in front of the other and walk in trust serving the kingdom and enjoying this season of life. I am looking forward to God's continuing sanctification in my life.. I am basking in His grace, love and mercy. Ahhh.. it's good to be back. :)

I don't know what this blog is going to look like or how regularly I'll post... we'll see!!! :)

So.. Happy New Year! Welcome back to ME! :) and I look forward to communicating with those who might stop in and read this blog!

God bless you all!

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually." Psalm 105:4

2009-09-06T17:37:00.001-04:00

I have not had a blog entry for a very long time. There are several reasons for this which I will save for another blog entry.

Today, however, I feel I need to put out there for whoever happens to read this blog two blogs entries that I read today. I give a standing ovation to both John Piper AND Jared for speaking out!

The first one written by John Piper and can be found on http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=29681064 and the second one written by Jared from The Thinklings blog: http://thinklings.org/posts/piper-on-obamas-speech-to-school-children .

1.

I Hope My Daughter Hears the President’s Speech

September 6, 2009 | By: John Piper | Category: Commentary

I am stunned at the outcry against the President of the United States speaking to the youth of this nation about the importance of education.

I am embarrassed by the governor of my home state saying, that the president’s plan to address them is “disruptive . . . uninvited . . . and number three . . . I don’t think he needs to force it upon the nation’s school children.”

This speech seems, for me, to be an answer to a prayer that I have prayed for the president repeatedly.

Father, the condition of our schools and families is so broken that nothing seems to be working, especially for the poor in our urban centers. Help our president to have the courage to use his amazing place of influence to speak into this situation in such a way that boys and girls would take their studies seriously and put school above sport and homework above hiphop and graduation above gangs.

O, Lord, create a culture where it is not cool to fail. Give our President the courage to call all children, especially ones who feel hopeless about academic work, to fight for knowledge the way gangs fight for turf.

And as the President plans his speech, help him to feel as helpless as he really is to meet the greatest needs of the children, so that he turns to Jesus who alone has the answer for the ruin and the wrongs of our cities. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I hope my daughter hears the speech.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Piper on Obama's Speech to School Children

Posted by Jared @ 2:37 pm CDT
Filed under: Politics

John Piper on why he hopes his daughter hears the President's speech.

It only takes about 15 comments before someone compares Obama to Hitler.

Nothing has pushed me more toward committing not to vote again than this stuff lately. I've never seriously considered not voting before, but all this reaction to this thing will do it, I think. I don't know how else to express it, but it just grieves me. And 8 years ago, I think I'd be yelling and blogging and arguing right along with everybody.

Fear and worry are the affections of the idolatrous. I don't mean to over-spiritualize this stuff, but I am utterly convinced that the more awake to the gospel we become, the less pressing all this stuff seems. And I don't think in good conscience I can help my brothers and sisters who are acting like this win an election.

You probably don't care. But I'm just gonna put that out there, because I don't think I'm alone in feeling this way.
You might be losing the political capital you think you've gained now that the president is pretty much a lame duck for the time being. If this is the continuing face of Christian conservatism, I'm out.

2009-05-18T14:36:00.002-04:00

Here are Nancy Leigh DeMoss's excellent views on the subject of Miss California, Carrie Prejean:

I’ve been asked numerous times for my take on the firestorm surrounding Carrie Prejean—the reigning Miss California who lost her bid for Miss USA after publicly affirming her belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Those who hold to the biblical concept of marriage couldn’t help but be glad that this young woman courageously stood for the Truth, knowing that to do so could be costly.

Yet, for those who affirm and cherish the biblical perspective of femininity and sexuality, this story has an important subtext and raises a number of issues that should be of great concern to us as followers of Christ.

Carrie has made a strong public profession of her faith in Christ. As Christians, we are called to live as redeemed men and women and to reflect to the world the beauty and holiness of God. I’m not in a position to judge Carrie’s motives or her heart. But while I applaud her courage, I also believe some of her choices and public actions, past and present, are representative of many women who consider themselves Christians, but who lack clear biblical thinking and conviction on such matters as virtue, womanhood, beauty, modesty, and discretion.

In my mind, Carrie Prejean’s story is symptomatic of deeper root issues in the evangelical world—issues that in my opinion outweigh most of what is being debated in the secular press.

Sadly, Carrie is the product of a Christian sub-culture that has lost a sense of what it means to be citizens of the kingdom of God and has embraced the values and thinking of this world.

By and large, young adults who have grown up in our evangelical homes, churches, and schools, are buying into a message that they have seen modeled by those around them who call themselves Christians—namely, that Christianity can be divorced from Christ-likeness, and that practical holiness in everyday life is out-dated, irrelevant, or optional.

Carrie Prejean’s situation highlights the desperate need for Titus 2 “older women”—mothers, youth workers, mentors—to take an active role in the training and discipleship of younger women—teaching them to live out the implications of the gospel in every area of their lives.

So many young women in the Christian world have little understanding or discernment when it comes to modesty and personal purity. And can you blame them when they are following in the footsteps of a generation of so-called believers who tolerate, justify, and flaunt immodesty, sensuality, and immorality of every form, along with serial divorce and remarriage?

That’s why as women we need to be asking ourselves questions like:

• How does my life measure up to the Word of God?
• Am I modeling Christ-like, Gospel-drenched virtue, modesty, femininity, beauty, and discretion to the next generation?
• What kind of impact am I having on the younger women in my sphere of influence?
• What I am doing to invest in their lives, to point them to Christ, and to mentor them in godliness?

Carrie Pejean’s story should cause us to be on our faces crying out to God over the extent to which the church today has accommodated to the world. It should cause us to plead with God on behalf of our children and grandchildren, and then to get up off our knees and go out and engage this younger generation with love and grace and truth and to become agents of redemption in their lives.

2009-05-08T09:09:00.002-04:00

INSOLENCE and HUMILITY

It has been quite a while since I have posted an entry here! I have no excuse except that I had nothing to say! haha! Those of you who know me personally have by now fallen off their chairs laughing hysterically, saying, "WHAT? Diane ALWAYS has something to say!!!!" But seriously, I had nothing to say and by God's great grace maybe, just maybe, I am learning that if i don't have anything to say then I should keep my mouth and my blog shut! :)

BUT... today as I was studying Psalm 119,
(preparing to speak about Psalm 119 for a mini women's retreat in October), I was struck by the psalmist's humility in verse 80.

Verses 78 and 80 say:

"Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood, as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.... May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame!"

A short list of synonyms for the word insolent (from www.dictionary.com) may be helpful in driving home the message in these 2 small verses:

Overbearing
insulting
abusive
offensive
saucy
impudent
audacious
pert
impertinent
rude
reproachful

The psalmist has been wronged. Perhaps slanderous things were said about him by insolent people! Insolent people, as defined above, are not very nice! Perhaps he was betrayed by someone he thought a friend but is now an enemy. Persecution of some sort has affected him.. maybe by an acquaintance, maybe by a political figure or a political group.

Regardless, the psalmist in verse 78 calls these people insolent and calls for God to put them to shame! The psalmist could have "meditated" on the wrong done to him. He could have rehearsed in his mind the falsehoods said, the falsehoods implied and he could have churned it over and over again in his mind but look at what he chose to do! He chose to meditate on God's precepts instead! He chose to meditate on the Word of God RATHER then meditate on the accusations and/or falsehoods spoken about him! And not only did he choose to set his mind on things above but then he also remembered his own tendencies to sin and insolence!!!!! In verse 80 he asks God to make his own heart blameless so that he, himself, may not be put to shame!!!!!

This affected my soul today. It is so easy for me to point a finger at someone who has spoken lies about me or has unjustly accused me of something. It is so easy for me to point my fingers at political groups who differ from my opinions and call out for God to shame them for their insolence! (Please know that I understand there are certain things we must stand up for, ie.. abortion.. but we do not have to be insolent about it.. we can humbly fight for the unborn).
It is so easy to look at the ungodly and point fingers and call for God to shame them!

AND THEN, by God's grace, love and mercy he reminds me of how helpless and insolent I am apart from Jesus! I can do NOTHING apart from Jesus! I am helpless and hopeless and yes, insolent apart from Jesus. I can be overbearing, saucy, offensive, verbally abusive... I can and have been all those things and I would consistently walk in those ways still if not for the grace of God and salvation through Jesus Christ!

While I was still a sinner Jesus died for my sins! While you were still a sinner Jesus died for your sins!!! What love is this??? Amazing.. absolutely amazing!

God make and keep me humble, remembering that apart from YOU I can do nothing. I pray that I would choose to meditate on YOUR Word and YOUR promises and YOUR goodness rather than on the insolence of others. I pray God that You would continually increase my faith, my love for You, increase humility in my life and love towards others. I pray that I would have a compassion and love for the unsaved, insolent ones so much so that I would pray for them to be saved. Oh Lord, apart from You I cannot even pray. I am happy to say that I need You and depend on You. Abba Father I call out to you to keep me. I trust in Your promises. Amen.

2009-04-16T11:39:00.003-04:00

RUFFLED FEATHERS

I don't usually get my political feathers ruffled but I did this morning as I read what Jan Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security said. She said that War Veterans are potential terrorists and in danger of being recruited by right wing extremists. She defined right wing extremists as those who are pro-life, own a gun or are a war veteran.

Well, my feathers got ruffled, first and foremost because my son served in Iraq for 18 months. He risked his life for the good of others and Homeland Security, a Department for the very country he serves dares to call him a potential terrorist??? I was very upset, my mommy hairs on the back of my neck were standing straight up! I am so proud of my son and the men and women of this country who have served in foreign wars. HOW DARE THEY!?

On another note... pro life advocates are potential terrorists? What? The people who DEFEND life, not take it? Really? Are they serious?

I immediately thought of this Scripture in Isaiah 5:20 : "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."

I was just plain angry this morning.

THEN

I went to Psalm 37 which is the psalm I'm supposed to be blogging about this week and haven't done so yet... and my heart came to rest in God's Word. God's Word gave me peace.

vs 1-8

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfullness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him and fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

God brought me back to a remembrance of His sovereignty. The Lord is at hand. God is the God of history past, the God of history present and the God of history future. I was reminded that I must trust the Lord and do good. It does not serve my soul well nor glorify God to be fretful or angry. God will act. God will take care of all injustices. We must wait patiently for Him. To fret and be angry will only lead me into sin.

And then I remembered something else.. as I demand justice I must remember that if God gave me what I deserve I'd be hell-bound, but instead God chose me to be his child and Jesus came to live a righteous life, die an awful death, become sin for me, bear the wrath of God in my place and ROSE from the dead! He gave me a faith to believe in Him and grace to repent of my sins. He attributed the righteousness of Christ to me!!!! So when God, my Father, looks upon me He sees the righteousness of Christ !!!! WOW! I am humbled at the mercies of God!

God took care of my greatest need. He took care of your greatest need. He took care of the worst thing in the world, our separation from a good, just and holy God. Is He not also taking care of the unjust opinions toward my son and yours who went to war and is He not also caring for the unjust opinions of those who love life from conception? Of course, He is. We must be patient and be still before Him.

How kind of God to remind me to get on my knees and pray for my leaders, for kings and all those who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Tim 2:2). Let us pray for them to be saved! Let us pray God's mercy on them!

So.. after a time in God's Word my ruffled feathers are smoothed... and I am resting in God's peace and His sovereignty. When my feathers get ruffled again? Hopefully I will go to His Word quicker than I did today.

For the glory of God, I will end by repeating His Words to us:

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfullness. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (Psalm 37:3,7)

yep, I'm preaching this to myself today.

2009-04-10T20:38:00.001-04:00

Be encouraged this Good Friday by reading this blog entry by John Piper! Visit his blog:

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/

A Conversation with Death on Good Friday

April 10, 2009 | By: John Piper
Category: Commentary

CHRISTIAN:

Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.

Where is your sting?

DEATH, sneeringly:

My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN:

I know that, Death. But that’s not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.

Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is, my sin?

What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin—my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.

Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his servant. For me, you will have no sting.

O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

2009-04-10T09:44:00.001-04:00

From The Valley of Vision (pp. 76-77),

Christ was all anguish
that I might be all joy,

cast off
that I might be brought in,

trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,

surrendered to hell’s worst
that I might attain heaven’s best,

stripped
that I might be clothed,

wounded
that I might be healed,

athirst
that I might drink,

tormented
that I might be comforted,

made a shame
that I might inherit glory,

entered darkness
that I might have eternal light.

My Saviour wept
that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,

groaned
that I might have endless song,

endured all pain
that I might have unfading health,

bore a thorny crown
that I might have a glory-diadem,

bowed his head
that I might uplift mine,

experienced reproach
that I might receive welcome,

closed his eyes in death
that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,

expired
that I might for ever live.

O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise, my every step buoyant with delight. . .

2009-03-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

I love the Psalms! I can always find something in the Psalms that matches my circumstances, my mood, my wants and desires. I am so grateful to God that He uses David's and other psalmist's words in the Scriptures. We see real people dealing with real and often horrific circumstances with real emotions and then we see the writers turn it around with a focus on God. Yes, I am very grateful for the Psalms.

I have usually had an indifference to Psalm 1. To me, it never reached my "emotions"... until I began this study , A 30 Day Walk with God in the Psalms, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Answering the questions she poses in her study guide set me to thinking and meditating on this rich psalm.

As we begin this walk through the Psalms it is important to note that the words, "law", "statutes", "commands", "rules", "precepts", "testimonies", "words", all refer to the Word of God.

There are many facets to this particular psalm but I want to focus on the writer's "delight" in the law of the Lord.
Verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 1 say:

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law He meditates day and night."

Did you catch that one word? He DELIGHTS in the law of the Lord! He takes great pleasure and joy in the Word of God! How do we NOT walk in the counsel of the wicked nor sit in the seat of scoffers? By DELIGHTING in the Word of God! It is easy to let our culture influence us! Especially in this time of our very rough economy, in this time where abortion is accepted as good, where ungodly lifestyles are applauded etc etc... where evil is considered good... it is easy to be influenced to either accept these things or to be fearful .. are you influenced to be fearful?
Do your circumstances cause you to fear? Do your favorite political pundits cause you to fear and despair of hope? Do you let music and movies influence the way you live?

OR

Do you DELIGHT in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night? Now, of course we cannot think of God's word 24/7 but we CAN let it influence us 24/7! This kind of living, depending on and being influenced by and DELIGHTING in the Word of God yields fruit in our lives!

Psalm 119:15-16 says: I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

We see this theme over and over again in the Psalms, particularly in Psalm 119... the psalmist expresses his delight in the Word of God and knows that meditating on it and fixing our eyes on the ways of God that we read about in His Scriptures is DELIGHTFUL! It is pleasing to God and it is beneficial to our souls.

May you find DELIGHT in God's Word today and everyday. If you don't, ask Him! God is pleased to open up our eyes to the truths of Scriptures! If we want to be influenced by His Word He will answer that prayer. Ask Him!

2009-03-24T08:32:00.004-04:00

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be blogging the Psalms and I haven't even begun doing it yet but I couldn't resist blogging about what I read in Exodus this morning!

Exodus 35: 30-35

"Then Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, the Lord has called by name Bezakek, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahismach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver of by a designer of by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver- by any sort of workman or skilled designer."

God had just given Moses the instructions for how to build the tabernacle and THEN God, in His kindness and mercy provided the people to do the job AND gave them ALL that they needed (skill, intelligence etc) in order to obey God in the specifics of building the tabernacle.

I was newly amazed this morning at how this is just one of many examples of how God gives us what we need to accomplish what He commands! God does not leave us to ourselves! He gives us all we need to do His will! What love is this??? It is amazing!

How do I see the Gospel in this? God demands righteousness of us. He is a Holy God and cannot tolerate or let sin go unpunished. So what does God do? He provides a Savior. Jesus, God Himself, came as a man, lived a perfectly sinless life, died on the cross bearing our sins and recieving upon himself the wrath of God due us!!! He then rises from the dead, ascends to heaven and will come again in glory! God regenerates us, by His grace we turn to Jesus in faith and repentance and receive the righteousness that was Christ's as our own and we will not bear the wrath of God because Jesus bore it for us!!! AND we will live with God forever in glory!

Do you see it? God gave to us what we need to accomplish what He asks. He gives to us the righteousness He demands. This love of God is seen over and over and over again in the Scriptures.

How kind of God to show me the Gospel as I read Exodus.

May you be encouraged by the Gospel today! God gives us all we need to do what He requires.

2009-03-14T11:42:00.004-04:00

STAY TUNED!!

For the next couple of months, more or less, I will be posting about a bible study that I am a part
of with 2 other women from my church. We are going through a book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss titled,

A 30-Day Walk with God in the Psalms.

(Please click on the link to go to Nancy's web site, Revive Our Hearts). One of the women in the group suggested that I post my thoughts about the psalms we study as we go through the book! So, I have accepted the challenge and will soon be posting on Psalm 1!

Thanks to Nancy for a great book that directs my eyes to God's Word and helps me dig in and see the treasures there.

So, come back soon and see what's going on in my heart regarding Psalm 1.

2009-03-03T08:17:00.004-05:00

How amazed do you remain at the works of God? Have they become mundane to you? Do you read the bible and yawn and say, "Ho-hum"... heard this before"? May it never be so! Do you realize that God parted the Red Sea? I mean PARTED IT? He divided it! There were two walls of water, one on each side as the Israelites passed through on dry land! This should astound us!!!! Please read the following scriptures from the book of Exodus and ask God to give you a fresh perspective. Don't skip it because you've read it a million times before! Ask Him to make you amazed at His works and His Word!! He will do it! And then... as you face difficult circumstances remember that God parted the Red Sea and He will do for you whatever is necessary to bring you to where He wants to bring you! Walk in HIS steadfast love and HIS faithfulness and be amazed! (I've also included a clip from the animated film Prince of Egypt.)

Exodus 14: 10-30

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were . 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

2009-02-25T11:05:00.002-05:00

RAISED FROM THE DEAD! REALLY?

So, imagine you are driving down a major road in your hometown. You are not in any particular big hurry which is good since you find yourself stuck behind a funeral procession. The head-lighted cars are in a neat row for what seems like a very long line but then you catch a glimpse of the hearse at the head of the line with a limo full of grieving relatives behind it. Instinctively you know that this second limo contains some very, very sad people. You then remember reading in the paper and hearing on CNN and Fox about the untimely death of a woman's son. A woman, who had recently lost her husband. A widow. So sad.

Imagine what you might be thinking. You may begin to pray for this grieving family and in particular the mom of this son or you might remember the time you, yourself, were in a car behind the hearse containing your loved one on the way to the cemetary dreading this final part of the funeral.

Imagine as you are thinking on these things that suddenly a man walks up the car holding the dead man's mother, knocks on her window and compassionately speaks to her, telling her not to cry. He then goes to the hearse, knocks on the window and asks the driver to open up the back gate of the car and then demands that the coffin be opened!!!!!!!!!!! You can't believe your eyes as you watch horrified relatives jump out of their cars screaming at this man to stop! But, for some unknown reason you see that the driver obeys this man and opens up the coffin.

The stranger then says to the corpse, "Young man, I say to you arise." And right before your eyes, the eyes of the family, the eyes of the crowd that has now gathered, the eyes of a funeral procession and before the eyes of a grieving mom, the young man sits up and begins to speak! The stranger then hands this very much alive young man to his mother.

CAN YOU IMAGINE? I'm pretty sure there would be stunned silence followed by excited chatter followed by some people praying and exclaiming God's goodness! Before too long CNN and FOX and every major newspaper and network would be spreading the news of what happened!!! Can you imagine this REALLY happening?

Well, GOOD NEWS!!! It really did happen! Luke tells us this story in Chapter 7 verses 11-17 in his book. He tells us that Jesus went to a city called Nain and as He and disciples and a crowd that was following them got close to the city they ran into a funeral procession. He saw that a man had died and was being carried out to be buried. He was followed by his widow mother and a crowd of mourners. LUke tells us that when Jesus saw the mourning widow He had compassion on her, told her not to weep and then went over to the bier, the pall bearers stood still and Jesus commanded the dead young man to arise! And he did!!!!!!!!!!!! He began to speak and then Jesus handed this man to his mother! The scriptures tell us that fear seized everyone and they glorified God! Naturally, this news of Jesus raising this young man from the dead spread to the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country!!!!!

I have been asking God lately, as I sit down to ready my bible, to not let me bypass the magnificent, to not let me be so familiar with the bible that I ceaes to be amazed! Of course, God loves for us to be amazed at His Word and He didn't fail me! He showed me that JESUS raised this young man FROM THE DEAD!!!! Did you read that? FROM THE DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even imagine being witness to that then, or in this day and age.. and then I thought of something.....

While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for our sins! We were DEAD, DEAD, DEAD in our trespasses. We needed to be BORN AGAIN! God, in His kindness had compassion on the sinner and sent Jesus to die for our sins! He sent Jesus to bear our sin and then bear the punishment and wrath of God that was ours to bear! He died. He rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.

We, who were dead in our sin could never have chosen God had He not chosen us! We were hell bound and happy in our slavery to sin. BUT THEN! But then the Holy Spirit awakened faith in us and in God's kindness he led us to believe in Jesus and repent for our sins and we passed from death to life. We were BORN AGAIN!

Do you see it? EVERYTIME an individual turns in faith to Jeus in repentance of their sins he/she is RAISED FROM THE DEAD to LIFE IN CHRIST! It happened to me and if you are a Christian it happened to you~!! Do not let this miracle become commonplace to you! YOU WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD and by His grace we will live with God eternally! If God had not called me and you we would still be dead, dead, dead. BUT grace called our names and we were brought to life in Christ!

May you be encouraged today by the miracle of the new birth of a christian. May you be encouraged to cling with gratefullness and love to the cross. May this good news spur you on to obedience. May you remember that we love God because He first loved us. May you remember with awe that God had compassion on you! May we remember to glorify Him today!

REJOICE! Oh! how merciful and kind is our great God! Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins!

2009-02-13T08:19:00.002-05:00

CROWNS

Psalm 103; 2a, 4b

"Bless the Lord, O my soul...who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy."

This piece of Scripture affected my soul today! Jesus wore a crown of thorns. Jesus suffered by the crown that was thrust upon His head yet the believer in Christ is crowned with God's steadfast love and mercy!!!!

This is what adorns us day in and day out, morning, noon and night. We are wearing a crown of God's steadfast love and mercy upon our head! Do you see it? Do you see the beauty of this? Do you see the grace? I can hardly get my mind and heart around the beauty and significance of this precious, priceless gift we receive by faith through Jesus Christ.

Oh Lord, my desire is to walk in a manner worthy of You . Help me to respond to your graciousness and mercy with increasing obedience and love. Jesus, thank you for wearing a crown of thorns so I could be crowned with God's steadfast love and mercy. Thank you for satisfying me this morning with your steadfast love. Amen.

2009-02-10T09:03:00.004-05:00

ARE YOU KILLING SIN IN YOUR LIFE?

Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

"Be killing sin or it will be killing you." John Owen (17th century)

I think I am the last Christian in America to see the movie Fireproof. I kept putting it off mainly because most "christian" movies (except for the Narnia movies) are poorly produced, the acting is left wanting and if truth be told are rather cheesy. But... I found myself with nothing in particular to do last Friday night so I decided to rent it and watch it.

I was half right... the movie was poorly acted except for Kirk Cameron.. he's a good actor AND the movie was indeed "cheesy." BUT! God used this movie to speak to my heart about sin.

I'm referring to one scene in particular. The main character played by Kirk Cameron had an addiction to pornography. This was one of the many ways that contributed to his falling apart marriage. The movie was not centered on this particular issue but was one of many ways that he was not honoring his wife.

At one point, this main character turned to Jesus Christ in faith and repentance and the viewers of this movie are privy to the transformation of this man and the transformation of his marriage. He was truly a new creation!

One of the areas of change that the movie depicted was how he dealt with his addiction to pornography. It wasn't a very long scene, but full of biblical truth.
One day this man was sitting in front of the computer and we could see his temptation to view porn. We watched his struggle ... finally, in anger, he took his computer outside and beat the bejabbers out of it with a baseball bat! He got rid of one of the primary means by which he was tempted to view porn.

As I watched that scene I actually got teary eyed for it was a visual example of how we should KILL remaining sin that continues in our lives! Of course, the computer wasn't the sin but it was a symbol of the sin, the means by which he sinned. As he was beating that computer into smithereens all I could think of was, "He is killing sin before it kills him. He is taking DRASTIC measures to not sin in this manner!"

It got me to thinking... am I that drastic in killing sin? How do I handle those times of frustration, annoyance, selfishness, gossip? Do I just slap my own hand and give it a moment of "I shouldn't do that?" or do I go to the Lord and beg Him for the grace and strength to resist these "little" sins? Do I BATTLE these sins or do I just accept them as "just the way I am?" Do I give into that kind of behavior? DO I BATTLE these things?

John Owen, our long gone brother in Christ was very clear when he spoke about what God's Word says. If we don't kill sin it WILL kill us. Oh yes.. praise the Lord for God's great mercies and grace. I would indeed perish without His saving grace.. but... since I belong to God through Faith in Jesus Christ shouldn't I have increasing hate toward my sin? Shouldn't I be taking a baseball bat to my sin? Indeed, I should!

Oh Lord, may you give me the strength to be serious about killing remaining sin in my life! Thank you that your mercies are new every morning! Thank you for the grace and steadfast love that you give to us. Help me to hate my sin as you do! Give to me the desire and the strength to kill sin! Help me to be an obedient child. In Jesus Name.. amen.

PS... was the movie "cheesy?" Yes! But worth every cheesy moment!!! Watch it!

2009-02-07T17:50:00.002-05:00

25 Random Things About Me!

I have a "profile" on Facebook. I know, I know... I am way too old for Facebook, however, it has proved to be a great way to reconnect with long lost friends! Presently, on Facebook, making it's rounds is a 25 Random Things About Me note. You're supposed to write 25 things about yourself and then "tag" 25 people and they're supposed to write about themselves... etc etc... kind of a fun way to get to know people. So... I'm copying an idea from someone else's blog! She copied her Facebook 25 things and posted it on her blog! I thought it was a great idea and a way for the people who lurk around this blog or stumble upon it to know me a bit better! Enjoy! Feel free to leave comments AND add your own random things about yourself!

1. In February, Dennis and I will be celebrating 31 years of marriage together! I love him more every day! He's the best husband!

2. I would love to have a degree in Library Science.

3. I LOVE being a wife and mom

4. I still look at how God drew me to Himself with utter amazement.

5. I LOVE to read! (not so secret, I know) I've gone beyond loving to read to actually being a bibliophile.

6. I'm really just one big nerd. I love all the new gadgets.

7. English is not my first language. Lithuanian is. I learned to speak English in Kindergarten.

8. I LOVE spending time with my kids.

9. I get especially giddy when all my kids and kids in law are under one roof with me!!

10. I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA this summer!!

11. I love to help women get excited about and love God's Word.

12. I love my church and am so thankful to be continually learning about grace.

13. I never thought I could stop drinking Diet Pepsi. I am happy to say that it has been over a year since Diet Pepsi has passed my lips!

14. My mom has been living with us for over 2 years now!

15. I love to write about Jesus. I hope to be published one day.

16. My dream house is on the coast of Maine. I get the best of all worlds that way.. cold, wind, snow, beach. Doesn't get any better!!!!! The Sleepless in Seattle House would be okay too... I'd have to sacrifice snow for rain.. but that's okay.... there's still snow there too, right?

17. It was a significant election this year.. for the first time, I am older than the President.

18. The first time I met my present physician, she looked so young I wanted to ask her, "Does your mommy know you're here and playing doctor?"

19. I really really really like to watch American Idol, Survivor, Amazing Race... hmmmm.

20. Snow makes me happy. Nothing like a new, fresh fallen snow to remind me that though my sins were like scarlet they are as white as snow. (Is 1:17)

21. I like rainy days at home with a cozy fire, a warm blanket, hot tea and a couple of good books.22. I cry at sappy tv commercials

23. I love singing worship songs at the top of my lungs while riding by myself in my car.

24. I hate cooking. Yuck. Blech. Shivers ...

25. Did I say I love to read? All things.. classics, modern fiction, non fiction, history, theology, BIBLE...

2009-02-04T08:35:00.004-05:00

EVANGELISM

On Sunday our pastor served us well with a sermon on evangelism. He spoke from Philippians about the advancement of the gospel. I was encouraged to ask God for boldness in sharing the gospel with people, strangers and friends alike. There are so many excuses for NOT sharing the Gospel... too busy, too scared, not the right time.. etc etc... but the bottom line is if we don't share the gospel, how will people know????

My pastor mentioned that there is a "saying" making it's way through parts of the evangelical church which is quite frankly unbiblical. It goes something like this : Always share the gospel, sometimes use words.

This is not a biblical way of thinking. The scriptures are clear:

Romans 10:17 : "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.

Romans 10:15 : " And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!"

In order for people to be saved they first have to HEAR the good news of the gospel!!!!!

Here is a great set of notes from the Desiring God Blog summarizing a teaching by Mark Dever about what Evangalism is and is not! It is a great reminder that we must be clear when we evangelize! We must tell people that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS!

1 Cor 15:1-3 "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you... unless you believed in vain. For I delieverd to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures."

We MUST use words when we share the gospel or it isn't sharing the Gospel at all! Oh Lord, give me a boldness to share the gospel in it's fullness!

Here is the link and content about Evangelism from the Desiring God blog:

5 Things That Aren't EvangelismFebruary 3, 2009 By: Tyler Kenney Category: Conferences, Commentary

You can now listen to Mark Dever's second message "The Pastor and Evangelism."

Update: You can now watch the video.

The following is from notes taken during the session.

5 Things We Can Mistake for Evangelism

1) Imposition

We mistakenly take evangelism to be manipulation. But that's what the world says. In truth, we're not trying to impose our beliefs on anybody. Biblically, we can't impose our beliefs on anybody. Force and coercion cannot finally bring about the change that God demands. You can't expand Christianity by the sword. Evangelism is not some sort of intellectual imposition.
To believe that something is true and to share that with others is not coercion. We don't impose when we evangelize. We freely offer it to all and do not, cannot, force it on anybody.

2) Personal Testimony

A personal testimony is a wonderful thing. The Bible is full of examples of it, and we should testify to the wonderful experience of receiving God's mercy.
But consider John 9 and the man born blind. He gives his testimony but doesn't even know who Jesus is. His words glorify God, but they don't present the gospel. This is not evangelism.
Unless you're explicit about Jesus Christ and the cross then it is not the gospel.

3) Social Action / Public Involvement

Mercy ministries display God's kindness, and they are good and appropriate for the Christian to do. But such actions are not evangelism. They may commend the gospel to others, but only if someone has told them the gospel. They need to have the gospel added to them. Helping others or doing our jobs well, whatever they are, in and of themselves are not evangelism.

4) Apologetics

Apologetics are valuable, but they have their own set of dangers. You can get bogged down in talking about purely intellectual or peripheral matters and never get to the gospel.
It's fine for us to talk with unbelieving friends about questions that they have, but our attempts to try and answer them without setting the gospel as the foundation does no good. Jesus must set the agenda for evangelism.

5) The Results of Evangelism

2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
Note that the same ministry has two different effects. It's like the parable of the soil: same seed, different results.
We cannot finally judge the correctness of what we do by the immediate response that we get. The need for numbers puts an unnecessary stress on pastors and misunderstands the way that God saves.
We must practice our ministries realizing that some of us will be like Adoniram Judson or William Carey, who had no converts until after seven years of faithful gospel ministry. It's a fact that most people don't believe the gospel the first time they hear it.
Don't let the gospel that you preach be molded by what it is that gets an immediate response. Preach the gospel, trying to persuade--pleading for your hearers to believe--but knowing that you cannot convert a person. And then let God do with it what he will. He alone can call the dead to life. The gospel is powerful, and God is committed to using us to spread this good news.

2009-01-23T12:20:00.002-05:00

This morning I read a chapter from the book, “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross,” edited by Nancy Guthrie.

The selection I read was by CJ Mahaney titled, “The Cup.” CJ’s writing centered on the scripture from Matthew 26:39 which reads: “And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

CJ wrote of how Jesus requested that the cup of God’s wrath (based on Is 51:17) which he was about to drink would pass by Him…yet Jesus would do the will of God and drink this cup for your sin and MINE! The result of Jesus’ obedience is that you and I who trust in Jesus through faith and repentance will NEVER KNOW THE WRATH OF GOD, but instead will drink from the cup of salvation now, forever and eternally! Amazing!

This selection that I read today deeply affected my soul and prompted the following prayer:

Lord Jesus, words could never express my gratitude. I’m pretty sure that my little heart is not even capable of knowing the amount of gratitude that your sacrifice should generate. So Lord, I ask for the grace to love you more. I ask You for the grace to obey your commands. I ask You for the grace to love and serve others more and ALL this to reflect how great and glorious YOU ARE! I cling to You and I thank you that I drink from the cup of salvation for all eternity in the presence of my God and Father all because you did as He willed and drank the cup of God’s wrath meant for me. You alone are worthy of all praise! Amen. I highly recommend this book! It does indeed draw one near to the cross.

Here is a video that takes excerpts from CJ Mahaney’s sermon on, THE CUP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGXRgA75czE

May your soul be as affected as mine was and direct your gaze to Jesus.

2009-01-20T07:11:00.001-05:00

A Prayer for President Obama by Al Mohler

Our Father, Lord of all creation, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: We pray today with a sense of special urgency and responsibility. We come before you to pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and for all those in this new administration who now assume roles of such high responsibility.

We know that you and you alone are sovereign; that you rule over all, and that you alone are able to keep and defend us. We know that our times are in your hands, and that "the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord" [Proverbs 21:1]. Our confidence is in you and in you alone. We come before you as a people who acknowledge our constant need for your provision, wisdom, and protection.

Father, we pray today for Barack Obama as he takes office as President of the United States. We pray that you will show the glory of your name in our times and in these days, confounding the wisdom of the wise, thwarting the plans of the arrogant, and vindicating those who do justice and practice righteousness.

Father, we pray with thanksgiving for the gift of government and the grace of civic order. Thank you for giving us rulers and for knowing our need for laws and and ordered life together. Thank you for this nation and the blessings we know as its citizens. Thank you for freedoms unprecedented in human history. We understand that these freedoms come with unprecedented opportunities.

Lord, we pray with thanksgiving for the joy and celebration reflected on millions of faces who never expected to look to the President of the United States and see a person who looks like themselves. Father, thank you for preserving this nation to the moment when an African-American citizen will take the oath of office and become our President. Thank you for the hope this has given to so many, the pride emerging in hearts that had known no such hope, and the pride that comes to a people who have experienced such pain at the hands of fellow citizens, simply because of the color of their skin. Father, we rejoice in every elderly face that reflects such long-sought satisfaction and in every young face that expresses such unrestrained joy. May this become an open door for a vision of race and human dignity that reflects your glory in our differences, and not our corruption of your gift.

Father, protect this president, we pray. We pray that you will surround this president and his family, along with all our leaders, with your protection and sustenance. May he be protected from evil acts and evil intentions, and may his family be protected from all evil and harm.
We pray that the Obama family will be drawn together as they move into the White House, and that they will know great joy in their family life. We are thankful for the example Barack and Michelle Obama have set as parents. Father, protect those precious girls in every way -- including the protection of their hearts as they see their father often criticized and as he is away from them on business of state. May their years in the White House bring them all even closer together.

Father, we pray for the safety and security of this nation, even as our new president settles into his role as Commander in Chief. We know that you and you alone can be our defense. We do not place our trust in horses or chariots, and we pray that you will give this president wisdom as he fulfills this vital responsibility.

Father, grant him wisdom in every dimension of his vast responsibility. Grant him wisdom to deal with a global financial crisis and with the swirling complex of vexing problems and challenges at home and abroad. May he inspire this nation to a higher vision for our common life together, to a higher standard of justice, righteousness, unity, and the tasks of citizenship.
Father, we pray that you will change this president's heart and mind on issues of urgent concern. We are so thankful for his gifts and talents, for his intellect and power of influence. Father, bend his heart to see the dignity and sanctity of every single human life, from the moment of conception until natural death. Father, lead him to see abortion, not as a matter of misconstrued rights, but as a murderous violation of the right to life. May he come to see every aborted life as a violation of human dignity and every abortion as an abhorrent blight upon this nation's moral witness. May he pledge himself to protect every human life at every stage of development. He has declared himself as an energetic defender of abortion rights, and we fear that his election will lead directly to the deaths of countless unborn human beings. Protect us from this unspeakable evil, we pray. Most urgently, we pray that you will bring the reign of abortion to an end, even as you are the defender of the defenseless.

Father, may this new president see that human dignity is undermined when human embryos are destroyed in the name of medical progress, and may he see marriage as an institution that is vital to the very survival of civilization. May he protect all that is right and good. Father, change his heart where it must be changed, and give him resolve where his heart is right before you.
Father, when we face hard days ahead -- when we find ourselves required by conscience to oppose this president within the bounds of our roles as citizens -- may we be granted your guidance to do so with a proper spirit, with a proper demeanor, and with persuasive arguments. May we learn anew how to confront without demonizing, and to oppose without abandoning hope.

Father, we are aware that our future is in your hands, and we are fully aware that you and you alone will judge the nations. Much responsibility is now invested in President Barack Obama, and much will be required. May we, as Christian citizens, also fulfill what you would require of us. Even as we pray for you to protect this president and change his heart, we also pray that your church will be protected and that you will conform our hearts to your perfect will.

Father, we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the ever-reigning once and future King, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He and he alone can save, and his kingdom is forever. Above all, may your great name be praised. Amen.
_________________________
Christians are, first of all, citizens of a heavenly kingdom. The followers of Christ know no allegiance of ultimate rank to any government or earthly authority. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches that God has given us the gifts of law, government, and ruling authorities for our good. We are instructed to pray for "rulers and all who have authority" and to be faithful in praying "so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God" [1 Timothy 2:2].

2009-01-19T09:38:00.002-05:00

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day in the USA. Tomorrow is the inauguration of our first African American president. The historical significance of these 2 days right next to one another should not go unnoticed! It truly brings tears to my eyes as I think where we were in this country 46 years ago regarding race relations and where we are now! God has been kind.

A young friend of mine wrote on his blog that on these two days we should set politics aside and see the goodness of God in regards to race in this country. Oh, I think we have a long way to go, but I am grateful to God for how far He has brought us.

Please read my friend's blog: http://thegatheringonline.blogspot.com/2009/01/power-of-dream.html and set politics aside today and tomorrow. Pray for our president.

Thank you God for giving MLK a dream!

2009-01-04T07:59:00.002-05:00

Matthew 4:18-22

"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is caleed Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THE BOAT AND THEIR FATHER AND FOLLOWED HIM."

From time to time in my Christian walk I have wondered if I had been Peter or Andrew or James or John would I have left my nets, my boat, my father and followed Jesus? I was sometimes bothered by this but not enough to dwell on it.

This morning I had one of those moments where I realized that OF COURSE I would have followed Jesus, just like I did 20 years ago when Jesus called to me! I followed Him because the call of Jesus is effective!!!! I was able to drop the things of this world and follow him because the Holy Spirit caused me to be born again! He regenerated my heart! God gave TO me the faith that would allow me to leave behind my "nets" and follow Jesus! It is ALL God and nothing of me! I would have followed Jesus then, I followed Jesus 20 years ago and I continue to follow Him because He loved me first and He called me. HE gave to me the desire and the ability through faith to turn from my sins in repentance and faith and follow Him! Oh the Lord is good!

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive [quickened us] with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 2:4-5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.
1 John 5:1

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me [i.e. believe in me] unless it is granted him by the Father.”
John 6:63-65

Faith in the living God and his Son Jesus Christ is always the result of the new birth, and can never exist except in the regenerate. Whoever has faith is a saved man.
Charles Spurgeon from the sermon “Faith and Regeneration”

If salvation is the implantation of a new, infinite life in the soul, it must be a work of God. Self-caused effects can never rise above the character or qualities of their cause. "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit," Jesus told Nicodemus. This saving grace cannot be caused by the creature, it can only come from God.
John Hannah from To God be the Glory (pg. 34-5)

Oh Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to the understanding of these scriptures! I have read the Matthew passages so often through my lifetime and today you connected the dots for me! Thank you that it is YOU who gives to me all I need to be saved. I was dead in my sins and you brought me to life by the power of the Holy Spirit so then I could turn to Jesus with faith and repentance! Oh Lord, your kindness does indeed lead us to repentance! You are so loving, so beautiful, so kind, so merciful. I am amazed and in awe that you have indeed given us ALL we need to be saved. Left to myself I never would have "left my nets or my boat" but would have stayed there... but because YOUR call is effective, because you turned my heart towards you, I followed you. Thank you for not leaving me to myself. Thank you for calling me. Help me Lord to walk in a manner worthy of the calling. I love you Lord God!

2008-12-30T15:04:00.002-05:00

I am still considering and meditating on this scripture from Luke.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36

Thinking back to the days before I was a Christian at University of Connecticut I am newly in awe of how mercy and grace flow from God because HE is merciful and kind and compassionate and loving and is based on nothing within myself.

Let me give you an example from my life.

My husband and I were at University of Connecticut in Storrs, Ct. I guess it was in the winter of 1976/77 and my (now) husband, Dennis, was in my dorm room. We were studying… HA! We really were!!! There was a knock at my door and I opened it and two female students identified themselves as being from Campus Crusade and asked if they could come in and speak to us about Jesus. Dennis and I were NOT Christians and we kind of gave one another one of those knowing looks that people who have been together a while have between them. We decided to go ahead and let these girls from Crusade come in and speak to us. Dennis and I had silently agreed that we would give these girls a hard time.

AND WE DID! They shared the gospel. I don’t remember their exact words but I do remember ours. We used the Lord’s name in vain and told them what they could do with “their Jesus”. I know, HORRIBLE, right? I remember those girls gently leaving my room and told us they would be praying for us. I was SO insulted!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never saw these girls on campus again, we graduated , Dennis and I got married, had children and about 12 years later God caused me to be born again and I received Christ and a couple of years later so did my husband.

In those 12 years from graduating college to receiving Christ my husband and I continued to mock Christians. We would for fun tune into the Christian TV station and make fun of the people on the shows there.

Everytime we sing this one particular song at church I am reminded of the times that Dennis and I mocked Christians and mocked JESUS! Here are the lyrics to the song:

How Deep The Father's Love For Us lyrics
Stuart Townend
Support this site by buying Stuart Townend CD's
Lyrics:
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom(REPEAT)

Link to 'How Deep The Father's Love For Us'

In particular, these lines describe myself: “Behold the Man upon the cross, My sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers.”

I DO hear my mocking voice ringing in my ears from that day at UCONN and subsequently as we watched Christians tv and mocked them… but by God’s amazing grace I do not hear condemnation in return… I hear the gospel! I hear that Jesus died for those very sins that I am so ashamed of!!! Jesus bore the wrath of God for MY sin of mocking HIM!!!! He became that sin FOR ME! wow!!

So, now you can better understand how grateful and amazed by grace I am when I read this scripture from Luke. Jesus was kind to the ungrateful and the evil! That is ME!! By God’s grace it is easier to love my enemies and pray for them when I remember my own sin.

I have so often wished that I could go back to those girls who came to my dorm room and ask for their forgiveness. I wish I could tell them that God heard their prayers!!! That God did indeed open up my heart and Dennis’s heart to the gospel! I wish I could tell them thank you for sharing the gospel! I wish I could encourage them and let them know now how grateful I am for their ministry.

THANK YOU UCONN CAMPUS CRUSADE!!!!!!!!!!!

I once was ungrateful and evil but received mercy and kindness from my Savior Jesus!!! Now, that is worth thinking about as I enter 2009!

Joyfully in love with Jesus,

Diane

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2008-12-25T09:31:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends, brothers and sisters in Christ!
I feel a bit like a cheater this morning as I'm not going to post my own writings but that of a young man, Sean Patrick Muldowney. I've never met this young man, and although we are 30 years apart in age, we have two things in common: we are both graduates of University of Connecticut and we both are followers of Jesus Christ. I met him through Facebook and have recently been acquainted with his blog. I am posting his Christmas Blog today. I encourage you to follow this link and read more of what he has written!
Merry Christmas!!!! may you remember that Jesus is kind to the ungrateful of which I am the most ungrateful! Lord have mercy! O come let us adore Him!

Kind to the Ungrateful
Posted by sean patrick on December 25, 2008

This Christmas Eve, I sit at the computer in the upstairs office at the teen crisis shelter I work at. I supervise three teenage boys arguing and fighting while playing Madden. I couldn’t be happier.
I wasn’t much in the Christmas spirit over these last few weeks. Not many decorations up in my house. The annual family stress and drama reared its ugly head again. I’m so caught up in work and other projects that I haven’t had much time so take in the smells and bells of the season.
That’s why I’m glad to be where I am right now, at work. I’m glad I’m working Christmas Eve overnight, into a double on Christmas morning. I’m glad to be somewhere different; someplace that makes me appreciate what I have; someplace that isn’t so much caught up in the hype.
The following verse has wrecked me over the past week:
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36
At least two applications for me. The first being, my Father has always been kind towards me in all my ungratefulness. For 19 years I was aware of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. I paid it litte mind, other than to accepting it as historical fact that Jesus died for people’s sins. I lived carelessly and ungratefully, not knowing I had a need to have a real relationship with Him, until I was confronted with the Gospel. My attitude changed once I was awakened to the fact that Christ did what He did for me. The Father sent Him for me. I was condemned for my sin. Christ bore God’s wrath that was being stored up for me. The Lord woke me up to repentance and faith, and I became grateful for more than a historical act, but for redemption applied.
Now as a follower of Christ, I am commanded to heed Jesus’ teaching here. I am to love without condition, love my enemy, and be kind to the ungrateful, as my Father is. This is especially poignant concerning where I work. I can often struggle over the fact that the kids I work with often come off as ungrateful. I mean, they could be on the streets right now. They could be in an abusive household. They could be freezing under an overpass. They could be hustling or being hustled. We provide them with so much, and sometimes they seem to be less than thankful.
Christ’s teaching here gives me no place to condemn ungratefulness. If anything, I should give thanks that my heart is being searched. I am ungrateful….for a job, a home, a family, a church, close friends, comfort, etc, etc.
Jesus never commands us to do anything that He has not lived out Himself. He was kind to me in all of my ingratitude. He was patient with me in my rebellion. He was longsuffering towards me in my religious hypocrisy. As a believer, He is kind towards me in my struggles and failures, up to and including living out this command that has caused so much self-examination.
All of this reminds me that I’m a work in progress, that I’m not a finished product. My lack of Christmas spirit compels me to set my affections on Christ. The holiday atmosphere isn’t a consolation to me. But Christ’s invasion into human history….His search and resuce mission to redeem the lost….with me specifically in mind….this brings me joy.
His gift to me this season is Himself. My gift to Him is to lay down my life, more and more, over and over. I’m reminded to show love to the ungrateful, as He has shown love to me. I become grateful for the ungrateful, knowing that I am no different apart from God’s grace, and knowing that they may become vessels of grace just as I have.
I walk among those whom Jesus was born among. The kids are more thankful than I realize. Blessed am I this Christmas Eve into the morning. Merry, to know my Savior, and to live His life among those in need. No hype.

2008-12-19T08:52:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've written. Tis the season of business and all that.

As I write this my son Pat and his wife and 2 dogs are on their way here for Christmas!
This morning I have had a moment of emotional gratitude to God for this past year. Just a little over a year ago Pat returned from a 15 month tour in Iraq. Within a month of his return he was married and has spent the last year living in North Carolina and now Georgia.

God has been so kind and merciful to us. I am so grateful I cannot even express it to its fullest extent!

I just want to give God the glory and I repeat this Scripture that was on my heart the week he returned from Iraq:

Blessed be the Lord!
For He has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
My heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to Him."
Psalm 28:6-7

THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that in the business of preparing for Christmas you stop and, as cheesy as this sound, count your blessings. Count the ways God has blessed this year! The biggest blessing, of course, is that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for our sins." EVERYTHING else is gravy!!!
The blessing of salvation is enough, yet, God repeatedly blesses us! His mercy and generosity are beyong compare!

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-13T08:40:00.001-05:00

Great Post by R.C. SPROUL!

Marley's Message to Scrooge
December 8, 2008 @ 7:30 AM Posted By: Tim Challies
by R.C. Sproul
"Bah! Humbug!" These two words are instantly associated with Charles Dickens' immortal fictional anti-hero, Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge was the prototype of the Grinch who stole Christmas, the paradigm of all men cynical.
We all recognize that Ebenezer Scrooge was a mean person - stingy, insensitive, selfish, and unkind. What we often miss in our understanding of his character is that he was preeminently profane. "Bah! Humbug!" was his Victorian use of profanity.
Not that any modern editor would feel the need to delete Scrooge's expletives. His language is not the standard currency of cursing. But it was profane in that Scrooge demeaned what was holy. He trampled on the sanctity of Christmas. He despised the sacred. He was cynical toward the sublime.
Christmas is a holiday, indeed the world's most joyous holiday. It is called a "holiday" because the day is holy. It is a day when businesses close, when families gather, when churches are filled, and when soldiers put down their guns for a 24-hour truce. It is a day that differs from every other day.
Every generation has its abundance of Scrooges. The church is full of them. We hear endless complaints of commercialism. We are constantly told to put Christ back into Christmas. We hear that the tradition of Santa Claus is a sacrilege. We listen to those acquainted with history murmur that Christmas isn't biblical. The Church invented Christmas to compete with the ancient Roman festival honoring the bull-god Mithras, the nay-sayers complain. Christmas? A mere capitulation to paganism.
And so we rain on Jesus' parade and assume an Olympian detachment from the joyous holiday. All this carping is but a modern dose of Scroogeism, our own sanctimonious profanation of the holy.
Sure, Christmas is a time of commerce. The department stores are decorated to the hilt, the ad pages of the newspapers swell in size, and we tick off the number of shopping days left until Christmas. Buy why all the commerce? The high degree of commerce at Christmas is driven by one thing: the buying of gifts for others. To present our friends and families with gifts is not an ugly, ignoble vice. It incarnates the amorphous "spirit of Christmas." The tradition rests ultimately on the supreme gift God has given the world. God so loved the world, the Bible says, that He gave His only begotten Son. The giving of gifts is a marvelous response to the receiving of such a gift. For one day a year at least, we taste the sweetness inherent in the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
What about putting Christ back into Christmas? It is simply not necessary. Christ has never left Christmas. "Jingle Bells" will never replace "Silent Night." Our holiday once known as Thanksgiving is rapidly becoming known simply as "Turkey Day." But Christmas is still called Christmas. It is not called "Gift Day." Christ is still in Christmas, and for one brief season the secular world broadcasts the message of Christ over every radio station and television channel in the land. Never does the church get as much free air time as during the Christmas season.
Not only music but the visual arts are present in abundance, bearing testimony to the historic significance of the birth of Jesus. Christmas displays all remind the world of the sacred Incarnation.
Doesn't Santa Claus paganize or at least trivialize Christmas? He's a myth, and his very mythology casts a shadow over the sober historical reality of Jesus. Not at all. Myths are not necessarily bad or harmful. Every society creates myths. They are a peculiar art form invented usually to convey a message that is deemed important by the people. When a myth is passed off as real history, that is fraud. But when it serves a different purpose it can be healthy and virtuous. Kris Kringle is a mythical hero, not a villain. He is pure fiction -- but a fiction used to illustrate a glorious truth.
What about the historical origins of Christmas as a substitute for a pagan festival? I can only say, good for the early Christians who had the wisdom to flee from Mithras and direct their zeal to the celebration of the birth of Christ. Who associates Christmas today with Mithras? No one calls it "Mithrasmas."
We celebrate Christmas because we cannot eradicate from our consciousness our profound awareness of the difference between the sacred and the profane. Man, in the generic sense, has an incurable propensity for marking sacred space and sacred time. When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, the ground that was previously common suddenly became uncommon. It was now holy ground - sacred space. When Jacob awoke from his midnight vision of the presence of God, he anointed with oil the rock upon which he had rested his head. It was sacred space.
When God touches earth, the place is holy. When God appears in history, the time is holy. There was never a more holy place than the city of Bethlehem, where the Word became flesh. There was never a more holy time than Christmas morning when Emmanuel was born. Christmas is a holiday. It is the holiest of holy days. We must heed the warning of Jacob Marley: "Don't be a Scrooge" at Christmas.

2008-12-05T09:24:00.002-05:00

WHICH CAME FIRST?

1 John 4:19

"We love because He first loved us."

How's that for a simple answer? :)

2008-11-29T10:08:00.004-05:00

Today I am blogging about why I appreciate my pastor in response to Abraham Piper’s offer to enter our pastors into a drawing for a free registration to the Desiring God Pastor’s conference! Good luck Mark!

Why I Appreciate my Pastor

I appreciate Pastor Mark Mullery of Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax for several reasons:

1. First and foremost I appreciate him because of his dedication in keeping the cross central to all his preaching. He always brings everything back around to the gospel and how to apply it practically in our lives.

2. I appreciate Mark’s expository preaching.

3. Mark’s incredible humility is evidence of God’s grace at work in his life and the life of our church. When my husband and I visited this church almost 5 years ago we were won over by the humility of not only Mark but the rest of the pastors as well. Mark models humility and it trickles down to the rest of the staff and into the body of believers that go there. When we first began to attend this church we were taken aback by the kindness of the people who went there. At first we attributed it to the fact that we were new. Then, I uncharitably assumed it wasn’t real. As time wore on I realized that this kindness was indeed real, it was evidence of God’s grace at work in this church and that it was modeled and taught from Mark and through the rest of the pastoral team.

4. When I tell Mark I feel so blessed to be part of this church he says, “Me too!” He loves his church!

5. He regularly and humbly honors members of the pastoral team and members of the church giving glory to God for their service.

6. I appreciate how Mark loves great books of sound doctrine, not for the sake of reading or just to accumulate knowledge but for the purpose of directing our gaze to Jesus and the cross and to Scripture

7. I appreciate Mark’s genuine emotion when he is overtaken by the love of Jesus Christ through the gospel.

8. I appreciate his humble leadership

9. I appreciate that Mark has his fellow pastors preach often.

10. I appreciate all my pastors!! Each brings to the table his own unique gifts.

2008-11-28T09:39:00.002-05:00

grumble...grumble...grumble...grumble...grumble...

James 5:9
"Do not GRUMBLE against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door."

grumble = to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.

Are there any grumblers out there besides me? Are you like me? If someone annoys me or I get frustrated with someone I may not grumble to their face but I will sometimes go home and grumble to my spouse or to myself! BUT! this scripture clearly warns the believer to NOT grumble ... grumbling is not only complaining or being discontent with someone, it is actually judging someone! I confess that I am a closet grumbler! Sometimes I'm not so closeted about my grumbling!!

I admit to a bit of fear striking my heart as I read this scripture. Even if I committ no other sin (which of course I have), I deserve to be judged on this one alone!!! The scripture is clear that grumbling will bring judgement.

So, what is my hope?

JESUS! He alone is my hope.

I am assured that because I have received Christ and turned to Him in faith and repentance that this sin has been covered by the blood of my Savior and has been forgiven. Jesus has clothed me in HIS righteousness and I can stand before God, not as my judge but as my Father! wow! Romans 8:1 tells us that, "therefore, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." THIS is GOOD NEWS!

So then, do I continue to grumble because it's been covered by the blood of Jesus? NO! I do not want to trample on grace. I want to turn from this fairly consistent sin in my life but I do so with the help of GOD Himself! I am not a slave to this sin or any other sin in my life because I have been set free from slavery to sin and am now a slave to righteousness. I know that as I surrender to God in humility and repentance that He will change me. I want to serve Jesus by not grumbling and complaining.

oh LORD! I need your help! I don't want to grumble against my brothers and sisters or anyone anymore! Again, it is my tongue that shows what is in my heart. Change my heart oh Lord! I am hopeful and even sure that You are at work in me and I am grateful.

2008-11-27T11:48:00.005-05:00

THERE IS A REDEEMER!

by Keith Green

There is a Redeemer,

Jesus, God's own Son,

Precious Lamb of God,

Messiah, Holy One,

Jesus my Redeemer,

Name above all names,

Precious Lamb of God,

Messiah,

Oh, for sinners slain.

Thank you oh my Father,

For giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit, '

Til the work on Earth is done.

When I stand in Glory,

I will see His face,

And there I'll serve my King forever,

In that Holy Place.

Thank you oh my Father,

For giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit,

'Til the work on Earth is done.

There is a Redeemer,

Jesus, God's own Son

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2008-11-26T15:30:00.001-05:00

Psalm 32: 7
“You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.”

Psalm 143:8
“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

To whom or what do you lift up your soul to?
To fear?
To worry?
To impatience?
To approval of man?
To your children?
To self?
To your husband?
To your finances?
To your hobbies?
To your busy-ness?
To your ministries?
To self?
To food?
To exercise?
To tv?
To books?
To church?
To anger?
To self?
To perfectly clean homes?
To your job?
To health?
To your bible study?
To self?

Do you trust in fear?
In worry?
In impatience?
In the approval of man?
In your children?
In yourself?
In your husband?
In your finances?
In your hobbies?
In your busy-ness?
In your ministries?
In yourself?
In food?
In exercise?
In TV?
In books?
In church?
In anger?
In yourself?
In perfectly clean homes?
In your job?
In health?
In your bible study?
In yourself?

We might look at these and say, “of course not!” .. but do we?
All of the things I mentioned above are good things (well, except fear and worry and anger, impatience…) but are these worthy of lifting up our souls to??? What do you spend your time doing? Do you spend time worrying or when worry comes upon you do you spend your time talking to God about it? Do we trust in our bible studies? Or our pleasant circumstances?

Can you imagine the psalmist singing this:

Pleasant circumstances you are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble, you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Or

Approval of man you are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble, you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Or

Self you are my hiding place; I preserve me from trouble, I surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Or

My children you are my hiding place; my children preserve me from trouble, they surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Does your money speak of steadfast love in the morning? How about the approval of man? Or Worry? Do these things loves us steadfastly?

It seems so absurd, doesn’t it ? To insert our pet idol in the place of God in these psalms? Yet isn’t that what we are doing when we bow down to our idols? Aren’t those the things that we sometimes lift up our souls to?

May we be convicted today but not discouraged because the psalmist is praying and he says,
“LET ME HEAR OF YOUR STEADFAST LOVE…” Do you find yourself spending more time thinking about and paying attention to your idols? Ask God.. ask HIM to tell you of His steadfast love! Confess your sin.. repent of it.. ask God for help! He DELIGHTS to give it!! Don’t try and buck yourself up! Ask God for help! Beg HIM to show you HIS steadfast love and ask HIM to show you the way to go and He will do it!!!

My soul rejoices in the promises of God. His children are assured of His sanctification and making us more like Jesus. ONLY God is to be trusted ! ONLY God is our hiding place. ONLY God delivers us. ONLY GOD has steadfast love for us! Let us lift up our souls to GOD alone!

REJOICE AND BE THANKFUL!

2008-11-23T09:21:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 13:20,21

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working is us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Thank you Lord God, for you are THE God of peace who brought my Lord Jesus from the dead!!! My Jesus, my shepherd by the blood of the eternal, never ending, eternal covenant… it is YOU who equips me with EVERYTHING good so I may do your will. YOU work in me what which is pleasing in YOUR sight through Jesus Christ! Lord, thank you that YOU do not leave me high and dry and but YOU oh GREAT GOD demand obedience from me and then in your non exhaustive mercy and kindness you equip me with EVERYTHING good so that I may do what is pleasing to you. I am amazed that you supply to me what you demand from me. Your kindness knows no bounds. Reading this scripture this morning increases my love and affection for you. Thank you for applying your word to my soul today. Amen.

2008-11-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

As I read this chapter in Isaiah this morning I was overwhelmed at the gospel written here. The writer tells us that God was angry and then turned His anger away that he might be comforted.
oh praise the ONE who satisified his just wrath toward sinners by sacrificing Jesus!
I rejoice this morning for God has indeed turned his anger away from me because He poured it out on Jesus instead!! And then! God comforts me!!! GOD gives to us what we need to enter in relationship with Him. He gives us what we need to be adopted into the family of God!
It is indeed with JOY that I draw from the wells of salvation!
As you read this scripture today from the Old Testament may you see how full of grace it is and sing praises unto the God of our salvation!

Isaiah 12

"You will say in that day:
I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.

Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song
and He has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say in that day:

Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon His name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that His name is exalted.

Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

2008-11-21T09:56:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”

I love this scripture. I love the entire chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews. It serves to remind me of the faithfulness of God!
Have you ever become impatient with God as you wait for something? Have you prayed for something and it seems as though God is silent in response? When those times happen to me I want to remember this Scripture. These faithful saints died not having received the promises of God but had faith that the promises of God would be fulfilled. They understood that this world is not all there is. They understood that this world was not their home. That is so beautiful to me.

Yes, all these great saints who have gone before us had such a great faith but do you think that they drummed up this great faith on their own??? Of course not!!! Romans 12:3 tells us that God assigns faith to us. He opens our eyes to see and by His grace we believe. Mark 9:24 shows us a father who brought his son to Jesus and asked for a healing for his son crying out to God that he believes but to help his unbelief! Over and over again scripture shows us the weak faith of many of the people of God and the faithfulness of God to show Himself. God is faithful to help us in our unbelief! He delights to do so!
Is your faith weak? Do you struggle with unbelief? Confess this to God in repentance and ask Him to increase your faith! Remember it is not our weak faith that brings us peace and comfort, but it is God’s faithfulness that brings us comfort and peace in our times of waiting.

I believe Lord! Help my unbelief!!!

2008-11-19T10:45:00.001-05:00

Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ has entered not into holy places made with hands which are copies of true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”

Wow! On our behalf. Jesus has entered into heaven and is in the presence of God on our behalf!!!! Jesus stands righteous before God in my place. This gospel truth just blows me away. Other scriptures tell us that Jesus intercedes for us before the Father. Why would I EVER want to rely on myself or my works when I have JESUS in the presence of God on my behalf!? Do not let the amazing-ness of this gospel truth escape your thoughts today. Grasp it, hold on to it and if you are finding yourself less than amazed then ask God to help you be stunned at the beauty of Christ standing in the presence of God on your behalf! Let it stun you. Let it penetrate a chilled heart today. It is absolutely amazing!

2008-11-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

James 3:7-8 “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

Ugh. Have you ever vowed that you would not say what you wanted to say to someone and then unbeknownst to your conscious mind the very words you have resisted saying come tumbling out? Yep… I had a day like that yesterday. The very thing I didn’t ever want to say to someone I said. There was not one second of gratification in it, there was instantaneous remorse. If I could have grabbed the words in the air I would have and stuffed them back into my mouth but no, instead my sinful words full of this deadly poison came out. ugh. After about 60 seconds of internal disbelief at what I just said I turned to this person I poisoned with my sinful tongue and asked for forgiveness. Of course, I was graciously forgiven… but the memory of my words definitely linger in my mind and most likely linger in the mind to whom I spoke these words.

Two things come to mind as a result of my harshly spoken words:

1. I am so grateful that Jesus died for my sins and that His blood covers these sins. I am much more aware than I was yesterday of my deep, deep need of Jesus. Apart from Christ I would die. I need the power of the gospel in my life. I need God’s amazing, powerful grace to change my heart. I can resist using my tongue for evil only so long before my sinful cravings overcome my desire to remain silent. That is why I need a heart change and I am HOPEFUL because this is what God promises! I am so grateful that God showed me my sin INSTANTLY! It assures me that the Holy Spirit is in me and I can still hear Him. Thank you Jesus!!! I am assured of God’s forgiveness and His continued sanctification!

2. I am newly aware of how I should not be hasty in judging other Christian’s words! I am sure that we all at one time or another say things we wish we didn’t say! I love this following quote by Jonathan Edwards…

“Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others, and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.”

I hope that when I hear someone sinning with their tongue that instead of judgment and criticism that I would remember my own failings and sinfulness that comes from my mouth and seek God’s mercy for my own tongue!

Can anyone related to me today?

2008-11-12T10:34:00.001-05:00

Ezekiel 42:20

“He measure it on the 4 sides. It had a wall around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits broad, to make a separation between the holy and the common.”

I have been reading through the book of Ezekiel and honestly, it’s been difficult. In the past few chapters as the author writes about cubits and lengths and heights and all the measurements of the temple I admit to stifling many yawns. This morning I breathed a silent prayer saying that I know that EVERY word of Scripture is given to us is God breathed and useful for living. I prayed that God would help me see it. The prayer was maybe one nano second long.

And then…. BAM! I read the last part of this verse, “to make a separation between the holy and the common.” WOW! .. I read that and was reminded that God is HOLY, so perfectly HOLY that nothing can be in His presence other than righteousness and holiness… that pretty much counts EVERYONE out! the common, must be separated from the holy. And then I am reminded of the gospel. Oh, the precious, precious gospel! The good news that CHRIST DIED FOR MY SINS and NOW I can be in the presence of the HOLY because Jesus exchanged my sin for his righteousness! WOW! Jesus made a way for me to be in the presence of the holy. No more separation. Thank you Jesus.

So, in the midst of bleary eyes and yawns in what seems to be the most excruciating longest book in the bible God opened my eyes to this nugget of a scripture and replaced my bleary eyes with teary eyes and yawns with shouts of joy for there is no more separation between God and me! I am his child and He is my Father. Oh Lord, thank you.

2008-11-07T09:32:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 4:29

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

That sure is a tall order! Oh how my desire is that the words that fall off my lips would always be encouraging and full of grace!!! It amazes me how one word of criticism can wipe out a paragraph of kind words. We tend to remember the harsh words spoken, we tend to be affected by the corrupting words that are said to us. Is that what I want people to remember about the words I speak? Of course not! And it’s not just the words we speak TO someone but this scripture applies to the words we speak ABOUT someone to include people we don’t even know!

This scripture applies to how we speak to our spouses, our children, our friends, our colleagues, our parents and the words spoken ABOUT them. It also applies to words we speak about politicians, celebrities, etc. The words we speak about someone corrupts the person who is hearing our words. Corrupt words are so damaging to the speaker, to the hearer and the ones spoken about.

When our family first started attending our church (Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax, VA) I was taken aback by the kind words spoken by pretty much everyone we came in contact with. At first I thought that everyone was this kind with their words because we were visiting. As the kindness continued I then figured it was because we were still “new”… then I had the uncharitable thought that they didn’t really mean it!!!!!!!!!! As we continued to stay at this church and eventually became members, I realized that not only where these kind, grace filled words spoken, but they MEANT THEM! These people were sincere in what they spoke! Is everyone there perfect and without sin in their words? Of course not ! But I can say with honestly that kind and encouraging talk prevails there! Grace filled words and thoughts and actions are greatly encouraged at my church. I am so thankful God brought me there!

As I began to associate with these people and as I surrendered my mouth, tongue and heart to God in this area I found that He began to help me be kinder in the words I spoke. Trust me, I have a long way to go but God has certainly been changing my desire to really want to speak grace-filled words. When I don’t, in God’s kindness I feel his conviction almost immediately.

So, let’s pray that we continually seek God’s help in speaking grace filled words to one another and about one another.

2008-11-06T08:43:00.001-05:00

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

No matter what our circumstances this scripture is true and will always remain so.

I’m not suggesting we minimize anyone’s struggles or sufferings, but what a difference when we view our circumstances with our eyes on Jesus!!!!!!

So, no matter who is President of the USA, no matter what the economic condition of the country OR personal life… JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday, today and forever. Presidents serve 8 years at the most, money comes and goes, jobs come and go… but JESUS never changes. HIS truth remains the same. The Gospel is good news through all circumstances!

Rejoice today in the God that never changes!!!

2008-11-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

My reasons for writing this blog is to keep my eyes as well as the reader's eyes focused on the cross of Jesus Christ. Today, I want to congratulate President Elect Obama. I did not vote for him but I desire to be gracious in my response to the election outcome. Senator McCain was very very gracious in his concession speech last night and I believe, we as Christians, must be gracious as well. We do not have to support Obama's pro-death policies, you do not have to like his economic strategies or health care options, but we must, as Christians, respect him and pray for him. So, that I will do. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we WILL be able to be respectful and prayerful for our new president.

I have to say, that as I watched the response from the American people I was driven to tears at the historic moment this is in the history of America. Of course there was much hoopla but as I observed the tears streaming down the faces of many older people who never thought they'd live to see a black president, I wept with them. It was a beautiful moment and I felt the weight of their joy.

Following is a link to Al Mohler's blog. It is a great read and great encouragement.
http://www.albertmohler.com/

Let us remember to pray for President elect Obama, for our country and for God's mercy.

2008-11-02T07:43:00.000-05:00

Psalm 55:5-8
“Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”

I love reading the psalms. David is as real as you and I. His life is laid out before us in the Scriptures. We read about his sins and his struggles and his fears as well as his victories. Psalm 55 expresses David’s anguish and fear! He uses some very powerful words such as “horror” and “overwhelms”… these words describe a man who is in trouble and all he wants to do is escape!

One thing David knew was that his refuge was in God. David expressed his fears and his woes and usually came around to declaring that God is the one in whom he finds refuge and safety.
I know I have felt this way at times and you may be feeling this way today!

I encourage you to turn to Jesus for HE alone is our safety and our refuge. Jesus is our way of escape! He is our way to God, Jesus is our way to escape the just wrath of God we deserve for our sins and Jesus is the one to whom we give our cares and burdens to for HE carries them for us.

I heard a song by Steve Green this morning, BE AT REST. It is so beautiful ! May these lyrics bring you back around to the cross today.

Be At Rest

Be at rest, be at rest once more
O my soul,
for the Lord has been good
Be at rest, be at rest once more
O my soul, o my soul

Be at rest once more
For the Lord has been good to you
For You, O Lord
Have delivered my soul from death
My eyes from tears
And You, O Lord
Have delivered my feet from stumbling

Words and Music by Jeremy Johnson© 2005 Van Ness Press, Inc. / ASCAP

2008-10-30T07:45:00.001-04:00

Psalm 90:14
“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”

I love this Scripture! One of my favorites! What a beautiful way to begin a day by asking God to satisfy us with his steadfast love. The result of being satisfied with God’s steadfast love is rejoicing and being glad all our days! Amazing!

There are so many things that we attempt to be satisfied in. We try to be satisfied in our ministry, our families, our homes, our hobbies etc etc.. we attempt to be satisfied in striving for the “no hassle” life.. no trials, no suffering etc… none of those things bring true or real satisfaction, rejoicing or gladness. But knowing, reveling, understanding and receiving the steadfast love of the Lord and being satisfied (content, convinced of) in it, now THAT brings true joy!

So, a good thing to remember today is : if our circumstances were different, if our homes were in perfect condition, if our families were perfect examples of obedience.. even though all these things are blessings and gifts, but the one thing that will bring true contentment, true gladness is being satisfied with God’s steadfast love.

“Lord, I often am satisfied with far lesser things than your steadfast love. I settle for a hassle free life, or a new book, or a perfectly kept home.. I fiddle around with far less than what you are willing to give! Help me to be satisfied in your steadfast love this morning and I ask that you would help me to rejoice in this and be glad all my days in you and you alone. Amen”

2008-10-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

Psalm 62:8
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him, God is a REFUGE for us.”

Psalm 59:16-17
“But I will sing of Your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a FORTRESS and a REFUGE in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to You, for You O God are my FORTRESS, the God who shows me steadfast love.”

I love to look up definitions of words when I am reading Scripture. Even though I know the meanings of these words it is helpful to me to hone in on the exact meaning… so here are definitions (www.dictionary.com) of the two words that are used multiple times: Refuge and Fortress

Fortress = any place of exceptional security; stronghold

Refuge = shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc. ; to take refuge from a storm
A place of shelter, protection or safety
Anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief or escape.

These definitions help me to absorb the meaning of these scriptures for my life… according to these definitions God is our shelter or protection from danger. God is a place of safety. God is the one in which we have recourse for aid, for relief and escape. God is a place of EXCEPTIONAL security, a stronghold!

No wonder we can call on God and say, “O my STRENGTH!” God shows us his steadfast love by being that refuge and fortress and strength in times of distress. Whether the distresses are trials and adverse circumstances, or our own sin… because of the precious blood of Jesus poured out for our sins we can run to God and find that security and shelter. Surely our own strength is limited at best and sure to fail, but GOD’S strength is sure and reliable.

May you see God today as the one who protects you, gives you shelter and safety. May you run to Him for aid and relief from the trials of the day and from the guilt of sin. May you see God today as the one whose love for you is steadfast and never ending. May you find your rest in God and experience His nearness as you take time in His Word today. May HE be your strength today.

2008-10-28T10:06:00.000-04:00

I read a post on the Thinklings blog this morning :
http://thinklings.org/posts/jesus-asked-do-you-love-me-more-than-these

After reading that and watching the music video my heart and mind wandered to the books of Romans and Lamentations this morning…
I couldn’t decide which scripture to share with you so I shall share both! You get a “two-fer” this morning… Two “fer” the price of one!

I heard a song this morning that drew me to God in repentance… I’d like to share the lyrics with you and what I wrote in my journal…

Enough by Chris Tomlin

All of You is more than enough for ALL of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You
Is more than enough.

Dear Lord,

I confess to you that although I sing these words it isn’t always true. When I choose to sin it proves that I do not see You as enough for me! I show that sin brings me more pleasure than You do. It shows that I treasure what I want and what I want to do as more important than You. I show that in that moment I feel that You are not more than enough for me. I seek to satisfy my thirst and needs elsewhere, instead of You.

Oh Lord, I am so sorry. It is good that You understand my weakness more than I do. You ARE all I need! Help me to live this way! You ARE enough! Help me to live this way! I thank you that the blood of Jesus covers this sin, covers ALL my sins. Thank you that in Christ there is no condemnation for the believer(Romans 8:1), even though condemnation is exactly what I deserve! Oh Lord Your mercies are new EVERY morning! Your steadfast love NEVER ceases! Great is YOUR faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23) It is a good thing, Lord, that it is not MY faith that saves. It is a good thing that it is not MY works that save! It IS a good thing that it is not MY adherence to the law that saves! IT IS A GOOD THING THAT JESUS SAVES! Thank you for saving me! Thank you for showing me my sin. You so love me. Change me Lord. Make me more like you. I want you to ALWAYS be more than enough for me and may my life reflect this. In Jesus Name. Amen.

2008-10-27T07:53:00.000-04:00

This morning I find myself thinking about the cross. If it were not for the cross I wouldn't even be having this thought process! I am in awe yet again of the kindness, mercy, grace and love of our God. Thinking about the cross and what was accomplished there makes me desire to serve the Lord with all I have... Lord, please help me walk through this day with the desire to die to self and live for you.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross


When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

Forbid it Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood

See, from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a present far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Words and Music by Isaac Watts

2008-10-26T07:52:00.000-04:00

2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10

"...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."

I read this scripture today and was overcome with the incredible kindness and mercy of God. If God had not loved me first, I would not have loved Him. If God had not given me faith to repent and believe the gospel, all I would have to look forward to would be the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of Lord Jesus!!! I do not even want to imagine the horror of that !!! To be away from the presence of JESUS??? For the believer this will never be so because of the love, kindness and mercy of our God. As believers we look forward to forever being in the presence of Jesus and we will MARVEL at him! THAT day will be beautiful for the believer and pure terror for the unbeliever.

Thank you Lord God for your kindness and mercy towards me. I deserve to be among those who will face eternal destruction away from the presence of Jesus, BUT, you have saved me! Lord, help me to walk in a manner worthy of this calling. Help me to do good works in response to this great salvation. You are my only hope! Apart from you I would go my own way and end up facing your just wrath. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. Thank you Jesus for bearing the wrath of God for my sins. Your mercy overwhelms me. I love you, Jesus.

2008-10-22T10:48:00.000-04:00

Romans 12:16
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”

I find myself having many a “heated” political discussions lately. But it’s not what you think. I’m not arguing party platform or policy.. I’m getting frustrated with my fellow Christian brother and sisters, as many not all, seem to have a need to demonize the “other” party and their candidates.

My question is, “can’t we just disagree with the “other” party? Do we have to demonize them and drag them through the mud? Do we have to dig up dirt on them and then revel in what we found? Shouldn’t we as Christians demonstrate kindness and compassion for those who belong to the “other” party? Regardless of who gets elected, Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain as president does not bring salvation, only the gospel does. I’m not saying we shouldn’t vote or we shouldn’t be interested in politics. I love politics but I am weary with the nastiness I am seeing.. and then I am weary of my own pride as I get frustrated with my brothers and sisters.

So, my prayer must be, “oh Lord keep me humble.” From Valley of Vision, pp 88 :

“When I am tempted to think highly of myself, grant me to see the wily power of my spiritual enemy; Help me stand with wary eye on the watch-tower of faith, and to cling with determined grasp to my humble Lord; If I fall let me hide myself in my redeemer’s righteousness, and when I escape, may I ascribe all deliverance to thy grace. Keep me humble, meek, lowly.”

Oh.. notice I never said “who” the “other” party is? God has his elect in both parties. I pray that we Christians can approach the remaining 13 days and the next 4 years with humility and compassion and prayer no matter WHO is elected, remembering the sovereignty of our God in all things!

2008-10-20T08:18:00.000-04:00

My soul was affected by the sermon my pastor delivered yesterday. We are in the midst of a series on Penal Substitution. I am so grateful that our pastoral team is doing this. It has been so good for my soul to ponder and meditate on the fact that "in MY place, condemned HE stood."

My pastor used a quote from The Gospel Primer (Milton Vincent, p 33) :

"A gruesome death like the one that Christ endured for me would only be required for one who is exceedingly sinful and unable to appease a holy God. Consequently, whenever I consider the necessity and manner of His death, along with the love and selflessness behind it, I am laid bare and utterly exposed for the sinner I am."

and Scripture:

Is 53:4-5

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrow; yet we esteemed him stricken, wmitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chatisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."

to bring together the facts of my exceeding sinfullness and guilt, Christ's great sacrifice and death and God's great love and mercy. Realizing the extent of my sin, guilt and helplessness before a holy God; realizing the extent Jesus had to go through to atone for my sin , the crushing of himself by GOD!!!, and realizing that THIS is how much I am loved by God brings sorrow, repentance AND great joy! This is absolutely amazing!

I don't think I will ever understand how amazing the love, mercy and grace of God really is!

Lord, the words of "thank you" are so inadequate to express how thankful I am. Help me Lord to live a life worthy of what you did to save me. I am in awe that not only do you crush your Son for my sins but then you help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life that is pleasing to you. You provide for EVERYTHING that I need to live for you. Make me humble, Lord and keep me surrendered to you in all things. I love you Lord, help me to love you more! Amen.

2008-10-19T08:25:00.001-04:00

Colossians 4:12
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Jesus Christ, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.”

SEVERAL THINGS COME TO MY MIND AS I READ THIS SCRIPTURE THIS MORNING.

1. DO I ACTUALLY “STRUGGLE” IN PRAYER ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST OR DO I ZIP THROUGH PRAYERS QUICKLY IF AT ALL FOR THEM?
OH LORD! GIVE ME SUCH A HEART OF COMPASSION FOR MY FAMILY IN CHRIST THAT I WILL SPEND TIME STRUGGLING FOR THEM IN PRAYER! HELP ME TO TAKE THE TIME TO ACTUALLY BE BEFORE YOU OFTEN AND INTENSELY FOR THEM. SHOW ME WHAT IT MEANS TO STRUGGLE IN PRAYER FOR THEM.

2. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN OUR LIVES! THAT THEY WOULD BE “MATURE AND FULLY ASSURED IN THE WILL OF GOD.” SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT. I WOULD LOVE FOR MY FAMILY IN CHRIST TO PRAY FOR ME IN THIS WAY!!!

LORD, HELP ME TO PERSEVERE IN PRAYER. DRAW ME TO YOURSELF IN CONSTANT AND CONSISTANT PRAYER BEFORE YOUR THRONE. HELP ME LORD TO BE WITH YOU IN PRAYER MORE OFTEN THAN I AM. HELP ME TO PRAY FOR OTHERS WITH VIGOR. THANK YOU THAT I CAN TRUST YOU TO HELP ME PRAY IN A WAY THAT DRAWS ME CLOSER AND CLOSER TO YOU. I LOVE YOU LORD. AMEN.

AS I WRITE THIS I AM LISTENING TO THIS SONG:

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS by Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

2008-10-13T13:00:00.001-04:00

Psalm 103: 8
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."

Why, why, why do I feel justified in my anger when someone cuts me off on the highway? or when someone is a little rude to me? or when I don't get my own way? or when someone doesn't "get" a spiritual truth as quickly as I'd like them to? UGH! I am quick to anger in all the above cases!

I, then, come across a scripture like Psalm 103:8 and my arrogant balloon deflates. The only one that has a right to be angry, the only ONE who is capable of pure and righteous anger is SLOW to anger, merciful and gracious.

I have no right to be angry or frustrated with ANYONE!

LORD, how I long to be more like JESUS! Thank you that I am not a slave to my sin of unrighteous anger and frustration any longer! I have been set free through Jesus Christ and by the help and power of the Holy Spirit i can change! I count on the promise that you are sanctifying me and will complete in me what you have begun! I am sorry for my bursts of quick anger. Change me Lord!

I am leaving for Georgia this afternoon to visit my son and his beautiful bride! I'll be writing from Ft. Benning tomorrow!!!

2008-10-12T19:16:00.000-04:00

In Christ:

"we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." ( Colossians 1:14)

"Grant that I may always weep to the praise of mercy found, and to tell other as long as I live, that Thou art a sin-pardoning God, taking up the blasphemer and the ungodly, and washing them from their deepest stains." (Valley of Vision pp ed. page 62)

I want to always have a deep awe and gratitude of the magnificence of this! I want to always see how merciful and gracious God has been, is , and will be to me! It is absolutely AMAZING that God would do this for us!

2008-10-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

I love how God will remind us of Himself even when we are doing or reading something that is not “spiritual”.

I am re-reading (for the 10th time, maybe?) perhaps my most favorite book besides the Bible, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In the very first chapter I read this sentence:

“Why my dear you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of great fortune… and was so delighted with it (the estate) that he is to take possession before Michaelemas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”

The footnote corresponding to this sentence said that, “it was common for servants to precede their masters in order to prepare a house for the latter’s arrival.” (annotated by David Shapard)

God IMMEDIATELY brought to my mind the following Scripture:
John 14:1-3
“Let not you’re your hearts be troubled, Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.”

I was struck by the humility of our Lord, Savior and Master Jesus Christ all over again! Here, HE is God and He is serving us! Customarily the servants go and prepare a place for the Master but instead, our Master and Lord prepares a place for us! Jesus serves us! While we were yet sinners He died for our sins. HE goes now to prepare a place for those who believe. HE will return and will take us to Himself! HE suffered so we will never suffer the wrath of God and just punishment for our sin and THEN HE goes and prepares a place for us performing the job of a servant.

Oh Lord, make me more like you. I grouse and complain about meals I have to cook . I complain about laundry and the messes in the house that never seem to end. Forgive me for my selfishness. Make me more like You, Jesus. Help me to serve others and not myself. Amen.

2008-10-09T10:43:00.000-04:00

2 Timothy 4:10
“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.”

This has become one of my more frequent prayers that I and my family, my children would NOT fall in love with this present world! I pray that we would fall more and more in love with GOD. I pray that we would seek Him, thirst for Him, pant for him as a deer pants for water. I pray that we would seek to live out the Gospel daily, remembering that Jesus died for our sins. I pray for a more disciplined time in God’s Word, in living a sacrificial life. I think it would be relatively easy to fall in love with this present world if I am not fully devoted to pursuing holiness and Christ-likeness.
Yes, this has become a fervent prayer.

I gleaned this from a new book edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. This information comes from the 1st chapter written by Jerry Bridges. The new book is STAND. I encourage you to read it!

Oh Lord, help me not to fall in love with this present world.

2008-10-08T08:57:00.001-04:00

Ephesians 3:6
“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

I am so grateful that I am a member of God's family, a partaker of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel!

2008-10-07T09:41:00.000-04:00

Ephesians 2:12-13

"remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Oh my! This scripture is encouraging my soul today! I was without hope and without God! I remember those days! I remember feeling hopeless as a young woman, always despairing that life was senseless and worthless. I remember thinking about my sin and knowing there was no way I would get to heaven based on my good works or lack thereof! But now I see that even that despair was a gift from God! He was opening my eyes to see the extent of my sin and let me see and feel the hoplessness apart from God! BUT NOW! Through Christ Jesus, I was brought near through HIS blood! I am so grateful to my God and my Savior.

This scripture reminds me of a song I love sung by Devlin Kauflin on the CD Looked Upon,
My Lord, I did not Choose You. (you can listen to it through the link). Following are the lyrics:

My Lord, I did not choose You
For that could never be
My heart would still refuse You
Had You not chosen me
You took the sin that stained me
You cleansed me, made me new
Of old You have ordained me
That I should live in You

Chorus :

Jesus, You have saved me
And taken all my sin, all my sins away
Jesus, You have called me
Before the world began, to glorify Your name
I was without hope and dead inside
But You chose to save my life

Verse 2

Unless Your grace had called me
And taught my darkened mind
The world would have enthralled me
To Your glories I’d be blind
My heart knows none above You
For Your rich grace I thirst
I know that if I love You
You must have loved me first.

Oh Lord, I am in grateful and joyful awe this morning that while I was far off you drew me near to you by Your blood. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Amen.

2008-10-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

Psalm 66:16
“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for my soul.”

Just a few minutes ago, a dear sister in the Lord, texted me and asked me how my soul was today. I share with her that my soul was well for Jesus bore God’s wrath for my sin. She then responded that God’s mercies endure forever and that He has arrested her by grace. She said she had a heart of gratitude today!

By this little interchange we did what the Psalm 66:16 says to do. We told one another what God has done for our souls! The people of God, those who fear God, encourage one another when we share what God has done and is doing. What a great way to keep the gospel before us and keep our eyes on Jesus!

Be sure to share what God has done for YOUR soul with those around you!!!

Thank you to my friend who asked about the condition of my soul today!

2008-10-05T08:13:00.000-04:00

Galatians 6:1

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgerssion, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."

I confess that I have often confronted my dear sisters in Christ NOT in a spirit of gentleness. I would say that I have had more of a "bull in a china shop" approach in talking to someone about their sin. WHY? Pride and self righteousness. When i go to someone in frustration, anger, or exasperation what does this say about me? It says, "YOU are sinning (in this area of life) and I NEVER have and NEVER will, and if by chance I have then I, myself, got myself out of it." Now, who really thinks like that? I would venture to say many if not most of us do. We may not actually say or think those words, but our attitude would indicate that we indeed feel justified in our anger and frustration at someone else's sin. Why else would I be frustrated and exasperated?

However, if i have a true understanding of my own sinfullness, if I have a true understanding that I am capable of each and every sin , then I will not be angry or frustrated with my sister or brother in Christ. I would be gentle, compassionate, caring for their soul, fully aware that I could be tempted and fall into the very same sin. It does our soul good to remember that if not for the fact that God opened our eyes to see our own sinfulness we would still be dead in our sin, we would still be slaves to sin. BUT GOD, opens our eyes to see our depravity and our need of Jesus to save us from the just wrath of God for our sins.

I find that preaching the gospel to myself daily, and often during the day, humbly reminds me that God has been kind and gentle with me and that by His grace I, in turn, can be kind and gentle to my brother or sister caught in sin and GENTLY help them to see.

Lord, thank you for your kindness that has led me to repentance. Thank you Father that it is only through Jesus Christ that I have been reconciled to You. Thank you for your patience, steadfast love, and gentleness in how you have dealt with me. Thank you Jesus for bearing the full wrath of God for my sins and because you have done so I will never ever see the wrath of God for my sins. Oh Lord, how can this not humble me? Please forgive me for my pride. Help me to be compassionate, kind and gentle if there is a time when I need to confront a sister in sin. You have been so good to me.

2008-10-01T10:17:00.000-04:00

VICTORY

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

Watch this and think of the believer’s relationship with God the Father… and then ponder on this scripture:

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 15:57
It is God’s victory given to us.

And oh by the way… get a box of Kleenex before you watch the video. AND… may it cause us to bow down and worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the article behind the video: http://ironman.com/columns/ironmanlife/kevin-mackinnon-reports-on-rick-and-dick-hoyt

2008-09-28T08:15:00.001-04:00

Psalm 28:6-9
“Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of His people; He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.”

I turned to this psalm this morning and in the margin of my bible was written a prayer of thanksgiving on 1 November 2007 to God for bringing my son home safely from Iraq after a 15 month tour there. As I read these verses again my heart wells up with joy and thanksgiving for God’s kindness and mercy. Yet, I have a confession to make. Once my son was back from Iraq I stopped paying attention to the war. I stopped praying regularly for our soldiers who serve so faithfully over there. I have a friend whose son is in Afghanistan and husband is in Iraq so this has reminded me to pray again for our soldiers. In yesterday’s news I heard that a 26 year old lieutenant from the city where I presently live was killed in Baghdad last week. He was my son’s age. It caused me to be so sad for this young man and his family and again so grateful to God for bringing my son home.

By God’s kindness I have been convicted of my selfish behavior. Once my son came home, I for all intent and purposes, forgot about the other soldiers there. My desire is to persevere in prayer for the soldiers who remain in harm’s way and for their families as they wait for their loved ones to come home. How have I even been able to consider NOT persevering when these people are willing to sacrifice their entire lives to serve their country?

Oh Lord, thank you for the gift of your conviction. I am so sorry for receiving what I wanted for my son and then not persevering in prayers for other’s sons and daughters. This is so prideful and selfish. Thank you for the blood of Jesus that covers my sins. You are so merciful to me. I am weak Lord and I need your help to persevere in prayer. These men and women persevere in WAR and I find it hard to remember to pray for them? Oh Lord, may you affect a change in my heart and help me to remember to pray for our soldiers. May you use their lives to advance the gospel and may peace there reign soon. Please keep them safe Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

2008-09-26T10:29:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 10:7
“Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.”

This scripture is an admonishment by Paul to the Corinthians as he is defending his ministry but it speaks to us in 2008 as well! Sadly, many Christians experience the “friendly fire” of other Christians, either in competing ministries or just plain competition, comparing ourselves to one another.

I remember, about 12 years ago I was in a conflict with a brother in Christ and God very kindly yet firmly showed me that this person was as much HIS as I was and I was not to treat my brother, God’s child, badly. I will never forget the day that God showed that to me. Paul did well to admonish us that we should remind ourselves that just as we are in Christ so are our brothers and sisters, and we must love them accordingly!

Oh how I love God’s Word that is as applicable today as it was then!

2008-09-24T08:36:00.000-04:00

1 JOHN 2:15-17
“DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD- THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND THE DESIRES OF THE EYES AND PRIDE IN POSSESSIONS- IS NOT FROM THE FATHER BUT IS FROM THE WORLD. AND THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY ALONG WITH ITS DESIRES BUT WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER.”

I’ve been thinking about this Scriptures since I read yesterday’s Girl Talk blog. (http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/2008/09/worldliness-res.html) I encourage you to read it. I don’t know the answer to the questions of where the line is drawn between worldliness and godliness but I do know that I want to find out. I do know that I do not want to love this present world. I do know that I want to treasure Christ above all things. I’m looking forwards to CJ Mahaney's new book on Worldliness. I know I need help in this area? Do you?

2008-09-23T08:32:00.000-04:00

The hidden life (J. R. Miller, "The Hidden Life" 1895)

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart!" 1 Samuel 16:7

Those who are striving to live near the heart of Christ, must realize that it is the hidden life which makes the character.

What we are in the depths of our being, where no human eye can penetrate--that we are actually, as God sees us.

This inner life will ultimately work its way through to the surface--transforming the character into its own quality.

Nothing can be more important, therefore, than that the hidden life be true, pure, beautiful, and Christ-like.

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart!" 1 Samuel 16:7

I receive a small devotional from the site, gracegems.org. This one really hit me this morning so thought I’d share it with you.

As I read this I was even more aware of how much I depend on God for the sanctification of my soul. Scriptures tell me in Jeremiah 17:9 that our hearts are deceitful above all things and beyond cure, who can understand it? The bible tells us from beginning to end that GOD understands our hearts and he has the cure! JESUS!

I am encouraged this morning to rest in the promises of God that He will complete what he has begun in me, that He will sanctify me completely. I don’t even know the depths of the wickedness of my heart! I can deceive myself into thinking that it’s not that bad!!! But God knows and HE, by his grace, by the blood of Jesus took that heart of stone and softened it and made it desire and treasure Jesus! AMAZING!

Some people get panicked when they realize that God knows and understand the depths of our hearts. Believe it or not I find it comforting! I know that God knows the depth of my sin and saved me and continues to sanctify me and brings to surface remaining sin that I wouldn’t even be aware of if it were not for the kindness of God who leads me to repentance!

This motivates me to press in close to Jesus, the ONLY cure to my heart problems!

Does it motivate you?

2008-09-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

2 Cor 5:21
“For our sake
He made HIM
to be sin
who knew NO sin
so that in HIM
we might become
the righteousness of God.”

I am struck anew this morning by the miracle of the gospel. I am in awe of God’s incredible mercy and kindness. God demands righteousness and holiness from us BUT in his sovereign grace, God himself, gives to us what we so desperately need! Righteousness! He gives us HIS righteousness, the righteousness of Christ.

In the scripture immediately preceding this scripture, Paul writes, “we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” And then Paul proceeds to tell us how we are to be reconciled to God. He made Jesus to be sin, not just take our sin, but to BE sin .. Jesus, who knew NO sin becomes sin … and those who are in Christ become the righteousness of God! Amazing grace! If this doesn’t win our hearts, nothing can. If this miraculous truth doesn’t motivate us to share the gospel ,then what can?

Oh how beautiful Jesus is!

Thank you Jesus for being sin so that in you I become the righteousness of God. Thank you for taking your righteousness and giving it to me. Thank you for receiving the wrath of God that belongs to me, so I will NEVER have to bear the wrath of God and am instead a recipient of His mercy, love and grace. You are worthy of all honor, glory and praise!

2008-09-18T07:41:00.000-04:00

PROVERBS 18:13
IF ONE GIVES AN ANSWER BEFORE HE HEARS, IT IS HIS FOLLY AND SHAME.”

I love how God’s Word is so practical. I read this Scripture this morning and I so identified with it. I often speak before I hear!!! Do you know what I mean? I’ve been in conversations with people where I’m not EVEN listening to what they are saying because I’m already thinking of what I am going to say in response!!! Now, how can I know what my response should be if I’m not even listening to what the other person is saying? OR I’ve been in situations where I just blatantly interrupt people and begin to say whatever it is that I want to say!!!! And yes, I’ve embarrassed myself many a time doing this. Again, may I LISTEN more than I SPEAK!

2008-09-17T09:39:00.000-04:00

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." (Abraham Lincoln)

Proverbs 17:28 “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.”

Interesting thoughts… Lincoln’s quote seems close to scripture but actually it is quite different… in the world’s eyes, the one who is silent, the one who perhaps doesn’t express his/her opinon very often, the one who avoids quarrels and words of contention, by the world’s standards is thought a fool. BUT in God’s opinion (the only one that counts!), according to proverbs, the one who keeps silent is considered wise… even a fool is considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut!

Either quote, though, says its better to remain silent… J Mr. Lincoln says you may be thought of as a fool if you remain silent, but it is better to be thought a fool than to prove it by speaking. God says, even a fool will be thought of as wise if he remains silent.. so therefore it is wise to be silent.

One of the things that God has been teaching me for a couple of years now is to talk less and listen more. He has been teaching me that I don’t have to tell everyone everything I know or think I know! I do not have to express my opinion or make a point about everything that is being discussed in front of me. God has given me so much grace in this area! I used to be like a bull in a china shop with my words all the time! If there was a doctrine to defend, I was defending it and not humbly. If there was a political point to make, I was making it! If there was an opinion on child rearing or marriage issue I was voicing it! But by God’s grace I am keeping silent more and more.

As those who know me well know, I am NOT perfect in this area AT ALL! But hopefully I am getting better. I certainly desire to be more silent in certain areas of my life. Proverbs tells us to seek and treasure and value wisdom! If remaining silent is wise, then this is definitely an area I will continue to surrender to God. I want him to change me!!!

Is it ironic then that I write a blog??? Is it because I want to be heard? Hmmm… I hope and pray it is for the encouragement of the saints and the glory of God!

2008-09-16T08:32:00.000-04:00

Luke 9:23
“And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Every John Piper book I read is my favorite Piper book, :), but the one I’m reading right now is soooooo good! It is presently my favorite! Haha!

Actually, I am reading a book titled, STAND A CALL FOR THE ENDURANCE OF THE SAINTS , and it is a compilation of authors edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. In a chapter, by Piper, I was very affected by a story he told about the martyr Polycarp who died for his faith in 155 AD. I am amazed at the power of God’s grace at the time of Polycarp’s death!

Piper says, “The proconsul sent word that is should be proclaimed aloud to the crowd three times, “Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian.” After the crowd found out there were no beasts available for the task, they cried out for him to be burned alive. The wood was gathered, and as they were about to nail is hands to the timber he said, “Let me be as I am. He that granted me to endure will grant me also to remain at the pyre unmoved, without being secured with nails.” The fire did not consume him, but an executioner drove a dagger into his body. “And all the multitude marveled at the great difference between the unbelievers and the elect.” When we are so satisfied in Christ that we are enabled to willingly die for Him, we are freed to love the lost as never before, and Christ is shown to be a great Treasure. (Stand, p.45)

ummmm. WOW! This man treasured Christ so deeply, securely and sincerely that he KNEW that God’s grace would keep him in the fire as he willingly died for his faith! Amazing. I’ve been thinking about this ever since I read it several days ago. Here, in America, we are not put to death for being Christians. We are not even persecuted like our brothers and sisters were in days gone by and presently are in countries like China, India, North Korea, Saudi Arabia…etc. So, all we have to do is die to self! Why is it so hard to do so? I can see how being burned at the stake would be hard, but to die to self??? Why do I get offended so easily? Why can’t I die to self? Why do I get annoyed at others so easily? Why can’t I die to self? Why is my anger so easily ignited? Could it be because I have more stake in this world than I do in Christ? Could it be that I treasure my desires and my wants more than I treasure Christ? That is easily the reason why it is so difficult to die to self.

My prayer today and for days to come is that by God’s grace I would treasure Christ more than I treasure anything in this world. That I would treasure Christ more than I treasure respect, reputation, myself… THEN by His grace, I will be able to die to self.

2008-09-12T09:33:00.000-04:00

Mark 5:18-20
“As he (Jesus) was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

I read this scripture this morning and was encouraged and reminded that when I am with family and friends, both Christian and non Christian, I must speak of what the LORD has done for me and how he has had mercy on me!

2008-09-11T12:34:00.000-04:00

John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

In my recuperating and resting of my leg (which Dennis is forcing me to do), I have been watching a lot of movies and doing a lot of reading. Yesterday I watched a John Grisham novel made into a movie called, The Chamber. It was very good. I kept holding out for the happy ending but it didn’t come and yet, it ended the way it was supposed to.

In a nutshell, the grandson lawyer of an embittered, callous old man on death row for murdering children was trying to get a stay of execution for his grandfather. In the end, he couldn’t and the man was justly put to death for his crime. The last scenes were very graphic as the viewer watched this man’s heart finally soften towards others but was ready to face his execution by gas. I found myself repulsed and riveted to what I was watching. I found myself crying as this man was put to death, and at the same time realizing that he DESERVED to die for his crime. The scenes went back and forth between the guilty man’s execution, the crowds outside cheering for his death, and the grandson’s sorrow at failing to get a stay for his grandfather.

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and I wept for I was reminded that I should be punished for all my sins. I DESERVE the just punishment of how I have offended God. BUT instead!!! Jesus was executed! A guiltless man was declared guilty! A guiltless Jesus came for the sole purpose of taking my sin upon himself and be executed for them. He bore the guilty price and I was declared set free!

As I watched this man in the movie die a horrible death, I thought of my Jesus dying an even more horrible death for he took on the wrath of God upon himself so I never, ever, ever would bear that wrath. Jesus was separated from God so I wouldn’t be!!! In the movie, the crowds cheered for this guilty man to die. In reality, the crowd cheered for a GUILTLESS man to die. I’m sure I would have been one of those cheering for JESUS to die BUT while I was a sinner, Jesus died for me. What great love is this!

How kind of God to minister to me through a silly movie while I rest my bum leg. :)

Thank you JESUS!

2008-09-10T10:56:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 10:13-14
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

There has been many a time when I have incorrectly prayed, “oh Lord, provide a way of escape from this temptation.” The Scriptures are clear that God WILL provide a way of escape. The more accurate prayer would be, “Oh Lord, help me to TAKE the way of escape that you provide!” Praise GOD for providing a way of escape from the temptations to sin that we face. How kind, merciful and gracious of our God! AMEN?

2008-09-09T09:07:00.000-04:00

1 John 4:19-21
“We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God”, and hates his brother, He is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

“When our hearts find their rest in Christ, we stop using other people to meet our needs, and instead we make ourselves servants to meet their needs.” (John Piper, Stand, p.44)

I am reading John Piper’s latest publication, Stand, A Call for the Endurance of the Saints. It is SO good!
When I read this sentence in his book, “when our hearts find their rest in Christ, we stop using others to meet our needs, and instead we make ourselves servants to meet their needs.” WOW! Can you imagine if every person who considers themselves a Christian had this outlook? This is how it MUST be, this is how it WILL be, becoming a servant and seeking to serve the needs of others rather than seeking to have our own needs met is a fruit of being at rest in Christ. It is a fruit of being a Christian! Do we do this perfectly? Of course not… we still have remaining sin but we should be fighting for this !! Fight to be at rest in Christ! Fight to see Christ as our greatest treasure rather than anything in this present world, to include our “needs.” Christ fulfills ALL we need and this frees us up to be His ministers to His church.
Pray to keep fighting against selfishness, surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit as you are being sanctified!

2008-09-08T07:38:00.000-04:00

Psalm 68:1-3
“God shall arise, His enemies shall be scattered. And those who hate Him shall flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so shall you drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
BUT the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!”

Yesterday, Dennis and I attended a get together in our neighborhood to come around a woman whose father died last week. The hostess of this gathering said a prayer before she asked our neighbor to tell us a bit about her dad. The prayer went as follows: “Please receive this man Lord because he was good.” My heart was so sad as I heard what is obviously her belief… that if one is “good” they will be in the presence of God forever.

I silently prayed for my friend and my other neighbors that God would draw them to Christ in faith and repentance and into a knowledge of the truth. As Dennis and I were walking home I said to Dennis, “I am SO glad that I do not have to stand before the Lord one day based on MY goodness!” He responded with the same words. Then I read the above scripture this morning.

It is going to be a sad, sad, day when those who are not clothed in the righteousness of Christ have to stand before God and be judged. They will not be able to stand before him based on their righteousness, their goodness. BUT the righteous, will be able to be jubilant with joy before God and exult because the Christian is standing before Him based on the righteousness of Christ that has been credited to them!!!!!

I am able to be jubilant with joy before God because I have no fear. I have no fear of His judgment because I am in Christ and I am judged by Christ”s righteousness for I have NONE of my own and ALL of Christ's!

My short interaction with my neighbors yesterday and then reading this scripture this morning has done two things for me:

1. I am thankful for the mercies of God upon my life and for calling me to Him, for opening my eyes with faith to believe and repent of my sins. I am thankful that the righteousness that God demands of me was given to me by HIMSELF!

AND

2. A renewed resolve to pray for my neighbors and family and friends who do not know JESUS! I don’t want them to have to flee from GOD and perish before HIM! They will not know the gospel unless they hear the gospel!!! May God give me favor with my neighbors and develop relationships so I may share Christ with them!

2008-09-07T08:38:00.001-04:00

Psalm 37:5
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act.”

Lord, it is YOU that has given to me the desire to draw closer to you, to desire to endure to the end, the desire to be faithful. I find, however, that I cannot do it! But I know that by the empowering of the Holy Spirit and by the work of YOUR grace in my life, I can and I will. Because YOU have initiated my relationship with you, because you first loved me, because you chose me, YOU will complete what you began in me. Lord, I need your help. Please assist me to do those things that I am responsible for, to read your word, to preach the gospel to myself daily, to consecrate myself to you daily, to trust in your sovereignty and love… I need your help to do these things. Give me the desire to do those things which is my duty to do. Help me to thirst for you more and more and more. I commit myself to you, Lord. I commit my way to you Lord. I trust in you Lord. I need your mercy and your help and I believe you will do what you have promised. In Jesus name. Amen.

2008-09-05T08:32:00.000-04:00

“I feel, when I have sinned, an immediate reluctance to go to Christ. I am ashamed to go. I feel as if it would do no good to go, as if it were making Christ a minister of sin, to go straight from the swine-trough to the best robe, and a thousand other excuses; but I am persuaded they are all lies, direct from hell.
John argues the opposite way: ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.’ (1 John 2:1). I am sure there is neither peace nor safety from deeper sin, but in going directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God’s way of peace and holiness. It is folly to the world and the beclouded heart, but it is the way.”
—Robert Murray M’Cheyne, quoted by Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960), 176

Just the other day after being convicted of sin, I thought to myself, “how can I go to the Father after I so blatantly sinned? Do I even feel a godly sorrow?” I ended up going to the Lord and expressing regret at my sin but also confessed my lack of godly sorrow and even though this was the right thing to do, I still felt that niggle of guilt. As I read this quote (which I received this morning from one of my favorite blogs,( Of First Importance), I was encouraged and relieved! When we sin where else CAN we go? We HAVE to run to the Father… we have no other hope!!! Before the Father through Jesus Christ is our ONLY hope!!!!!! This is the way to peace and holiness!

There is a lot of talk in the Christian community of what spiritual warfare is. A few weeks ago my pastor reminded us that spiritual warfare is the devil casting doubt upon God’s promises and character. I was in the midst of spiritual warfare the other day when I thought that I could not go to God with this sin because I wasn’t “properly” sorrowful! What a lie!!! Where else was I to go??????

I am so encouraged and grateful to God for the timing of this quote on a blog that I read! I was refreshed and reminded of the greatness and goodness of God. I was reminded of His delight in giving grace and mercy. He knows that I am but human and I need His help. My poor heart was afraid but I was reminded that my debt was paid! ( Jesus, My Only Hope).

AMEN? AMEN!

2008-09-04T12:47:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 2: 1-5

IF :

1. I receive His words
2. I treasure up God’s commandments
3. I incline my heart to understanding
4. I call out for insight
5. I raise my voice for understanding
6. I seek understanding like silver
7. I search for understanding like a hidden treasure

THEN:
1. I will understand the fear of the Lord
2. I will find the knowledge of God

Can’t beat that!

2008-09-03T09:56:00.000-04:00

PROVERBS 3:11-12
“MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE OR BE WEARY OF HIS REPROFF, FOR THE LORD REPROVES HIM WHOM HE LOVES, AS A FATHER THE SON IN WHOM HE DELIGHTS.”

As a parent, I know that because I love my children I discipline them. I do not let them go their own way. When they were young I woudn't let them run across the street, I taught them how to stop and look both ways. If they ran into the road without permission or without looking they were disciplined. As they got older they learned to cross the street but new lessons emerged. How to choose friends, how to study, how to drive carefully, how to be a responsible family member and friend, etc etc… We taught them all these things because we love them. When they disobeyed they were lovingly disciplined (sometimes not so lovingly. :( )

So it is with God and more so because God loves perfectly, God disciplines perfectly. This process of sanctification can be quite painful at times as God reveals another layer of persistent sin, or a new sin we were never aware of! But we can be sure of one thing: God reveals our sins and yes, even disciplines us because He loves us!!!!

So, when I am convicted of sin it is easier to not walk in condemnation because it is proof positive that I belong to God BECAUSE He does discipline me. The one who does not belong to God does not know the conviction of the Lord!

Thank you God that I know your discipline. Show me my sin! Help me to hear you! Help me NOT to despise your discipline! Help me to endure to the end!

2008-08-31T22:25:00.000-04:00

Clutzty Diane

Pride Goes Before the Fall

so... for those who have asked... I pulled into the church parking lot this morning, getting there early to open the bookstore and as I was getting out of the van, my right foot got caught in the GPS cord and I fell out of the van twisting my left leg at the knee and ankle and whatever other joint can get twisted. Of course dear brothers and sisters came to the rescue as I'm laying sprawled on my stomach with my cell phone in hand saying, "I have to call Dennis!" :)

Dave Echegoyan gets big props for coming to the rescue with a wheelchair and Advil! So, poor Jason Remer had to wheel me into the church (poor, poor man) and then Dennis came to take me home. I didn't break anything that i know of... i may have messed up the ligaments at the back of my knee... we'll see what tomorrow brings... in the meantime I'm getting the royal treatment at home with my leg propped up, surrounded by ice, Dennis getting me my Raspberry Mocha from Sbucks...

Those who have known me for a long time are not surprised by this fall, those who have known me in recent years: there ya have it.. I'm a major clutz! Martha Uribe and the D'Andreas and Vince Hinders and my sweet friend Jennyce were so kind to me... thank you much!

Please pray for my healing... So far, Advil is doing the trick, although to walk, I have to hold on to people, chairs and walls. We will see what tomorrow brings!

Pride DOES go before the fall, by the way... I was so proud of getting the 25 point bonus word this morning in my game of Word Twist with Jennyce... I was planning to talk trash to her this morning about it (in sweet love, of course)... ummmm... then I fell. so... PRIDE does go before the fall! hmmmm.....all prayers appreciated.

2008-08-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

Romans 15:1-2

1. We, who are strong
2. have an obligation
3. to bear with the failings of the weak
4. and not to please ourselves
5. Let each of us
6. please his neighbor
7. for his good
8. to build him up.

It is helpful to me to sometimes take a piece of scripture and separate it by phrases. It assists me to see what it really says!

This particular scripture piggy backs on chapter 14 of Romans reminding us to not be a stumbling block to our brothers and sisters.

This scripture really hit me square between the eyes... not only am I not to judge someone for what they eat or drink and why they do or don't (or fill in the blank: participating in Halloween, whether they read Harry Potter or not, whether they listen to secular music or not... etc etc..), but I have an OBLIGATION to bear with them, this means, no frustrations, no getting angry, no deep sighing expressing my intolerance. I am not to please myself but I am to please my neighbor, for HIS GOOD, to BUILD HIM UP (in his faith). WOW!
I can tend to major on the minor issues... instead, conversations directing our gaze to the cross, to Jesus, to the beauty of the Gospel, is infinately more helpful and WILL build up our neighbor.

I have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak (in their faith)... remembering (!!!!) that the faith that I do have is not something I drummed up on my own but it is a gift given to me by God...

ahhhh.. that sheds a different light on everything doesn't it? ALL I have is given to me by God. God is never impatient with me, but by his grace he is slow to anger...

Thank you Lord, help me to bear with the failings of the weak and build me up where I am weak. Amen.

2008-08-29T08:19:00.000-04:00

1 Cor 8:13
“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

Romans 14:13
“therefore, let us not pass judgement on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”

Romans 14:19
“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

I was struck this morning by Paul’s desire to help his brothers in Christ grow in holiness. These scriptures address the issue of whether eating food that had been prepared for idols is okay for Christians to eat. Some said yes, some said no. Paul’s point is whichever side you fall on, give up YOUR “right” on this issue so you don’t cause your brother to stumble in his faith.

I can’t help but examine myself and ask myself if I am willing to give up my perceived “rights” in order to help my brother stay true to his conscience and to help him/her grow in holiness. Do, I try and convince this person that he/she can go ahead and watch a movie or watch tv or not? Do I try and convince my fellow Christians that it is okay or not okay to have their children participate in Halloween? How about Santa Claus? Or Easter Bunny? We all have an opinion on these things .. are we thinking of our brothers and sisters and their conscience before we spout off our opinion, and in my case, my self- righteous opinion?

I have a beautiful personal example. My parents and my brothers were alcoholics. My pre-teenage years and beyond were spent trying to avoid being with these family members when they were drinking. As a result, I do not drink alcohol. I do not think it is a sin to drink responsibly but because of my backround, I cannot tolerate being around people who are drinking, even if it is responsible drinking. My husband, who hardly ever drank alcohol, stopped having the occasional glass of wine or beer so I would not be bothered. It wasn’t a sin for him to have those things but because “in humility he considered me more significant than himself “(Phil 2:3) he has not had a drop of alcohol in many, many years and will not allow it in our home; all because he understands the pain, for me, to be around those who drink. His kindness and humility most likely keep me from falling into the sins of judgement, anger etc, etc, etc.

I praise the Lord for the beautiful example he gives to us through Paul and for giving me a personal living out of this scripture in my dear husband.

Lord, thank you so much for the kindness you show me through Dennis. Please help me to be as considerate of others as he is of me. Help me not to be a stumbling block for others. Help me to help my brothers and sisters pursue and live in holiness. Amen.

2008-08-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

Romans 12:12c
“Be constant in prayer”

When I was first saved I was CONSTANTLY in prayer! My children used to ask me as we rode around in our van, “are you praying to God, or talking to us?” .. somewhere along the way that faded. I pray. I know I need to pray. I need God’s help always. But that constant, all day praying or being in touch with God has gone by the wayside.

As I read this scripture this morning I asked God to help me be constant in prayer again. Such sweet times of conversation with the Lord. I talked to him about everything… I’m looking forward to God doing this in me again. How sweet of God to set this desire into my heart. He is indeed so good.

2008-08-26T08:20:00.000-04:00

Romans 11:33
“Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and how inscrutable His ways!”

Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

How kind of God to reveal to us, even SOME of his secrets!!! The mystery of salvation was revealed to us through Jesus Christ! How kind of God! He revealed to us how to be saved. Wow! But there are some things that do remain a mystery. I know this bothers some people but by the grace of God it doesn’t bother me. I am content not understanding all of God. Actually, I delight in not understanding all of God!! Not being able to understand all of GOD confirms to me his magnificence and his absolute hugeness!!!! I love this scripture in Romans for it reminds us that he has depth that we cannot even comprehend! His ways are inscrutable!

I often have to look up words that I think I understand their meaning but I really don’t until I research it.

Inscrutable:

1.
Incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized; impenetrable.

2.
not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomable:

3.
incapable of being seen through physically; physically impenetrable.

Doesn’t that definition help you? It helps me to be in awe of our God! He is so much more than we know and see.

Oh God! I bow down before you and worship You for you are worthy of all glory and honor! Thank you that in your mercy and kindness you took notice of me and saved me. Oh Lord, my God, how I love you! .

2008-08-25T10:35:00.001-04:00

Romans 10:13-15
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they’ve never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!”

My pastor's sermon yesterday hit a home run with me! He commended the church for reaching out to the community through yard sales and car washes etc… sharing the gospel as we have conversations with the visitors to our church. Merritt challenged us, however, to be a “GO TO” church… to GO TO those who don’t come to our outreaches and make relationships with these people, to know them and love them and ultimately share the gospel with them. I was convicted by God that I tend to think that because I participate in these outreaches, that because I am involved in Alpha, that because I have shared the gospel with my mom, that I’ve somehow “punched” my evangelism ticket with God and that I don’t have to put forth any more effort to share the gospel outside of my little world. Ugh! I know that one of our reasons for being on earth is to share about Christ!!!

Merritt encouraged us to look for these relationships in our lives. I was thinking how these relationships could be with my neighbors, or your colleagues, or the cashiers at Giant that I have seen day after day, week after week for years!!!! I have a very outgoing personality and yet, when it comes to having spiritual discussions with these people, fear of man creeps in…no, fear of man STORMS in! I’ve had this conviction before but I am sorry to say it hasn’t gone anywhere but God in his kindness has brought it up again.

My prayer is that I would obey God and seize the opportunities he sets before me to develop friendships and share the good news!!! How is it that THE most important piece of news in the whole of life is so hard to share???

I do understand that it is not my words that save, it is not my sharing that saves.. it is God alone who regenerates a person and gives them the grace to turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. But! as this Romans scripture tells us, who can be saved if they don't hear??? It's our job to tell, God's job to save. When you think about it? we have the EASY job! :)

Oh Lord, may I love you so much that I can’t keep my mouth shut to even strangers! To family! To everyone! Send me, Lord! Send me! How will people know about you, if we don’t speak of you and share the gospel? Send me, Lord! Help me to obey you and share the gospel.

2008-08-24T08:43:00.000-04:00

Romans 8:38-39
“For I am sure that neither death not life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present not things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This morning, this blesses my heart as one of the most comforting scriptures. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. WOW! May you be blessed, comforted, encouraged and feel the love of our Father today.

2008-08-22T09:54:00.000-04:00

Daniel 3:28
“Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusting in him, and set aside the King’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

I love how God shows us so clearly the faith and courage he placed into Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago. They had amazing faith. They were willing to die rather than to bow down to a god other than the one true God. They would not worship the god that the King commanded them to, and were thrown into the fiery furnace that was so hot that even the guards who brought them to the furnace died from the heat of the fire, yet, these 3 young men were saved from harm by God. God is able to do ANYTHING! This act of saving these three men served to make the King worship the one true God! God was glorified.

There are many Christians in today’s world that are killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. God is the same today as he was in the days of King Nebuchadnezzar, yet, Christians die for their faith. I am not discouraged by this. I know that God is good, He always has, He is and always will be. God is sovereign and he has his reasons why this kind of persecution is allowed to be. We can therefore be sure that God has a plan and HE is being glorified in this.

This makes me want to bow down and worship our God and declare that HE IS WORTHY OF ALL GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE!

I am also convicted that I should be more diligent in praying for those Christians in the world who are being persecuted for their faith.

2008-08-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

Romans 6:20-23
“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. BUT NOW that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I just love the book of Romans! I do believe it could be my favorite! I’ve read this book SOOOO many times, I’ve taught a woman’s bible study on this book, I’ve heard many great sermons on this book but I don’t ever recall seeing verse 20! I remember verse 23 but don’t recall the others! Isn’t it wonderful how God’s Word continues to speak over and over and over again?

Anyways… there are so many gems to marvel at from verse 20 itself! Before conversion we were slaves of sin.. and the fruit of these sins, the things we loved to do, couldn’t help but do, and NOW, after conversion we are ashamed of…the fruit of this is death! There is indeed fruit to be had from a sinful, apart from God life, and the fruit is DEATH!

BUT NOW

Because God saved me and you we are slaves of God and the fruit of this life is sanctification and eternal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all this is a free gift of God. We did absolutely, positively NOTHING to gain this, NOTHING! God in His great mercy and steadfast love chose us, called us to Himself and the fruit of being a slave to God , the fruit of being set free from sin is sanctification and eternal life!
I love that, for the first time I see that sanctification is fruit! I often view my sanctification as a laborious process that must happen to make me like Jesus and to remove remaining sin. Which, it is a process of doing just that but it is a fruit of being a slave to God, of no longer being a slave to sin! Sanctification is a fruit of God’s free gift of salvation. A fruit of His love and mercy and kindness! Absolutely amazing !!! AND it leads to eternal life. Oh the kindness of God is SO big!

2008-08-20T07:53:00.001-04:00

Romans 4:5
“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly his faith is counted as righteous.”

I stand amazed when I read a scripture like this because I know that it is God himself who gave my faith to me so I could believe. He opened my eyes to see, my ears to hear. He gave me all I needed to believe in the one who justifies the ungodly! God demands righteousness of us and then gives it to us through Jesus Christ. This gospel truth drives me to praise and thanksgiving!

2008-08-18T09:24:00.000-04:00

Psalm 18:30
“This God- His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.”

What a great verse to ponder on if you find yourself in a place of unbelief or doubt. God’s way IS perfect. His Word IS true; and if we take refuge in Him, He will be our shield.

Thank you Lord that your ways are perfect and that your word proves true! Thank you for being my shield. Thank you for providing a way out for me. thank you for shielding me from your wrath! Thank you for Jesus! Thank you for calling me to you and giving me ears to hear and a heart to turn to you. You are worthy of ALL glory, honor and praise!

2008-08-17T08:39:00.000-04:00

Romans 2: 1, 3, 4
“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things… Do you suppose, O man, you who judge those who practice such and yet do them yourself- that you will escape the judgement of God? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

This scripture brought to my mind, yet again, one of the resolutions that Jonathan Edwards made that when he saw the sin of another that he would remember that he, himself, is the most vile of sinners and he let the knowledge of other’s sins cause him to go before God in confession and repentance of his own sins, the VERY same sins that he sees in others! The Holy Spirit continues to teach me about how to respond when I see the sins of others… I’m not where I ought to be in this area but by the grace of God I’m not where I used to be! Praise Him for sanctifying me and teaching me the ways of holiness. I long to be more merciful towards others as God is towards me.
Meditating on this I read another scripture this morning:

Psalm 107:43
“Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things, let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.”

Psalm 107 describes the troubles of God’s people. They were in trouble, by their own sins and wanderings BUT THEN they called on the name of the Lord and delivered them from their darkness, or their distress because of HIS steadfast love.
THIS steadfast love is what we must consider. It is wise to do so! For we see God’s mercy and love and kindness towards us while we by our own sin and wanderings got into trouble!!!

Combining these two scriptures was easy for me today. If I consider the steadfast love of the Lord and how gracious and merciful He has been, is, and will be towards me, the fruit if this will be to be merciful at the sins of others and remember my own instead of concentrating on the sins of others!

Oh, how I love God’s Word! It is so beautiful! Thank you Lord for showing me how to apply your Word to my life today!

2008-08-15T08:32:00.000-04:00

Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

I’m not sure if my application to this scripture has anything to do with anything but I feel convicted this morning to add a Part 2 to yesterday’s 3x5. I was convicted last night to ask myself the question, “am I doing everything I can do to encourage those around me to grow in and pursue holiness?” “Am I a stumbling block to someone else’s pursuit of holiness?” “Do I make it difficult for my close friends and family to grow in holiness?” I didn’t receive any immediate answers except to be aware. I want to be aware of how I relate to those around me and be an encouragement to them as they pursue holiness, not a stumbling block. As, I pursue holiness in my words, deeds, in EVERYTHING I do, I want to also, do everything I can to be an encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ as they pursue the same things.
So, yea, pray that way for me as well. :)

2008-08-14T10:58:00.000-04:00

2 Timothy 3:12
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Many years ago, I was mentoring a young woman at my church who, under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, made a decision to pursue holiness particularly in the area of entertainment and leisure activities. She began to be very godly and discerning in her movie and tv show selections. Do you know who gave her the hardest time? Not her secular work buddies, but her sisters in Christ!!!! That was eye opening for both me and my friend! We realized that following hard after Christ can be threatening to especially those in the family of God! For a while, my young friend had to avoid socializing even with her Christian friends in order to be able to avoid movies etc that were not godly. She did so with humility and prayer! Her secular friends, by the way, admired her for sticking to her convictions! Interesting, eh?
Well, God in his kindness helped my young friend maintain some of those friendships that still continue to this day but it was rough going for a while but she persevered in her convictions!
So, my prayer is that I continue to pursue holiness in humility and perseverance, knowing that I may get the rolling of the eyes from even some of my closest friends and family… I think the key here is to pursue holiness in “humility”… yea, you can pray for me that way. :)

2008-08-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

Colossians 1:13-14
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

May this gospel truth bring you joy today!

2008-08-12T08:48:00.000-04:00

Romans 12:10
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Sovereign Grace Ministries is really good at encouraging others and showing honor. I had never before been exposed to such an intentional effort to encourage one another. I have learned so much by the example of the people in my church but I need to grow in this area. I love that this scripture says to “outdo” one another in showing honor! This tells me that we can never be TOO encouraging!!! We can’t over do showing honor.

Lord, help me to be better at encouraging others and showing honor. Help me to see evidences of your grace in the lives of others and help me to be quick to point it out. I need your assistance Lord. In Jesus name. amen.

2008-08-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

“My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross,
And I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord!
O my soul!! “ (It is Well, by Horatio Gates Spafford)

We sang this song at church yesterday and I can’t stop singing it in my head! What a beautiful way to preach the gospel to myself today! Jesus bore ALL my sins in his body! Not just some. ALL my sins! Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul!!! It is indeed well with my soul, Jesus made it so.

2008-08-10T07:52:00.000-04:00

Ephesians 2:4-5
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved.”

EVEN when I was dead in my sin, GOD made me alive with Christ! SUCH LOVE is almost impossible to comprehend. I was so deep in sin, my very best days were stained with my sin and unless God intervened I’d still be dead in my sin! BUT! God so rich in mercy, saved me. Oh Lord, I thank you.

2008-08-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

Psalm 141:4
“do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies.!”

What a great scripture to pray for ourselves and others! The last phrase, “and let me not eat of their delicacies” got me thinking. What delicacies from men who work iniquity do I eat? What movies do I watch? What TV shows do I watch? Do I excuse my watching certain movies and shows because just one little part is bad? How about comedians, late night talk show hosts? Do I laugh at their slightly “off color” jokes? Do I laugh when they slander and cut down celebrities and politicians?

As I ask myself these questions I realize that I may eat the delicacies of men who work iniquity far more than I thought! I realize that I need God’s assistance in discerning what I watch and listen to. I NEED God to not let my heart incline to evil or busy myself with wicked deeds. The comfort, the hope is that God DELIGHTS to help us and give us grace in time of need!!! Such grace and mercy is overwhelming!

Oh Lord, do not let my heart incline to any evil! Instead, incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain (Psalm 119:36).

2008-08-08T09:43:00.001-04:00

Psalm 128:1
“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways!”

Psalm 112:1
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!”

I have often asked God to give me a great fear of God not really understanding what that meant. As I read these scriptures this morning I realized that fearing God will produce obedience and delight in the commandments of God! Fearing God is not a “feeling” but an action!

Oh Lord, I need your help and assistance in walking in your ways and delighting in your commandments! Thank you for your grace and your mercy. Thank you that you delight to help me be obedient! You are sanctifying me and changing me to be more like Jesus! Please strengthen my soul and help me to walk in your ways! I do delight in your commandments for they are good for me and obedience to them brings you glory ! Be glorified in my life, Lord!
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2008-08-07T08:22:00.000-04:00

1 John 2:1
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS.”

Romans 8:34
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more than that- who was raised- who is at the right had of God, WHO INDEED IS INTERCEDING FOR US.”

Hebrews 7:25
“Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since he ALWAYS LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM.”

One of the things that impacted me from my pastor's sermon on Sunday(August 3) was when he spoke about his own time of prayer and reading of the Word and he said, “When I go to pray, Jesus has already been praying for me!”
WOW! I looked up the scriptures above to remind myself today that God is faithful to forgive my sins and Jesus is ALWAYS and ALREADY interceding for me before the Father! Jesus perfectly atoned for my past sins, my present sins and my future sins! Sin has NOTHING to say about me before the Father for Jesus is my advocate and my savior.
Let the goodness of this gospel truth sustain our joy in the Lord today!

2008-08-06T12:11:00.000-04:00

I don’t know about you but I am very quick to see someone else’s sin a whole lot quicker than I am able to see my own. It’s not because they’re not there, but because I can slip into self-righteousness so easily! I begin to think I have a speck in my eye but everyone else walks around with logs. The truth of the matter is, I have logs and everybody else has specks! I have been convicted over and over again that I have to stop this, not just with people I know but even with people I don’t know!!! Like the guy I read about in the newspaper, or the latest political candidate’s sin, or the mom I see yelling at her child in the grocery store!!! Why do I feel I can make judgements about them and feel better than them? It’s because I can be very self righteous! I think I am better than them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh Lord, forgive me for so great a sin!!!!
So, following in the footsteps of my old dead friend Jonathan Edwards (http://www.apuritansmind.com/ChristianWalk/ResolutionsOfJonathanEdwards.htm) , I resolve as he did:

“to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I , and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others, and I will let the knowledge of their failings, promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.” (Jonathan Edwards)

2008-08-05T08:05:00.001-04:00

Romans 5:1
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

From Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent, page 20:
“The gospel encourages me to rest in my righteous standing with God, a standing which Christ Himself has accomplished and maintains for me. I NEVER have to do a moment’s labor to gain or maintain my justified status before God! Freed from the burden of such a task, I now can put my energies into enjoying God, pursuing holiness, and ministering God’s amazing grace to others.”

In the gospel there is freedom from having to “prove” myself to God and others. JESUS accomplished my right standing before God. I have nothing to strive for, nothing to work towards, Jesus did it all!!! I am going to enjoy God by living in the good of the gospel today!

2008-08-04T08:54:00.000-04:00

1 Peter 2:24
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Do not let this beautiful truth pass you by today. Ask God to make this affect your soul today:

He Himself bore MY sins in His body on the tree, that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds I have been healed. For I was straying like a sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of MY soul.

Because Jesus bore MY sins, I have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of MY soul! WOW! May we walk in the good and the beauty of the Gospel today!

2008-08-03T08:40:00.001-04:00

PSALM 33:18-22
“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord, he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”

Lord, thank you that trusting in the holy name of Jesus brings gladness of heart. You deliver my soul from death!!! You have set faith in you and fear of you into my heart! Thank you Lord! Thank you for giving me the faith to hope in your steadfast love. Thank you for being my help and my shield. Jesus, your name is a beautiful and holy name. Thank you for loving me, for if you had not loved me first, I would not have loved you. I am amazed by your great mercy and grace. Thank you for being my help, my Savior, my shield. Thank you for giving me gladness of heart!

2008-08-01T07:43:00.000-04:00

Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

The other day I heard a sermon about being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ (by Will Pavone). By the end of the sermon I was fully convicted that most often I am a fully devoted follower of ME! When I am annoyed, frustrated, sad, put out by demands on “MY” time, etc etc etc… I realized that I am fully devoted to me and what I want, I am treasuring myself as my greatest treasure, not Jesus! I often wonder why those around me don’t see the Jesus that I treasure so greatly and what I came to see the other day is that people don’t see the Jesus I love because I show them instead, by my unspoken attitudes, the Diane that I love even more! Yuck!!!!!!!

I immediately went to the throne of grace and asked God for His forgiveness and I was reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning! So, this scripture is a reminder to me that it is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me. By God’s great grace I want to live my life fully devoted to Jesus, upholding HIM as my greatest treasure, not myself.

Thank you Lord for your help and assistance. I cannot live for YOU without YOUR help and what is so amazing to me is that you are delighted to give me your grace, mercy and help in my time of need. You are indeed worthy to be praised!