Even the best Christian that ever lived is not acting on his own steam--he is only nourishing or protecting a life he could never have acquired by his won efforts. And that has practical consequences. As long as the natural life is in your body, it will do a lot towards repairing that body. Cut it, and up to point it will heal, as a dead body would not. A live body is not one that never gets hurt, but one that can to some extent repair itself. In the same way a Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin over again after each stumble --because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time, enabling him to repeat (in some degree) the kind of voluntary death which Christ himself carried out.
That is why the Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or --if they there is not--at least they hope to deserve approval from good men. But the Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.
from Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Proverbs 30:2-6
" Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, If you know? Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
God's Covenant
"After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward....then He brought him outside and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them" And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be" And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:1,5-6
Genesis 15:1,5-6
Friday, January 29, 2010
A True Truism
"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. It sounds rather as if that were but a homely old adage, yet as is often the case with matters of tradition, this truism is actually true."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Forgiveness
"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us an some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
1929-1968
Martin Luther King, Jr.
1929-1968
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Word of the Lord as it is found in Proverbs 27
Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Let another man praise you , and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Like a bird that wander from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.
Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and sweetness of an friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend , Not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity;Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
My son, be wise and my heart glad , That I may answer him who reproaches me.
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.
Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will counted a curse to him.
A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;
Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, and grasps oil with his right hand.
As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.
As in water face reflects face, So a man's heart reveals the man.
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man area never satisfied.
The refining pot is for silver and furnace for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.
Though you grind a fool in a mortar with pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing, and goats the price of a field; You shall have enough goats milk for your food, For the food of your household, and the nourishment of our maidservants.
Let another man praise you , and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Like a bird that wander from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.
Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and sweetness of an friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend , Not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity;Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
My son, be wise and my heart glad , That I may answer him who reproaches me.
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.
Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will counted a curse to him.
A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;
Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, and grasps oil with his right hand.
As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.
As in water face reflects face, So a man's heart reveals the man.
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man area never satisfied.
The refining pot is for silver and furnace for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.
Though you grind a fool in a mortar with pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing, and goats the price of a field; You shall have enough goats milk for your food, For the food of your household, and the nourishment of our maidservants.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Mercy
God of the Publican, be merciful to me a sinner, this I am by nature and practice,this thy Word proclaims me to be, this I hope I feel myself to be; Yet thou hast not left me to despair, for there is no 'peradventure' in thy grace; I have all the assurance I need that with thee is plenteous redemption.
In spite of the number and heinousness of my sins thou hast given me a token for good; The golden sceptre is held out, and thou has said 'Touch it and live". May I encourage myself by a sense of thy all-sufficiency, by faith in thy promises, by views of the experience of others. To that dear refuge in which so may have sheltered from every storm may I repair, In that fountain always freely open for sin may I be cleansed from every defilement. Sin is that abominable thing which thy soul hates, and this alone separates thee and me. Thou canst not contradict the essential perfections of thy nature; Thou canst not make me happy with thy self, till thou hast made me holy like thyself.
O holy God, make me such a creature as thou canst take pleasure in, and such a being that I can take pleasure in thee. May I consent to and delight in thy law after the inner man, never complain over my want of conformity to them; never question thy commandments, but esteem them to be right.
By thy Spirit within me may my practice spring from principle, and my dispositions be conformable with duty.
The Valley of Vision-Puritan Prayers
In spite of the number and heinousness of my sins thou hast given me a token for good; The golden sceptre is held out, and thou has said 'Touch it and live". May I encourage myself by a sense of thy all-sufficiency, by faith in thy promises, by views of the experience of others. To that dear refuge in which so may have sheltered from every storm may I repair, In that fountain always freely open for sin may I be cleansed from every defilement. Sin is that abominable thing which thy soul hates, and this alone separates thee and me. Thou canst not contradict the essential perfections of thy nature; Thou canst not make me happy with thy self, till thou hast made me holy like thyself.
O holy God, make me such a creature as thou canst take pleasure in, and such a being that I can take pleasure in thee. May I consent to and delight in thy law after the inner man, never complain over my want of conformity to them; never question thy commandments, but esteem them to be right.
By thy Spirit within me may my practice spring from principle, and my dispositions be conformable with duty.
The Valley of Vision-Puritan Prayers
Monday, January 25, 2010
Humility is the Path
"Hope and peace don't come without a fight. God is pleased to work hope and peace in us surely but gradually. They come as we meditate, feed on Scripture, feed on Christ, and keep calling out for manna and grace. The kingdom of God advances through weakness and dependence on the King, not through quick and bloodless victories.If you are feeling a bit weak, you are probably on the right path."
Sunday, January 24, 2010
On Authority
There are three things that spread the Christ-life to us: baptism, belief, and that mysterious action which different Christians call by different names--Holy Communion, the Mass, the Lord's Supper. At least, those are the three ordinary methods.......
I cannot myself see why these things should be the conductors of the new kind of life....But though I cannot see why it should be so, I can tell you why I believe it is so. I have explained why I have to believe that Jesus was (and is) God. And it seems plain as a matter of history that He taught His followers that the new life was communicated in this way. In other words, I believe it on His authority. Do not be scared by the word authority. Believing things on authority only means believing them because you have been told them by someone you think trustworthy. Ninety-nine per cent of the things you believe are believed on authority. I believe there is a place as New York. I have not seen it myself. I could not prove by abstract reasoning that there must be such a place. I believe it because reliable people have told me so. The ordinary man believes in the Solar System, atoms, evolution, and circulation of the blood on authority--because the scientists say so. Every historical statement in the world is believed on authority.None of us has seen the Norman Conquest or the defeat of the Armada. None of us could prove them by pure logic as you prove a thing in mathematics.We believe them simply because people who did see them have left writings that tell us about them: in fact, on authority. A man who jibbed at authority in other things as some people do in religion would have to be content to know nothing all his life.
from Mere Christianty by C.S. Lewis
I cannot myself see why these things should be the conductors of the new kind of life....But though I cannot see why it should be so, I can tell you why I believe it is so. I have explained why I have to believe that Jesus was (and is) God. And it seems plain as a matter of history that He taught His followers that the new life was communicated in this way. In other words, I believe it on His authority. Do not be scared by the word authority. Believing things on authority only means believing them because you have been told them by someone you think trustworthy. Ninety-nine per cent of the things you believe are believed on authority. I believe there is a place as New York. I have not seen it myself. I could not prove by abstract reasoning that there must be such a place. I believe it because reliable people have told me so. The ordinary man believes in the Solar System, atoms, evolution, and circulation of the blood on authority--because the scientists say so. Every historical statement in the world is believed on authority.None of us has seen the Norman Conquest or the defeat of the Armada. None of us could prove them by pure logic as you prove a thing in mathematics.We believe them simply because people who did see them have left writings that tell us about them: in fact, on authority. A man who jibbed at authority in other things as some people do in religion would have to be content to know nothing all his life.
from Mere Christianty by C.S. Lewis
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Dis-couragement
A common greeting in our society is "how's it going to today?" a typical response is "fine or great how about you?" The real truth of the matter is most of us moderns are frequently stuck in this Mad, Sad, Afraid or Ashamed syndrome and we are not "fine or great" we just are not honest enough to admit it. It takes courage to be honest with yourself and others. In Nehemiah 4 the enemy sought to stop Nehemiah and company from rebuilding the walls by using the weapon of "dis-couragement". Discouragement is basically the absence of courage! Sanballat (their enemy) used the tactics of mocking, despisement in order to cause them to lose courage and stop building. Like the children of Israel with Nehemiah anytime we are seeking to re-build things or conquering new areas in our lives we meet resistance and our perseverance and courage is put to the test.
When Joshua was called to be the successor to Moses, God told him repeatedly "be strong and of good courage" in his new assignment. The word strong in the Hebrew means - courageous, valiant, manly, strengthened, established , firm, fortified, obstinate, and mighty.
In I Samuel 30 we find David greatly dis-couraged after the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag and burned his city, took his wife and the rest of the women captive. The Bible says "David lifted up his voice and wept until they had no more power to weep". The story goes on to say that his very own people were so distressed they talked of stoning him.
The Bible records David's response "...but David strengthened or en-couraged himself in the Lord his God". David literally made himself strong in the Lord.
May God give you the willingness to seek Him today. I pray that you will have the courage and strength to persevere even when you "don't feel fine" and to recover all that has been lost or stolen and that God would receive all the Glory!!
When Joshua was called to be the successor to Moses, God told him repeatedly "be strong and of good courage" in his new assignment. The word strong in the Hebrew means - courageous, valiant, manly, strengthened, established , firm, fortified, obstinate, and mighty.
In I Samuel 30 we find David greatly dis-couraged after the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag and burned his city, took his wife and the rest of the women captive. The Bible says "David lifted up his voice and wept until they had no more power to weep". The story goes on to say that his very own people were so distressed they talked of stoning him.
The Bible records David's response "...but David strengthened or en-couraged himself in the Lord his God". David literally made himself strong in the Lord.
May God give you the willingness to seek Him today. I pray that you will have the courage and strength to persevere even when you "don't feel fine" and to recover all that has been lost or stolen and that God would receive all the Glory!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
God's Presence
"Then Moses said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here!'" Exodus 33:15
God's presence is infinitely better than the presence of all outward comforts. God is with His people to counsel them in all doubtful and difficult cases, and to defend and secure them against all their enemies and opposers.
A sound sincere Christian can never have enough:
- power against sin, nor
- strength against temptation, nor
- weanedness from this world, nor
- ripeness for heaven, nor
- of the presence of the Lord;
The special presence of God with His people, is a most sovereign antidote:
- troubles will be no troubles,
- distresses will be no distresses,
- dangers will be no dangers.
Mountains--will be molehills; stabs at the heart--will be as scratches upon the hand; if God's presence is with you. --Thomas Brooks
God's presence is infinitely better than the presence of all outward comforts. God is with His people to counsel them in all doubtful and difficult cases, and to defend and secure them against all their enemies and opposers.
A sound sincere Christian can never have enough:
- power against sin, nor
- strength against temptation, nor
- weanedness from this world, nor
- ripeness for heaven, nor
- of the presence of the Lord;
The special presence of God with His people, is a most sovereign antidote:
- troubles will be no troubles,
- distresses will be no distresses,
- dangers will be no dangers.
Mountains--will be molehills; stabs at the heart--will be as scratches upon the hand; if God's presence is with you. --Thomas Brooks
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Something New Under The Sun
"He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new" Revelation 21:5
All things need renewal. It is time that the old clothes were rolled up and laid aside, and that creation put on her Sunday suit.But no one can make all things new except the Lord who made them at the first. It requires as much ability to make something good out of evil as it does to make something out of nothing. Christ has undertaken this task, and He is competent to perform it.
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
All things need renewal. It is time that the old clothes were rolled up and laid aside, and that creation put on her Sunday suit.But no one can make all things new except the Lord who made them at the first. It requires as much ability to make something good out of evil as it does to make something out of nothing. Christ has undertaken this task, and He is competent to perform it.
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Chosen for the Fight
"The Lord has chosen, called, and armed us for the fight! Shall we wish to be excused from the battle? Shall we not rather rejoice that we have the honor to appear in such a cause, under such a Captain, with such a banner, and in such a company?" --John Newton
Faith and Fear Incompatible
" In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"
Isaiah 30:15
It is always weakness to fret and worry, question and mistrust. Can we gain anything fuming and fearing? We often sink when we might float by faith. O for grace to be quiet instead of repeating the weary story which makes us the more heartsick as we tell it, running from this person to that person. God deserves to be confided in; and if we will display confidence and quietness, we will be as happy as the spirits before the throne.
from the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Isaiah 30:15
It is always weakness to fret and worry, question and mistrust. Can we gain anything fuming and fearing? We often sink when we might float by faith. O for grace to be quiet instead of repeating the weary story which makes us the more heartsick as we tell it, running from this person to that person. God deserves to be confided in; and if we will display confidence and quietness, we will be as happy as the spirits before the throne.
from the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Power of Unbelief
" If you can? said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:23
Our unbelief is the greatest hindrance in our way; in fact, there is no other real difficulty to our spiritual progress and prosperity. Our Lord can do everything, but unbelief can tie the hands of His omnipotence. When we are in a right state of heart, faith costs no effort. It is then as natural for us to rely upon God as for a child to trust its father.
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Our unbelief is the greatest hindrance in our way; in fact, there is no other real difficulty to our spiritual progress and prosperity. Our Lord can do everything, but unbelief can tie the hands of His omnipotence. When we are in a right state of heart, faith costs no effort. It is then as natural for us to rely upon God as for a child to trust its father.
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Servant In Battle
" O Lord, I bless thee that the issue of the battle between thyself and Satan has never been uncertain, and will end in victory. Calvary broke the dragon's head, and I contend with a vanquished foe, who with all his subtlety and strength has already been overcome. When I feel the serpent at my heel may I remember him whose heel was bruised, but who, when bruised, broke the devil's head.
My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conqueror. Heal me of any wounds received in the great conflict; if I have gathered defilement,
if my faith has suffered damage,
if my hope is less than bright
if my love is not fervent,
if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,
if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.
O thou whose every promise is balm, every touch life, draw near to thy weary warrior, refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife, and never tire until my enemy is trodden down. Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan, unbelief, the flesh, the world, with delight that comes not from a creature,and which a creature cannot mar. Give me a draught of the eternal fountain that lieth in thy immutable , everlasting love and decree. Then shall my hand never weaken,
my feet never stumble,
my shield never rest,
my helmet never shatter,
my breastplate never fall,
as my strength rests in the power of they might.
The Valley of Vision ~Puritan Prayers and Devotions
My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conqueror. Heal me of any wounds received in the great conflict; if I have gathered defilement,
if my faith has suffered damage,
if my hope is less than bright
if my love is not fervent,
if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,
if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.
O thou whose every promise is balm, every touch life, draw near to thy weary warrior, refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife, and never tire until my enemy is trodden down. Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan, unbelief, the flesh, the world, with delight that comes not from a creature,and which a creature cannot mar. Give me a draught of the eternal fountain that lieth in thy immutable , everlasting love and decree. Then shall my hand never weaken,
my feet never stumble,
my shield never rest,
my helmet never shatter,
my breastplate never fall,
as my strength rests in the power of they might.
The Valley of Vision ~Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Crafty Serpent
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made" Genesis 3:1-5
The Devil's craftiness is seen in that he does not present himself as an adversary; rather , he gets Eve to question God's goodness. He quizzes Eve in a way that emphasizes what the Lord has forbidden (Gen.3:1), painting Him as strict and overbearing. Satan could have asked about the blessings God has generously given to mankind, but instead he asks what the Creator has told Eve not to do. Similarly, he intimates that the Lord God is jealous (in a bad way) and out to keep people down for His own sake, without any regard for their well-being (v.5). Matthew Henry comments, "It is the subtlety of Satan to blemish the reputation of divine law as uncertain or unreasonable, and to draw people to sin." Today, the Devil employs the very same tactics with us, so let us be careful lest he lead us astray into the violation of our Savior's will.
Tabletalk by RC Sprouls
The Devil's craftiness is seen in that he does not present himself as an adversary; rather , he gets Eve to question God's goodness. He quizzes Eve in a way that emphasizes what the Lord has forbidden (Gen.3:1), painting Him as strict and overbearing. Satan could have asked about the blessings God has generously given to mankind, but instead he asks what the Creator has told Eve not to do. Similarly, he intimates that the Lord God is jealous (in a bad way) and out to keep people down for His own sake, without any regard for their well-being (v.5). Matthew Henry comments, "It is the subtlety of Satan to blemish the reputation of divine law as uncertain or unreasonable, and to draw people to sin." Today, the Devil employs the very same tactics with us, so let us be careful lest he lead us astray into the violation of our Savior's will.
Tabletalk by RC Sprouls
Saturday, January 16, 2010
As If You Were the Only One
"He who calls the stars by their names is in no danger of forgetting His own children. He knows your situation as if you were the only creature He ever made and the only saint He ever loved." --Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Friday, January 15, 2010
Grace and Adversity
"Grace withereth without adversity. The devil is but God's master fencer, to teach us to handle our weapons"
Selections from Samuel Rutherford's "The Loveliness of Christ"
Selections from Samuel Rutherford's "The Loveliness of Christ"
Thursday, January 14, 2010
St. Augustine
" Education is the food of youth, the delight of old age, the ornament of prosperity, the refuge and comfort of adversity, and the provocation to grace in the soul."
St. Augustine To a Young Disciple:
~Christian patriarch and philsopher, Bishop of Hippo, 353-430~
St. Augustine To a Young Disciple:
~Christian patriarch and philsopher, Bishop of Hippo, 353-430~
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Our Helper
" So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groaning too deep for utterance."
Romans 8:26
Romans 8:26
No One Knows
" No one knows the embarrassment I labor under when thrown in the company of educated persons"
Nathan Bedford Forrest To His Son William:
~American Confederate general 1821-1877~
Nathan Bedford Forrest To His Son William:
~American Confederate general 1821-1877~
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
What Christianity Offers
Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can , if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always has existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has -by what I call "good infection". Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.
C.S. Lewis -Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis -Mere Christianity
Monday, January 11, 2010
His Presence
" Some say God made man because He was lonely and needed someone to love. That is preposterous. God is complete in Himself. There is perfect fellowship within the Trinity. It is His presence that completes us."
Susan Hunt "Heirs of the Covenant"
Susan Hunt "Heirs of the Covenant"
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Fear Not
" Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed , for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"
Isaiah 40:10
Fear can be a big stopper for many of us: fear of fragility, fear of failure, fear of making a mistake, fear of what other might think, even fear of success. Fear can result in a second-guessing of our next action or word until we talk ourselves out of participating in life.
Fear says "I have failed before", "I can't do it good enough", "Look what happened last time". Sometimes fear disguises itself as SHAME !! Shame is a mindset that creeps into our thinking that basically says "I'm not good enough" !!
Relax and trust in God. Fear not! Our best is good enough for Him. Feel the fear, then let it go and give it to Him. Jump in and do it-whatever it is. If our path with God has led us there, it's where we need to be and He is there with us.
Fear Not the Lord has you in His Hand !!
Isaiah 40:10
Fear can be a big stopper for many of us: fear of fragility, fear of failure, fear of making a mistake, fear of what other might think, even fear of success. Fear can result in a second-guessing of our next action or word until we talk ourselves out of participating in life.
Fear says "I have failed before", "I can't do it good enough", "Look what happened last time". Sometimes fear disguises itself as SHAME !! Shame is a mindset that creeps into our thinking that basically says "I'm not good enough" !!
Relax and trust in God. Fear not! Our best is good enough for Him. Feel the fear, then let it go and give it to Him. Jump in and do it-whatever it is. If our path with God has led us there, it's where we need to be and He is there with us.
Fear Not the Lord has you in His Hand !!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Convicting Spirit
Thou Blessed Spirit, Author of All Grace and Comfort, Come work repentance in my soul; Represent sin to me in its odious colours that I may hate it; Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God; Show me my ruined self and the help there is in Him; Teach me to behold my Creator,His ability to save, His arms outstretched , His heart big for me. May I confide in His power and love, commit my soul to Him without reserve, bear His image, observe His laws, pursue His service, and be through time and eternity monument to the efficacy of His grace, a trophy of His victory. Make me willing to be saved in His way, perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus: Help me not only to receive Him but to walk in Him, depend upon Him, commune with Him, be conformed to Him, follow Him, imperfect , but still pressing forward, not complaining of labour, but valuing rest, not murmuring under trails, but thankful for my state. Give me that faith which is the means of salvation, and principle and medium of all Godliness; May I be saved by grace through faith, live by faith, feel the joy of faith, do the work of faith. Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption.
A Puritan Prayer
A Puritan Prayer
Friday, January 8, 2010
Something Beyond
I think all Christians would agree with me if I said that though Christianity seems at the first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue, yet it leads you on, out of all that, into something beyond. One has a glimpse of a country where they do not talk of those things, except perhaps as a joke. Every one there is filled full with what we should call goodness as a mirror is filled with light. But they do not call it goodness. They do not call it anything. They are not thinking of it. They are are too busy looking at the source from which it comes. But this is near the stage where the road passes over the rim of our world. No one's eyes can see very far beyond that: lots of people's eyes can see further than mine.
from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Dismay Dispelled
"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged." ~Deuteronomy 31:8
Whatever challenge we may be facing, here is a promise which helps us. If the Lord goes before us, it must be safe to follow. Who can obstruct our progress if the Lord Himself is our front? And, He who is before us is also with us: above, around, within us is the omnipotent one. How this strengthens our arm and brightens our way. Yes, we may have to fight, but with Him at hand, the victory is certain.
Prayer: As You have promised never to leave us, open our eyes now to see You present at our table. Amen
from the writings of C. H. Spurgeon
Whatever challenge we may be facing, here is a promise which helps us. If the Lord goes before us, it must be safe to follow. Who can obstruct our progress if the Lord Himself is our front? And, He who is before us is also with us: above, around, within us is the omnipotent one. How this strengthens our arm and brightens our way. Yes, we may have to fight, but with Him at hand, the victory is certain.
Prayer: As You have promised never to leave us, open our eyes now to see You present at our table. Amen
from the writings of C. H. Spurgeon
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Kingdom Offense
"The Kingdom offends our sense of propriety because it's filled with inappropriate people. But, that's its greatest Gospel Glory"
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Divine Alchemy
"Your sorrow shall be turned into joy" John 16:20
The particular sorrow was the death and absence of their Lord, and it was turned to joy when He rose from the dead. All the sorrow of saints shall be thus transformed. Come then, in a little while I shall be as glad as I may now be gloomy. My Lord here tells me that by His heavenly alchemy my sorrow shall be turned to joy. I do not see how it is to be, but I believe it, and I begin now to sing in anticipation.
Prayer: Dear Lord, You cause food to spring up where there is none, and You change a thing like sorrow into joy. Thanks be to You. Amen
from writings of C.H. Spurgeon
Monday, January 4, 2010
All Things
The Apostle Paul states in Romans 8:28 "and we know that all things work (cooperate, help, collaborate in practical harmony or synergism) together for the good (good in a physical and moral sense, and produces benefits) to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (a deliberate plan, a proposition, an advance plan, an intentional design, a setting forth or before).
This has been one of my favorite verses through out my ministry, and I am amazed as to how much strength, encouragement and practical application I continue to find in it. When we talk about "...all things working together..." it is challenging sometimes to see this in light of the pain, crisis or circumstance of the moment. This is why we must REMEMBER and keep calling back to our memory that God has and is causing all things to cooperate, collaborate in practical harmony and synergism when we STAY in His love.
God's love delivered us from ourselves so we could be ourselves "in Him" without shame and fear. His love continues to deliver us IF we remain in His steadfast love. When we rest in His PURPOSE, His deliberate advanced plans and designs naturally begin to manifest because they have been predetermined from the foundations of the earth.
The Apostle Paul goes onto to say that He has PREDESTINED us to become "...conformed into His image...". The Greek word conformed means scheme or schematic, it refers to conforming oneself to a model or pattern.
This is Restoration !! God is actually restoring us to our original Image in Him (Genesis 1:26) and He is using ALL THINGS together, to bring us back and accomplish this. So you see we are actually going back to the Garden!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Winning By Degrees
The Lord your God will drive our those nations before you, little by little.
Deuteronomy 7:22
We are not to expect to win life's victories by a single blow. Evil principles
and practices die hard. But it may take years of grace on God's part and
years of effort on ours. Sanctifying work is done by degrees so that we may
learn perseverance, increase in faith, and earnestly watch. Thank God for
every success and pray for more.
Prayer
For the blessings of the past and the present, we thank You, our God. And
for that which lies ahead, we look to You in confidence and hope. Amen.
From the witings of C.H. Spurgeon
Deuteronomy 7:22
We are not to expect to win life's victories by a single blow. Evil principles
and practices die hard. But it may take years of grace on God's part and
years of effort on ours. Sanctifying work is done by degrees so that we may
learn perseverance, increase in faith, and earnestly watch. Thank God for
every success and pray for more.
Prayer
For the blessings of the past and the present, we thank You, our God. And
for that which lies ahead, we look to You in confidence and hope. Amen.
From the witings of C.H. Spurgeon
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Valley of Vision
Lord, HIGH and HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee
in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find they light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
The following prayer is taken from the book "The Valley of Vision" a collection of prayers from The Puritan Movement of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries compiled by Arthur Bennett.
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee
in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find they light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
The following prayer is taken from the book "The Valley of Vision" a collection of prayers from The Puritan Movement of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries compiled by Arthur Bennett.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Promise Number One
" I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise they head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" Genesis 3:15
This is the Bible's first promise. It exhilarates us on this, the year's first day. Cryptic and brief, it contains the entire gospel, and forecasts the triumph of God's grace. Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman. He was bruised terribly, but triumphed gloriously. By faith in Him and obedience to Him, we may share His victory. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Fortify me, O God, body and soul, to run and win the race of life through the grace that is in Jesus Christ. Amen
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
This is the Bible's first promise. It exhilarates us on this, the year's first day. Cryptic and brief, it contains the entire gospel, and forecasts the triumph of God's grace. Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman. He was bruised terribly, but triumphed gloriously. By faith in Him and obedience to Him, we may share His victory. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Fortify me, O God, body and soul, to run and win the race of life through the grace that is in Jesus Christ. Amen
From the writings of C.H. Spurgeon
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