Small Talk

Don't doubt your faith -- doubt your doubt

Following Him

I woke up this morning with "Footsteps of Jesus" on my mind and I have been singing it all morning. There was a freeze last night, and "frost is on the pumpkin" (literally, I left one out -- one Jessie gave me -- {Jessie and Jimmy are our friends from China -- they had heard about pumpkin pie and were thinking about serving some in their restaurant, but wanted to exactly what to do with the pumpkin -- I gently told her we just got our pumpkin from cans}) -- and the sky is blue and the frosting on the grass is glittering and shiny --

But all that is "by the way"....I really love the words to the song.
Here are my favorite lines: "Then at last, when on high He sees us, our journey done, we will rest where the steps of Jesus end at His throne."

I sometimes think of the "sees us" as "greets us"....so He sees us coming, greets us, as we approach His throne...and there our footsteps end...

That will be the day, really, when we can say,
"Today is the first day of the rest of my life"!

More Good News About Grace - submitted by Patsy Parkey

Patsy sent me this today. It is from Charles Spurgeon's devotionals, Mornings and Evenings, for today, Dec 3. I read this devotional collection often, but somehow missed this one. (My favorite is June 28 -- I usually carry that one in my purse and hand it out in all my Bible classes --) Anyway, it is a great book. I use Alistair Begg's edition of it and can get it for $15. Let me know if you want a copy.

So here it is: December 3.
Song of Songs 4
There Is No Flaw In You

Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms His praise by a precious negative: "There is no flaw in you." As if the thought occurred to the Bridegroom and the complaining world would insinuate that He had only highlighted her good parts and had purposely not mentioned those features that were deformed or defiled, in summary, He declares her universally and entirely beautiful and utterly devoid of flaws.

A spot can easily be removed and is the very last thing that can disfigure beauty, but even from this little blemish the believer is delivered in his Lord's sight. If He had said there is no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no deadly ulcer, we might even then have marveled; but when He testified that she is free from the slightest flaw, all these other forms of defilement are included, and the depth of wonder is increased.

If He had simply promised to remove all flaws later on, we would still have eternal reason for joy; but when He speaks of it as already done, it fills us with a deep sense of satisfaction and delight. My soul, here is spiritual food for you; digest it properly, and be satisfied with the royal provision.

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with His spouse. She often wanders from Him and grieves His Holy Spirit, but He does not allow her faults to affect His love.

He sometimes rebukes, but it is always in a tender manner, with the kindest of intentions: It is "my love" even then. There is no remembrance of our follies. He does not cherish ill thoughts of us, but He pardons and loves equally after the offense as before it. {Note: Is this the best news you have ever heard?...no remembrance of our follies...does not keep ill thoughts of us...loves equally after the offense as before it...can it get any better than this? Glorya}

If Jesus were as mindful of injuries as we are, how could He commune with us? Too often a believer will put himself out of humor with the Lord for some slight turn in providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well to take any offense at our ill manners.

{Thank you, Patsy, for sending me this!}

Golden Cords

I started reading the Bible through as a child -- we were encouraged to read it once every year -- 3 chapters each day and 5 on Sunday -- and we did it! As an adult I am back to trying to read it through at least once a year. What I enjoy the most about it is that I can begin to pick up powerful threads,or cords, that link the whole Bible together. What wonderful discoveries these are! Reminding us that dozens of people, throughout hundreds of years, from places distant to each other, wrote as "they were inspired by the Holy Spirit," making it a complete story of God's unchanging grace and mercy toward us, His dependent children.

Here's the first "cord" in my collection, and it especially blesses me at Christmas time.

We read in Genesis 2 that in Eden the trees were pleasing to the eye and good for food, and a flowing river watered the garden.

Then sin entered the Garden.

Genesis 3:16-17. God tells Adam, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat of the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."


Then at the closing chapter of the Bible, we read about the River of Life flowing from the throne of God and the Tree of Life, bearing fruit and leaves "for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse." (Rev. 22:3)

And then these words just make this Christmas carol more meaningful:

"No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found."
(Joy to the World, verse 3)


So, God's grace flows everywhere the curse is found -- No one is too bad to receive God's grace and no one is too good to need it! If we were to colonize the moon, no matter where we go in outer space, that becomes part of everywhere the curse is found. And everywhere His grace is displayed for us.

Have another "Cord?" Please share it with us.