Memorizing Moments

Today is New Year's Eve. The weather is warm and ambiguous -- cloudy for a while and then clear and sunny. I can watch the clouds scurrying across the sky, moving as if they had a place to go and a certain time to be there. Perhaps for an important appointment for which they could not be late.

I am thinking of a song we sang many years ago. It was popular for a while.....My Cup Runneth Over With Love. It is romantic and poignant. It is a true love song. (I guess some people might call it a "girly song," but I just think of it as a wonderfully romantic 'til death do us part' kind of song).)

Sometimes in the morning, when shadows are deep
I lie here beside you, just watching you sleep
And sometimes I whisper what I'm thinking of
My cup runneth over with love.

Sometimes in the evening when you do not see
I study the small things you do constantly
I memorize moments that I'm fondest of
My cup runneth over with love.

In only a moment we both will be old
We won't even notice the world turning cold
And so, in this moment, with sunlight above,
My cup runneth over with love.

I think often of the line I memorize moments that I'm fondest of.....and remind myself that the moments I should memorize are the good moments...

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse....
Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

The moments I should NOT memorize?

I Corinthians 13: Love...keeps no record of wrongs.

So I guess that's it: my resolution for 2020...Keep good moments recorded and cherished in my memory.

Throw out the record of slights and insults and perceived misbehaviors of others, and remember all the goodnesses that have been--and are--shown to me, almost 100% of which I did not--and do not--deserve, but are graciously given to me by people who mercifully overlook my wrongs and misbehaviors....

friends and family who have not kept a record of my wrongs.

Hanging On or Letting Go?

I am re-reading Perelandra, by C. S. Lewis, one of my favorite ways of beginning the new year.


This is what I am looking at now: God sends His goodness to us in packages, or in waves, that just keep coming and keep coming.  But if we try to cling to one too long or too hard, we might miss the next one coming our way.

The idea is too plunge ourselves into the wave of blessings He sends. To plunge in with our whole hearts and souls and minds. And then open our hands and hearts for the next one... It will be even better.

Here is part of that thought in the Lady's words:

"I thought," she said, "that I was carried in the will of Him I love, but now I see that I walk with it.   I thought that the good things He sent me drew me into them as the waves lift the islands; but now I see that it is I who plunge into them with my own legs and arms, as when we go swimming...It is a delight with terror in it! One's own self to be walking from one good to another, walking beside Him as Himself may walk...I thought we went along paths--but it seems there are no paths. The going itself is the path."

The conversation goes further and she speaks about grasping or clinging to one wave and when she does that she can't meet the next wave and then misses it.

It reminds me that so much of life is learning to take God's gifts with a light hold - grab them and treasure them, and then let them go as He gives us new gifts. Perhaps pass them on, but not to grasp and hoard them.

So much of life is letting go....releasing our hold on people, pets, homes, dreams.....just learning to let go and take the next gift, because there will always be another coming at us.

Sometimes we can't take hold of a new dream unless we let go of the one we are attached - like a balloon -- let it rise and float away -- treasure its memory and watch it leave our hands - then grab the next -

We have lost a number of precious people in our church this year. But God has brought others in for us to love and cherish. We don't ever forget the ones who are no longer with us. We just learn to live
with their memory and thank God with grateful hearts for their time with us --  and then reach out to embrace new ones He brings us.

We must learn to hold God's gifts, not tightly and tenaciously, but with open hands.

Open your heart for the gift I am bringing says the song.

2 Kings 2 gives us the story of Elijah getting ready to leave Elisha, and, in fact, to leave his ministry and this earth. Elisha knows what is going to happen, but he refuses to leave Elijah.

Elijah tells him to "Stay here." Elisha says, "as surely as you live and the LORD lives, I will not leave you."

When Elisha is told, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" he replies, "Yes, I know. But do not speak of it."

"As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.....and Elisha saw him no more."

"...separated the two of them...."

Elisha tried to hold on to Elijah. When he couldn't, he tore his clothes and then picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen.

He went to the bank of the Jordan, took the cloak and struck the water with it. "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

The company watching said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha."

But even they would not let go. The verses tell us they decided to go looking for Elijah. Elisha told them not to go. But they went anyway. Fifty men spent 3 days searching for Elijah.

When they returned without finding Elijah, Elisha said, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"

Elisha had finally learned that it was time to let go. 

(I just love those words, "Didn't I tell you..?" They remind me of my father so many times telling me something, I argued, went my own way, failed, and then he said "Glorya, didn't I tell you...?" As I remember it, it was always spoken in love, maybe some exasperation, but always in love.)

Much of life, I am finding out, is learning to let go.

Back to Genesis - What did Abraham Do?

"Abraham is our father," they answered.

"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did."

   -- John 8:39


So what did Abraham do?

That's easy. Look back to his story recorded in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis.

     Abram believed the LORD, and he credited to him as

          righteousness.  Genesis 15:6

Abram believed God. That faith made him righteous in the eyes of God.


Then over in the New Testament, 2000 years later, Paul reminds us: Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:3)


Abraham was given the free gift of righteousness because of his faith.

And Paul tells us in is letter to the church at Ephesus:

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

So how was Abraham saved? Through faith (trust) in God's promises.

[By faith Noah...by faith Moses...by faith Jacob...by faith Joseph...by faith Rahab....read about all of these people of faith in Hebrews 11, in the New Testament.]

And how was Paul and the Ephesians saved? By faith in God's promises.

And how are we saved?

The same way -- through trust in God -- faith that He will keep His promises.

The Bible is all one story - from Genesis to Revelation - man comes back, restored to a relationship with God, through faith.

One story, and every page whispers the story of divine grace.

Every page whispers the miracle of Jesus!

No matter when we live our lives in this epic of mankind's history, we are still saved through faith.

Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ...and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

For He Himself is our peace...

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.

Ephesians 2:12-19

Who Did Jesus come to Save? Kenneth Bailey

Some thoughts from Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes, by Kenneth Bailey ~~~


In Matthew 1:20-21 Joseph is told,

"Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

In Hebrew or Aramaic these words provide a word play that is lost in Greek and English. "Jesus" in Hebrew is Yesua and the verb "to save" is yasa.

If Hebrew and English are combined in a single sentence, it can be translated, "His name will be called Yesua for he will yasa his people."

[He will be called Savior, because he will save his people.]

During Jesus' time the Jewish community in the Holy Land was occupied and oppressed by the Romans. Before the Romans, the country had been ruled by the Greeks, and before that by the Persians.

At the time of Jesus much of the land was owned by foreigners who controlled large estates. Local farmers were obliged to rent land and were often treated unfairly.

In a situation of political and economic oppression people naturally want salvation, but from what? The salvation they seek is deliverance from their oppressors.

...In a situation of oppression it takes enormous courage to tell the oppressed community that all are sinners and all must repent, for everyone is in need of grace for salvation.

The angel affirms this theology to Joseph before Jesus is born by announcing, "and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Their primary problem is their sin -- the Roman occupation is an important concern, but it is secondary.)




In Zechariah's prayer praising God for the promised birth of John the Baptizer, he says  (Luke 1:68-77)


     Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
     for he has visited and redeemed his people...
     that we should be saved from our enemies,
     and from the hand of all who hate us...

     For you will go before the Lord to prepare his
     way, to give knowledge of salvation to his
     people in the forgiveness of sins.


Suddenly the tables are turned. Now the community's problem is not merely "those who hate us," but that they are declared to be in need of deliverance from their own sins.

The oppressed are also sinners! A Savior for sinners is a Savior for all, because all are sinners.

This perspective is present as early as Ecclesiastes 4:1 which reads:


     Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced
     under the sun. And behold, the tears of the
     oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them!
     On the side of their oppressors there was power,
     and there was no one to comfort them.


In such a text both the oppressors and the oppressed are trapped in prisons from which they cannot escape.

Each needs grace from outside the prison.

The text in Luke speaks of salvation from "our enemies" and of the bigger problem -- the internal problem of "our sins."

It Doesn't Seem Possible!

 

Thoughts from C S Lewis about our meeting the Sovereign God of the Universe:

   "In the end that Face which is the delight or the terror of the universe, must be turned upon  each of us either with one expression or with the other, either conferring glory or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised. 

   It is written that we shall 'stand before' Him, shall appear, shall be inspected...almost incredible that any of us who really chooses shall actually survive that examination, shall find approval, shall  please God.

   To please God...to be a real ingredient in the Divine Happiness, to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work, or as a parent in his child - it seems impossible...our thoughts can hardly sustain it...but so it is."   -- From The Weight of Glory

To please God - to make Him happy - can we actually do that?

To be an 'ingredient in the Divine Happiness'....?

No, it doesn't seem possible......

BUT....Here we read....

"The LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their trust in His unfailing love." (Psalm 147:11)

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such  sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:15-16)

"We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way..........." (Col 1:10)

For I am being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." (2 Tim 4:6-8)

Looks like we can, in fact, please Him!

Am I My Brother's Keeper -- Chuck Colson

Stories that come out of Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministry fill me with quiet, awe-ful joy.



This incident, whether you have heard it before or not, will do the same for you.

Colson relates it this way: He had been conducting a seminar in the Indiana State Prison just a few weeks after a man had been electrocuted. As soon as the seminar was finished, Colson, impatient to get away to keep a commitment to meet with the governor, urged his party of volunteers to hurry and join him on the plane that was waiting on the runway to take him to his important appointment.

One volunteer lingered, speaking to a prisoner who had, as Colson knew, just become a Christian recently.

"Let's go," Colson urged. "It is late."

The volunteer said, "Just a minute, please."

"No," Colson answered in an impatient tone, "Time's up. We must get going."

The volunteer replied, "Please, please, this is very important. You see, I am Judge Clement. I sentenced this man to die. But now he is born again. He is my brother, and we want a minute to pray together."


Colson tells now how he stood frozen in place. Before him stood two men -- one black and one white. One powerful and one powerless. One condemned to die and the other the judge who pronounced that sentence. Yet they stood next to each other, grasping a Bible together, united in prayer as one Christian brother with another.


Is there any force in the world more powerful than the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

Charles Spurgeon - Fishing

Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.
                -- Luke 5:4


     We learn from this narrative the necessity of human activity. The catch of the fish was miraculous, but neither the fisherman nor his boat nor his fishing tackle were ignored; they were all used to take the fish.

     So, in the saving of souls, God works by means; and while the present economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.

     When God works without instruments, He is glorified; but He has selected this plan of human involvement as being that by which He is most magnified in the earth.


     The means themselves can accomplish nothing. "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!"  What was the reason for this? Were they not experienced fishermen going about their business? They were not novices; they understood the work. Was the problem that they lacked skill? No. Were they lazy? No; they had worked. Did they lack perseverance?

No; they had worked all night.

     Was there a lack of fish in the sea? Certainly not, for as soon as the Master came, they swam into the net in large numbers.

     What then is the reason?

     It is because there is no power in the means themselves apart from the presence of Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing. But with Christ we can do all things.

     Christ's presence confers success. Jesus sat in Peter's boat, and His will, by a mysterious influence, drew the fish into the net.

     When Jesus is lifted up in His Church -- His presence is the Church's power -- we hear the shout of a king in the midst of her!

     "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself."

     Let us go out this morning on our work of soul-fishing, looking up in faith, and around us at the great opportunity. Let us work until the night comes and we will not labor in vain, for He who tells us to let down the net will fill it with fish.

     -- From Morning and Evening, by Charles Spurgeon
    

Such a Crazy Story

 From Dr. James Dobson....

       "The King of the Universe  the Creator of all heaven and earth - who has no needs and no short-comings, cares about what we think and feel. That is almost incomprehensible."

Yes, it is almost - no, really totally - incomprehensible!

I remember years ago, when in high school and college anthropology and evolution classes the professors trying to explain the origin of the various religions throughout the world. It was because, as they told it, primitive man had to make up something to explain their world - so they sat around campfires, pondering the vast night sky,  and talked about the how's and why's and came up with religion - including Christianity.

Occasionally I would politely ask  if they had ever read the Bible...of course, no!

I reflected that the story of man's origin and rescue and redemption and restoration to God's family, as recounted in the Bible, is really a crazy story!  I mean, really, who would dream up a story like that! It's so crazy - it has to be true!

A Creator God, desiring to include His creatures in His love family, would, in grace, love and forgive them, reach out to rescue them, send prophets to bring them back to Him and then  come Himself to save them - I MEAN - THINK ABOUT IT - who would EVER dream that up?

The thought of that helped bind me to faith and  confidence in God's Word through all my educational years....

It's such a crazy story - no one would dream it up - it has to be true!

The Really Big Covenants

The Most Ancient Covenant:

  Covenant of Redemption 

This covenant was made in eternity past, by God Himself, with Himself, (as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in which the triune God agreed to provide redemption for His erring children through faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ, His Son.

Covenant of Works

The Covenant of Works, although not mentioned specifically in the Old Testament, is implied.

According to covenant theologians, God entered into a covenant with Adam prior to the Fall. In this covenant He promised eternal life for obedience during a probationary period, and death if Adam disobeyed.

In this test Adam stood as the federal head of all humanity; had he obeyed, he would have been confirmed in righteousness, with the benefits passing to all humanity.

Conversely, because he failed and fell, Adam's act of disobedience was transmitted to all humanity -- all are born in sin and under sin's authority.

This Covenant finds its basis in the original Covenant of Redemption, where God proclaimed before Creation that He would provide for man's redemption.

Covenant of Grace

After Adam's fall, God entered into another covenant  with Adam (who was representing the human race) in which God, in His abundant mercy, promised eternal life to all who would believe in Jesus Christ.

Essentially, this Covenant, too, is based on the Covenant of Redemption, made in eternity past by the triune God.

There are no conditions for us under this Covenant. It is an unconditional covenant. The only requirement is faith in Jesus Christ.

God is faithful to keep His Word.

I will be God to you and to your descendants after you
(Genesis 17:7).

God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:9).

We are now living under the Covenant of Grace....

that amazing grace we praise and thank God for each day!

And it all looks back to that ancient, original Covenant of Redemption - God's covenant, not with us, His unfaithful ones, but with Himself, the always Faithful One!


Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.

In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.

In  Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ.
(Ephesians 1:3-9)

About Holiness - Problem 3 - Jerry Bridges

Problem 1 - Our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered (see below)

Problem 2 - We have misunderstood "living by faith" (Galatians 2:20) (see below)

Problem 3 - We do not take some sin seriously....



We have mentally categorized sins into that which is unacceptable and that which may be tolerated a bit....

But the Scripture says it is "the little foxes that ruin the vineyards" (Song of Songs 2:15). It is compromise on the little issues that leads to greater downfalls. And who is to say that a little ignoring of civil law is not a serious sin in the sight of God?

In commenting on some of the more minute Old Testament dietary laws God gave to the children of Israel, Andrew Bonar said:

It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience....Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these as trifling. But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle which was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands? Is He a holy Lawgiver? Are His creatures bound to give implicit assent to His will?

Are we willing to call sin "sin" not because it is big or little, but because God's law forbids it? We cannot categorize sin if we are to live a life of holiness. God will not let us get away with that kind of attitude.

       -- From The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, Chapter One


In Summary:

Jerry Bridges, in The Pursuit of Holiness, describes 3 obstacles in our journey toward holiness:

(1) Our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered

(2) We have misunderstood the meaning of "living by faith" and

(3) We do not take some sin seriously


He concludes chapter one with these challenges:


(1) Will you begin to look at sin as an offence against a holy God?
 
(2) Will you begin to take personal responsibility for your sin, realizing that as you do, you must depend on the grace of God?

(3) Will you decide to obey God in all areas of life, however insignificant the issue may be?

About Holiness - Problem 2 - Jerry Bridges

Problem 1 - Our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered  (see below).

Problem 2 - We have misunderstood "living by faith" (Galatians 2:20) to mean that no effort at holiness is required on our part.  In fact, sometimes we have even suggested that any effort on our part is "of the flesh."

The words of J. C. Ryle, Bishop of Liverpool from 1880 to 1900, are instructive to us on this point:

Is it wise to proclaim in so bold, naked, and unqualified a way as many do, that the holiness of converted people is by faith only and not at all by personal exertion? ...That faith in Christ is the root of all holiness...no well-instructed Christian will ever  think of denying. But surely the Scriptures teach that in following holiness the true Christian needs personal exertion and work as well as faith.

       {from Holiness, by J. C. Ryle}


We must face the fact that we have a personal responsibility for our walk of holiness.

One Sunday our pastor in his sermon said words to this effect: "You can put away that habit that has mastered you if you truly desire to do so."

Because he was referring to a particular habit which was no problem to me, I quickly agreed with him in my mind.

Then the Holy Spirit said to me, "And you can put away those sinful habits that plague you if you will take personal responsibility for them."


Acknowledging that I did have this responsibility turned out to be a milestone for me in my own pursuit of holiness.

     -- From The Pursuit of Holiness, Chapter One, by Jerry Bridges

About Holiness - Problem 1 - Jerry Bridges

 

These words from The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges:

Why do so many Christians feel constantly defeated in their struggle with sin?

Our first problem is that our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered.

We are more concerned about our own "victory" over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. We cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin chiefly because we are success-oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God.

(From W. S. Plumer)...We never see sin correctly until we see it as against God. All sin is against God because it is His law that is broken. His authority that is despised.  Pharaoh and Balaam, Saul and Judas each said, "I have sinned," but the returning prodigal said, 'I have sinned against heaven and before thee" and David said, "Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned."

God wants us to walk in obedience--not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self.

This may seem to be merely splitting hairs over semantics, but there is a subtle self-centered attitude at the root of many of our difficulties with sin. Until we face this attitude and deal with it, we will not consistently walk in holiness.

This is not to say God doesn't want us to experience victory but rather to emphasize that victory is a byproduct of obedience.

As we concentrate on living an obedient, holy life, we will certainly experience the joy of victory over sin.

---From Chapter One, Holiness is for You

Who was really the prodigal?

But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it.

 'Let's have a feast and celebrate.

'For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'

So they began to celebrate.

                                          -- Luke 15:22-24

As the prodigal son was restored to fellowship with his father, so we are restored to fellowship with God our Father through the work of Jesus Christ at the cross.

The father orders the servants to, quickly, bring the 'best robe' for him, to place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Then he orders them to kill the fattened calf and prepare a celebration.

What a contrast! From a lowly hungry man begging for scraps, he is given dignity, honor and full acceptance.

He becomes the guest of honor.

We have the same contrast. We were sinners, enemies of God, condemned, objects of God's wrath.

But now we have also been restored to God's family.

We have been clothed in the righteousness of God's Son, Jesus, and have been given status as an heir of God.

It's a miracle we could never have imagined -


How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!
         -- 1 John 3:1

We always refer to this story as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Prodigal means exceedingly, recklessly wasteful. And that does describe the son, who squandered all his wealth.

But prodigal can also mean lavish and abundant.

Probably the neighbors thought the father was wasteful with his love - he threw it away on his worthless son!


So in that case, maybe the story should be called the Parable of the Prodigal Father!

Because our Father is lavish with abundant love as He casts His care upon us, His needy, unworthy children!

Oxymoron - Oxymonoric

"Oxymoron" and "oxymoronic speech" is common today.

The word oxymoron comes to us from the ancient Greek, via ancient Latin, for a word that means (oxy)sharp (clever) or keen +  moron, meaning dull, or stupid.

So literally it means sharp dull, or smart stupid, making the word itself an oxymoron.


Sometimes oxymorons are deliberately intended to confuse and sometimes they are crafted just to demonstrate contradictions.

Sometimes they express provocative ideas.

Recently I have read binging on moderation, deliberate mistake, genuine imitation, pretty ugly, planned serendipity....mournful optimistic...silent noise? dark light? clever fool?

Remember living dead?

An oxymoron occurs when we put two words or expressions together that really do not go together.
They don't really fit!

A current one might be: private email!

I ran across a really good example in the New Testament, in the Book of Acts, Chapter 11.

It's about Peter's vision:


"I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was.

"I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds of the air. Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'

"I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'"

Clearly an oxymoron -- "No, Lord"

If Jesus is our Lord, we can't say "No, Lord"

These two words just don't go together.

That's something to remember every day- we can't call Jesus our Lord and not be obedient to Him.

Jesus said:

As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now  remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love.
   -- John 15:9-10

If you love Me you will obey what I command....If anyone loves Me he will obey My commands...
    -- John 14:15, 23


How about profoundly simple? That's what this idea is - if we truly call Him Lord and love Him as our Savior, we will obey Him!

We will never utter the words, "No, Lord"!

How Demons Try to Trick Us - C. S. Lewis

 

From Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis....

Supervisor Demon during training of young recruit on how to mess up Christians, especially

in regards to pleasure:

Supervisor Demon says, "Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its

healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy's ground.

"I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is his invention, not ours.

He made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All

we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures our enemy has produced, at times, 

or in ways, or in degrees, which he has forbidden...

"An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula. To get the man's soul and give him nothing in return-- that is what really gladdens Our Father's heart."

Absolutely sure - Charles Spurgeon

We  know that for those who love God, 

all things work together for good.

--Romans 8:28

Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure.

He knows, for instance, that God is the center of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, God is steering it.

This assuring knowledge prepares him for everything.

He looks over the raging water and sees the spirit of Jesus walking on the water, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I -- do not be afraid."

He knows too that God is always wise, and knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes and that nothing can occur that ought not to happen.

He can say, "If I lose everything, it is better that I should lose it than to keep it if God ordains it."

"We know that for those who love God, all things work out together for good."

The Christian does not merely hold this as theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact.

So far everything has worked for good; the poisonous drugs mixed in proper proportion have effected the cure; the sharp cuts of the scalpel have cleaned out the disease and facilitated the healing.

Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is learning to meet each trial calmly when it comes.

In  the spirit of true resignation the believer can say, "Send me what You will, my God, as long as it comes from You; there never was a poor portion that came from Your table to any of Your children."

His method is sublime and His heart profoundly kind,

God is never too early and never behind.

Use the Front Door!

Under AARON...

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.


"This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He is to put on the sacred linen tunic...." (Leviticus 16:2-3)


Under JESUS...


Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess...Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14, 16)


We will find grace to help....

reminder from the revival....G I N Y...Grace Is Now Yours....


Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy. -- C.  H. Spurgeon

How does adoption work?

Notes from Follow Me, by David Platt, describing the process through which he and his wife adopted a baby from Kazakhstan.



First, they had to go through a "home study." Since their home had been destroyed in Katrina, family friends and church members helped them put together an "apartment" as soon as possible.

As part of that home study, they had to be fingerprinted by "what seemed like every type of government or civic organization in the United States."

Then they had to get physicals that would verify a clean bill of health for them as parents.


David Platt continues:

"With home studies, fingerprints, and physicals past us, we began the long, agonizing process of waiting. Every single day we thought about our child, wondering if it would be a boy or a girl and longing for the day when we could hold that little one in our arms.

"Finally, about a year later, I received an e-mail. It was a picture of a boy.

"Nine months old, abandoned. I printed out the picture and ran to show it to Heather. We laughed, we cried, we rejoiced, we prayed, and within two weeks we were on a plane, headed to Kazakhstan.

"Upon arrival in the city we were immediately taken to his orphanage, where the director met us and escorted us in to a small room.  She shared all sorts of medical information with us about our son, and then it happened.

"A woman rounded the corner with a precious ten-month-old boy in her arms, and words can't describe the immediate swell of emotion that filled the room.

"The woman handed him to us, and for the first time, Caleb Platt looked into the eyes of a mom and dad.

"For the next four weeks, we visited Caleb in his orphanage. We held him, fed him, sang to him, laughed with him, and crawled all over the floor with him until the day finally came for us to adopt him.

"We were instructed on what to wear, what to say, and what to expect when we stood before a Kazakh judge.

"Our hearts were pounding in that courtroom as the proceedings played out.

"Finally the judge pronounced, "I grant this application of adoption, and this child now belongs to David and Heather Platt."

"We left the room with tears steaming from our eyes, ready to pick up Caleb from his orphanage for the last time.

"The parallels between Caleb's story and the gospel story are many, but I want to point out one that is particularly significant:

"Adoption begins with the parent's initiative, not a child's idea.

"Before Caleb was even born in Kazakhstan, he had a mom and day working to adopt him.

"While Caleb was lying alone at night in an orphanage in Kazakhstan, he had a mom and dad planning to adopt him.

"And one day when Caleb was placed in the arms of his mom and dad, he had no idea all that had been done, completely apart from any initiative in him, to bring him to that point.

"It seems obvious, but it is especially important: this precious ten-month-old baby did not invite us to come to him in Kazakhstan to bring him into our family; he didn't even know to ask for such a thing.

"No, this orphaned child became our cherished son because of a love that was entirely beyond his imagination and completely outside his control.

"He did not pursue us, for he was utterly unable to do so; instead, we pursued him.

"This is the heart of Christianity, and we are prone to miss it when we describe becoming a follower of Jesus as inviting him into our hearts.

"The reality of the gospel is that we do not become God's children ultimately because of initiative in us, and he does not provide salvation primarily because of an invitation from us.

"Instead, before we were ever born, God was working to adopt us. While we were lying alone in the depth of our sin, God was planning to save us.

"The only way we can become part of the family of God is through a love entirely beyond our imagination  and completely out of our control.

"Christianity does not begin with our pursuit of Christ, but with Christ's pursuit of us.

"Christianity does not start with an invitation we offer to Jesus, but with an invitation Jesus offers us."

We ourselves groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons. (Romans 8:23)

In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will. (Ephesians 1:5)

Spread Love - From Mother Theresa

 

Memorable words from Mother Theresa....

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one come to you without  leaving better and happier.  Be the living expression of God's kindness: Kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting...."

Yes, we are the only visible evidence of God's love and mercy. Let others see Him in us!

Quoteworthy - Our Nation- Chuck Missler

From Chuck Missler

You have something even more powerful than the ballot box: You have the prayer closet.


You have a twenty-four hour hotline to the Throne Room of the universe and God is anxious to hear from you.

If you care about your children and grandchildren, you'd better pray that God, in His mercy, will send us  grass-root revival.


And it starts with the person you see in the mirror each morning.


We possess a message of extraterrestrial origin. It portrays us as objects of an unseen warfare in which we are both the pawns and the prize.


Our eternal destiny depends upon our relationship with the Ultimate Victor in the cosmic conflict.


                                    --Dr. Chuck Missler

It's Not About the Big Stuff - Oswald Chambers

 

Usually it is not about the big stuff....

Thoughts from Oswald Chambers....

"We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises - human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently.

"But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live 24 hours every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus.

"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God - but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people - and this is not learned in five minutes."

[I find this so true - usually I can 'rise to the occasion' when faced with extraordinary circumstances.

It's when I am dealing with people on the telephone, in the check-out line, disagreeing with my family and friends on how to proceed with some event, waiting for people who always run late - that I find myself out of sorts and critical and un-Christ-like. It's the 'small stuff' that defeats me!]

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself to others, you will become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble. It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do hot feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress
yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Therefore, be at peace with God, and whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

What really transforms us?

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Romans 12:2 (NIV)


Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your mind from within. Romans 12:2 (JBP)

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2 (NLT)


I've been pondering this idea for the last few days -- how do we
really change our thinking and behavior? Obviously, we can't!

But God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, can and will!

I make a list of things I know I need to change (and I know there are many more I am not even aware of now).

--Forgive a person who wronged me
--Be kinder
--Be more patient
--etc...

I read and re-read 1 Corinthians 13 and vow to make that my
goal - I even do the thing about putting Christ's name in 
1 Corinthians 13 wherever "love" is....like in verse 4: "Love (Jesus) is patient, Love(Jesus) is kind"....I especially note verse 5...."keeps no record of wrongs"....and I think of all those memories I have in my mind of things people have done or said to me that hurt....those retained memories  are the "record of wrongs" He does not want me to hold on to....

But I don't seem to make much headway.

Am I kinder - more patient - more loving - more forgiving than I was yesterday?

I don't see much evidence of that.

I go back to 1 Corinthians 13 and try to insert my name in the place of "Love" and notice what a laugh that is!



Here is my new goal - Don't think about my shortcomings -
Don't list the areas of my life that I need to work on....

Instead, thinking constantly about what God has already done - and is doing - for me!

His love, His forgiveness, His kindness - concentrating on that makes me so grateful for His goodness to me that I find myself more easily extending it to others!

The power for transforming our lives comes from the basic gospel itself. We can be changed, not by being reminded of how we fall short, but by reminding ourselves of what He has done for us!

That's the power of the gospel!

It's so much easier this way - concentrate, not on myself, but on Him! 

As C. S. Lewis said, "Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less."