Exulting in the Cross

What a day! Reflections regarding Peter.

2012-01-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

I read Luke 22 this morning, and my heart went out to Peter. What a day he had! I suggest you read Luke 22 before you read this post.

What a day you had, Peter. You were happy to obey Jesus and prepare the Feast of the Passover with John. You felt pretty good about your leadership role at that point, didn't you? You were given extra responsibility, along with John, the disciple Jesus loved. I'm sure you reveled in it.

You thought you knew your Master and loved Him well. Yet when Jesus rose from the table and knelt down before you to wash your feet, you said, "You shall never wash my feet!" You didn't understand that Jesus was demonstrating servanthood to you. When Jesus informed you that you'd have no share with Him if you refused to let Him serve you, you wanted more. "Wash my hands and my head, too," you said. You wanted to let Him and the others know that you were a wholehearted, devoted disciple. You were in it with all of your heart. Or so you thought.

When Jesus informed you all that one of you would betray Him, you protested loudly, knowing within you that it couldn't possibly be you. You loved Jesus. No way would you betray Him!

When the discussion turned to who was the greatest among you (and the answer was obvious: Jesus!) I imagine you felt pretty sure, deep inside, that it was you. Did you puff up a little when Jesus said...

“Youare those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as myFather assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in mykingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:28-30 ESV)

Did you think to yourself, "Yep, I've stuck by the Master through thick and thin. Some day I'll be sitting on a throne, judging the twelve tribes. Sweet!"

You simply could not comprehend Jesus' words to you when He warned you that Satan wanted to sift you like wheat. "Who, me? I'm a tough guy. A fisherman. I put my life on the line when I go out to sea to catch fish. I'm not afraid of anything. I'll be fine."

You thought it nice that Jesus said He prayed for you that your faith would not fail, but deep inside you wondered why the Lord was even concerned. You were ready for anything!

"Lord, I'm ready!"

"I'll never deny You!"

"I've got a sword here!"

When you all went out to the Mount of Olives, Jesus took you and James and John into the garden with Him, while the others waited at the gate. He told you to pray that you would not enter into temptation. If you had realized what the rest of the night would bring, you would have prayed, fervently, wholeheartedly, passionately, brokenly. Instead, you slept.

You likely felt a twinge of guilt when Jesus woke you with the words, "Why are you sleeping?" Did you make an excuse? He told you to rise, and again warned you to pray that you would not enter into temptation. Did you obey?

Then you saw the crowd of soldiers coming. Maybe, for a fleeting moment, you were relieved to see Judas with them. But then you heard the Master say, "would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" When you heard the word, "Betray", your hand went immediately to the dagger you were carrying, and you cried out, "Lord, shall we strike?" You were ready for a fight!

You didn't wait for the Lord's reply. You lashed out, cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest, named Malchus.

Jesus said, "NO MORE OF THIS!" He healed Malchus' ear with a touch. He pointed out to the crowd that they could have arrested Him at any time as He was always in the temple or public places, then allowed the soldiers to lead Him away.

You followed. At a distance. Not so brave now, were you?

In the courtyard, you warmed yourself by the fire, listening to the chatter as the people discussed the commotion. Who was this guy they'd arrested? What had been going on? Who'd been with Him?

You noticed a servant girl looking intently at you, but you ignored her. Did you squirm as she gazed at your face? When she said, "This man was with him.", you denied it.

"Woman, I do not know Him." Oh, Peter.

The talked turned from Jesus to His disciples. Who were these guys that followed this preacher around? One of the men pointed at Peter and said, "You also are one of them."

"Man, I am not." Oh, Peter.

Another hour went by. The people around the fire got to discussing where Jesus was from. Wasn't He from Galilee? Someone piped up, "Certainly this man also was with Him, for he, too, is a Galilean."

"Man, I do not know what you are talking about!"

The rooster crowed.

And the Lord turned, and looked at Peter.

And Peter, you remembered what He said.

Did your heart break?

You went out and wept bitterly.

What a day you had.

But Peter, your life is a lesson for me. I am like you in many ways. And I have a few Peters in my life as well.

What you have taught me is that God chooses foolish, brash, tough people. And He makes them into a Royal Priesthood, conformed to the image of Christ, fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.

One day, when I get there, I'll seek you out, Peter. I can't wait.

Think. Preach.

2012-01-27T09:08:00.001-05:00

When I think about the Lord,

how he saved me,

how he raised me,

how he filled me with the Holy Ghost,

he healed me to the uttermost...

When I think about the Lord,

how he picked me up,

turned me around,

how he set my feet on solid ground...

It makes me want to shout:

Alleluia!

Thank you, Jesus.

Lord, You're worthy of all the glory

and all of the honour

and all the the praise.

Remind yourself of

your wicked sin,

God’s forbearing mercy,

His indescribable grace,

Our perfect Savior,

the brutality and success of the cross,

and the truth of the empty grave.

This is preaching the gospel to yourself.

~Erik Raymond

Giveaway - Rafflecopter!

2012-01-26T18:49:00.002-05:00

Rafflecopter is celebrating! :DThey're giving away an iPad 2, and a couple Kindle Fires. And, it's open to Canadians! Woot! Go ahead and enter. And make sure you tell 'em I sent ya. ;) --> I totally stole this from Adeena!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Superwoman or Abiding Woman?

2012-01-25T09:21:00.001-05:00

What she was thinking.

2012-01-24T16:58:00.002-05:00

Mark 12:42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,which make a penny.

A penny in Greek was two lepta, which make a kodrantes; akodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of adenarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer).

Luke 21:2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze orcopper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for alaborer).

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” ~Luke 21:1-4

Imagine, for a second, that you are the widow. The POOR widow.

You have faith in God. He has always provided everything you need, according to His riches.

Ephesians 3:16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

You have faith in God, and you know that He supplies everything you need. Times have been tough lately, though, and you have been having trouble making ends meet. Rent is due, and the landlord is hassling you, threatening to kick you out if you don't pay by the end of the month. The cupboards are bare. Your kids are whining. "Mommy, we're HUNGRY!'

And what do you do?

You put your trust in the Living God.

He has always been faithful.

He has always provided EVERYTHING you need.

So you trust Him, and you GIVE those last two coins. Each of them are worth about an eighth of a cent... together, they amount to a full quarter of a penny.

You give it.

Not out of your abundance, for you have very little.

You give it out of faith.

Faith in the God Who Sees.

Faith in the God Who Knows.

Faith in the God Who provides everything we need, according to His riches in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.

When you find yourself in dire circumstances, do you question the Lord of All? Or do you remind yourself that He has a purpose and a plan for everything that happens to you?

Yes, God could have blessed that widow with riches.

Instead, He blessed her with poverty. He blessed her with two small coins, copper coins, worth 1/8th of a cent each.

Jesus pointed her out. Jesus taught a lesson, using the faith and generosity of that widow. He compared her sacrifice to the offering of the rich, and He told the truth: SHE gave SO MUCH MORE, for she gave out of her poverty, while the rich gave a small portion of their abundance.

Are you poor? Are you struggling?

Don't think for a minute that God has abandoned you, that He is unaware of your circumstances.

He could be using your two tiny coins to teach timeless principles of sacrifice.

Trust Him!

Abiding in Christ - day 31 - The Glorified One

2012-01-22T15:07:00.001-05:00

I finally am writing my last post on this wonderful little book, Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray. You can find the original online here. I can tell you that reading and pondering this book and its principles has helped me to remember that I am IN CHRIST, that I am kept there by His power, and that I can live continually with a sense of His presence. He promised never to leave or forsake those who have been called out of darkness. Not even for a millisecond.

Abundant life belongs to those who Abide in Christ.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, E

phesians 2:4-6

Jesus is seated in the heavenly places, in perfect victory and rest. He triumphed over evil, and lives in the unclouded light of His Father's presence. Everything is holy there. Everything is in perfect harmony.

As we abide in Christ, we get a taste of this glory. As we die to self and surrender to the will of God, Jesus' glorious life streams through us in works of love and goodness. Christ, seated on His throne, lovingly dispenses His gifts and watches and works for His people.

Loving Goodness & Activity

Just as a fruit tree bears fruit, and a branch in the vine produces grapes, so a Christian abiding in Christ cannot do so without feeling himself stirred and strengthened to work.

"The Spirit and the love of Jesus breathe into him the will and the power to be a blessing to others."~p. 187, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Wondrous Expectation & Hope

Jesus waits in expectation until that Great and Terrible day, when all of His enemies are crushed, His glory revealed to all, and His beloved people with Him forever in glory. He looks forward to that day as a Bridegroom longing for His bride. The believer who abides in Christ will share in that spirit of expectation. He will continually hope for the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Do you long to see Him?

So, the question at the beginning of the book was this:

Can a frail child of dust really dwell in fellowship with the King of Glory?

The answer is YES!

Just as it is Christ's work to save, it is His work to keep. All the believer has to do is to trust, to rest, to yield, to surrender. In faith, the soul must abandon itself entirely to the keeping of Christ's almighty power and the merits of His eternal life.

The Christian life is not a list of rules to keep or things to do. It is not a burden or an effort, but rather it is the increasing abandonment of self to the Lord, and the increasing faith that God is working, in all circumstances, to conform us to the image of His Son, and to glorify His name.

And now,

little children,

abide in Him,

so that when he appears we may have confidence

and not shrink from him in shame

at his coming.

1 John 2:28

Become What You Are!

2012-01-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

This is a quote from John Piper's Book, Exposing the Dark Work of Abortion. Click on the link and download it.

First a Call to Conversion, Then to Light-Shining
All of that happens to you when you become a Christian by putting your trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life.

The rest of the story is: become what you are!
Forgive—out of your forgivenness.
Love—out of your being loved.
Shine—with the light that Christ is in you.

So the call to Christian pro-life action is first a call to conversion—to new birth—to repentance and faith in Jesus.

Then it is a call to let your light shine in the darkness—to walk as children of the light. This is why in verse 9 Paul says, “For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.” Paul calls goodness and justice and truth the fruit of light because it grows naturally out of light. Fruit comes out of a tree because of what the tree is. That is the Christian life: becoming what you are—bearing fruit.

The opposite of the “fruit of light” is “the works of darkness.” Look at verse 11: “Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness.” The opposite of “light” is “darkness” and the opposite of “fruit” is “works.” This is just like Galatians 5 where Paul contrasts the “fruit of the Spirit” and the “works of the flesh.”

And the point is the same: true Christian living is essentially fruit-bearing, not essentially working. It is essentially letting the fruit show what the tree is like. It is not working to become a tree. We become a tree and stay a sound tree by trusting in the free mercy of God and all that he is for us in Jesus. The Christian life—with all its pro-life action and everything else that is good—is being what we are, God-forgiven, God-adopted, Christ-loved, fruit-bearing trees.

Shine your light, Christian! Download and read the book. The following is from the Desiring God site:

We are children of the light. Abortion is a work of darkness. The apostle Paul said, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).

God is calling passive, inactive Christians today to engage our minds and hearts and hands in exposing the barren works of darkness. To be the conscience of our culture. To be the light of the world. To live in the great reality of being loved by God and adopted by God and forgiven by Christ (yes—for all the abortions that dozens of you have had), and be made children of the light.

Abiding in Christ - Day 30 - The Guarantee

2012-01-21T13:44:00.001-05:00

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. ~Hebrews 7:22

The Old Covenant did not secure its objective - to unite Israel and God. The New Covenant would need to secure God's faithfulness to His people, and His people's faithfulness to God.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ~Hebrews 8:7-10

JESUS IS THE GUARANTOR!

To man,

" He became the guarantee that God would faithfully fulfill His part, so that man could confidently depend on God to pardon, accept , and never again forsake them." (p. 181)

To God,

"He likewise became the guarantee that man would faithfully fulfill his part, so that God would bestow on him the blessing of the covenant."

Jeremiah 32:40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and YOU WILL KEEP My judgments and do them (Ezekiel 36:27)

It is God Who keeps the covenant! God stands for Good for both parts!

Jesus is our Melchizedek (He ever lives to make intercession for His people)! He takes no breaks. There is never a moment's interruption. Jesus lives to pray for us and to bless us. He cannot be unfaithful!

To abide moment by moment is easy, even simple.

"Each moment of CONSCIOUS COMMUNION with Him let us say, "Jesus, our guarantor, keeper, ever-living Saviour, in whose life I live, I abide in You."

"Each moment of need, darkness, or fear, we still say, Great High Priest, in the power of an endless, unchangeable life, I abide in You.

"And for the moments when direct and distinct communion with Him must give way to necessary earthly activities, we can TRUST HIM to be our GUARANTEE!" (p.185)

Lord Jesus, my Great High Priest, what joy and awe is mine when I consider that Your work in heaven is to continually intercede for Your people. You cannot be unfaithful, yet You love and pray for and bless a fickle lot. We ought to be strong and courageous, to never waver, to go forth boldly and to serve You without fear all the days of our lives - yet we

mumble and grumble we are lazy and apathetic we are self-indulgent and greedy and we want our own way.

We are fearful and worried
and we refuse to open our mouths to sing Your praises, to shout it to the housetops
that You are the Covenant Keeper - that You never fail.

Thank You for keeping me
for praying for me for blessing me with good things for blessing me with trials.

Thank You for ordering my steps and giving me work to do that matters, in time and for eternity.

Keep me, O Guarantor!
Keep me safe and pure and holy.

I am Yours, and I am grateful.

I was tagged. Sigh.

2012-01-16T08:29:00.000-05:00

And Linda knows I'll answer her. But DO NOT think I want to do this again. Harrumph.

Here goes...

1. Describe yourselfin seven words.

Passionate,articulate, redeemed, poetic, creative, wretched, contented.

2. What keeps you upat night?

Rick the nightowl. And pain.

3. Whom would youlike to be?

ElisabethElliot. Or Joni Eareckson Tada. A Woman of Faith and Wisdom.

4. What are youwearing now?

My comfy pajamabottoms and one of Rick's T-shirts that fits over the cast easily.

5. What scares you?

Loss - of lovedones, pets, home, etc. But I remindmyself of God's Sovereignty and no longer fear. I am more afraid of not finishing well.

6. What are the bestand worst things about blogging?

Best things: Sharing what I have learned with others whomight benefit; expressing myself in writing. I love to get feedback but don't often get it.

Worst thing: Insignificance. That what I write may not matter in thescheme of things.

7. What was the lastwebsite you looked at?

Teaching Tuck and Ty

8. If you couldchange one thing about yourself what would it be?

I'd like to beslower to speak.

9. Slankets – yes orno?

http://www.theslanket.com/ Can you say 'claustrophobic'? Ewwww… NO!

10. Tell ussomething about the person who tagged you.

Linda I love. She is my muse.

Whom are you goingto tag to join the quiz?

Heather, Rachel, Elena and Rick.

Abiding in Christ - Day 29 - It is not in Ourselves

2012-01-15T09:20:00.003-05:00

In me, (that is, in my flesh),

NOTHING GOOD DWELLS.

~ Romans 7:18

It is hard for us humans to really get that. To really understand that in us, there is nothing good.

We like to think of ourselves as accomplished, talented, brilliant, capable, organized, lovely and loving people. We like to think of ourselves as spiritually-minded, moral, and good.

There is nothing farther from the truth.

The truth is that everything we do, everything we say, and everything we think is TAINTED. We do a lot of bad things, and it's fairly easy for us to acknowledge that. We think bad thoughts. We are selfish (did you ever try to beat someone to the empty checkout line at the grocery store?), proud (did you ever think you are better, more talented, more accomplished at _____________ than someone else?). We do not honour our parents or anyone above us in rank or position. We do bad things, we think bad things, every single day.

But here's the rub: EVEN OUR GOOD THINGS are tainted.

Even our prayers are not as fervent or God-centered as they should be. Even our service to others is not as pure and other-centered as it ought to be. Even our worship and praise to God fails to measure up to His holiness. ALL OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSES ARE AS FILTHY RAGS.

So how do sinful, God-loving, elect human beings ever hope to Abide in Christ, and to do so continually?

The only path to true life is to follow the path our Lord took before us: DEATH.

Do you long to abide in Christ? To be kept from sinning? To be in the closest possible fellowship with the Beautiful One?

Then know this: Your greatest enemy is SELF. Your greatest enemy is self-will, doing it in your own power, living the Christian life by your own flesh.

You cannot do it.

SELF must DIE.

Andrew Murray has a question for you to ask yourself:

Am I prepared to say that my old self will no longer have a word to say; that it will not be allowed to have a single thought, however natural, not a single feeling, however gratifying, not a single wish or work, however right?

Are you prepared to DIE?

I can hear you asking, "What about our natural talents? Can't I use my God-given talents for the glory of God?"

YES, but...

Our natural powers, our God-given abilities, our talents and accomplishments CAN be sanctified and used of God, but only if they are taken out from under the power of self and brought under the power of the life of Christ.

Yield yourself.

Yield your talents, your gifts, your possessions.

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Romans 6:13 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ~Romans 12:1 ESV

Through complete surrender, offer EVERYTHING to be used by Him.

Allow Jesus to live in you
to inspire all your thinking
to control every action.

HE IS READY TO TAKE CHARGE!

Realize - you are dead to self, but alive to Christ.

Self is still strong and alive, but it has no power over you. The only time it has any power at all is when you carelessly or faithlessly consent to yield to self's usurped authority.

Realize: you were ransomed from a tyrant and made a conqueror. Self was nailed to the cross, but struggles to be free. It seeks to allure you into giving it some little liberty, or to deceive you by professing to do some service for Christ. It is a dangerous, defeated enemy. It seeks to 'serve' and look 'good' and BE SOMEONE, but nothing good dwells in it. Do not give self any quarter.

Hide in Christ!

Bring to Jesus:

every interest
every power
every thought
every will
every feeling

Hide in Jesus!

Don't Call it Love

2012-01-06T16:18:00.000-05:00

Don’t Call it Love

I’m tempted to sit back in myoverstuffed chair

with a gavel in hand and atired-eye stare that says

I’m not surprised you’ve messedit up again

I’m tempted to sigh, I’m temptedto yawn

if you’d only do life the wayI’ve told you all along

It could be so easy

If you would only be more like me

But oh, that’s the beast thatbrings us down

It’s the devil in a satin gown

So don’t, don’t call it love(don’t call it love)

love wraps herself around thewound

and weeps while she speakstruth

So don’t call this love

Too much to say, not enough time

you’ve got so much to learn it’llhurt for a while

but you know that I’m onlyconcerned

I- only want to help

You got what you gave

I said that you would

I guess it must be really hard tobe so unsure,

but it could be so easy if youwould only be more like me

Chorus

Oh oh

oh oh oh oh oh

oh oh

oh oh oh

oh oh

oh oh oh oh

(Repeat)

Come along beside me

I’ll come along beside you

and I will wash your hands in mytears

I’ll take your boots to the river

and we can sing

where love makes music

love makes music

Oh oh

oh oh oh oh oh

oh oh

oh oh oh

oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

(Repeat x3)

http://www.christawellsmusic.com/music/

Worship

2011-12-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19438721#utm_campaign=www.facebook.com&utm_source=19438721&utm_medium=social

http://www.christawellsmusic.com/music/album-lyrics-image-of-god-ep/

Image of God

Image of God (Wells/Witt)

Bare feet stepping on glass

We break along life’s paths

Our fear and loss, we bring it all to you

Soul-breather, making all things new

You’re making all things new

We come in pieces

We come in fragments

We come discolored

To the foot of the cross

Our Maker sees us

All that we have been

Bonds us together

The Image of God

Clay vessels molded for His own

Shall we question him who holds

And shapes us, for His perfect use

Soul-breather, making all things new

You’re making all things new

chorus

Soil breaking for the seed

Seed breaking for the life

His life broken for the soul

We are remade whole, remade whole

Chorus

Set Free (Wells/Witt)

Brothers and sisters,

We’re all saints and sinners

Why do we live like enemies

Let’s leave our anger

Forgive our debtors

Live like a people set free

Set free, oh-oh-oh-oh free

The let-my-people-go kind of set free

Set free, oh, free

By the love that came and died, rose again so we could be

Set free

We know the truth now

His spirit moves now

We are no longer slave to fear

Go and serve your neighbor

Make love your labour

Listen up my friends, oh, don’t you hear (we’re)

Let them know us by our love,

Let them see our life in Him

Let them sing , let them sing

“we have been”

Dawn of Grace (Wells/Witt/Wood)

Oh, the law I cannot keep

Brings me breathless to my knees

And there I learn to let the gospel be

The sum of what I know

Like rays of rising hope

Oh, dawn of grace upon my soul

The sweetest day my heart has known

And once I looked on Jesus’ face

It was the dawn of grace

All my striving is in vain

All my pride a losing game

And all of my best efforts, simply chains

My Savior steals me from the night

Leads me into love and light

Chorus

Lay Us Low (Wells/Witt)

Father we confess

Oh we confess

we have loved you less than ourselves

Father we confess

Oh we confess

All the idols we’ve built

We are betrayed by what we say

By what we do

And what we claim

We want to be famous

Take us down and lay us low

Leave ashes in place of gold

Life-giver sustainer

Let nothing remain of our pride

From your mountain on high

Lay us low

Father, we forget

Oh how we forget

To forgive like you forgive us

Oh, how we pretend

Oh we pretend

We are wise and we are just

We are betrayed by what we say

By what we do

And what we claim

We’ve declared our own agendas

Chorus

Pray (C.Wells)

Father which art in heaven

Holy is your name

Let your kingdom come

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Father, give us our daily bread

And father, forgive our debts

As we forgive our debtors

Teach us to pray

Father which art in heaven

Holy is your name

Let your kingdom come

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Father, deliver us from evil

For yours is the kingdom

And the power and the glory forever

Teach us to pray

Ahhh..amen

Teach us to pray, teach us to pray, teach us to pray

Our Father

2011-12-18T16:34:00.001-05:00

Andrea Bocelli sings with the voice the Lord has given him.

Denise Sproul is now rejoicing in the presence of the Lord, and she knows firsthand that His indeed is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, Forever. Amen.

The Thanksgiving Lesson

2011-11-24T07:29:00.001-05:00

The Thanksgiving Lesson

by J. R. Miller, 1912

Gladness may not be thanksgiving. It certainly is not all of thanksgiving. One may have a heart bubbling with joy, without a note of thanksgiving. The task of happiness is one to which we should all firmly set ourselves. To be miserable in this glorious world, is most unfit. We should cultivate joyousness. But our present lesson is a larger and deeper one. Thanksgiving implies thought of God. One may be glad all the day—and never think of God. Thanksgiving looks up with every breath, and sees God as Father from whom all blessings come. Thanksgiving is praise. The heart is full of gratitude. Every moment has something in it to inspire love. The lilies made Jesus think of his Father, for it was he who clothed them in beauty. The providence of our lives, if we think rightly of it, is simply God caring for us. Our circumstances may sometimes be hard, our experiences painful, and we may see nothing in them to make us glad. But faith teaches us that God is always good and always kind, whatever the present events may be. We may be thankful, therefore, even when we cannot be glad. Our hearts may be grateful, knowing that good will come to us even out of pain and loss.

This is the secret of true thanksgiving. It thinks always of God and praises him for everything. The song never dies out in the heart, however little there may be in the circumstances of life to make us glad. Thanksgiving is a quality of all noble and unselfish life. No man is so unworthy, as he who never cherishes the sentiment of gratitude, who receives life's gifts and favors—and never gives back anything in return for all he gets.

Until we think seriously of it, we do not begin to realize what we are receiving continually from those about us. None may give us money, or do for us things which the world counts gifts or favors, but these are not the best things. Our teachers are ever enriching us by the lessons they give us. Those who require hard tasks of us and severely demand of us the best we can do, are our truest benefactors.

Sometimes we complain of the hardness of our lives, that we have had so little of ease and luxury, that we have had to work so hard, bear so many burdens, and sometimes we let ourselves grow bitter and unthankful as we think of the severity of our experience. But of all times—it has been in these very severities that we have got the richest qualities in our character. If we are living truly, serving God and following Christ, there is no event or experience for which we may not be thankful. Every voice of our lips should be praise. Every day of our years should be a thanksgiving day. He who has learned the Thanksgiving lesson, well has found the secret of a beautiful life.

"Praise is lovely," says the Hebrew Psalmist. Lovely means fit, graceful, pleasing, attractive. Ingratitude is never lovely. The life that is always thankful is winsome, ever a joy to all who know it.

The influence of an ever-praising life on those it touches, is almost divine. The way to make others good—is to be good yourself. The way to diffuse a spirit of thanksgiving—is to be thankful yourself. A complaining spirit makes unhappiness everywhere.

How may we learn this thanksgiving lesson? It comes not merely through a glad natural disposition. There are some favored people who were born cheerful. They have in them a spirit of happiness which nothing ever quenches. They always see the bright side of things. They are naturally optimistic. But the true thanksgiving spirit is more than this. It is something which can take even an unhappy and an ungrateful spirit—and make it new in its sweetness and beauty. It is something which can change discontent and complaining into praise; ingratitude into grateful, joyful trust.

Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart, transforming the disposition and the whole character. Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality. An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always. This lesson is learned only when it becomes a habit which nothing can weaken. We must persist in being thankful. When we can see no reason for praise—we must believe in the divine love and goodness, and sing in the darkness. Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences.

We may call one day in the year Thanksgiving Day, and fill it with song and gladness, remembering all the happy things we have enjoyed, all the pleasant events, all the blessings of our friendships, all our prosperities. But we cannot gather all our year's thanksgivings into any brightest day. We cannot leave today without thanks, and then thank God tomorrow for today and tomorrow both. Today's sunshine will not light tomorrow's skies. Every day must be a thanksgiving day for itself.

Ray Arthur Matthews

2011-11-15T17:30:00.001-05:00

My brother, Lawrence Matthews, sent me this information regarding my Uncle Ray Matthews:

Pilot Officer Ray Arthur Matthews (RCAF Special Reserve) was killed in action on active duty on May 28, 1943 over Tripoli, Capital of Libya. He is buried in Lot 6, Grave 3 at the British Cemetary in Castel Benito, 15 miles due south of Tripoli. Memorial service was held at St. James Church in Lake Beauport.

Grandad wrote the following on June 5th, 1943:

One night alone, he flew away
To meet the enemy, come what may.
Far across the desert sand
Flying and fighting, life in hand.

Thoughts of home and love ones dear
His only comfort at night to cheer
A lonely vigil through star lit sky
His thoughts of home and his last "Good-by".

Suddenly from out of dawn
No friendly hand of danger to warn,
A shattering blast of gun shot fire
A few days later, a brief cold wire.

"KILLED IN ACTION, the sad news said"
"Your brave son reported DEAD".
Anguish mingled with joyful tears.
A Heros end he had no fears.

So passed into that glorious sphere
Our brave boy, we love so dear.
God bless you son. God speed your way
Happy United we shall meet some day.
- Arthur H. Matthews

Ray was also a member of the Late Arrivals Club. As a Flight Sergeant assigned to RAF 260 Squadron he engaged in what he wrote was a "stuka party" and was "shot up and down". As near as I can figure he was in a hospital somewhere over the summer, refused the offer to return to Canada and signed up as a test pilot and re-started active duty in September 1942. For quite a few months he was test pilot for a wide variety of different planes. His last entry in the log book was May 21st, 1943, after having been reassigned to a forward base near Castel Benito a week earlier.

Air Marshal H.Edwards sent condolences to the Matthews family informing them of the sad news. Followed by Charles Power, Minister of National Defence for Air, as well as a note from King George at Buckingham Palace, that said "The Queen and I offer you our heartfelt sympathy in your great sorrow. We pray your country's gratitude for a life so nobly given in its service may bring you some measure of consolation."

His Pilot's Log Book was declassified and sent to the family on March 4th, 1948. Looking at the log book, as near as I can figure he probably just missed being declared an "Ace", where you need 5 confirmed "kills" (downing an enemy plane) and he had 4, plus a number of probables.

But he'll always be an Ace in my book. Uncle Ray seemed like he would have been a great guy, I wish I had met him. Aunt Ruth also said he was a top of his class at Quebec High in academics and an excellent boxer.

Abiding in Christ - Day 28 - He is Your Strength

2011-11-14T18:25:00.001-05:00

Okay. We know. We're weak.

It's very easy for us to fall into sin. It's very easy for us to be tempted. Linda writes about it here.

We acknowledge we are utterly weak, but we often try to forget it. God wants us to remember our weakness, and to feel it deeply.

We tend to mourn over it, believing our weakness is a hindrance to all-out service to the God we love. Yet Christ teaches us to be content with the truth that we are very weak.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Here's a secret:

Our weakness is actually the secret of strength and success.

The Christian's life work is to testify concerning Jesus, either by living a holy life or by speaking in His name. But how are we to do this? By abiding in Christ, and by yielding to Him as His power works through us.

Christ gives His power in us by giving His life to us. He does not take our frail lives and impart a little strength to help us in our frailty. He goes the WHOLE WAY. He gives His own life to us, and gives us His own power.

Instead of taking away our sense of weakness and giving in its place a feeling of strength, our Saviour leaves and even increases the sense we have of utter impotence. At the same time, He increases our consciousness of strength in HIM.

"The weakness and the strength are side by side; as the one grows, the other does, too, until his disciples understand the saying, "when I am weak, then am I strong; I boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." ~ p. 172, Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ

Believer, look to Christ. Look to His beauty, His power, His ability to always do the right thing in every situation. Remember that He is never tempted to sin, and never without strength to accomplish what His Father has willed. Look to Jesus.

The believer who longs for holiness and power to do the Heavenly Father's work confidently remembers the power of Christ in him.

"He lives a truly joyous and blessed life, not because he is no longer weak, but because, being utterly helpless, he consents and expects to have the mighty Saviour work in him."~p. 173

Practical Lessons

All our strength is in Christ. He has all authority in heaven and on earth and is able to meet every need.
The power of Christ flows into us as we abide in close union with Him. "When the union is weak, undervalued, or undercultivated, the inflow of strength will be weak." But when we abide in Him, His power works through us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Our one care is to abide in Christ as our strength.

Our one duty is to be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS MIGHT.

The Lord is my strength and my song. Isaiah 12:2

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

Adjustment

2011-11-10T19:26:00.001-05:00

I've really been enjoying the book, Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray. You can read the original version of the book online here.

The biggest benefit to me is that I have learned how to abide more faithfully, more deeply, and more consistently. I have learned what it is to die to self, and to acknowledge the depravity of my heart and the neediness of my soul. I am never able to live the Christian life in a godly manner on my own steam, and I know it. I also know that Christ lives in me, and He is able to keep me and use me for His own glory.

So, in all of my learning and leaning on Christ, I began to feel sorry for those who do not yet know what it is to abide in Christ. And in so doing, I became a bit smug, and a wee bit "holier than thou".

So, God smacked me a bit with a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day. My pain level was high from the gardening I did the other day. I received a notice in the mail that my chiropractic assessment did not go as I desired, so I will receive no more compensation for chiropractic adjustments at this time. I had a run-in with a couple of my kids, and I worried a lot about my husband, who is wearing a monitor to figure out what is going on with his heart. Bills came in the mail and the phone rang with people looking for their money. Physical pain, relational pain, marital pain, financial pain... all rolled into one day.

The good news? It drove me to my God. It reminded me that I only live a godly life when I am resting in Jesus, moment by moment, day by day.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I am content to know that I am weak, for the grace of my God is sufficient for me. I am content with insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities, for I know that Christ is in me and is working through me for His own glory.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.~2 Corinthians 13:14

Abiding in Christ - Day 27 - That You Might Not Sin

2011-11-08T18:18:00.001-05:00

In Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. ~1 John 3:5-6

Jesus took away our sin by His work on the cross. He is the propitiation for our sin - meaning He satisfied every requirement for justice by paying the full penalty in our place. He is our Saviour Who by His life, suffering and death made atonement for our sins and allowed us to be reconciled to God. Clearly, that is cause for rejoicing and praise!

But wait, there's more! (I feel like one of those TV salespersons)... But there truly is MORE:

Christ also has delivered us from the power of sin, so that the believer does not practice sin any more.

In Him there is no sin.

Whoever abides in Him does not sin.

Believer, if you remain rooted and grounded in Christ, abiding in Him moment by moment, you will not sin, because you are rooted in Perfection.

If the root is holy, so are the branches. ~Romans 11:16

How is this consistent with what the Bible teaches about our sin nature?

We have a sin nature. We have sinned.

having sin - Ifwe say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.1 John 1:8
practicing sin - If we say we have notsinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. v10

The holiest believer must admit these truths - he has sin within; his sin has broken out into sinful practices.

"The deepest confession of sin in the past, and the deepest consciousness of still having a vile and corrupt nature in the present may coexist with humble but joyful praise to Him Who keeps us from stumbling as we abide in Him."~Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, p.164

Look at Paul. He acknowledged he'd been a persecutor of the church. He was deeply conscious of being the Chief of Sinners. Yet for him, to live was Christ; to die was gain. He walked through life abiding in Christ in close and unbroken fellowship.

In Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin.

There are degrees of abiding, my friends. When the abiding in Christ is weak and intermittent, sin continually rears its ugly head and defeats the soul.

Yet the Bible promises...

Sin shall not have dominion over you.~Romans 6:14

And the Bible commands...

Do not let sin reign in your mortal body.~Romans 6:12

A believer who claims the promise and obeys the command, walking by faith in the Son of God and in His power to keep him, trusts Jesus to keep sin from overpowering him. But weak believers who are ignorant of the promise or careless about sin's power if they do not remain abiding in Christ live a life of continual stumbling and constant sorrow and regret. Satan wants to keep you defeated. But Jesus will keep you from yielding to your sinful nature, as you abide in Him.

Andrew Murray illustrates this with the story of a lion tamer who was in control of a young lion. When the keeper was near, the lion would crouch and tremble at his master's feet, no matter who approached. But if anyone approached the lion when the keeper was not present, it was instant death!

"In the same way, we can have sin and yet not practice sin. The evil nature, the flesh, is unchanged in its rebellion against God, but the abiding presence of Jesus keeps it under control. In faith the believer can entrust himself to the keeping, the indwelling, of the Son of God; as he abides in Him, he can count on Jesus to be there for him. It is union and fellowship with the Sinless One that is the secret of a holy life: "In Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin."" ~Andrew Murray p.166, Abiding in Christ.

Do not despair or fall into the pattern of thinking that it is not possible for you to have this kind of life. You can abide in your Saviour, Jesus. He never changes. His promises never fail. As you rest in Him, acknowledging that you cannot keep yourself, but He can keep you, you remain IN HIM. The key is to remain humble and helpless before Him.

Glory to God

"By keeping us on a daily basis humble and helpless in our consciousness of our evil nature, watchful and active in the knowledge of its terrible power, dependent and trustful in the remembrance that only His presence can keep the lion down-- this gives all glory to Him and not to ourselves. O let us believe that when Jesus said, ":Abide in Me, and I in you, " He meant that, while we were not to be freed from the world and its tribulation, from the sinful nature and its temptations, we were at least to have this blessing fully secured to us-- the grace to abide wholly; only, in our Lord. Abiding in Jesus makes it possible to keep from actual sinning; and Jesus Himself makes it possible to abide in Him."

Faith only has to deal with the present moment.

Can Jesus, right now, as you abide in Him, keep you from sinning and doing those things that have stained and wearied you? Surely He can.

In the moments between your activities, in the middle of your busy day, can you stop and say, "Jesus, keep me now. Jesus, save me now. Help me to resist temptation and yield to Your will for my life, right now."?

Let failure drive you to Him.

Regard it as HIS WORK to keep you abiding in Him, and His work to keep you from sinning. He is the Vine, you are merely the branch. He must bear and hold you and keep you in His love and power. All you have to do is surrender. He will keep you from sin, but even better, He will purify you and use you as a channel of blessing to others, to demonstrate His power and His glory on the earth.

In Him there is no sin.

Whoever abides in Him does not sin.

Bitter and Sweet

2011-11-06T09:39:00.002-05:00

We've tasted the bitterness of family sorrows, of strained relationships, of financial ruin. We know what it is to suffer under the pain of sin's consequence.

We've tasted the sweetness of full assurance in Christ, of knowing that heaven awaits, of sensing the peace that passes understanding and the joy that never ends.

James Smith, a Puritan writer, says it so much better than I ever could. Go here and read!

And may God bless you on your journey today.

Abiding in Christ - Day 26 - Showing Love to Fellow Believers

2011-11-05T10:48:00.002-04:00

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ~John 15:12
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ~John 15:9

THE LOVE THAT FILLS HEAVEN AND ETERNITY

IS TO BE SEEN DAILY HERE

IN THE LIFE OF EARTH AND TIME.

~Andrew Murray

Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment, the great evidence of the reality of the new covenant, the one convincing and indisputable token of discipleship: LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~John 13:34;:35

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. ~John 17:21-23

Jesus lived this life of love perfectly. Look at His life. It was one of

self-abasement
self-sacrifice
love to the unworthy
love to the ungrateful
humble Servanthood
giving Himself to death on a cross

Believers who gaze at Christ and live in Him are witnesses to the incredible Love that gave itself to die. He is our example, and He wants us to love like He did.

"Christians are to prove that love has made them members of one body and of one another, and has taught them each to forget and to sacrifice self for the sake of the other." ~Andrew Murray, p. 159, Abiding in Christ

God brings into our lives the exact people that we are to love. Do you have a difficult husband, and impossible child, an immoral relative, a nasty neighbour? God has placed that person within your sphere of influence for His good purposes.

If you love God, you'll love others.

"Love to fellow believers is the flower and fruit of the root, unseen in the heart, of love to God."

We are in the School of Love

We live with a bunch of self-centered sinners if we live in an ordinary family. This is where the Lord teaches us how to love the unlovable. In interaction with a demanding toddler or hormonal youth, we are being trained to love. This training expands to our being strengthened to love those who are as yet outside of Christ, not just with things you can agree on (like the weather or politics), but with a holy love that bears with the most disagreeable for Jesus' sake.

Study Jesus. How did He love?

forgiveness 70 times 7; He even forgave those who crucified Him.
unwearied patience; He taught His disciples by example and word.
infinite humility; He left His exalted position to be a Humble Servant.

How do you feel about this glorious calling to love like Christ?

Does your heart leap at this unspeakable privilege of showing the likeness of eternal love to others? Or do you sigh at the thought that you will never be able to demonstrate love the way our Saviour did?

The truth is, you can't do it. Not in your own strength.

Yet you are commanded to love like Christ.

The only way to do so is to fully abide in Him. As you do so, you will love others with a love that is not your own. Jesus' love will shine through you. He can make you gentle and patient. He can keep a watch over your lips so that every word that proceeds from your mouth is uplifting and kind. He can give you a gentle spirit that refuses to take offense and is always willing to believe the best of others.

"Let the love that seeks not its own, but is always ready to wash others' feet, or even to give its life for them, be our aim as we abide in Jesus. Let our life be one of self-sacrifice, always studying the welfare of others, finding our highest joy in blessing others. And let us, in studying the divine art of doing good, yield ourselves as obedient learners to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By His grace, the most commonplace life can be transformed with the brightness of heavenly beauty, as the infinite love of the divine nature shines out through our frail humanity."~Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, p. 161

Love one another, as I have loved you.

Real Prayer

2011-11-04T21:01:00.001-04:00

"Real prayer has eyes on Christ, not the crisis."

~Ann Voskamp

Ann has written a gem about prayer. Go and read it.

Ann writes, "I don’t know how God hears the wail of the woman howling raw for that one man to come love her right. The ache of the daughter rejected by the icy parent. The choking breath of the man crushed hard by a weight of debt."

The truth is that it is a hard road to travel, this road that the Lord leads us down. In the middle of the crisis, He teaches us that He never fails, not even when the answer to our begging is NO.

I have "howled raw" for those I love. I know what it is to be rejected and crushed.

But this I know, too: My Saviour never fails me. He never falters. He is always, always faithful.

Keep your eyes on Christ, Beloved, no matter what crisis you are enduring.

Real prayer has eyes on Christ, not the crisis.

Abiding in Christ - Day 25 - That Your Joy May Be Full

2011-11-01T15:49:00.002-04:00

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.~John 15:11

There is exquisite and overflowing happiness to be found in Christ. Is this your experience?

. . . for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” ~Nehemiah 8:10

This is the daily, hourly, moment-by-moment experience of a believer who is truly abiding in Christ.

His Own Joy

"that My joy may remain in you..."

Because of the resurrection we have never-ceasing joy - the joy of a work fully completed by our Saviour, so that we can rejoice in the Father's presence, and rejoice in the souls redeemed by the grace of our God. We are now partakers of the Joy of Christ.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in *triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.~2 Corinthians 2:14

* a reference to the lavish victory parades celebrated in Rome after great battles. God is depicted as the sovereign victor, with Christ as the general, leading the victory procession, and Paul as “captured” by Christ but now joyfully following him.

We are in a triumphal procession! Look backward, and see the work He has done! Look upward, and see the reward He has for us! We are partakers in His joy, in His work, in His glory!

"With our feet on Calvary, our eyes on the Father's face, and our hands helping sinners home, we have His joy as our own." ~Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, p. 153

Abiding Joy

"that My joy may remain in you..."

This abiding joy remains, never to cease, never interrupted.

If you think the Christian life is a succession of changes, sometimes joy, sometimes sorrow, you do not understand the unceasing joy that is yours in Christ. Paul understood this. The Christian life is a paradox - the combination at one and the same moment of all the bitterness of earth and all the joy of heaven!

Paul writes,

through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:8-10

Andrew Murray explains,

These precious words teach us how the joy of Christ can overrule the sorrow of the world, can make us sing even while we weep, and can maintain in the heart, even when cast down by disappointment or difficulties, a deep consciousness of a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.~ Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, p.153.

The presence of Jesus cannot help but bring JOY!

Full Joy

Answered prayer is a token

of fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
of God's delight in us as beloved children
of God's care and concern for us

Look with eyes of faith, and see Jesus, the Great High Priest, entering the Father's presence for us, praying for us, working in us.

John 15 - shows the full joy of abiding in Christ
John 16 - shows the full joy of prevailing prayer
John 17 - shows the full joy of knowing that LOVE pleads for me

Life in Christ

This life is not a life of self-denial and sadness - that is a result of NOT abiding. No, life in Christ is full of JOY. The difficulties all arise from our refusal to surrender.

To those who finally yield themselves unreservedly to abide in Christ for a bright and blessed life, their faith comes true - the joy of the Lord is theirs.~Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, p. 155.

Are you experiencing joy in the midst of sorrow? Are you experiencing joy in the midst of pain? This life of joy can be yours, as you learn to fully abide in Christ, surrendering to His will and resting in His care.

. . .that your joy may be full!

Abiding in Christ - Day 24 - Obeying His Commandments

2011-10-31T08:37:00.002-04:00

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.~John 15:10 ESV

Works are an interesting thing. The human condition is that we take pride in our good works, and we love to be praised for the things we do well, and acknowledged as someone who DOES. Yet the Bible tells us that all of our works are useless - our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.~ John 3:19

When the sinner contemplates his life, he often thinks..."Look at what I've done. I'm a good person. I don't lie or cheat. I've never murdered anyone. I'm a great parent, a loving child, a good boss, a great employee." Yet the gospel states clearly, NOT BY WORKS.

yet we know that aperson is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith inChrist and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will bejustified. ~Galatians 2:16

For all who rely onworks of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone whodoes not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” ~Galatians 3:10

. . . he saved us, notbecause of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy,by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ~Titus 3:5

Sinners are without hope, because they cannot keep the commandments. The Bible teaches us that we must obey God in all things, and it also teaches us that we cannot do so in our own strength. But this is precisely what the sinner attempts to do. "I'll live a clean life. I'll do all sorts of good things." Just a simple contemplation of one's thought life (never mind one's deeds) reveals that he cannot keep the commandments.

So, works are a great hindrance to the sinner. He must come to Christ, who did live a perfect life and die the death he deserved, paying the price for sin and opening the way to the Father. That is the gospel.

Conversely, to the Believer, works are a blessing and a strength. By works, faith is made perfect. By works, the union with Christ is cemented, and the soul is established and more deeply rooted in the love of God. (see James 2).

When a believer learns what it is to abide in Christ, he begins to think, to feel, to will what Jesus thought, felt and willed. His desire is to be holy like Jesus.

"To live the life of Christ means to him to be delivered from the life of self; the will of Christ is to him the only path of liberty from the slavery of his own self-will." ~p.146, Abiding in Christ, Chapter 24. (Go here to read online.)

There is no true fellowship with God without delight in His will. As a believer matures and grows in grace, he begins to see the commandments of God as just as precious as His promises. Oh, how love I thy law... it is my meditation all the day!

Not Just a Fire Escape

If salvation is just a way of personal safety, an escape from future judgment and the everlasting fire of hell, a sinner can be nonchalant about obedience. "I'm saved...so I can live the way I want to." If he has that attitude, he ought to examine his "salvation" more closely, because he is in great danger.

True Salvation is Restoration

The true meaning of salvation is a restoration to communion with GOD. The God who created the universe and walked with our first parents in the Garden desires to walk with His children, even today. That communion is restored by saving faith in the Son. True salvation also means the conformity of the sinner to Christ... we are made Christ-like as we abide in His love.

Christ was Obedient

Christ Himself, in order to abide in His Father's love, was obedient. In the life He led on earth, obedience was a solemn reality.

"The dark and awful power that led humankind to revolt from God tempted Him too. To Him, as with all men, its offers of self-gratification were not matters of indifference; to refuse them, He had to fast and pray. He suffered, being tempted. He spoke very distinctly of not seeking to do His own will. This was a surrender He had to make continually. He made the keeping of the Father's commandments the distinct object of His life, and so did He abide in His love. He plainly tells us, "I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father has taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." (John 8:28-29)." ~Abiding in Christ, p.147

Sign of a Spiritual Life

Keeping His commandments is a sure sign of the life He inspires. If we love God and abide in Him, we'll be obedient.

Keep His Commandments

Study the Word to understand the Lord's will
Meditate on His precepts
Pray fervently to discover every sin
Mortify the flesh - yield yourself in complete surrender to obey all that the Lord has said

Be careful about disobedience, even in the little things.

Disobedience

dulls the conscience
darkens the soul
deadens our spiritual energies

You are a soldier of Christ. Ask for nothing but the orders of your Commander. Each new surrender and sacrifice will lead you to a deeper union with your Saviour. If you keep His commandments, you will abide in Him, just as He kept the Father's commandments and lived abiding in His love.

Blessings of This Day of Rest

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Studying Genesis with the Family
Praying together
Lunch made by daughter
Supper made by daughter
Floor cleaned by son
Sunshine
Wood stove
Fluffy White Dog
Fancy new phone
Shoulder and neck massage

It's the little things that make a house a home, and a bunch of related sinners a family. We had a restful day today. Such a blessing when the days seem to pile one on top of the other with unrelenting pressure.

Contentment

Instead ofcomplaining at his lot, a contented man is thankful that his condition andcircumstances are no worse than they are. Instead of greedily desiringsomething more than the supply of his present need, he rejoices that God stillcares for him. Such an one is "content" with such as he has (Heb.13:5). —Arthur W. Pink

Christiancontentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, whichfreely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in everycondition. —Jeremiah Burroughs

Limitless

2011-10-29T07:45:00.001-04:00

Take a minute, and listen to this Grace Gem.

Someone I love very much has told me that to consider how much Jesus loves me seems to be a bit man-centered. In my opinion, it highlights the grace of God. How can a God of infinite majesty and perfection love a person like me without limit and without measure? Only by His grace.

That's why it's been called "Amazing". God's grace is astonishing, unfathomable, incomprehensible. It's hard for us to love the people we most love in this world. Someone disappoints us, and we lash out. Someone cheats us, and we seek vengeance. We like movies that show the victim getting back at the offender, because there's a sense of justice fulfilled when we see vengeance take place.

The reason we have a sense of justice is that we've been created in the image of God, and He is just. He will exact vengeance on His enemies, don't doubt that for a minute. Yet, out of His infinite wisdom, He has chosen to turn some of His enemies into His friends. He has chosen to invite some into His family to be adopted as Sons and Daughters of the King. Not because any were good enough, or deserved a place in the Family of God, but by His Amazing Grace.

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. ~Titus 3:3; But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ~ Titus 3:4-7 ESV

He giveth more gracewhen the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth morestrength when the labors increase,

To added afflictionHe addeth His mercy,

To multipliedtrials, His multiplied peace.

His love has nolimit, His grace has no measure,

His power noboundary known unto men,

For out of Hisinfinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth and givethand giveth again.

When we haveexhausted our store of endurance,

When our strengthhas failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach theend of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's fullgiving is only begun.

Questions

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Good Questions to Ponder (From Vintage Jesus)

1. What am I most afraid of?

2. What do I long for most passionately?

3. Where do I run for comfort?

4. What do I complain about the most?

5. What angers me most?

6. What makes me happiest?

7. How do I explain myself to other people?

8. What has caused me to be angry with God?

9. What do I brag about?

10. What do I want to have more than anything else?

11. What do I sacrifice the most for in my life?

12. If I could change one thing in my life what would that be?

13. Whose approval am I seeking?

14. What do I want to control/master?

15. What comfort do I treasure the most?

He is Exalted

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Abide as Christ Abides in the Father - Day 23

2011-10-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.(John 15:9-10 ESV)

Imagine how confused the disciples of Christ must have been as they thought about abiding in Him, then began to take in His statement that He was going to die. How would they be able to abide in Him if He were gone away? He gave them His life as an example - the example of His abiding in the Father.

Jesus' life in the Father is the law of their life in Him!

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.(John 6:57 ESV)

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:21; John 17:22-26 ESV)

Jesus' abiding in the Father was possible because they were ONE - one in life, and one in love.

"Though dwelling here on earth, He knew that He was one with the Father, that the Father's life was in Him, and His love on Him. Without this knowledge, abiding in the Father and His love would have been utterly impossible for Christ."~ Abiding in Christ, Andrew Murray p.140

We, too, must keep this knowledge at the forefront of our minds.

"Know that you are one with Him-one in the unity of nature. By His birth He became man and took on your nature so that He might be one with you. By your new birth you become one with Him and are made partaker of His divine nature."~ Abiding in Christ, Andrew Murray p.140

THIS IS THE UNION OF A DIVINE LIFE.

"In His life of humiliation on earth He tasted the blessing and strength of knowing Himself to be the object of an infinite love, and He dwelt in it all through His days."~ Andrew Murray p.140

IN THIS THE SECRET OF REST AND JOY IS FOUND.

Believer, you are One with Him. Yield yourself to be loved by Jesus. Abide in His love.

"I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." -John 15:10

Jesus lived a life of subjection and dependence, yet was most blessed!

Dependence, subjection, and self-sacrifice are the blessed path of life. Jesus was not afraid of losing anything by giving up all to the Father. He knows the Father loves Him and has His best interest at heart. As He completely depends on the Father and submits to His will, He knows the Father will share all He possesses with His beloved Son.

This is the pattern of a life in Christ.

Without Me you can do nothing.~ John 15:5 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:15

We learn to glory in weakness, to delight in hardships, for

"When I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

"The apostle Paul rises above the ordinary tone in which so many Christians speak of their weakness. They are seemingly content to merely tolerate their state, while Paul sees much more; he has learned from Christ that in the life of divine love the emptying of self and the sacrifice of our will is the surest way to have all we could wish or want." ~Abiding in Christ, Andrew Murray, p. 141

DEPENDENCE, SUBJECTION AND SELF-SACRIFICE

THIS IS THE BLESSED PATH OF

LIFE IN CHRIST.

Glory.

Jesus gave Himself wholly to the Father's will, and the Father crowned Him with glory and honour.

In the same way, as we trust ourselves and out interests to His love, caring only for His will and honour, exercising absolute dependence on Him in all things, He will do for us what His Father did for Him!

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Thessalonians 1:11, 12 ESV)

By His grace, He

acknowledges us as His representatives
entrusts us with His power
admits us to His counsels
allows our intercession to influence His church and world
makes us the vehicles of His authority

How can you really understand and appropriate into your life the fact that you will abide in the love of Christ in the same way Christ lived in His Father?

Be quiet before God. Gaze upon Christ's life in the Father. Be still and listen.

Christ was the revelation of the Father on earth.

Believers are the revelation of Christ on earth.

Amen!

Ramblings

2011-10-23T20:22:00.002-04:00

We visited our sons' church today. It's amazing that we can walk into a church we've only attended once before, and feel completely at home and welcomed.

The praise and worship time was truly uplifting. One of the gentleman played the violin beautifully. It's rare to hear the violin being played so masterfully in a church setting, and I found my heart singing praises to God as I worshiped in song.

This is the thing that impressed me the most: I was among family members. I was with fellow Christians on the journey towards the celestial city. There was a familiarity that is only experienced in interacting with other believers. It's a recognition that this is my brother; this is my sister.

In the book of John, Jesus describes Himself in many ways - the Bread of Life, Living Water, the Light of the World, the Way, the Truth, the Gate, and the Good Shepherd. In the beginning of John 10, He rebukes the Pharisees who have been challenging His leadership, saying He must have a demon. The listeners must have been confused, wondering who to believe. The Pharisees, who had the appearance of being spiritual leaders, well respected in the community, or this obscure man who taught so differently, speaking in allegory and common words in order to explain the deep truths of God.

Truly, truly. Jesus often began His teaching with these words after interactions with the Pharisees. He was saying in effect, "the religious authorities have told you something, but here's the truth. Listen to Me."

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
(John 10:1-6 ESV)

Someone who does not enter the sheepfold by the door is a thief and a robber. A thief is someone who sneaks in, climbing over the wall with stealth, intending to steal and harm. A robber is a step more violent than a thief - he does it all by force. The Shepherd goes through the door legitimately, because he has a right to be there.

Shepherds in the middle east would call their sheep by name. The sheep would respond only to their own Shepherd. Even though there were multiple flocks inside the sheepfold, the sheep would only follow their own Shepherd, listening for His voice and following Him wherever He led.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who lays down His life for His sheep. He speaks to us though His word, leading and protecting us at all times. Yet we must be on guard, especially in this postmodern age where we are taught that there are no absolute truths, that morals vary according to cultural norms, and that those who think they actually know the truth are arrogant human beings. Even some churches would hold to the opinion that believers must mold themselves to the culture in order to reach the people. It's the same lie that Satan tried with Eve in the Garden of Eden... "Hath God said?"

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV)

We are dumb, defenseless sheep who require constant oversight, leading and rescuing.

That's why we need a Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd leads His sheep with His voice - the Bible, God's Word, the Truth.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.

There is no safer place for a Christian to be than to be listening to the Voice of His Shepherd, His Saviour, Jesus.

You Are Loved!

2011-10-21T09:49:00.002-04:00

Youare loved!

As one of His redeemed ones
you are His delight,

&
all His desire is to you,

with the longing of a love that is stronger than death,

which many waters cannotquench.

His heart yearns foryou,

seeking your fellowship and your love.

If it were needed,
He would die againto possess you.

As the Father loved theSon,

and could not live withoutHim -

this is how Jesusloves you.

His life is bound upin yours;

You are to Him

inexpressibly more indispensable
and precious

than you can ever know.

You are one with Him.

"As the Fatherloved Me, I have also loved you."

Whatlove!~ Abiding in Christ, AndrewMurray, p.134

Abiding in Christ - Day 22 - Continue in His Love

2011-10-21T09:00:00.001-04:00

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you;continue in My love. ~ John 15:9

Think about this for a moment. Read Chapter 22 for yourself.

Jesus loves the redeemed sinner in the same way the Father loves Him.

Love needs an OBJECT

to give itself away to
in whom it can lose itself
with whom it can make itself one

Because God is love, there must be a Father and a Son. The Father's love to the Son is that divine passion that finds delight in the Son, and declares

This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. ~Matthew 3:17

Divine Love is a burning fire, with one object and one joy: the only begotten Son! The astounding thing for me as a believer is that the Father's love for His Son mirrors the love of Christ for me.

As one of His redeemed ones you are His delight,
and all His desire is to you,
with the longing of a love that is stronger than death,
and which many waters cannot quench.
His heart yearns for you,
seeking your fellowship and your love.
If it were needed, He would die again to possess you.
As the Father loved the Son,
and could not live without Him -
this is how Jesus loves you.
His life is bound up in yours;
you are to Him inexpressibly more indispensable and precious
than you can ever know.
You are one with Him.
"As the Father loved Me, I have also loved you."
What love! ~ Abiding in Christ, Andrew Murray, p.134

This love of Jesus is

an eternal love
a perfect love
a gentle and most tender love
an unchangeable love

With tender compassion, He bows to our weakness.

With inconceivable patience, He bears with our slowness;

With the gentlest loving-kindness, He meets our fears and failures.

Because of this love, we yield ourselves wholly to abide in Him.

God's love supplies the motive. Just look at Jesus, the Crucified Love who proved the reality of His affection by giving His life for you.

God's love supplies the measure. Just look at the unspeakable privilege of being loved with such love that passes knowledge. (Ephesians 3:18-19)

God's love supplies the means. Just look at the intense and burning passion of divine love. We love Him because He first loved us. We abide in Him because of this amazing love.

"Surely all my unworthiness and frailty can be no hindrance to such love."

It is stronger than my weakness.
It will hold me in its arms.
It will allow me to wander no more.

Divine love has given me faith - that faith by which

UTTER SINFULNESS casts itself into the Arms of Love to be saved

and

UTTER WEAKNESS entrusts itself to be kept and made strong.

What Infinite Love!

Love with which the Father loved the Son.

Love with which the Son loves me.

Abiding in Christ - Day 21 - So you Will Have Power in Prayer

2011-10-20T09:11:00.000-04:00

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ~John 15:7

Prayer - a means of union with Christ.
Prayer - a fruit of union with Christ.

A believer who takes the time in secret prayer to wait on God, to pour out his heart to the Lord, will grow strong in Christ. This is a means, a way that God causes His children to grow in grace.

SHUT THE DOOR
It is as impossible to live and prosper spiritually without prayer — as it is to live and prosper physically without food. Those who enjoy a close walk with God and have power with him — are those who pray. Natural abilities and intellect can never supply any lack in spirituality. Unless you are spiritual — you are of but little use to God; and to be spiritual — you must live much in prayer.

It is not those who are on their knees the oftenest or the longest — who do the most praying. Some may pray more real prayer in one hour — than others in two or three hours. Too many people leave the door open. Prayer that feeds the soul, must be offered with the door shut. "But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret." Matthew 6:6. God is in secret. He is hidden from the world. The world does not see him, neither knows him. You can never reach God in your prayers — unless you shut out the world. Shutting the door means something more than closing the door of your literal closet. People may enter the literal closet and close the door — and yet have the world in their hearts and thoughts. Such have not closed the door in the true sense.

In the public assembly you must enter your closet when you pray, and shut the door — or your prayers avail not with God. You must talk from your heart — to the heart of God. Those assembled may hear your words — but they do not know the secret. The secret is between your heart and the heart of God. You scarcely hear your words. You know and hear more of the speaking of your heart. There is a blessing in such praying; there is a joy that cannot be told. Such prayer feeds the soul upon the divine life, and lifts us in realms of holiness and happiness. Thank God for the sweet privilege of secret fellowship with him. O beloved, when you pray, enter into your closet — and be sure to close the door!

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/murray/5f00.0562/5f00.0562.21.htm

~ From How to Live a Holy Life by Charles Orr

Prayer is one of the primary channels of influence by which, through us as workers together with God, the blessings of Christ's redemption are dispensed to the world. It is a fruit of the Spirit.

He who truly abides in Christ knows what it is to pray fervently. He also knows his prayer is effectual. He knows his prayers are accepted and heard, because of his life's union with his Saviour. Our prayers ascend as the prayers of Jesus; the Spirit groans within.

As we abide in Christ, we pray according to His will.

our self-will is kept down.
our thoughts are brought into captivity.
we become like-minded with Christ
we search our hearts deeply, making sure our surrender is complete

As we abide in Christ, we pray only to seek the glory of God.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

(John 14:13 ESV)

Christ's one thought, one desire and plea, one intercession - that He would glorify the Father!

Father, glorify Your name! ~John 12:28

As we abide in Christ, we pray in Jesus' name.

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Colossians 3:17

As we abide in Christ, our faith in answered prayer grows stronger.

fast and pray
be humble; have a spiritual mind
obey whole-heartedly
wait on God

The secret of the prayer of faith

is the life of faith -

the life that abides in Christ alone.

Where to Love, and Whom.

2011-10-18T22:45:00.004-04:00

Something to ponder.

Thanks, Hannah Farver.

Abiding in Christ - Day 20 - That You Bear Much Fruit

2011-10-17T22:06:00.000-04:00

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.
~John 15:5, 8

"As surely as the branch abiding in a fruitful vine bears fruit, so surely, much more surely, will a soul abiding in Christ with His fullness of blessing be made a blessing." ~p. 122, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Christ, the Heavenly Vine, has taken me as His branch, and He supplies everything I need to bear fruit. As I abide in Him, I will grow in Love and Compassion toward sinners.

This is not my natural state. By nature, the heart is selfish. Look at a baby that has just come into the world. "Feed me! Change me! Look at me! Aren't I adorable?' The natural state of man is self-centered.

In the spiritual realm, we're much the same as a baby. At the beginning we're little children, and we are naturally concerned about our walk with Christ, our growth in grace, our holiness. We mature to become young men, who are who are more aware of the needs of others and the demands of a Holy God. But as we grow and mature in Christ, we become more focused on God, and less concerned about self.

The two great commandments are to Love God and to Love our Neighbour.

When we abide in Christ, it makes us feel the wretched condition of sinners still in darkness , and what dishonour is done to God by their alienation from Him. It is our joy to be used to reach others for Christ!

Souls are not saved because of man's efforts. It is the work of the Spirit. Abiding in Christ gives new courage and strength for the work. He uses weak instruments like me; He works through me with His hidden, glorious power.

"The great secret of abiding in Christ is the deep conviction that we are nothing, and He is everything. ~p.124

He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ~John 14:12

THE MOST HEAVILY LADEN BRANCHES

BOW DOWN THE LOWEST!

Two lessons:

Lesson One: If we are abiding in Jesus, let us begin to work.

First influence those around us in our daily life. Where has God placed you?
accept joyfully our holy calling to serve. How can you serve Him?
purpose to make the holiness and gentleness of Jesus shine. How can you reflect His image?
offer ourselves to Him for practical expressions of mercy. How can you demonstrate His love?

THERE IS WORK IN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PATHS

THAT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST OPENS UP

THROUGH THOSE WHO ALLOW THEMSELVES

TO BE LED BY HIM. ~p. 125.

An elderly gentleman spoke on Sunday, describing the Christian as a lamp that shines forth the light of Jesus. We say, "turn on the light", because it is the light we want. The lamp is just the instrument that delivers the light. In the same way, we are simply to be available for Jesus to shine through us.

Lesson Two: If you work, abide in Christ.

depend on His strength - You can do nothing apart from Him.
pray more; pray constantly - It is the Lifeline.
be watchful that you do not work in your own strength
offer every part of your nature unreservedly to Him to sanctify it for Himself

IF JESUS CHRIST IS REALLY TO WORK THROUGH US,

IT WILL REQUIRE AN ENTIRE CONSECRATION OF OURSELVES TO HIM

THAT IS RENEWED DAILY.~p.126

The same elderly gentleman was sharing that as he grows in grace, he understands more of what it means to be crucified with Christ. (Galatians 2:20) Christ lives in me. That means He does what He wills through me, and all I have to do is submit. The gentleman was telling about an encounter he recently had in a motel pool. He was getting a bit of exercise, and got chatting to two young women, one of whom was to be married. He chatted with the women for a bit, telling them that marriage is a good thing, designed by God. He told them more of God, and shared the gospel, then asked them if he could pray for them. He stood there, in the pool, praying for these women.

But get this: He didn't really want to do it! He didn't want to embarrass himself. He didn't know what they'd think or what they'd say. Yet he was compelled to speak, and he offered himself to be used as an instrument of grace in the lives of two young women in a motel pool. God alone knows what fruit will come of it. All the gentleman had to do was to depend on His strength, and offer himself unreservedly to Him.

To be a branch bearing much fruit-nothing less, nothing more-
may this be our only joy!

St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer

2011-10-17T18:45:00.003-04:00

I bind unto myself today

The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of redeemed souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep mycommandments,

for length of days and years oflife

and peace they will add to you.

Let not steadfast love andfaithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will findfavour and good success in the sight of God and man.

(Proverbs 3:1-2; Proverbs 3:3-4ESV)

My son, keep my words and treasureup my commandments with you;

keep my commandments and live;

keep my teaching asthe apple of your eye;

bind them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet ofyour heart.

(Proverbs 7:1-2; Proverbs7:3 ESV)

Abiding in Christ - Day 19 - In Affliction & Trial

2011-10-16T16:49:00.000-04:00

Every branch that bears fruit He prunes,that it may bear more fruit. ~ John 15:2

Now we come to the chapter that is perhaps the hardest to understand for a new Christian. I do remember that when the Lord opened my eyes and brought me out of darkness, I was delighted with the fact that I was a child of God. My heavenly Father was in control. He made the world, and everything in it. He would let nothing bad happen to me, or so I thought.

Very soon, bad things started to happen. Our car broke down. My husband was injured at work. He lost his job. We had to move to a new town, where we knew nobody. If God were so good, why were all of these things happening? These trials shook me to the core.

God did not leave me wallowing in self-pity, however. He gently and patiently taught me this truth: I was a branch in the Vine, and every branch that would bear fruit MUST BE pruned, in order to bear more fruit.

Andrew Murray explains that of all the plants that grow on the earth, the grape vine is the perfect picture of the image of man in his relationship to God.

No other plant

has such fruit and juice (full of spirit, alive, stimulating, sweet)
has such a natural tendency to evil (growth that gets woody and worthless)
needs pruning unsparingly and unceasingly
is dependent on cultivation and training
yields a richer reward

"In this dark world, often so full of suffering and sorrow for believers, we can take comfort in His words about pruning, knowing that He means it for our good."~p.116, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

When pain comes, what do we do? Run away. Flee. Avoid the pain. Escape the trial. Yet the Father's purpose is to teach us through the trial to Abide In Christ.

"Through suffering, the Father leads us to enter more deeply into the love of Christ."

Our hearts are prone to wander. Prosperity and enjoyment too easily satisfy. They dull our spiritual perception. They make us unfit for communion with God.

So what does God do? In His mercy, He afflicts us. He makes the world seem dark and unattractive. He leads us to see more deeply the depth of our depravity.

What should we do in response to affliction? Pray. Pray for grace to see the Father pointing us to His beloved Son. In every trial, great or small, pray for grace to see.

Pray for grace to see
He means the best for me.
The trials He doth send,
Will bless me in the end.
He points me to His Son,
The Only, Holy One,
And makes me to Him flee -
My Hope is found in Thee! ~ J.Billson

God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. ~Hebrews 12:10

A BELIEVER MAY PASS THROUGH A LOT OF AFFLICTION
AND RECEIVE LITTLE BLESSING FROM IT ALL.

Instead of responding well, the carnal Christian may become

impatient
angry
self-centered
frustrated
exasperated
hopeless
whiny, disappointed, discouraged
faithless

John Piper wrote an article called, "Don't Waste Your Cancer". He wisely outlines ways to use this terrible affliction as a means to become more Christlike. That's God's purpose in any trial - to produce in us more Christlikeness. This doesn't mean He leaves us comfortless. On the contrary, there is no Comforter like our Beautiful God, Who comforts us in all of our afflictions.

He shows us His heart.
He reveals His love.
He comforts us with tenderness and compassion, like an attentive mother with a distraught child.

What I have discovered in my own life is that it isn't the huge trials that wear me down. The car accidents, the cancer diagnosis, the child-out-of-wedlock, the $7,000 repair bills, coming close to death in labour. Those big things are obviously out of my control, and what can I do but throw myself on the mercy of God? The Big Trials have been times when I have had a deepening of my relationship with Christ. I've learned confidence in Him, and I've experienced close fellowship with the God Who satisfies.

What is harder by for for me are the little trials, the everyday troubles that wear me down bit by bit. Difficulties with relationships, misunderstandings. Physical pain that never leaves. Worry about finances that seems to never end. Living in the same old house with the same old mice (or their grandchildren) gnawing in the same old walls. The little things - the little foxes - spoil the vines.

It's in the day to day little afflictions that I must learn to abide. That's where I can become impatient, angry, self-centered and whiny. That's where I need to renew my mind.

Rest in Christ in times of affliction, whether the trial is great or small. God will produce good things in your life, if you trust Him in this.

You'll bear more fruit.
You'll desire to live more for His glory.
You'll sympathize more with the misery of others.
You'll yield yourself more to His will.
You'll desire ONE THING: to make Him known to others.

IN AFFLICTION, YOUR FIRST AND ONLY CALLING IS

TO ABIDE IN CHRIST.

Abiding in Christ - In Stillness of Soul - Day 18

2011-10-15T09:33:00.004-04:00

In repentance and rest in your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength. ~Isaiah 30:15

JUST BE.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. ~Psalm 37:7

Truly my soul silently waits for God. ~Psalm 62:1

There is a false sort of thinking that many fall prey to:

Man must do his utmost;
Only then can he expect God to do His part.

But the Scriptures say,

Be still.
Do nothing.
Rest.
Wait.

The only true co-operation between a believer and the Lord Jesus Christ is based on SUBORDINATION.

We must cultivate stillness of soul. We must learn to have a teachable spirit.

Like three quiet women of the Word, named Mary:

In her whose only answer to the most wonderful revelation ever made to human being was, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word"; and of whom, as mysteries multiplied around her, it is written: "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

And in her who "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word," and who showed, in the anointing Him for His burial, how she had entered more deeply into the mystery of His death than even the beloved disciple.

And in her, too, who sought her Lord in the house of the Pharisee, with tears that spake more than words. Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray. Chapter 18.

It is a soul that is silent before God that is best prepared for knowing Jesus.

How do you learn to be silent before God?

acknowledge your ignorance - you have no idea what God is doing.
agree that you are impotent - you are powerless to effect change.
open your ears, and listen - sit at the feet of the Saviour, reading, waiting.
bring your thoughts into subjection - take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
prepare your heart to wait on God - Be still. Know. He is God.

Hindrances to Having the Stillness of Soul

entering too deeply into the interests of this world. Be heavenly minded. Lay up your treasure there! Live your life like you are passing through. This world is NOT your home!
not being self-controlled in regard to things not absolutely imposed on us by God. What does it matter to you if the founder of Apple died? What is it to you that there are disasters abounding, injustices aplenty, sicknesses and sorrows in abundance? Take care of the little things that God has given you to care for. They are enough.
needless entertainment. Computer games; the internet; television; videos. Don't waste your life!
being too busy to stop, to rest, to wait. Slow down.
worrying about earthly things - what you will wear, etc. Your Father knows.
having a spirit of fear. Be still and know that I am God.

The heart occupied with its own plans and efforts for doing God's will and securing the blessing of abiding in Jesus will fail continually. ~p.114, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray.

You can't make yourself do God's will. You can't "buck up and do better". You cannot pull yourself up by your bootstraps and live the Christian life on your own steam. The only way to grow in grace, to learn to abide in Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit... the only way is to wait.

Pause.

Wait.

Hush your soul in the Presence of the Eternal Majesty.

Keith & Kristyn Getty - Holy Spirit Living Breath of God

2011-10-14T22:10:00.000-04:00

Abiding in Christ - Day 17 - Through the Holy Spirit

2011-10-14T22:09:00.000-04:00

The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you... and just as it h as taught you, you will abide in Him.~1 John 2:27

We must LIVE and EXPERIENCE truth in order to KNOW it. We do not first understand spiritual things in the intellect, then gradually experience these truths. Just the opposite: We live them, we experience them, then we know them.

You do not realize now what I am doing,but LATER you will understand. ~John 13:7

There is a habit of mind and life that precedes the understanding of the truth.

First follow, then know.

Faith trusts the working of the Spirit unseen in the deep recesses of the inner life. ~Andrew Murray, Chapter 17, Abiding in Christ.

By the Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son are ONE.
By the Holy Spirit, there is a bond of fellowship between believers. They are ONE.
And by the Holy Spirit, there is a bond of fellowship between Christ and individual believers.

By the Holy Spirit, we are one with Christ.

Do you believe this?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit's indwelling? He lives IN you.
Do you believe in His constant presence? He guides you.
Do you believe that He is always at work?

Wait and pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

He guides our will
He energizes our faith
He gives us peace and joy and understanding.

It is impossible to live a life of full abiding in Christ without being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Take time for daily prayer.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by lack of faith.
Honour Him by confidently trusting that He is working within.
Seek your nourishment in the Word of God.

The Spirit of God is within the Believer,

teaching

guiding

working

with secret but divine POWER.

Trust Him! Rejoice!

Never hinder Him by unbelief.

The Holy Spirit was given for this one purpose--that the glorious redemption and life in Christ might with divine power be conveyed and communicated to us.~Andrew Murray

Abiding in Christ - Day 16 - Forsaking All for Him

2011-10-13T13:20:00.001-04:00

I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.~Philippians 3:8-9

Life is a taking in and giving out.
Life is a receiving and restoring.

We take in nourishment and give to others in the form of work.
We take in knowledge and give out thoughts and feelings, prose and poetry.

"In the healthy exercise of giving and taking is all the enjoyment of life." ~p.98, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray.

The Bible is full of paradox.

Sell all to secure the treasure.
Lose your life to find it!
Forsake all; receive a hundred-fold.

In order to have a new life in Christ, we must forsake sin. In order to become wholly a servant of righteousness, we need to be purged. In order to gain the presence and feel the love of Christ, we must surrender sin. We must give up unrighteousness, but more than that, give up self-righteousness.

Instead of absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit's leading,

SELF is expected to do a work it can never do.

In me (that is, in my flesh) NOTHING GOOD DWELLS. ~Romans 7:18

In order to use our natural gifts in the service of the Lord, we must sacrifice and surrender.

All of our gifts and powers are still defiled by sin and they are still under the power of the flesh. I can't use them for God's glory until I lay them at Christ's feet, to be accepted and cleansed by Him.

I must feel myself utterly powerless to use my natural gifts correctly.

My gifts - the gift of gab, the ability to write, the tendency to teach - are all under the power of the flesh, and are still defiled by sin, unless they are given up and given to Christ.

Lord, I give You my gifts, my talents, the things that come easily to me. I give them up entirely. I do not want to use them under my sin nature - so I give them up to You. You decide. You use me as You wish. Put me on the shelf, if that is where You want me to be. I am Yours, to use as You see fit. Only let my life bring You glory.

Isaac, the Son of Promise, was given up.

Jesus, the Son of God, gave up His life.

Wholehearted surrender. As I give myself up wholly to Christ, He gives me power to take Him wholly for myself. As I lose myself and all I have for Him, He takes me wholly for Himself and gives Himself wholly to me.

This surrender is moment by moment, a single step. It's equally a daily renewal, and a progressive attainment. Forget what is behind, your past spiritual highs, the graces given to you by your Master. Press on, reaching out to Christ, praying unceasingly for more light, more trust, more surrender.

What does this all mean in practical terms? Keep the truth of the gospel at the forefront of your mind: Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. God is in charge of my life and my circumstances, and is actively working to conform me to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord. Nothing is ever a surprise to Him. He orders my steps. He prays for me. I have an enemy that I must be on guard against, but my God is faithful and helps me continually. I am a slave; He is the Master. He loves me enough to call me His friend. I deserve hell; He gives me heaven.

So when things happen that are hard, or scary, or terrifying, or painful, I must simply surrender. I must go to my Lord and sit at His feet, saying "I am the handmaiden of You, Lord. Do with me as You will."

What can be more difficult than this?

2011-10-12T06:40:00.002-04:00

(JamesSmith, "Nothing Impossible" 1861)

"Forwith God, nothing shall be impossible!" Luke 1:37

Difficulties often crowd the believer'spath, and trials line his way.Obstacles and opposition meet him at almost every turn.What to do at times--he scarcely knows, for he has been disappointed so often, and is now socompletely baffled--that his way ishedged up with thorns! Look whichever way he will, or to whatever quarter hemay--there is something to discourage him, and cast him down!

It isof no use looking any way, or toany one--but to the Lord; and whilelooking to Him, it will be well to remember what the angel said to the blessedvirgin, to excite and strengthen her faith, "For with God, nothing shallbe impossible."

Look at the Fact. There are no impossibilities withGod! Hecan do--as He will. He will do--allthat He has promised. He has promised to do all that you can need or evenwisely desire. In Mary's case, much faith was required--itwas exercised and honored.

A virgin did bear a son.

Thatson was free from all taint of sin.

Thatson was divine.

Thatdivine Son was the Savior of men.

What can be more difficult than this?

What should stagger us, after this?

Lookat what God IS:

lookat His power and grace,

lookat His wisdom and wealth,

lookat His pity and compassion,

lookat His greatness and glory.

Lookat what God has DONE:

innature--by His power,

inprovidence--by His wisdom,

inredemption--by His grace.

Andlooking at what God is, and at whatHe has done--you must come to theconclusion, "With God, nothing is impossible!"

Let us use this fact for our own benefit.

Nothing shall beimpossible with God!

Notthe conversion of that obstinate child.

Notthat hardened husband.

Notthat trying and degraded wife.

Notthe restoration of that backslider--aslow as he may have sunk, and far as he may have gone.

Notthe pardon of those sins--as great,glaring, and numerous as they may be.

Notthe sanctification of that trouble--asdeep, trying, and dreadful as it is.

Notthe bringing of the greatest good out of that worst evil--though it may have alarmed and terrified you.

Notthe perfecting of the soul in holiness--as sinful and polluted as it is atpresent.

No,nothing is too hard for the Lord! Therefore cheer up, press on, take up yourcross or burden afresh--and bear it after Jesus.

Letthis precious truth, feed and strengthen your faith--that you may be strong in the Lord and in the power ofHis might.

Let itexcite and animate your hope--thatyou may expect great things from God.

Let itstimulate you in prayer--that youmay ask largely of God, and ask with confidence too.

Let itcrush your fears--that you maypress boldly on, until you reach the mark, for the prize of the highcalling of God in Christ Jesus.

Let itstir you up to exertion--for asnothing shall be impossible to God, so nothing shall be impossible to you,which you undertake with His sanction, and with a view to His glory.

Let itencourage and call forth praise--forhow grateful and thankful we should be, that our God can do all things, andtherefore will do for us, all that is necessary both in life and death.

Let uskeep this sweet truth alwaysin mind, and when cast down--chide our fears and excite our hopes,saying, "With God, nothing shall beimpossible!"

http://www.gracegems.org/Grace_Gems.htm

Abiding in Christ - At This Moment - Day 15

2011-10-03T08:16:00.003-04:00

Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. ~2 Corinthians 6:2

In order to keep abiding in Christ, moment by moment, day by day, we need to learn to exercise our spiritual muscles. I remember reading years ago that it is important to "practice the Presence of God". In other words, when you have a free moment in your busy day, think of Jesus. Say to yourself, "Now, at this moment, I do abide in Jesus."

Abiding in Jesus is not based on feelings, nor on your growth, nor on your own strength. It is simply a question of whether or not your will at the present moment desires and agrees to recognize the truth: Your position is in Christ.

Pray. "Father, I am in Christ! I abide in Him. Thank You!

Pause. In the midst of your busyness, say, "I am still in Christ!"

Repent. When overtaken by sin, acknowledge: "Father, I have sinned, and I come to you. I blush to say it, but I am in Christ. The sin is evidence that I must flee to You. Thank You for paying the penalty. Now keep me in You.

When David first became King over Judah, he was not yet king over all Israel, even though it had been promised by God. The other tribes were still following Saul's son. It took time for the Lord to work in the hearts of the men of Israel. Read the story in 2 Samuel 3.

And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. Now then bring it about, for the LORD has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’”
(2 Samuel 3:17-18 ESV)

This story is a beautiful type of the promise by which the soul is NOW invited to trust Jesus for victory over every enemy, and to trust Him for a life of undisturbed fellowship.

The divided kingdom. Just as Judah was faithful to the king God had chosen, and Israel was still clinging to the king of its own choosing, the inner chamber of your heart abides in Christ, yet the surrounding territory, the everyday life, is still ruled by self-will.

The longing desire for a better state. The people of Israel were seeking a better king, the king of God's choosing, David. Abner appeals to their knowledge of God's will that David must rule over all. The believer, when first brought to Jesus, desires Him to be Lord over all, but unbelief and self-will set in. So he longs for Jesus to reign, but struggles with his sin nature.

God's promise. Abner reminds the people that the Lord had spoken, and that David would be king. As David had conquered the Philistines, he would conquer the enemies further off. In the same way, the soul is now invited to trust Jesus for victory over EVERY ENEMY, and a life of undisturbed fellowship with Him.

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
(Luke 1:70-75 ESV)

Picture David reigning over the entire land, leading a united and obedient people on from victory to victory.

Now remember the promise - this is what Jesus does for us, as soon as we exercise our faith in God's promise and surrender all to Him, and abide in Him NOW.

Whatever the present moment may hold, however unprepared the message finds you, however sad the divided and hopeless state of your life may be, do come and surrender - this very moment!~ p. 96, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Just as it took time for David the anointed king to rule over the whole land and subdue the enemies of Israel, it will take time for the Lord to conquer all of your enemies, and to train all of your powers for His service. It is the work of a lifetime, and God will do it!

But your work is the work of a moment. This moment! Do it now!

Surrender all to Jesus. Live only in Him.

Do it now!

Surrender this very moment to abide wholly, only, always in Jesus.

Do it now!

Your whispered, "Jesus, I abide in You" meets with an immediate and hearty response from Him. He takes hold of His children and draws us close to Himself.

Do it now!

Today is our son's birthday.

2011-10-02T11:59:00.001-04:00

I was going to write my thoughts about Day 15 of Abiding in Christ, but decided to postpone until tomorrow for two reasons:

It's Jared's birthday. He is steadfast, loyal, hardworking, reliable, friendly, funny, and a kid at heart. He loves surprises. He loves teasing his siblings and nephews and nieces. He's generous and kind, and mean and nasty (all in good fun). He makes the best eggs in the morning for his Mom. I love him, and I trust God that He has Jared in the palm of His hand.
My wrist hurts. My dog was a kennel dog for the first 8 months of her life, and she did NOT learn manners when it comes to food. She has not yet learned that it is not permitted that she should help herself to food on the counter, on the table, on the stove. She's been rebuked and warned, but still thinks she can put her nose right next to your plate if you've got something delicious. Yesterday, she had the nerve to get into my bowl of food when my back was turned. I hollered and whacked. I think I broke a bone in my wrist. On the upside, she was better behaved at breakfast. On the downside, it hurts to type. See you tomorrow, dv.

Abiding in Christ - Day by Day - Day 14

2011-10-01T09:28:00.001-04:00

The people are to go out each day and gather enough for thatday. ~ Exodus 16:4

When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, Godprovided their food in the form of manna, which was gathered early in themorning and was enough for each day.

God's design is that we live ONE DAY AT A TIME.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow willbe anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.~ Matthew 6:34

Only today is yours; tomorrow is the Father's.

"Accept, enjoy, and fulfill with your whole heart thepart you have to perform this day. His presence and grace enjoyed today willremove all doubt as to whether you can entrust tomorrow to Him, too!" P87, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Don't look at life as a great big whole and neglect thelittle you have to do today. If you lookat the years ahead, pondering what will happen with relationships, or finances,or health, or politics, you may start to think you cannot possibly live sweetlyabiding in Christ. The way looks longand difficult.

But you only have to think about the little assignments Godhas planned for you to do today.

This is the work of each new morning:

the distinct renewal of surrender and trust

for life moment by moment.

Aswe look forward in the morning,

or look back inthe evening,

weighing the moments,

we learn to value them and use them rightly.

When you awaken, thank God for this new day, a day given toabide in and grow up in Christ Jesus!

In the morning, when all is fresh and quiet,

look ahead and consider the duties and temptations you will face.

Cast them all on Jesus, your manna, your nourishment, yourstrength, your life.

Each day of faithfulness brings a blessing for the next,

making boththe trust and the surrender easier.

The moments make up days.

The days make up a life.

You Keep Me

2011-09-29T19:06:00.003-04:00

There's an old hymn written by Annie S. Hawks, 1835-1918 called "I Need Thee Every Hour."

As I think about Abiding in Christ, I find myself changing the words to the following:

You keep me every hour, most gracious Lord,
Your tender voice of power can peace afford.

You keep me, O You keep me,
every hour You keep me,
You bless me always, Saviour, I abide in thee.

You keep me every hour, You stay nearby,
Temptations lose their power when you are nigh.

You keep me every hour, in joy or pain,
In trials planned in Love, I fret in vain.

You keep me ever hour; teach me Your will;
And thy rich promises in me fulfill.

You keep me every hour, most Holy One,
You've made me thine indeed, you Blessed Son.

Abiding in Christ - Day 13 - Every Moment

2011-09-28T12:05:00.003-04:00

In that day,
“A pleasant vineyard, sing of it!
I, the LORD, am its keeper;
every moment I water it.
Lest anyone punish it,
I keep it night and day; (Isaiah 27:2-3 ESV)

Is it possible for the believer to ALWAYS abide in Jesus?

If abiding is our work, done in our own strength, the answer is NO.

But if the Lord Himself keeps the soul day and night, watering it every moment, then uninterrupted communion with Jesus is indeed possible! In fact, it is the spiritual walk every Christian ought to enjoy.

If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out. ~ John 15:6He who abides in Me bears much fruit. ~John 15:4-5

How do we abide in Christ?

willing, intelligent, whole-hearted surrender
accepting His offer, consenting to live in Him - ONLY!
believing His promise that He keeps us moment by moment, every moment of our lives.

Nature of Man

We know that the natural man is sinful, and that we live in a sin-cursed world. There are two objections raised when believers ponder how to always abide in Christ.

Objection 1 Our limited powers prevent us from being occupied with two things at the same moment. How can a person be doing his work in full concentration on the task at hand while at the same time consciously abiding in Christ? How can a mom who is washing the breakfast dishes with a toddler hanging onto her skirt and a 6-year old asking how to spell "machine" with the phone ringing in the background and the mailman at the door keep on abiding in Christ. Wouldn't she have to withdraw herself from all the ordinary activities of life, and live in a monastery?

Answer Abiding in Christ does not mean our minds must be engaged each moment, or directly occupied with abiding.

It is an entrusting of ourselves to the keeping of eternal love, in the faith that it will abide near us. . . and watch over us, and ward off evil. Our hearts then have rest, peace, and joy, knowing we are kept moment by moment. Abiding in Christ is a settled trust that God is keeping us always.

A father who works all day has his family in mind as he tackles his occupation. They aren't always first and foremost in his thoughts, but his love for them is what keeps him toiling to bring home the bacon.

A king who goes about his royal duties always acts under the consciousness of his royalty.

A mother never loses the sense of her responsibility to her husband and children, even when she is away from them and busy with other activities.

In the same way, we can always be aware that Everlasting love keeps us constantly. We are IN CHRIST, kept in Him by HIS ALMIGHTY POWER.

Objection 2 We look upon the fact that we will sin daily as inevitable. So how can we continuously abide in Christ? We'll certainly fail and be unfaithful.

Answer This is precisely why we must abide in Christ as our sufficient - and ONLY - deliverance! We must live in Christ, depending on HIM to live in us. If we fail, we flee to Him, to confess and be forgiven and filled anew with Him.

We've had poor examples in older Christians not living a life of faith and trust. We've seen Christians despairing over health issues, finances, failed relationships, family issues. Don't be like them! Don't give in to despair! It is possible to live in healthy, trusting, joyful consecration.

TO ABIDE UNCEASINGLY IN CHRIST IS THE PORTION

OF EVERY BELIEVER.

Every Moment

He keeps you every moment. Do you believe this?

Moment by Moment

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

Moment by moment, I'm kept in his love;
Moment by moment, I've life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

Never a trial that he is not there,
Never a burden that he doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that he doth not share,
Moment by moment, I'm under his care.

Never a weakness that he doth not feel,
Never a sickness that he cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus my Saviour, abides with me still.

Abiding in Christ - Day 12 - God Will Establish You

2011-09-27T08:12:00.000-04:00

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,
(2 Corinthians 1:21 ESV)

Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary explains the word "establish".

ESTAB'LISH, v.t. [L. stabilio; Heb. to set, fix, establish.]
1. To set and fix firmly or unalterably; to settle permanently.
I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant. Gen.17.
2. To found permanently; to erect and fix or settle; as, to establish a colony or an empire.
3. To enact or decree by authority and for permanence; to ordain; to appoint; as, to establish laws, regulations, institutions, rules, ordinances, &c.
4. To settle or fix; to confirm; as, to establish a person, society or corporation, in possessions or privileges.
5. To make firm; to confirm; to ratify what has been previously set or made.
Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid; yea, we establish the law. Rom.3.
6. To settle or fix what is wavering, doubtful or weak; to confirm.
So were the churches established in the faith. Acts.16.
To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness. l Thess.3.
7. To confirm; to fulfill; to make good. Establish thy word to thy servant. Ps.119.
8. To set up in the place of another and confirm.
Who go about to establish their own righteousness. Rom.10.

It is God alone who can establish us in Christ Jesus. We must cease from striving to establish the connection with God more firmly, and allow God to do it!

God is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.~1 Corinthians 1:9

Scripture teaches us that in all God's leanings with His people, FAITH is the one condition for seeing His glorious power work in our lives.

"Faith is the ceasing from all our natural efforts and all other dependence; faith is confessed helplessness casting itself upon God's promise and claiming its fulfillment; faith is putting ourselves quietly into God's hands for Him to do His work." ~Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ, Chapter 12

Do you have faith?

Faith ceases its own efforts and trusts.
Faith confesses helplessness and rests.
Faith puts itself into God's hands, and sees Him work.

As surely as I am in Christ, I will also, day by day, be ESTABLISHED (confirmed, settled, fixed) in Him!

God is my Good Teacher

He plans my course of study with His infinite wisdom. He delights to have me come each day to Him for the lessons He has to give. So, every morning, I go to my Master Teacher, surrendering to His plan for my day. What lessons would He have me learn this day? Will I be in the school of hardship, partaking in the sufferings of my Lord? Will I be in the school of patience, learning to bear with others in love? Will I be in the school of joy, transported with delight to the highest heaven to worship my God and my King? Whatever lessons He has planned for me are perfect. He knows His disciple - even the thoughts and intents of my heart.

I am in Christ, kept there by His power, established for His glory! Praise God!

2011-09-26T21:05:00.000-04:00

From Hannah Farver:

(I'll be writing more about faith tomorrow, Lord willing. Meanwhile, read Hannah's thoughts:)

We must remember

and keep count

the promises of God;

equipping ourselves with confidence

that He owns the future

and will always be

who He always was.

“…a faith that only looks back to Christ’s death and resurrection is not sufficient… Forgiveness for the Christian also depends on having, like Abraham, a futuristic faith in God’s promises.” -Daniel Fuller

“Our confidence and trust must be in all that God Himself will be for us in the next moment, and in the next month, and in the endless ages of eternity. It is He and He alone who will satisfy the soul in the future.” -John Piper

Abiding in Christ - Day 11 - The Crucified One

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I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. ~Galatians 2:20

We have been united together in the likeness of His death. ~Romans 6:5

Andrew Murray explains in Chapter 11 how the Christian is crucified with Christ, planted together in the likeness of His death, as Romans 6:5 is rendered in the KJV.

Before you can understand the spiritual concepts, you must understand a bit about grafting. Some plants, if grown from seed, end up with fruit that is unacceptable. Apple trees purchased from a nursery, for example, have branches from a good tree that have been grafted in to the root stock, or stem of the plant.

Why Graft Plants?There are a number of reasons to graft. The most frequent is to reproduce a plant that has favorable characteristics. When grown from seeds most plants are not 'true', that is they do not produce an exact duplicate of the parent plant. This is because they are the result of pollination and will have differences in their genetic code. Plant an orange or apple seed and it might grow into a tree with tasty fruit. It also might grow into a tree with fruit whose taste is unacceptable. With grafting you can plant the same seed, and then, at the right time, cut the top off and attach a piece of a desirable orange or apple that grows into an exact copy of the desirable parent, complete with tasty fruit.

God desires to reproduce His people with favourable characteristics - conformed to the image of His Son. He wants them to grow into an exact copy of Him, bearing good spiritual fruit, for His glory.

Grafting is the joining together of two plant parts (scion and rootstock) in a manner that causes these parts to unite and become one plant.

No graft is possible without wounding.There are different types of grafts to be used in different situations, but each entails cutting the root stock and the scion and binding them together so they are immovable.

In the death of the cross, Christ was wounded, and in His open wounds a place was prepared where we might be grafted in. The scion is torn from its natural tree and cut to fit into the graft. In the same way, we are torn from our sinful nature and cut to fit into Jesus.

There is a fellowship between Christ's sufferings and your sufferings.

Abide in the wounds of Jesus; there is the place of union, life and growth. There you will see how His heart was opened to receive you; His flesh was torn so that the way might be opened for your being made one with Him, and having access to all the blessings flowing from His divine nature. ~p.69, Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Regard the cross as an atonement to God - Jesus paid the price - and regard it as victory over the devil - Jesus conquered Satan!

Oh, Lord Jesus, I yield myself to You in undivided surrender. I know You plan my life and order my steps and design my sufferings so that You are most glorified, and I am most conformed to You, My Saviour. Lord, keep me grafted into You. Let me share in Your sufferings so I know You more. You were despised and rejected, disregarded by Your own brothers, misunderstood, unappreciated, persecuted, crucified. You deserved none of that. I know nothing of the depth of suffering that You experienced - and yet I deserve it all, and so much more.

Christ came and took my place, so I must put myself in His place, and abide there, at the cross.

How?

entire surrender of all self-will
complete denial of every desire and pleasure of the flesh
perfect separation from the world's thinking and acting
losing one's life for Christ's sake; hating one's life for Christ's sake
giving up of self for the sake of others

Lord, help me. I want Your will, Your way, Your heart, Your wisdom. I desire to be sanctified, holy, set apart for Your purposes, living coram deo, before the face of God, in full fellowship and intimacy. I want to die to self and to live as Your servant, Your slave - only an instrument in the Hand of God, to minister grace to others. Thank You for the cross. By Your wounds I am healed. By Your death I have life. Your love is vast beyond all measure.

Abiding in Christ - Day 10 - He is Your Redemption!

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Because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, Who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. ~1 Corinthians 1:30

Think about REDEMPTION. What does it mean to you, Christian? It is the complete and final deliverance from all consequences of sin. Amazing. Grace.

Jesus Christ has three offices, Prophet, Priest and King.

As the Prophet, He is our wisdom, revealing to Who God is, how He loves, & the great salvation He gives.
As the Priest, He is our righteousness, restoring us to right relationship with God, securing His favour.
As the King, He is our sanctification, forming and guiding us into obedience to the Father's holy will.

We long for the grand consummation, when we will have complete deliverance from sin and all its effects, regaining all that was lost in the Fall of Man. Can you imagine? What would it have been like to walk with God in the garden, before sin entered the picture and marred everything? Don't you long for that day, when you are free from sin?

As our communion with Jesus becomes more and more intense, we feel the power of an endless life working in us, a foretaste of glory. Oh, to sit at the feet of Jesus! Oh, to feel His power in me!

As I type this, a sister in Christ lays on her death-bed. Gitzen Girl is full of grace, and has chosen joy in spite of living in pain for the past 14 years. As her world got smaller, her heart for God and others expanded, and she has lived a full and joyful life. She soon will be in the presence of Jesus, her Prophet, her Priest, her King! She'll be free, delivered from her body and from all of the sin that so easily entangles. She'll be experiencing grace first-hand.

Blessings From Abiding in Christ as our Redemption

NO FEAR OF DEATH - it is simply the servant that removes the last rags of carnal clothing so that we can be clothed in glory - a new body with a glorified spirit awaits!
WILLINGNESS TO SURRENDER the sinful members of our body to Him to be put to death, so we can give them to Him to reign over them.

Matter & Spirit

God created angels as spirits with no material bodies. He created the world as matter without spirit. Man was made in His image, to be both matter and spirit in perfect harmony. This was to be a type of the most perfect union between God and His creation. By sin, however, the material became supreme over the spiritual. Men worried about their bodies, what they would wear, what they would eat, where they would lay their head. That became more important than what was most important - their hearts before God.

God's plan was still in place. The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory.

When we abide in Christ as our Redemption,

we triumph over the fear of death - He is our Redeemer, and we have nothing to fear.
we see Christ as Lord of our body - We present our body to Him as a living sacrifice.
we look on nature as part of the kingdom of Christ. We know that it groans, awaiting His return.
we anticipate life in the heavenly places. How glorious it will be to be finally free and fully restored!

Abide in Christ as your wisdom, following Him with humility.

Abide in Christ as your righteousness, dwelling clothed in Him before the Father.

Abide in Christ as your sanctification, experiencing His power to make you holy.

Abide in Christ as your redemption, living here as an heir of future glory.

LIVE WORTHY OF THAT HIGH AND HEAVENLY CALLING

BY ABIDING IN HIM.

To Christ Crucified

I am not moved to love you, God,
By hope for heav'n's reward;
Nor am I moved by fear of hell
To turn from sin, my Lord.
What moves me, God, is seeing you,
Despised and nailed up high
Upon that cross with gaping wounds,
Rejected, left to die.
Your love so moves me, Lord, that if
There were no heav'n or hell,
I still would fear your holy name
And truly love you well.
And so I need no promises
To sway my love for you;
For even if I had no hope,
I'd love you as I do.
—Translated by Hugh Seay, Lent, 1978

Abiding in Christ - Day 8 - He is Your Sanctification

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"Because of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, Who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and SANCTIFICATION and redemption. ~1 Corinthians 1:30

In the Old Testament, believers are referred to as "righteous", while in the New Testament, they are called saints- holy ones, sanctified in Christ Jesus. It is only because we are holy that we can approach a Holy God, who said "Be ye holy, for I am holy." (See Matt.5:48; I Pet.1:16)

In personal experience, righteousness comes BEFORE holiness. A new Christian is overjoyed with the deliverance he has experienced. He knows it was God's gracious work that justified him, and he figures it is now his work to live a sanctified life out of gratitude for all Christ has done for him.

Reality soon hits, and the new believer finds himself struggling hopelessly to live a holy life. He prays. He cries out to God. He tries harder, and makes lists of things to do, and things not to do. He only has to learn to partake in the holiness of God by faith.

Consider the example of a fruit tree that needs to have branches grafted in so that it will bear fruit:

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good." ~Matthew 12:33

Carnal Christian

I can graft a treeso that only a single branch bears good fruit, while many of the naturalbranches remain, and bear their old fruit--a type of believer in whom a smallpart of the life is sanctified, but in whom, from ignorance or other reasons,the carnal life still in many respects has full dominion. ~ Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ

Most new believers struggle with the old nature like this type of tree.

Weak Christian

I can graft a tree sothat every branch is cut off, and the whole tree becomes renewed to bear goodfruit; and yet, unless I watch over the tendency of the stems to give sprouts,they may again rise and grow strong, and, robbing the new graft of the strengthit needs, make it weak. Such are Christians who, when apparently powerfullyconverted, forsake all to follow Christ, and yet after a time, throughunwatchfulness, allow old habits to regain their power, and whose Christianlife and fruit are but feeble.

This is the reality for many believers who become weary.Consecrated Christian

But if I want a tree wholly made good, I take itwhen young, and, cutting the stem clean off on the ground, I graft it justwhere it emerges from the soil. I watch over every bud which the old naturecould possibly put forth, until the flow of sap from the old roots into the newstem is so complete, that the old life has, as it were, been entirely conqueredand covered by the new. Here I have a tree entirely renewed--emblem of theChristian who has learnt in entire consecration to surrender everything forChrist, and in a whole-hearted faith wholly to abide in Him.

This is a picture of the Christian who has learned to Abide in Christ continually, by faith.

It is true for all of us that the old nature is ever-present within, continually seeking to rise up and lead you to evil. But do not fear, because Your Heavenly Father, the Vinedresser, has grafted the life of Christ onto your life. That holy life is STRONGER than your evil life.

You WILL bear fruit to the glory of the Father!

This holy nature within you is especially made for living a holy life and performing holy duties. It will grow stronger as you abide and allow the life-giving sap from the Source to flow through you.

Believe that God delights in keeping you holy and vibrant in Him
Surrender daily all of your self-confidence
Confess daily the utter corruption of your old nature
Remember that IN HIM you can be holy
Lay yourself and your time, talents and energy on the altar for His use

"Do not look upon a life of holiness as a strain and an effort, but as the natural outgrowth of the life of Christ within you."

What do I know of holy? Nothing.

But Christ is in me, the hope of glory. And He is holy. As I surrender to His will, He sanctifies me, and in Him, I am holy.

Abiding in Christ - Day 8 - He is Your Righteousness

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And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption ~1 Corinthians 1:30

Sin disturbed all of our relationships and put us out of harmony - with ourselves, with others, and with God. We needed peace - the quietness and assurance that comes when things are right with God. Peace can only come with righteousness, when everything is in God's order and everything is in harmony with His will.

Jesus came to restore peace by restoring righteousness.

"A king will reign in righteousness. . . the fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever." ~Isaiah 32:1, 17
We are made the righteousness of God in Him. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21

When the sinner is first led to trust in Christ for salvation, he looks more to Christ's work than to His person. He realizes that Christ paid the price for his sin, taking on the punishment he deserved, and that He atoned for him, removing the curse.

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. ~Romans 5:1

The new Christian seeks to wear this robe of righteousness by renewing his faith and by being thankful for this glorious gift! But as he grows in grace, he learns about the true union of the believer with Christ, Who made Himself One with His people.

The work of Christ does not become less precious; yet the person of Christ becomes more and more precious. We have to remember that we do not love God for the goodies He gives. It's not just about the robe of righteousness that I was given and gladly wear. It's all about Jesus. The Living Christ is my righteousness.

Jesus is my Righteous Redeemer

In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ ~Jeremiah 23:6

“Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; ~Isaiah 45:24 ESV

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ~Philippians 3:8-9 ESV

"Believer , abide in Christ as your righteousness. You still have within you a nature altogether corrupt, which is always trying to rise up and discourage your sense of acceptance and access to unbroken fellowship with the Father. Nothing can enable you to dwell and walk in the light of God, without even the shadow of a cloud between, but habitual abiding in Christ as your righteousness. To this you are called. Seek to walk worthy of that calling. Yield yourself to the Holy Spirit. . . realize that the King's own robe has been put on you, and in it you need not fear entering His presence. It is the token that you are the person the King delights to honour. ~p.55 Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

You are an object of delight in God's sight. Like Mordecai who was paraded through the streets, wearing the King's robe and his signet ring, we wear the robe of Righteousness. Not only that, but we are IN CHRIST, so we have HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Overheard in an Orchard

2011-09-21T19:51:00.001-04:00

I am organizing our Great Room - the room where we study, do crafts, create and learn. I found a collection of old cards that I inherited from various aunts. This card is particularly meaningful to me today.

Said the Robin to the Sparrow,
"I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so."

Said the Sparrow to the Robin,
"Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me."

~Elizabeth Cheney

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)."

Elisabeth Elliot is worth reading on this subject: His Eye is on the Sparrow.

Abiding Brings Victory

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Abiding Brings Victory

Abiding in Christ - Day 7 - He is Your Wisdom

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God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ~1 Corinthians 1:28-30

in whom (Jesus) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~Colossians 2:3

Do you seek to be wise? Then abide in Jesus!

"Let it be your first aim to abide in Him in focused, fervent devotion of heart; when the heart and the life are right, ROOTED IN CHRIST, knowledge will come in the measure we need. Without such abiding in Christ, knowledge does not really profit, but can actually be hurtful." ~ p. 47 Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Ordinary Pastor wrote about the most dangerous person in the church. Knowledge puffs up, but wisdom comes from Jesus. Don't let your soul be satisfied with forms and images of the truth. Jesus is the Truth - seek Him. Abide in Him.

"Man seeks the knowledge first and often never gets beyond it. God gives us Christ, and in him are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." ~p. 47

Don't seek knowledge for knowledge's sake. Instead, seek to know Jesus, for in Him are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Him, you can live wisely.

"The life you have in Christ is a thing of infinite sacredness, far too high and too holy for you to naturally know how to act it out. He alone can guide you."

Life is not easy, and often we encounter things that puzzle, worry, or frighten. We get angry at injustice and frustrated by things that seemingly never change. It's in those instances that we truly need to abide in Christ.

I know what I am talking about. I've often been tempted to worry, or to rely on self to "fix" a problem.

Just yesterday, three of our children went to piano lessons. I knew there was a chiropractor appointment scheduled after their lessons. I wasn't worried as the clock ticked on. But as it ticked on, and on, and on... one hour, two hours... I began to imagine all sorts of terrible things had happened. Did the car break down on the side of the road? Did a combine come off the field and crash into them? Was I going to see a police car pull into our lane to tell us our kids were in the hospital, or worse?

Vain imaginings. Ridiculous thoughts.

Oh, I prayed and kept on acknowledging how faithless my fears were - but there it was... I was not abiding in Christ. I was relying on self.

Live Life Confidently

We must live life confidently, knowing all is perfectly clear to Him. Trust Him! He knows! Not for a moment did Jesus lose track of my children yesterday. Not for a moment were they out of His care.

Study God's Word with Anticipation

Jesus abides in you, as you abide in Him. He is light, the wisdom of God. The words He speaks are spirit and life to those who live in Him. As you study His word, trust that He will guide you and open your eyes to what He is teaching you. Read the Word humbly, patiently waiting on God to reveal Himself to you.

Do Your Work Joyfully

In your work, rejoice that God is guiding you, even where you do not see the way. Jesus is deeply interested in your daily life, its ways and its work.

"Trust His sympathy, believe His love, and wait for His guidance - it will be given. Abiding in Him, the mind will be calm and free from distraction, judgment will be clear as the light of heaven shines on earthly things, and your prayer for wisdom, like Solomon's, will be fulfilled "exceedingly abundantly above all that (you) ask or think." (Eph. 3:20)" ~ p. 49

Wait on Jesus.
Withdraw from needless distraction.
Wisdom is in Him, so abide in Him.

Christ is our Wisdom.