Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

In Him All Things Are Possible
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

1 Timothy 1:17 ESV

__________________

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:12,13 ESV

__________________

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“I know their sorrows.”

Exodus 3:7

The child is cheered as he sings, “This my father knows”; and shall not we be comforted as we discern that our dear Friend and tender soul-husband knows all about us?

1. He is the Physician, and if he knows all, there is no need that the patient should know. Hush, thou silly, fluttering heart, prying, peeping, and suspecting! What thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter, and meanwhile Jesus, the beloved Physician, knows thy soul in adversities. Why need the patient analyze all the medicine, or estimate all the symptoms? This is the Physician's work, not mine; it is my business to trust, and his to prescribe. If he shall write his prescription in uncouth characters which I cannot read, I will not be uneasy on that account, but rely upon his unfailing skill to make all plain in the result, however mysterious in the working.

2. He is the Master, and his knowledge is to serve us instead of our own; we are to obey, not to judge: “The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth.” Shall the architect explain his plans to every hodman on the works? If he knows his own intent, is it not enough? The vessel on the wheel cannot guess to what pattern it shall be conformed, but if the potter understands his art, what matters the ignorance of the clay? My Lord must not be cross-questioned any more by one so ignorant as I am.

3. He is the Head. All understanding centres there. What judgment has the arm? What comprehension has the foot? All the power to know lies in the head. Why should the member have a brain of its own when the head fulfils for it every intellectual office? Here, then, must the believer rest his comfort in sickness, not that he himself can see the end, but that Jesus knows all. Sweet Lord, be thou for ever eye, and soul, and head for us, and let us be content to know only what thou choosest to reveal.

 

[beensetfree]

Your Kingdom Is Everlasting
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.

You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 145:13-16 NASB

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Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:10,11 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“And I will remember my covenant.”

Genesis 9:15

Mark the form of the promise. God does not say, “And when ye shall look upon the bow, and ye shall remember my covenant, then I will not destroy the earth,” but it is gloriously put, not upon our memory, which is fickle and frail, but upon God's memory, which is infinite and immutable. “The bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant.” Oh! it is not my remembering God, it is God's remembering me which is the ground of my safety; it is not my laying hold of his covenant, but his covenant's laying hold on me.

Glory be to God! the whole of the bulwarks of salvation are secured by divine power, and even the minor towers, which we may imagine might have been left to man, are guarded by almighty strength. Even the remembrance of the covenant is not left to our memories, for we might forget, but our Lord cannot forget the saints whom he has graven on the palms of his hands. It is with us as with Israel in Egypt; the blood was upon the lintel and the two side-posts, but the Lord did not say, “When you see the blood I will pass over you,” but “When I see the blood I will pass over you.”

My looking to Jesus brings me joy and peace, but it is God's looking to Jesus which secures my salvation and that of all his elect, since it is impossible for our God to look at Christ, our bleeding Surety, and then to be angry with us for sins already punished in him. No, it is not left with us even to be saved by remembering the covenant. There is no linsey-wolsey here—not a single thread of the creature mars the fabric. It is not of man, neither by man, but of the Lord alone. We should remember the covenant, and we shall do it, through divine grace; but the hinge of our safety does not hang there—it is God's remembering us, not our remembering him; and hence the covenant is an everlasting covenant.

 

[beensetfree]

The Bible: The Original Transformer

I'll admit, even as a grown man mind you, that I think the Transformers movies are pretty cool. There, I said it - and I don't feel an ounce less mature.

Maybe it's the CGI magic and enough explosions to leave your ears ringing for a week? I'm sorry - what did you say?

Or perhaps because the US Air Force (the branch in which I served) is actually portrayed in an awesome light? Go USAF!

For sure it's also because of the films' attempts at putting an engaging plot line together:

First Transformers: Autobots good.Decepticons bad.transform.battle.blow up everything.the end.

Second Transformers: Autobots good.Decepticons bad.lather, rinse, repeat.the end

But who cares, right? A movie about robots trying to destroy the universe should be a big budget bloated behemoth that has more product placement than a 50 Cent video.

There is one element of Revenge of the Fallen, though, that I found interesting. Without giving anything away that you haven't already seen on the 57 different trailers for Transformers, did you notice the whole ?ancient clues that lead to a key element' thing? In this film, Sam has some sort of Allspark hangover and has his Witwicky head full of visions of the past that lead to a critical talisman that somehow the Decepticons lost a bajillion years ago.or something like that.

Annnnyway.isn't there something fascinating about ancient signs that lead to incredible discoveries? Especially if they are verified, tested, and legit.

What would you think if I told you that there was a book, an ancient book in fact, that was put together by 40 different authors, took 1,500 years to complete, yet somehow managed to maintain one basic theme, and never contradicted itself on any subject? Would you be at least a *wee* bit interested?

Of course I'm talking about the Bible. The dusty old book of rules and regulations that people have used for an excuse for just about every kind of awful behavior - or at least some folks think of it that way.

But there are others who know about the true nature of the Bible, which is supernatural. How do we know this? Pretty simple. Not only does it have a remarkable history and life changing content, it has one other factor that definitely makes it the ?Allspark' of all literature:

Fulfilled prophecy.

Yep, a lotta people over a lotta years have predicted things that might happen in the future - heck you could probably drive over to the ?interesting' side of town right now and get your future predicted by the Crazy-R-Us folks (but don't really).

That's not what is contained in the Bible. There are over 2,500 prophetic statements that are amazingly specific and even unlikely - and they all (not some or most) came true exactly as predicted.

We could make more than a two and a half hour movie about this and we still would not cover the mind-blowing nature of what is predicted and fulfilled in Scripture, but here is a short list that I hope will serve a trailer to get your interest:

Hundreds of years before it happened, prophets in the Bible predicted the utter destruction of the mightiest city in the ancient world, Babylon. At the time, people laughed at how ridiculous such an idea would be, yet that's exactly what happened in 539 BC.

There are over 300 separate prophecies about Jesus Christ. They include the exact location of His birth, the miracles He would accomplish, the type of death He would encounter, and that He would come back from the dead. Three of them that amaze me are:

His body would be pierced. (Zechariah 12:10; Ps. 22:16 compare John 20:25, 27)

Not a bone of His would be broken. (Numbers 9:12 compare John 19:31-36)

He would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9 compare Matthew 27:57, 60)

What's so amazing about these three? Well, for one thing, the prophecy about His body being pierced is a reference to crucifixion hundreds of years before it was invented! And when people were crucified, they broke their legs, so if you're going to prophesy crucifixion, you'd best not predict no broken bones.

Yet Jesus died before they needed to break His legs.simply amazing.


And ?buried with the rich'? Jesus was homeless, so how would he get that gig? Again, highly unlikely, yet a rich man named Joseph donated his own grave out of love for Jesus.

All 300 prophecies about Jesus have been tested, verified, and found legit. The odds of just those being fulfilled exactly are 1 in 10 25 (that's 1 in 10 with 25 zeroes after it!).

Put simply, the Bible is the most amazing book ever put together - that's why it can make this statement with credibility:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

The Bible is the book of clues and images for how we can find an amazing adventure of a life serving the God who made the universe. So don't be deceived into thinking that Scripture is on par with ?other religious books' - it is definitely not.

In fact, think of the Bible as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth and you'll be transformed in ways you never thought possible!







​

 

[beensetfree]

May His Glory Endure Forever
These all wait for You,
That You may give them
their food in due season.

What You give them they gather in;
You open Your hand,
they are filled with good.

You hide Your face, they are troubled;
You take away their breath,
they die and return to their dust.

You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
May the LORD rejoice in His works.

Psalm 104:27-31 NKJV

__________________

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

Matthew 6:9b-13 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“And I will give you an heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 36:26

A heart of flesh is known by its tenderness concerning sin. To have indulged a foul imagination, or to have allowed a wild desire to tarry even for a moment, is quite enough to make a heart of flesh grieve before the Lord. The heart of stone calls a great iniquity nothing, but not so the heart of flesh.

“If to the right or left I stray,
That moment, Lord, reprove;
And let me weep my life away,
For having grieved thy love”


The heart of flesh is tender of God's will. My Lord Will-be-will is a great blusterer, and it is hard to subject him to God's will; but when the heart of flesh is given, the will quivers like an aspen leaf in every breath of heaven, and bows like an osier in every breeze of God's Spirit. The natural will is cold, hard iron, which is not to be hammered into form, but the renewed will, like molten metal, is soon moulded by the hand of grace. In the fleshy heart there is a tenderness of the affections.

The hard heart does not love the Redeemer, but the renewed heart burns with affection towards him. The hard heart is selfish and coldly demands, “Why should I weep for sin? Why should I love the Lord?” But the heart of flesh says; “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; help me to love thee more!” Many are the privileges of this renewed heart; “'Tis here the Spirit dwells, 'tis here that Jesus rests.” It is fitted to receive every spiritual blessing, and every blessing comes to it. It is prepared to yield every heavenly fruit to the honour and praise of God, and therefore the Lord delights in it. A tender heart is the best defence against sin, and the best preparation for heaven. A renewed heart stands on its watchtower looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Have you this heart of flesh?

 

[beensetfree]

How Do Grace and Obedience Work Together?



Since we’re saved by grace alone, what does this mean about our obedience to God? How do these two work together.
Grace
Clearly, Christians know that they are saved by grace and not by works. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that it is “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9), so “it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith”(Gal 3:11). This doesn’t mean we break the law indiscriminately just because we’re saved by grace and not by works. No one who continues to live in sin can claim any assurance in their salvation (1st John 3).

The love of God will be evident in the believer’s life (1st John). It’s not the law that’s the problem…you and I are lawbreakers, everyone! The law “was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary” (Gal 3:19), and “the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith” (Gal 3:24-26). We are not saved by works but for works (Eph 2:10). We are saved only by the grace of God, the free, unmerited favor of God Himself.

Obedience
As we have read, we are not saved by works. That’s because no amount of works, even if we did a million of them in a lifetime, would ever be enough to save ourselves, let alone someone else. The gap between God and man is so infinite that it can only be bridged by God Himself, but that’s just what God has done through Jesus Christ and the cross. For those of us who have trusted in Him, we have been redeemed by Him and purchased by His own blood, as He literally gave His life as a ransom for us (Mark 10:45).

Those facts should compel us into service for our Lord because it’s all to Him that we owe. The Apostle John wrote, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1st John 1:6-7).

What this verse is saying is, “The blood of Jesus His Sons keeps on cleansing us from all sin.” It is continuous in nature. That’s important, because John writes, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1st John 1:8). I have yet to meet a sinless man, and if they claim to be sinless, why aren’t they in heaven? I would remind them that “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1st John 1:10). I met a man in our church that didn’t stay around for long because he didn’t like us referring to ourselves as sinners, but that’s the truth (1st John 1:8, 10). The difference is we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1st John 1:9), so how do grace and obedience work together? Are they mutually exclusive or inclusive? Are they contrary to one another?

Working Obedience
I believe grace and obedience work together and are not contrary to one another. God saved us by grace alone so we can’t brag about that (Eph 2:-9), but He didn’t save us to sit and stew as pew potatoes. He saved us to walk in the works that He’d planned long ago. Paul writes that God created us for a purpose (Eph 1), and “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). What that means is, before we even existed, God had already determined to save us, but He also appointed opportunities in life for us to do good things for His glory. The question is, will we walk in the good works that God has prepared for us? There are no shortages of things we can do for Christ, and although these works of obedience don’t save us, they are done because we are saved. No one is saved by works, but they are saved for works.

Regarding the final judgement that is coming, Jesus said to His disciples, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:35-36), but “the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you” (Matt 25:37-38)? They were so devoted to Christ that they didn’t even keep track of all they had done for Christ in visiting prisoners, the sick, helping the poor, and being hospitable to strangers.

If we remind everyone of all our good works, God will forget them, but if we forget them, God will remind everyone of our good works…at the judgment, some will hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:21), because “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matt 25:40).


Conclusion
It is so easy to get wrapped up in works and then to let everyone know about it, but Jesus wants us to keep our rewards for our good works and not lose them by hearing the accolades of men. They are intended to glorify God and not us, besides, what do we have that we did not receive from God (1st Cor 4:7)? Grace is freely given, so bragging about that is out. Obedience is our reasonable duty, although that doesn’t save us. There is a balance between the grace of God, freely given to those who believe, and the obedience of the believer, who should feel compelled to do things for Christ out of love.

When we understand the immensity of our salvation, then our deepest gratitude should be reflected in obedience to Him. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”(John 14:15), and as a result of keeping “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). This doesn’t mean we’ll be perfect, but the Bible teachers that “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1st John 2:6), and by now, we should know what that walk is all about (Eph 2::10).

 

[beensetfree]

We are His ambassadors
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:20,21 NASB

__________________

"My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.

"For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction-because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty

Malachi 2:5-7 NIV

__________________

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:18-20 ESV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit.”

Romans 8:23

Present possession is declared. At this present moment we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have repentance, that gem of the first water; faith, that priceless pearl; hope, the heavenly emerald; and love, the glorious ruby. We are already made “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” by the effectual working of God the Holy Ghost. This is called the first fruit because it comes first. As the wave-sheaf was the first of the harvest, so the spiritual life, and all the graces which adorn that life, are the first operations of the Spirit of God in our souls.

The first fruits were the pledge of the harvest. As soon as the Israelite had plucked the first handful of ripe ears, he looked forward with glad anticipation to the time when the wain should creak beneath the sheaves. So, brethren, when God gives us things which are pure, lovely, and of good report, as the work of the Holy Spirit, these are to us the prognostics of the coming glory. The first fruits were always holy to the Lord, and our new nature, with all its powers, is a consecrated thing. The new life is not ours that we should ascribe its excellence to our own merit; it is Christ's image and creation, and is ordained for his glory.

But the first fruits were not the harvest, and the works of the Spirit in us at this moment are not the consummation—the perfection is yet to come. We must not boast that we have attained, and so reckon the wave-sheaf to be all the produce of the year: we must hunger and thirst after righteousness, and pant for the day of full redemption. Dear reader, this evening open your mouth wide, and God will fill it. Let the boon in present possession excite in you a sacred avarice for more grace. Groan within yourself for higher degrees of consecration, and your Lord will grant them to you, for he is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask or even think.

 

[beensetfree]

Angels and Demons...Faith and Science

Just when you thought you were safe from creepy crazed albino priest assassins from the Da Vinci Code...along comes the second installment of top level conspiracies, whole lotta Catholic bashing, and meet the super secret Illuminati that I guess everyone now knows about.

Yep. I'm talking Angels and Demons the sequel (that I heard was a prequel?) to The Da Vinci Code. Only this time the film seems to have received two Vatican thumbs up - as their description is boiled down into the phrase 'harmless entertainment'.

Although I heard the Hindus might boycott Angels and Demons - but I assure you that no Hindus, Catholics, Baptists, Atheists, or albinos were harmed in the making of this film.

Oh - and no animals either...

The core plot line of Angels and Demons revolves around a fictional historical conflict between a purely scientific group (The Illuminati) and an obvious faith based group (the Catholic Church). Without diving head first into the multiple layers of the story, the bottom line is that there is sharp disagreement over what appears to be two contradicting worldviews: faith and science.

But this really isn't fictional, right? There are a whole lot of Illuminati-esque people who are convinced that a belief in God and a faith based approach to life began when the first con man met the first fool and convinced him/her that there is an invisible magic man in the sky.

Of course we all know, as well, that the Bible is just a dangerous book of myths with no 'proof' (scientific or otherwise) that might give people of faith a solid foundation to an apparently non-scientific belief.

Or...perhaps not. Let me ask you something. If you believe in the God who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and you also believe the Bible and the Christian faith to be something as true as the law of gravity, do you have any solid evidence to back that up.

If not, you will never be able to enter into a meaningful and enlightening conversation with people who are under the false impression that Christianity is nothing more than a blind leap into religious nut job land, and that otherwise intelligent and rational folks must chuck their brains out the door when it comes to faith beliefs.

And if we have done a poor job of communicating why that isn't the case, who can blame them???

So rather than be a part of the problem that perpetuates the ongoing conflict between faith and science, what if we became part of the solution that helps people actually talk about the issues at stake, and not simply name call and hurl insults from oftentimes ignorant and unloving positions.

By contrast, here are the instructions for how to approach the 'Illuminati' type people:

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ (1 Peter 3:14-16) NLT.

Several key concepts here. First, just like 2000 years ago when this was written to Christians, you should expect opposition and attack for your faith in Jesus Christ - except back then the hostility came in the form of death threats! Yet even then, Peter instructs them and us to be ready to explain our 'Christian hope' - and to do it in a way that is 'gentle and respectful'.

This is not generally what I have seen - and most likely neither have you. So how about this...would you be willing to begin a movement of Christians who take this charge from God seriously and really make headway into building bridges with our skeptical friends and famil

If so, here's how to start. First, learn how to explain your beliefs in a way that shows how Christianity is truly a reasonable faith, and not a jump into craziness. Check out the Flashpoint section below for help on thi

Second, practice and pray for help with the 'gentleness and respect' method of debate. Ask yourself - "Am I harsh, judgmental, or prideful?" Also, develop a respect for those who value science and a purely rational/non-faith based approach to life. You don't have to agree with a worldview to respect it. As well, you are asking them for respect, so definitely apply the principle of 'do to others as you would have them do' (Matthew 7:12).

Finally, be confident in the fact that your faith in Jesus Christ is based on solid evidence and rational belief. It is not a leap in the dark, rather it is truly a step into the light...so let's let our light shine and illuminate the Illuminati folks of the world!

 

[beensetfree]

Cherokee Legend
================

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of
passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and
leaves him alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not
remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine
through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the
night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience because each
lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of
noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even
some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and
earth and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never
removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could
become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he
removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his
father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch
the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our
Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump
beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out
to Him.

 

[beensetfree]

The LORD is merciful & gracious
"Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the LORD,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts. "

Isaiah 55:7-9 NASB

__________________

The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:8-12 ESV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“This sickness is not unto death.”

John 11:4

From our Lord's words we learn that there is a limit to sickness. Here is an “unto” within which its ultimate end is restrained, and beyond which it cannot go. Lazarus might pass through death, but death was not to be the ultimatum of his sickness. In all sickness, the Lord saith to the waves of pain, “Hitherto shall ye go, but no further.” His fixed purpose is not the destruction, but the instruction of his people. Wisdom hangs up the thermometer at the furnace mouth, and regulates the heat.

1. The limit is encouragingly comprehensive. The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, repetition, and effects of all our sicknesses; each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed. Nothing great or small escapes the ordaining hand of him who numbers the hairs of our head.

2. This limit is wisely adjusted to our strength, to the end designed, and to the grace apportioned. Affliction comes not at haphazard—the weight of every stroke of the rod is accurately measured. He who made no mistakes in balancing the clouds and meting out the heavens, commits no errors in measuring out the ingredients which compose the medicine of souls. We cannot suffer too much nor be relieved too late.

3. The limit is tenderly appointed. The knife of the heavenly Surgeon never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary. “He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” A mother's heart cries, “Spare my child”; but no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God. When we consider how hard-mouthed we are, it is a wonder that we are not driven with a sharper bit. The thought is full of consolation, that he who has fixed the bounds of our habitation, has also fixed the bounds of our tribulation.

 

[beensetfree]

RSL?
====

Are you a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime?

Pay attention to what you read. After you read this, you will
know the reason it was sent to you!

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a
lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know
what to do for each person.

REASON:

When someone is in your life for a REASON. . .
It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come
to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance
and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for
the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an
inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring
the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered.

And now it is time to move on.

SEASON:

When people come into your life for a SEASON it is because your
turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an
experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you
something you have never done. They usually give you an
unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real!

But, only for a season.


LIFETIME:

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you
must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what
you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of
your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Stop here and just SMILE.

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
And dance like no one is watching.

 

[beensetfree]

I shall come out as gold
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:
I will sing and give praise.

Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp:
I myself will awake early.

I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people:
I will sing unto thee among the nations.

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens,
and thy truth unto the clouds.

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens:
let thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57:7-11 KJV

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Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:20,21 NIV

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For he spake, and it was done;
he commanded, and it stood fast.

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought:
he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever,
the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;
and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Psalm 33:9-12 KJV

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But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

Job 23:10-12 ESV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.”

Mark 15:23

A golden truth is couched in the fact that the Saviour put the myrrhed wine-cup from his lips. On the heights of heaven the Son of God stood of old, and as he looked down upon our globe he measured the long descent to the utmost depths of human misery; he cast up the sum total of all the agonies which expiation would require, and abated not a jot. He solemnly determined that to offer a sufficient atoning sacrifice he must go the whole way, from the highest to the lowest, from the throne of highest glory to the cross of deepest woe. This myrrhed cup, with its soporific influence, would have stayed him within a little of the utmost limit of misery, therefore he refused it. He would not stop short of all he had undertaken to suffer for his people.

Ah, how many of us have pined after reliefs to our grief which would have been injurious to us! Reader, did you never pray for a discharge from hard service or suffering with a petulant and wilful eagerness? Providence has taken from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke. Say, Christian, if it had been said, “If you so desire it, that loved one of yours shall live, but God will be dishonoured,” could you have put away the temptation, and said, “Thy will be done”?

Oh, it is sweet to be able to say, “My Lord, if for other reasons I need not suffer, yet if I can honour thee more by suffering, and if the loss of my earthly all will bring thee glory, then so let it be. I refuse the comfort, if it comes in the way of thine honour.” O that we thus walked more in the footsteps of our Lord, cheerfully enduring trial for his sake, promptly and willingly putting away the thought of self and comfort when it would interfere with our finishing the work which he has given us to do. Great grace is needed, but great grace is provided.

 

[beensetfree]

Are You There, God?
====================

There once was an older, destitute man. He had lost his
family, his dignity, his work and all his worldly
possessions. The only thing he had left was his faith in God.

One day, he walked along the city sidewalks; homeless as he
was. Peering around the city buildings, the passing cars, and
sidewalk shoppers - he remembered a time when he had the love
of his wife, the comfort of home, and the camaraderie of his
many friends and successful business partners. Just for one
moment, he could feel the love and passion he once used to
enjoy. But then he looked up into the sky, and he could see
the graying clouds rolling overhead; and the wind began to fly
past his ragged shirt sleeves.

Realizing that he was who he was, he knew he had to find
shelter before the rains began to fall. Across the street, he
saw the old city park that he used to visit when he was just a
child. In the far end of the park, he spotted the old gazebo
he'd frequented with his high school sweetheart. Suddenly, the
rain began to fall. These weren't just ordinary raindrops -
they were hard, heavy, and oversized droplets of water that
pelted his head and neck like small stones. His walk turned
into a fast run as he struggled to get under the shelter of
the gazebo. Shaking off his shirt and wiping the wetness from
his cheeks and forehead, the man sat back on the two-seater
swing beneath the gazebo. Then he shook his head in disbelief.
"Is this what life is all about?" he asked, shaking his fist
and peering up toward the gray skies, "What more do you want
from me?"

Just then, the sky began to clear and above the skyscrapers
he could faintly see some bright hues of red, purple, pink,
and even blue. It was a rainbow; and the sun's rays began to
shine through the break in the clouds. Now sobbing, the man
looked back up into the sky, and he asked,

"Are You there, God?"

But there was no audible reply.

A few moments passed when a park ranger made his way up to the
old gazebo. "Top of the day to you, sir," he said to the man.
The man glanced at the ranger as the voice sounded vaguely
familiar. Sure enough, the man remembered the park ranger as a
friend he once knew many, many years in his past.

"I think I know you," the man replied to the ranger, "aren't
you Ed from the country store?"

The ranger was slightly taken aback as he too recognized the
man. But the ranger's name was not Ed; that was his father's
name. "My name is Paul," he said, stretching out his hand to
the man on the swing, "Ed was my father."

"Oh," replied the man, "I'm Mark Baker," he paused to shake
Paul's hand.

The similarities were uncanny, but Mark certainly remembered
Ed, and this ranger was the spitting image of him.

"How'd you know my dad?" asked Paul.

"Oh, it was so long ago...you wouldn't want to hear how we
met," replied Mark.

Taking a couple steps beneath the shelter, Paul said, "Humor
me."

Mark explained that he and Ed had met each other in the local
hospital. Mark had gone there to pick up his lab tests where
he and Ed had struck up a conversation while they sat in the
waiting room. By the time all was said and done, he discovered
that he was the perfect match for Ed - the perfect kidney
match. "Needless to say," said Mark, "one thing led to another
and we were kidney partners for life."

"What happened to you?" asked Paul.

"Wall Street called me, greed took me, and I played my last
bit of luck," he replied. Sighing aloud, Mark blinked to clear
the water from his eyes, "and then I lost it all."

"I remember you," said Paul, then he pulled out a photograph
from his wallet, and pointed to two men standing side-by-side
by the old country store, "that's you, and that's my dad."

Peering at the old black and white photograph, he could
faintly make out the faces of the worn picture, "Sure does
look like me, doesn't it?" asked Mark.

Paul began smiling and he replied, "It is you," then he took a
deep breath, "do you know how long I have been looking for you?"

Mark simply shook his head, "Well, you found me...I wish under
better circumstances."

Just then, Paul placed his hand upon Mark's shoulder, "I wish
my dad would've been able to see you again. He talked about
you all the time...and especially right before he died," Paul
sighed, "because of you, he was able to watch me graduate and
get my high school diploma, and later, he got to hold his
newborn grandson -- my son."

"Wow," Mark replied, "I didn't realize that one kidney could
do all that."

"You don't understand, Mark," said Paul, "when he died, he
left you the old country store and the house. It's been
waiting for your return but you never came...until now."

And suddenly, Mark had received his answer...and his solution
to his homelessness. It had been there the whole time but it
took him losing everything before he would rediscover the
rainbow of hope once again.

Even in your darkest hour, when you ask - God shows up in the
most unlikely places.

 

[beensetfree]

I am not ashamed of the gospel
So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:15,16 NASB

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If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Mark 8:38 NIV

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Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do.

2 Timothy 1:8-12a ESV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“And they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.”

Nehemiah 3:8

Cities well fortified have broad walls, and so had Jerusalem in her glory. The New Jerusalem must, in like manner, be surrounded and preserved by a broad wall of nonconformity to the world, and separation from its customs and spirit. The tendency of these days break down the holy barrier, and make the distinction between the church and the world merely nominal. Professors are no longer strict and Puritanical, questionable literature is read on all hands, frivolous pastimes are currently indulged, and a general laxity threatens to deprive the Lord's peculiar people of those sacred singularities which separate them from sinners.

It will be an ill day for the church and the world when the proposed amalgamation shall be complete, and the sons of God and the daughters of men shall be as one: then shall another deluge of wrath be ushered in. Beloved reader, be it your aim in heart, in word, in dress, in action to maintain the broad wall, remembering that the friendship of this world is enmity against God.

The broad wall afforded a pleasant place of resort for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, from which they could command prospects of the surrounding country. This reminds us of the Lord's exceeding broad commandments, in which we walk at liberty in communion with Jesus, overlooking the scenes of earth, and looking out towards the glories of heaven. Separated from the world, and denying ourselves all ungodliness and fleshly lusts, we are nevertheless not in prison, nor restricted within narrow bounds; nay, we walk at liberty, because we keep his precepts.

Come, reader, this evening walk with God in his statutes. As friend met friend upon the city wall, so meet thou thy God in the way of holy prayer and meditation. The bulwarks of salvation thou hast a right to traverse, for thou art a freeman of the royal burgh, a citizen of the metropolis of the universe.