Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

Conquering through death
"For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians 2:19,20 NASB

__________________

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39 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]

“The Lord trieth the righteous.”

Psalm 11:5

All events are under the control of Providence; consequently all the trials of our outward life are traceable at once to the great First Cause. Out of the golden gate of God's ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad in their iron armour, and armed with weapons of war. All providences are doors to trial. Even our mercies, like roses, have their thorns. Men may be drowned in seas of prosperity as well as in rivers of affliction. Our mountains are not too high, and our valleys are not too low for temptations: trials lurk on all roads. Everywhere, above and beneath, we are beset and surrounded with dangers.

Yet no shower falls unpermitted from the threatening cloud; every drop has its order ere it hastens to the earth. The trials which come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our graces, and so at once to illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the genuineness of our virtues, and to add to their energy. Our Lord in his infinite wisdom and superabundant love, sets so high a value upon his people's faith that he will not screen them from those trials by which faith is strengthened. You would never have possessed the precious faith which now supports you if the trial of your faith had not been like unto fire. You are a tree that never would have rooted so well if the wind had not rocked you to and fro, and made you take firm hold upon the precious truths of the covenant grace.

Worldly ease is a great foe to faith; it loosens the joints of holy valour, and snaps the sinews of sacred courage. The balloon never rises until the cords are cut; affliction doth this sharp service for believing souls. While the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk it is useless to man, it must be threshed out of its resting place before its value can be known. Thus it is well that Jehovah trieth the righteous, for it causeth them to grow rich towards God.

 

[beensetfree]

What Time Is It?

I heard a story about a man who learned his father had just died.
The man reacted to the news in a rather unusual way. He tried to
ignore it--to pretend it didn't happen. Why? He wanted to be in a
productive, joyful season. He wanted his life during that time to be
about good things.

He didn't want his time to be about loss and
sadness and grieving. Try as he might, though, he couldn't make
his plan work. He couldn't postpone his grief. He eventually had to
break down and submit to the season he was in.

King David knew what he was talking about when he told God: "My
times are in your hands" (Psalm 31:15). We don't control our times.
We have little say over the season of life we live in or how long it lasts.
David's son Solomon used every bit of his God-given wisdom when he
wrote these words in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8--

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

An essential element in using our time wisely is recognizing the
season in which God has placed us and embracing it. For example,
a person shouldn't expect life to be full of wild celebrations in a season
of mourning. On the flip side, it's a shame when people miss a season
of good times because they're too busy thinking about all the sad things in life.

If you're an unmarried person, God's Word says you should view
your present life as a season to "refrain from embracing" (having sex).
Then when you become a newlywed, it's time to enjoy your
season of "embracing."

We must all submit to the God who determines our times. Our
moments are in his hands. It's pointless to say, "I will reject God
because this is not a season of laughing or dancing or peace or
building." The only wise option is to ask God to help us live wisely
in whatever season we find ourselves--to help us make the most of
it--because soon enough it will pass, and then we'll find ourselves
in a different season.

SELF-EVALUATION

Ask yourself: What season am I in right now? Read through
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 again. Which of those times best describes
your current circumstances?
Now that you've identified your season, ask God to help you
understand how to live wisely in that time. Ask him to help you
recognize your personal season and make the most of your hours
and days for as long as your life lasts.

 

[beensetfree]

Life is in His Son
And the testimony is this,
that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son.

He who has the Son has the life;
he who does not have the Son of God
does not have the life.

1 John 5:11-12 NASB

__________________

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing
made that was made.

In him was life;
and the life was the light of men.

John 1:1-4 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]

“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.”

Leviticus 19:36

Weights, and scales, and measures were to be all according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian man will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it should find a shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances which weigh moral and spiritual things, and these often need examining. We will call in the officer to-night.

The balances in which we weigh our own and other men's characters, are they quite accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds, and other persons’ bushels of excellence into pecks? See to weights and measures here, Christian. The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles, are they according to standard? Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light, and yet we often consider ours to be heavy—surely something must be amiss with the weights!

We must see to this matter, lest we get reported to the court above for unjust dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief, are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many one scale or the other is unfairly weighted. It is a grand matter to give just measure in truth. Christian, be careful here.

Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives no more to the cause of God than the poor contribute, is that a just ephah and a just hin? When ministers are half starved, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance? Reader, we might lengthen the list, but we prefer to leave it as your evening's work to find out and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures.

 

[beensetfree]

AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?

We've both worked with students a long time, and this question
is one that we've heard over and over again. It's a good question.
One that deserves an answer: NO! Now, that may sound a bit harsh,
but it makes total sense when you stop to think about it.

Almost nothing in this world is "all the same." When you go to
Baskin-Robbins to get ice cream, the flavors aren't all the same.
You have 31 different types of ice cream to choose from! Starbucks
sells all kinds of coffee. You can get a one-dollar cup of plain ol' stuff
or pay five dollars for one with mocha, caramel, and whipped cream.
Try going to a bike shop and saying, "I'd like to buy a bike, please.
Any bike will do since they're all the same." The mullet-headed,
nose-pierced, bike-shop-owner dude would look at you as if you
looked weird or something.

Religions aren't all the same, either. They may have some things
in common, but they aren't all the same. Some of the ways religions
are different from each other include what they teach about God, what
they teach about Jesus, what they teach about getting to heaven, and
what they teach about the Bible. There are other differences, but
those are the biggies.

Another question we hear a lot is, "Are all religions true?" Again,
another good question that deserves an answer: NO! The reason all
religions can't be true isn't just because they're different. Different
types of coffee are still true coffees, and different ice cream flavors
are still true ice creams. The reason all religions can't all be true is
because they all hold different beliefs that they claim as truth...beliefs
that are totally opposite from each other. If beliefs about the same thing
are opposite from each other, they can't both be true.

A simple example is how somebody gets to heaven. Christianity
says that heaven is a free gift. Many other religions believe a
ticket to heaven must be earned. Christianity believes that the
gift of heaven is given to us through Jesus, God's Son. Many
other religions believe that Jesus was a good guy but wasn't God's
Son and has nothing to do with heaven. How can both be true?

Another difference between Christianity and other religions?
Christianity isn't just a religion. Most religions make a big deal
out of making sure you say the right stuff, do the right stuff, and
stay away from the wrong stuff. Most religions focus on looking
good on the outside. And while Christianity holds outward behavior
as important, it's not the most important thing--it's about friendship
with Jesus. And a true friendship with Jesus doesn't have a whole
lot in common with religion.

 

[beensetfree]

The Old Ways Are Best
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways,
and see, and ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein,
and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16 KJV

__________________

Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;

Direct your mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.

Jeremiah 31:21a NASB

__________________

"Remember the law of my servant Moses,
the decrees and laws I gave him
at Horeb for all Israel.

Malachi 4:4 NIV

__________________

How can we know the way?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and
the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father
except through me.

If you really knew me,
you would know my Father as well.
From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

John 14:5b-7 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]

“Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?”

Job 38:16

Some things in nature must remain a mystery to the most intelligent and enterprising investigators. Human knowledge has bounds beyond which it cannot pass. Universal knowledge is for God alone. If this be so in the things which are seen and temporal, I may rest assured that it is even more so in matters spiritual and eternal. Why, then, have I been torturing my brain with speculations as to destiny and will, fixed fate, and human responsibility? These deep and dark truths I am no more able to comprehend than to find out the depth which coucheth beneath, from which old ocean draws her watery stores.

Why am I so curious to know the reason of my Lord's providences, the motive of his actions, the design of his visitations? Shall I ever be able to clasp the sun in my fist, and hold the universe in my palm? yet these are as a drop of a bucket compared with the Lord my God. Let me not strive to understand the infinite, but spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect I can possess by affection, and let that suffice me. I cannot penetrate the heart of the sea, but I can enjoy the healthful breezes which sweep over its bosom, and I can sail over its blue waves with propitious winds.

If I could enter the springs of the sea, the feat would serve no useful purpose either to myself or to others, it would not save the sinking bark, or give back the drowned mariner to his weeping wife and children; neither would my solving deep mysteries avail me a single whit, for the least love to God, and the simplest act of obedience to him, are better than the profoundest knowledge. My Lord, I leave the infinite to thee, and pray thee to put far from me such a love for the tree of knowledge as might keep me from the tree of life.

 

[beensetfree]

Eat His Body and Drink His Blood?


WHAT DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE COMMANDED
US TO EAT HIS BODY AND DRINK HIS BLOOD? (ALL ABOUT COMMUNION)

It must have been an incredible sight to watch Jesus
preach. John 6 details a real-life meeting between Jesus,
the disciples, and 5,000 witnesses.

Can you imagine? They sat on a hill, Jesus at the bottom,
the disciples sitting at his feet listening to every word out of
this miracle healer's mouth. He was already gaining quite a
reputation for being a man who could perform miracles over
nature, and he even claimed to be able to forgive their sins.

The Bible doesn't describe the message. We don't know if
Jesus was preaching about following God or about a husband
treating a wife with respect. What we do know is that he was
setting the stage for something great!

The message was about to end, and Jesus leaned over to
Philip and said, "Where shall we buy bread for these people
to eat?" (John 6:5).

He knew what he was doing (verse 6). The Bible says he
already had a plan. He was testing Philip to see what the
disciples' response would be. I suppose you can infer that
he was ready to really put their faith to the test.

Crowds of people were following, but did they really believe
Jesus could perform a miracle this big--feeding 5,000 people?
(Actually, in Jesus' time, 5,000 referred to the number of men
only; there could have been double the amount if they counted
women and children.)

Can you imagine Philip's face when Jesus asked him where
to buy bread? To Philip, it probably seemed as if Jesus were
commanding him to go and find the money, the restaurant,
and the catering company to deliver the food; and surely the
crowd was getting hungry.

I don't know if you've ever seen a crowd go into a feeding frenzy,
but if they were anything like American crowds, Philip knew they
were about to have a problem.

They didn't have the money to feed all those people. They didn't
have the resources even if they had the money. There wasn't a
place where 10,000 people could sit down and eat all at the
same time. What was Philip to do?

You've probably read the story before. If not, check it out in John 6.
Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and prayed to
God to supply their need. The Bible records that the meal was
so bountiful the disciples picked up the scraps and filled 12
baskets with the leftovers. It was a miracle over nature.

The next day, Jesus began to teach the disciples about
bread that would keep you from going hungry (verses 32-59). He
gave them a history lesson of the Old Testament Israelites in
the desert and reminded them of God's provision in their hunger
by miraculously placing manna in the desert every morning for
them to eat.

Then he recalled the miracle just performed in front of their eyes,
as if to say, "Hey, guys, if I can provide you with physical food,
don't you think I can provide you with spiritual food?" He says
in John 6:53, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man and drink his blood; you have no life in you."

He was making a point. You have physical hunger, but you
also have spiritual hunger. If I can feed your physical body,
don't worry--I'll take care of your spiritual body as well.

The New Testament is full of wonderful analogies of bread and
water as sustenance for our bodies, as well as Jesus' provision
and their meaning in our spiritual lives. Jesus even ends his
three-year earthly relationships with his disciples by conjuring
up an analogy of bread and wine as it relates to his body and blood.

WHY DID JESUS BREAK BREAD WITH THE DISCIPLES
BEFORE HE WENT TO DIE?

Just like baptism, the other sacrament you can find in almost
every church in the world is communion. It's the time when they
pull out the silver offering plates full of broken crackers and
grape juice--or whatever format your church uses.

Growing up, my pastor always used to tell us about how we are
to remember Jesus by eating his body, represented by the
bread, and drinking his blood, represented by the grape juice.
And although I think remembering Jesus' death on the cross
is vitally important, I don't think it's just Jesus' death that's
cause for this ceremony.

Jesus took his disciples into an upper room to eat the last supper.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks
and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and
eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and
offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins." --MATTHEW 26:26-28

What if he wasn't trying to tell the disciples to remember the
event of the crucifixion merely for the event itself? What if
Jesus was actually trying to communicate that the spiritual
sustenance was about to be poured out? He commanded

the disciples to remember--but remember what?

WHY DO WE "DO COMMUNION" TODAY?

I think communion is one of those things we need to take
a look at and ask ourselves if it's necessary to do it like
we've always done it.

Imagine for a minute you were about to give someone the
gift of eternal life, but you were going to have to face the
most excruciating torture known to the world to this point
in order to give it. If she accepted your gift, would you want
her reflecting on the sacrifice, or the gift?

I think Jesus wanted us to use communion as a rallying
cry, not as a memorial. He wanted us to remember his
sacrifice, sure; but I think he smiles down on us when we
|approach his throne with a joyful attitude of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving. Don't we have a holiday like that?

Isn't Thanksgiving the time when all our families gather
around one common table of thanks? We make certain
foods to remember the pilgrims and their voyage to
America. We give thanks for all the blessings we've had
during the year, and often those blessings include loud,
funny stories. Sometimes they even help us recall
embarrassing moments. We tell jokes. We have serious
talks. We sit around and remember--remember for the
sake of our family here in America.

I wonder if communion should be the Christian Thanksgiving
feast. What if we all gathered around a table and took
communion like we eat Thanksgiving dinner? We remember
the good times, we recall the sacrifice, and we celebrate
the fact that Jesus came to die so we could live. Wouldn't
that be cool?

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNION?

- Who are those free from sin?

- Who has received eternal life through Jesus?

- Who is set free from their old sinner selves and reconciled to a righteous God?
- Who has experienced God's grace?

- Who has accepted God's forgiveness?

- Who is living an abundant life because of Christ's death?

- Who is making disciples?

- Who is obeying Jesus' commands?

- Who really loves Jesus?

I suppose there's your answer.

 

[beensetfree]

Why Should We Obey God?
Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them; that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.

Deut. 6:3,18,19 RSV

__________________

Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children for ever!

Deut. 5:29 RSV

__________________

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those
whose walk is blameless.

LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Psalm 84:11,12 NIV

__________________

Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth.

For them I sanctify myself,
that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:17,19 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]

“If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

Galatians 5:18

We who looks at his own character and position from a legal point of view, will not only despair when he comes to the end of his reckoning, but if he be a wise man he will despair at the beginning; for if we are to be judged on the footing of the law, there shall no flesh living be justified. How blessed to know that we dwell in the domains of grace and not of law! When thinking of my state before God the question is not, “Am I perfect in myself before the law?” but, “Am I perfect in Christ Jesus?” That is a very different matter.

We need not enquire, “Am I without sin naturally?” but, “Have I been washed in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness?” It is not “Am I in myself well pleasing to God?” but it is “Am I accepted in the Beloved?” The Christian views his evidences from the top of Sinai, and grows alarmed concerning his salvation; it were better far if he read his title by the light of Calvary. “Why,” saith he, “my faith has unbelief in it, it is not able to save me.” Suppose he had considered the object of his faith instead of his faith, then he would have said, “There is no failure in him, and therefore I am safe.”

He sighs over his hope: “Ah! my hope is marred and dimmed by an anxious carefulness about present things; how can I be accepted?” Had he regarded the ground of his hope, he would have seen that the promise of God standeth sure, and that whatever our doubts may be, the oath and promise never fail. Ah! believer, it is safer always for you to be led of the Spirit into gospel liberty than to wear legal fetters. Judge yourself at what Christ is rather than at what you are. Satan will try to mar your peace by reminding you of your sinfulness and imperfections: you can only meet his accusations by faithfully adhering to the gospel and refusing to wear the yoke of bondage.

 

[beensetfree]

The Right Thing To Do

by Joseph Walker


Darius and Johntel have a lot in common.

They are both talented high school seniors. They both love
basketball. They are both captains of their respective high school
basketball teams.

But on one Saturday night in February, they were forever linked
in the minds of all who were present for a mutual act of courage,
sportsmanship and respect.

The remarkable moment came during a game between Darius's small
town Illinois team and Johntel's big city team in Wisconsin -- a game
that almost wasn't played.
Just hours before tip-off Johntel's mother lost her five-year
battle with cervical cancer.

Her death was sudden and devastating to all who knew her, and
Johntel's coach wanted to cancel the game. But Johntel insisted that
the game should be played, and so with heavy hearts his teammates
prepared to honor their captain's wishes and to play -- and hopefully
win -- without him.

What they weren't prepared for was Johntel's appearance in the
gym mid-way through the first half.

As soon as he saw him, Johntel's coach called a time out, and
players and fans surrounded the grieving young man to offer love and
support. The coach asked him if he wanted to sit on the bench with
the team.

"No," Johntel said. "I want to play."

Of course his team was thrilled to have him.

But because Johntel wasn't on the pre-game roster, putting him
in the game at that point would result in a technical foul and two
free throws for the opposing team.

Johntel's coach was OK with that. He could see that this was
the teenager's way of coping with his loss -- the points didn't
matter.

The opposing team understood the situation and told the referees
to let Johntel play and to forget the technical foul. The referees
argued that a rule is a rule, and the free throws would have to be
taken before the game could proceed.

For possibly the first time in basketball history, officials had
to force a team to accept and take the technical free throws.

As team captain, Darius volunteered to take the shots.

One would have expected he was looking for an opportunity to
keep his team close in a hard-fought game against a big city school.
Or one could even assume he wanted a chance to add a couple of points
to his personal statistics.

In either case, one would be wrong.

Darius took the ball from the official, looked at the basket and
calmly shot the ball.

Now, basketball purists know that the free throw line is 15 feet
from the basket. Darius's first shot only traveled about 4 feet.
His second shot only traveled 2.

Immediately Johntel and his teammates understood what Darius was
doing. They stood and applauded the gesture of sportsmanship as
Darius made his way back to his bench. So did all of the big city fans.

"I did it for the guy who lost his mom," Darius told the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the game. "It was the right thing
to do."

For those who are concerned about such things, Johntel's team
rode the emotion of the night to a 15-point victory. But as the two
teams met after the game for pizza and sodas, nobody on either side
was too concerned with wins or losses or personal stats.

"This is something our kids will hold for a lifetime," Darius's
coach said. "They may not remember our record 20 years from now, but
they'll remember what happened in that gym that night."

 

[beensetfree]

Sanctify them by the truth
Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth.

For them I sanctify myself,
that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:17,19 NIV

__________________

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

And they made His grave with the wicked--
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:6-12 NKJV

__________________

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]

“There is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.”

Jeremiah 49:23

Little know we what sorrow may be upon the sea at this moment. We are safe in our quiet chamber, but far away on the salt sea the hurricane may be cruelly seeking for the lives of men. Hear how the death fiends howl among the cordage; how every timber starts as the waves beat like battering rams upon the vessel! God help you, poor drenched and wearied ones! My prayer goes up to the great Lord of sea and land, that he will make the storm a calm, and bring you to your desired haven!

Nor ought I to offer prayer alone, I should try to benefit those hardy men who risk their lives so constantly. Have I ever done anything for them? What can I do? How often does the boisterous sea swallow up the mariner! Thousands of corpses lie where pearls lie deep. There is death-sorrow on the sea, which is echoed in the long wail of widows and orphans. The salt of the sea is in many eyes of mothers and wives. Remorseless billows, ye have devoured the love of women, and the stay of households. What a resurrection shall there be from the caverns of the deep when the sea gives up her dead! Till then there will be sorrow on the sea.

As if in sympathy with the woes of earth, the sea is for ever fretting along a thousand shores, wailing with a sorrowful cry like her own birds, booming with a hollow crash of unrest, raving with uproarious discontent, chafing with hoarse wrath, or jangling with the voices of ten thousand murmuring pebbles. The roar of the sea may be joyous to a rejoicing spirit, but to the son of sorrow the wide, wide ocean is even more forlorn than the wide, wide world. This is not our rest, and the restless billows tell us so. There is a land where there is no more sea—our faces are steadfastly set towards it; we are going to the place of which the Lord hath spoken. Till then, we cast our sorrows on the Lord who trod the sea of old, and who maketh a way for his people through the depths thereof.

 

[beensetfree]

Am I Really Pure As Snow?
==========================

"My marriage broke up through no fault of my own."


I was very interested in this statement.

Twenty years ago my marriage broke up after my husband had
several affairs. I prayed nightly for nothing and no one to
come between us - a Job prayer - a prayer of fear based on my
own insecurities. After my husband left, he said he knew he
would have to be the one to go because I was committed
regardless. Actually it was fear of failure and loneliness that
kept me bound as a martyr. I realized it hurt my pride that
someone else could make him happier than I could.

After the breakup I committed my life to the Lord in a deeper
way. I was praying (probably complaining to the Lord) about my
husband's adultery. The Lord told me, lovingly but firmly, that
my mistrust, jealousy (He named several other negative
characteristics of mine) were as much sin to Him as my husband's
adultery. "Sin is sin!" He said. This pulled me up short. It
made it very easy to forgive my husband after I examined my
contribution to the situation.

A friend said recently that she had never heard me say anything
bad about my ex-husband. I'm glad because we had good times as
well as bad; and when he went, I lost my best friend. We very
seldom have contact; but when we do, we are comfortable with
each other. I wish that this could be so with more people in
this position. Too often the good is totally forgotten;
destroyed by back-biting, hatred and greed, even with
Christians. The Lord can turn any situation around and use it
for the good of everyone concerned, bringing glory to Himself at
the same time. That is my "Joseph Prayer" which I use often and
the Lord always answers because it is His will too.

One couple whom we were friends with went through a similar
scenario as we did, but her attitude was to make her life
interesting and ignore his behavior. He realized his lifestyle
was not productive and changed his ways, and their relationship
came back together. It is still together 20 years later.

Another thing the Lord showed me at that time is to ask Him to
show us the other person not the way we see them but the way
He wants us to see them. This helped enormously with my
situation and has helped others through the years as we've asked
it in their situations, not just marriage but friendships and
work situations. It applies anywhere.

Does attitude count so much? I believe it does even if it is to
make our life happier in difficult circumstances. Would my
situation have had a different ending if my attitude had been
different? We can never know but it certainly makes a
difference to our happiness. It makes it easier to be less
judgmental and more compassionate to others when we realize that
our little hidden behavior patterns are not hidden from God and
that they count to Him as much as the bigger ones that are
obvious as sin. In fact, the hidden flaws are the most
dangerous because they are weaknesses we can't allow for if we
don't know or won't admit they are there. They slowly erode any
relationship we enter into.

Afterwards I hid behind a wall I didn't know I had constructed.
I was afraid to commit to another person totally in case I got
hurt again. Only lately have I recognized it through the caring
Christian men the Lord has brought across my path. I have a
heart for older singles and part of my ministry is to help them
in the struggles they face accepting loneliness and aloneness
where it is not their choice in life but has been thrust upon
them.

I thank the Lord for what He showed me and that I was able to
accept it as truth and act upon it. Am I a saint? As a
Christian, yes; as a person definitely not, but I am learning to
assess things more through the eyes of the Lord's perception
when I take time to seek Him.

"My marriage broke up through no fault of my own." Until the
Lord showed me how He saw me, I would have said the same.

I wrote during a bad patch last year.
It promises hope in our bad times.

 

[beensetfree]

Remember the gospel!
I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NIV

__________________

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

"O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:53-58 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]

The exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.?

Ephesians 1:19, 20

In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth nothing short of a divine power. What shall we say of those who think that conversion is wrought by the free will of man, and is due to his own betterness of disposition? When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. It is not the word preached, nor the word read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost. This power was irresistible.

All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep the body of Christ in the tomb; Death himself could not hold Jesus in his bonds: even thus irresistible is the power put forth in the believer when he is raised to newness of life. No sin, no corruption, no devils in hell nor sinners upon earth, can stay the hand of God's grace when it intends to convert a man. If God omnipotently says, ?Thou shalt,? man shall not say, ?I will not.?

Observe that the power which raised Christ from the dead was glorious. It reflected honor upon God and wrought dismay in the hosts of evil. So there is great glory to God in the conversion of every sinner. It was everlasting power. ?Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.? So we, being raised from the dead, go not back to our dead works nor to our old corruptions, but we live unto God.

?Because he lives we live also.? ?For we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God.? ?Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.? Lastly, in the text mark the union of the new life to Jesus. The same power which raised the Head works life in the members. What a blessing to be quickened together with Christ!

 

[beensetfree]

Broken Glass of Shattered Dreams
=================================

Broken glass of shattered dreams,
All is lost, it would seem
But I have Jesus here with me
Giving me a new dream

God hadn't promised my longed for things
So my ways did not go well
But He allowed me my direction
Then He caught me as I fell.

In small pieces my heart was broken.
All the pain destroyed my dreams,
I'd placed my hope in yearned for things,
But now they're gone so it seems.

Though still surrounded by shattered dreams
I'm no longer broken down.
I know that my Lord's right here with me
Shattered dreams will be my crown.

God's ways are not mine but this I see
He has plans to help me grow
I can trust Him because He loves me
So where He leads I will go.

Broken glass of shattered dreams,
All is lost, it would seem
But I have Jesus here with me
Giving me a new dream


Go on, broken creature, blessed by a love that no human
partner can give and more beautiful because of the unique
character God has formed from the broken pieces.

Each crack tells a story - the story of your life.

 

[beensetfree]

Stunning
=========

While at a local garden center, I overhead two elderly ladies
explaining to a clerk concerns about the moles in their yard.
The young man offered them poison and assured them that they'd
be permanently gone.

Both ladies gasped and said, "Oh, no, we don't want to harm them!
We just want to stun them!"

God is often like that. As Jeremiah 29:11 states, He know the
plans that he has for us. Plans not to harm us, but to give us
hope and a future. Sometimes, He just has to stun us with
difficult circumstances to get our attention!

 

[beensetfree]

Honor the LORD with your wealth
"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 16:13-15

__________________

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9,10 NIV

__________________

And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

Deuteronomy 14:29 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.