February 28, 2009
February 27, 2009
February 25, 2009
February 24, 2009
February 19, 2009
Wisdom from the Past
"Think whether Christ came from the Father to bring tiding of sadness and despair, or of great joy; and whether angles preached not the Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and to men good will? And whether faith, hope and love, which are the things which Christ will work on souls, be not more powerful to destroy your sins than despair or discouragement of mind?
And because you complain so much of sin, I ask you why doth not your conscience more accuse you of the sin of unthankful denying or extenuating the mercies of God, and no more magnifying them? And for overlooking so much the meritorious righteousness of Christ, while you complain for want of more of your own? I would not deceive you by telling you that you need none in yourself and that all your righteousness is out of you in Christ: I know that your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, and the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, and he that doth righteousness is righteous. But at what bar or tribunal? Only at that of grace, which supposeth the reconciling, pardoning righteousness of Christ. It is not at the bar of rigorous justice according to the law, which requireth innocence to justification; there Christ only is your righteousness, and you have none and must dream of none but that which floweth from his and stands in subordination to it and is you title to it and improvement of it, even your thankful accepting a free-given Savior, Head and Lord, and pardon and the Spirit to sanctify you more and fit you for communion with God and for glory. Esteem most, choose first, and seek most the love of God the Father, the grace of Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, and this subordinate righteousness will certainly prove the meritorious perfect righteousness of Christ to be for you, instead of a perfect righteousness of your own. There is no defect in his sacrifice of merits. If you lack a title to Christ you were unjustified; but none wants that who consenteth to his covenant, as before; and that consent you cannot deny. Will you live like a forsaken orphan exposed in the wilderness, while God's tender love is saving you, and Christ is glorying in you as the fruit of His blood, and the angles of God are serving you and rejoicing at your conversion? I entreat you to think whether it be no the great work that God hath called you to do, to honor His grace and propagate to all about you, as you are able, a joyful, thankful, hoping, and praising frame of soul, and to stir up all the delightful praise of God? As ministers must do it by preaching, all must do it by conference and example. And is your dejected sadness the performance of this?"
--Margaret Baxter, from A Grief Sanctified By J.I. Packer and Richard Baxter
While reading this wonderful book (Seriously if it isn't in your own personal library it must be!!!) I have been mightily convicted of God. I have struggled often from the weight of my numerous sins. So much has been over magnified in my eyes of the truly wicked realities of my heart and desires. Truly I am not a sinless person, but a person clinging to grace! I have been mightily overcome by the deprecations that have come flooding to the fore and could not shake a feeling of condemnation. Do not we all do this? Abhor ourselves for our lack of righteousness? We want to attain a level of righteousness that has no need of a Savior, do we not? I am trying desperately to make myself an idol. Who would I then worship if I could be without sin and supremely good? I am embarrassed by the answers to these questions, these same sins that first brought me to the foot of the cross have lately brought me low again under the burden of sin, but should they have done so?
Have I not been freed by His righteousness?
Have I not been given the promises of life in Him? and and abundant life at that?
Do I not remember that I will be like Him someday just as the apostle encourages?
I have not remembered that even a heart that is burdened deeply for sin (I do not mean a truly contrite heart that is broken for sin- but a heart abundantly downcast and depressed by the realities of our sin) is not always centered on Christ. Can we not pervert anything? Oh, believe me, I can! I can take even the beauty of repentance and make it a study in my own need for self-righteousness. As I have lately done.
But....Oh glory Revealed....Our God is a Good God. I am reminded that my righteousness--no matter how great--is still nothing in comparison to His imputed righteousness. I must rejoice! I must shout that He has had mercy on my heart! He has brought me out of the pit and set my feet upon the rock! Praise the Lord for this woman of wisdom who lived so very, very long ago! Would she ever have thought that her struggled with the flesh would truly be a sweet and tender balm of truth to my confused and aching heart, so consumed with self?
My God is sweet....so sweet!
My God is merciful...Have you ever thought how merciful He is? He looked on Me with pity....His thoughts are not my thoughts....He is merciful! He is faithful!
My God is Gracious! How my heart must rejoicing in His working my horrendous errors into good...by the way of the Cross! Beautiful Holiness!
He is so good to me! How can I stay silent? How cannot I sing and joy and glory in His work, even in the face of my failings? He isn't like me, His thoughts are not my thoughts!
May we not be turned away by the insidious thoughts that drive us to focus on our own sin and not on Him alone!
And because you complain so much of sin, I ask you why doth not your conscience more accuse you of the sin of unthankful denying or extenuating the mercies of God, and no more magnifying them? And for overlooking so much the meritorious righteousness of Christ, while you complain for want of more of your own? I would not deceive you by telling you that you need none in yourself and that all your righteousness is out of you in Christ: I know that your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, and the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, and he that doth righteousness is righteous. But at what bar or tribunal? Only at that of grace, which supposeth the reconciling, pardoning righteousness of Christ. It is not at the bar of rigorous justice according to the law, which requireth innocence to justification; there Christ only is your righteousness, and you have none and must dream of none but that which floweth from his and stands in subordination to it and is you title to it and improvement of it, even your thankful accepting a free-given Savior, Head and Lord, and pardon and the Spirit to sanctify you more and fit you for communion with God and for glory. Esteem most, choose first, and seek most the love of God the Father, the grace of Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, and this subordinate righteousness will certainly prove the meritorious perfect righteousness of Christ to be for you, instead of a perfect righteousness of your own. There is no defect in his sacrifice of merits. If you lack a title to Christ you were unjustified; but none wants that who consenteth to his covenant, as before; and that consent you cannot deny. Will you live like a forsaken orphan exposed in the wilderness, while God's tender love is saving you, and Christ is glorying in you as the fruit of His blood, and the angles of God are serving you and rejoicing at your conversion? I entreat you to think whether it be no the great work that God hath called you to do, to honor His grace and propagate to all about you, as you are able, a joyful, thankful, hoping, and praising frame of soul, and to stir up all the delightful praise of God? As ministers must do it by preaching, all must do it by conference and example. And is your dejected sadness the performance of this?"
--Margaret Baxter, from A Grief Sanctified By J.I. Packer and Richard Baxter
While reading this wonderful book (Seriously if it isn't in your own personal library it must be!!!) I have been mightily convicted of God. I have struggled often from the weight of my numerous sins. So much has been over magnified in my eyes of the truly wicked realities of my heart and desires. Truly I am not a sinless person, but a person clinging to grace! I have been mightily overcome by the deprecations that have come flooding to the fore and could not shake a feeling of condemnation. Do not we all do this? Abhor ourselves for our lack of righteousness? We want to attain a level of righteousness that has no need of a Savior, do we not? I am trying desperately to make myself an idol. Who would I then worship if I could be without sin and supremely good? I am embarrassed by the answers to these questions, these same sins that first brought me to the foot of the cross have lately brought me low again under the burden of sin, but should they have done so?
Have I not been freed by His righteousness?
Have I not been given the promises of life in Him? and and abundant life at that?
Do I not remember that I will be like Him someday just as the apostle encourages?
I have not remembered that even a heart that is burdened deeply for sin (I do not mean a truly contrite heart that is broken for sin- but a heart abundantly downcast and depressed by the realities of our sin) is not always centered on Christ. Can we not pervert anything? Oh, believe me, I can! I can take even the beauty of repentance and make it a study in my own need for self-righteousness. As I have lately done.
But....Oh glory Revealed....Our God is a Good God. I am reminded that my righteousness--no matter how great--is still nothing in comparison to His imputed righteousness. I must rejoice! I must shout that He has had mercy on my heart! He has brought me out of the pit and set my feet upon the rock! Praise the Lord for this woman of wisdom who lived so very, very long ago! Would she ever have thought that her struggled with the flesh would truly be a sweet and tender balm of truth to my confused and aching heart, so consumed with self?
My God is sweet....so sweet!
My God is merciful...Have you ever thought how merciful He is? He looked on Me with pity....His thoughts are not my thoughts....He is merciful! He is faithful!
My God is Gracious! How my heart must rejoicing in His working my horrendous errors into good...by the way of the Cross! Beautiful Holiness!
He is so good to me! How can I stay silent? How cannot I sing and joy and glory in His work, even in the face of my failings? He isn't like me, His thoughts are not my thoughts!
May we not be turned away by the insidious thoughts that drive us to focus on our own sin and not on Him alone!
February 12, 2009
The Anniversary of Your Wretchedness
With Valentine's day fast approaching I thought it pertinent for our readers here , I hope you are encouraged more to mercy this Valentine's day!
Happy Anniversary!! This is a common statement said millions of times during the year to dating and married couples all over the globe. It is a wonderful thing to remember and celebrate years and sometimes decades of faithful (though difficult) unity. Yet, I am convinced there are other types of anniversaries being remembered. These other types of anniversaries are not worth remembering and must not be celebrated. They come in all forms. For some, it is the anniversary of their spouse’s infidelity. For others it is the day their spouse gambled away their nest egg at the local casino. All kinds of sins are faithfully remembered year after year by untold numbers of people convinced they are completely justified in their recollection of someone else’s wretchedness. But such anniversaries are dangerous endeavors indeed. In every way, they are like slow poison for relationships and must be seen as hard-hearted attempts to remember that which must be forgiven and laid to rest.
Of course, forgiving sin and laying that sin to rest are easier said than done. Good thing then that this is not a work we do in our strength. In fact, we couldn't even do so if we wanted to. This is true for two reasons. First, we are not in a position to do so. You see, we are just as wretched as the individuals whose wretchedness we quickly call to account. Think about it for a moment. Who have you greatly sinned against? Maybe you are having trouble thinking of someone who you have hurt as much as your spouse has hurt you. So let me ask you a bit harder question. What about the sin you have committed against your Creator? Remember it was YOUR SIN and not just your spouse’s sin that brought suffering, pain, and death to God’s only Son. Unlike us, Jesus neither sinned nor warranted being sinned against. NO ONE has been more wronged by people than Jesus Christ. For this reason and many more only Jesus is in a position to continually bring up anybody’s sin. Second, we lack the ability to forgive and lay to rest someone’s sin against us or our sin against someone else. But the same One in position to continually bring up someone’s sin is also the same One with the ability to forgive and lay to rest all sin.
Is it time for you to let go of some anniversary? If so, just remember how much sweeter mercy is than condemnation. Aren’t you thankful that because of the cross of Christ your sin is forgiven and will be remembered no more. May God grant us the strength to be mercifully forgiving like His Son.
Happy Anniversary!! This is a common statement said millions of times during the year to dating and married couples all over the globe. It is a wonderful thing to remember and celebrate years and sometimes decades of faithful (though difficult) unity. Yet, I am convinced there are other types of anniversaries being remembered. These other types of anniversaries are not worth remembering and must not be celebrated. They come in all forms. For some, it is the anniversary of their spouse’s infidelity. For others it is the day their spouse gambled away their nest egg at the local casino. All kinds of sins are faithfully remembered year after year by untold numbers of people convinced they are completely justified in their recollection of someone else’s wretchedness. But such anniversaries are dangerous endeavors indeed. In every way, they are like slow poison for relationships and must be seen as hard-hearted attempts to remember that which must be forgiven and laid to rest.
Of course, forgiving sin and laying that sin to rest are easier said than done. Good thing then that this is not a work we do in our strength. In fact, we couldn't even do so if we wanted to. This is true for two reasons. First, we are not in a position to do so. You see, we are just as wretched as the individuals whose wretchedness we quickly call to account. Think about it for a moment. Who have you greatly sinned against? Maybe you are having trouble thinking of someone who you have hurt as much as your spouse has hurt you. So let me ask you a bit harder question. What about the sin you have committed against your Creator? Remember it was YOUR SIN and not just your spouse’s sin that brought suffering, pain, and death to God’s only Son. Unlike us, Jesus neither sinned nor warranted being sinned against. NO ONE has been more wronged by people than Jesus Christ. For this reason and many more only Jesus is in a position to continually bring up anybody’s sin. Second, we lack the ability to forgive and lay to rest someone’s sin against us or our sin against someone else. But the same One in position to continually bring up someone’s sin is also the same One with the ability to forgive and lay to rest all sin.
Is it time for you to let go of some anniversary? If so, just remember how much sweeter mercy is than condemnation. Aren’t you thankful that because of the cross of Christ your sin is forgiven and will be remembered no more. May God grant us the strength to be mercifully forgiving like His Son.
February 10, 2009
Cheer Up, My Friend! (or Self for that matter!)
(The following is excerpted from a letter written on November 16, 1838, and was published in the 'Gospel Standard Magazine')
Dear friend,
O the pleasure, wonder, and delight when the dear Comforter brings to my remembrance the way He has led me these forty years in this dreary wilderness—the helps He has afforded me; His never-failing mercy in supplying me; His omnipotent power in keeping me; His unwearied patience in bearing with my devilish, crooked ways; His never-failing faithfulness, notwithstanding all my unbelief. It is of His mercies and His unfailing compassion—that I am not consumed. I am confident that it is because He changes not, that such a worm as I am—is not consumed. For I am sure there never was such a stubborn, refractory, stupid, rebellious, proud, presumptuous, blind fool as I am!
My dear friend, it is here where my poor soul wishes to be living and dying—enrapt up in the bosom of everlasting love! O what sweetness to have drops out of this fathomless sea, this boundless river! And, if the drops are so sweet, so soul ravishing, so sin subduing, so devil conquering, so world vanquishing, and so God glorifying; what must it be to be brought to the fountain-head! What must it be, to be delivered forever from a cursed body of sin and death, out of the reach of all the fiery darts of the devil! What must it be, to have no nights, no clouds, no storms, no afflictions, no frowns forever and ever! There it will be an eternity of God's smiles, an eternity of immortal pleasure—and not one moment of pain nor grief forever and ever!
O sweet home, heavenly rest—"where the wicked cease from troubling," and the poor, tempted, tossed, tried, weary soul shall be forever at rest—undisturbed forever! O that the dear Comforter may bless us with foretastes of this heavenly kingdom, where we shall sing together, notwithstanding all our present sinkings, murmurings, frettings, wanderings, groanings, and sighings! All that either the world, flesh, or devils have done, can do, or ever shall do—shall never be able to pluck us out of the hands of everlasting love!
Cheer up, my friend, though it is through much tribulation—it is unto the kingdom of God! Though it is through fire and water—it is into a wealthy place! Though it is through a terrible wilderness, through pits, traps, and snares—it is into a land flowing with milk and honey! Though it is through so many fainting fits, so sickly and faint at times—it is into a land where there never is any sickness, for the inhabitants there never are sick.
Blessed be our dear Lord—He picked us up out of the ruin of the fall—unasked, unsought for, unthought of—and deadened us to all the pleasures and joys that we once lived and delighted in. He has burned up our rags of righteousness and made us sick of them in our very hearts—and brought us to long, pant, and thirst for His holy righteousness. He has given us many blessed drops and tokens of His love—that He is ours, and that we are His!
O blessed Lord, do help us, do keep us, do lead us, and do guide us by Your counsel—and afterwards receive us to glory!
www.gracegems.org
Dear friend,
O the pleasure, wonder, and delight when the dear Comforter brings to my remembrance the way He has led me these forty years in this dreary wilderness—the helps He has afforded me; His never-failing mercy in supplying me; His omnipotent power in keeping me; His unwearied patience in bearing with my devilish, crooked ways; His never-failing faithfulness, notwithstanding all my unbelief. It is of His mercies and His unfailing compassion—that I am not consumed. I am confident that it is because He changes not, that such a worm as I am—is not consumed. For I am sure there never was such a stubborn, refractory, stupid, rebellious, proud, presumptuous, blind fool as I am!
My dear friend, it is here where my poor soul wishes to be living and dying—enrapt up in the bosom of everlasting love! O what sweetness to have drops out of this fathomless sea, this boundless river! And, if the drops are so sweet, so soul ravishing, so sin subduing, so devil conquering, so world vanquishing, and so God glorifying; what must it be to be brought to the fountain-head! What must it be, to be delivered forever from a cursed body of sin and death, out of the reach of all the fiery darts of the devil! What must it be, to have no nights, no clouds, no storms, no afflictions, no frowns forever and ever! There it will be an eternity of God's smiles, an eternity of immortal pleasure—and not one moment of pain nor grief forever and ever!
O sweet home, heavenly rest—"where the wicked cease from troubling," and the poor, tempted, tossed, tried, weary soul shall be forever at rest—undisturbed forever! O that the dear Comforter may bless us with foretastes of this heavenly kingdom, where we shall sing together, notwithstanding all our present sinkings, murmurings, frettings, wanderings, groanings, and sighings! All that either the world, flesh, or devils have done, can do, or ever shall do—shall never be able to pluck us out of the hands of everlasting love!
Cheer up, my friend, though it is through much tribulation—it is unto the kingdom of God! Though it is through fire and water—it is into a wealthy place! Though it is through a terrible wilderness, through pits, traps, and snares—it is into a land flowing with milk and honey! Though it is through so many fainting fits, so sickly and faint at times—it is into a land where there never is any sickness, for the inhabitants there never are sick.
Blessed be our dear Lord—He picked us up out of the ruin of the fall—unasked, unsought for, unthought of—and deadened us to all the pleasures and joys that we once lived and delighted in. He has burned up our rags of righteousness and made us sick of them in our very hearts—and brought us to long, pant, and thirst for His holy righteousness. He has given us many blessed drops and tokens of His love—that He is ours, and that we are His!
O blessed Lord, do help us, do keep us, do lead us, and do guide us by Your counsel—and afterwards receive us to glory!
www.gracegems.org
February 04, 2009
Some of My Favorite Things....
Some of my favorite things lately are.....
Paper Back Swap! Shout out to Miranda for recommending that I join that organization! It is great! You post books you no longer want and get ones you do! So quick easy and cheaper then buying them yourself. You may have to wait a little bit but the books you always want usually surface, I have even gotten commentaries off the site for Will.
Home made exotic foods! Many of you know we recently moved to northern Missouri. One of the things I like best about living without fast food is I am not tempted to cut corners as much. I made tempura over the weekend, with a packet of batter and some very fresh veggies! It was super delish! Nothing better then me getting to experiment and be rewarded with not only a great meal that we all loved, but to know that I wasn't cutting corners or dropping the ball.
La Tiara Taco Shells. Okay A friend tipped me off to these little gems! They are wonderful, but you cannot get them outside the Kansas city area. Sorry to those who aren't close enough to get these amazing treats to add to your own family Mexican night! Click here to try though!
Netflix. When we moved we had every intention of getting our TV up and running, then we got less motivated, and still less motivated, and then the desire for television vanished from us. We decided instead to join netflix and get some movies every couple days for us and the kids to watch together. We had our first movie night together this weekend and it was sweet to have all of us (well the two oldest and Will and I). It has been great! We love it! We are even getting some old TV shows we loved in the past! Such a great invention!
Elizabeth Elliot. I have always admired this woman in the faith. But it wasn't until more recently that I truly began to appreciate her very grace-filled ideas on life and godliness. She is so well versed in suffering, ministry and life that it is amazing that this nugget of insight has been often neglected by me. I have read her a bit in the past, but lately have truly utilized her wisdom from her walk to encourage me in my own.
My baby sling. Okay it isn't really fabulous, and it isn't even the one I really want. But it has really been very good to me lately. I have been able to use it to carry my girl in lately during church activities and other things and it has made my life much easier. I recommend getting a baby sling of your own if you have a baby! Hands free is great!
Paper Back Swap! Shout out to Miranda for recommending that I join that organization! It is great! You post books you no longer want and get ones you do! So quick easy and cheaper then buying them yourself. You may have to wait a little bit but the books you always want usually surface, I have even gotten commentaries off the site for Will.
Home made exotic foods! Many of you know we recently moved to northern Missouri. One of the things I like best about living without fast food is I am not tempted to cut corners as much. I made tempura over the weekend, with a packet of batter and some very fresh veggies! It was super delish! Nothing better then me getting to experiment and be rewarded with not only a great meal that we all loved, but to know that I wasn't cutting corners or dropping the ball.
La Tiara Taco Shells. Okay A friend tipped me off to these little gems! They are wonderful, but you cannot get them outside the Kansas city area. Sorry to those who aren't close enough to get these amazing treats to add to your own family Mexican night! Click here to try though!
Netflix. When we moved we had every intention of getting our TV up and running, then we got less motivated, and still less motivated, and then the desire for television vanished from us. We decided instead to join netflix and get some movies every couple days for us and the kids to watch together. We had our first movie night together this weekend and it was sweet to have all of us (well the two oldest and Will and I). It has been great! We love it! We are even getting some old TV shows we loved in the past! Such a great invention!
Elizabeth Elliot. I have always admired this woman in the faith. But it wasn't until more recently that I truly began to appreciate her very grace-filled ideas on life and godliness. She is so well versed in suffering, ministry and life that it is amazing that this nugget of insight has been often neglected by me. I have read her a bit in the past, but lately have truly utilized her wisdom from her walk to encourage me in my own.
My baby sling. Okay it isn't really fabulous, and it isn't even the one I really want. But it has really been very good to me lately. I have been able to use it to carry my girl in lately during church activities and other things and it has made my life much easier. I recommend getting a baby sling of your own if you have a baby! Hands free is great!
February 03, 2009
No More Whining!
So our house it probably like so many of the other homes out there, often my children are whinny, as many of you have seen and heard. This is obviously a failing of mine to train my children to control themselves and their mouths. I am trusting in His grace to allow me to be able to teach my boys how to better use their mouths to glorify our Savior and am also thinking about implementing this ideology for myself, when I get particularly snappy! Yes, thats happens!
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