Wednesday, December 31, 2008

When I Recall Thy Goodness...


"O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
(Psa.95:1-3)


The last day of 2008 has arrived and as I ponder God's goodness over the past year I have much to be thankful for.

I thank Him first of all for His beloved Son, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I thank Him for His abiding faithfulness to an often erring child.

I thank Him for His provision, both physically and spiritually.

I thank Him for a Mother and Father that have demonstrated to me, in word and deed, the way of life.

I thank Him for such a dear christian wife who is a precious gift from the Lord.

I thank Him for sisters and a brother who are ever willing to speak with me about Christ.

I thank Him for the sisters and brethren of Reformed Baptist Church who have already been such a source of blessing and encouragement as they show forth such great love for the Savior, His word, and each other.

Truly His grace is super-abounding and matchless!

What great things will He do in the coming year?

Whatever the coming days may bring I know that it will be cause for recalling and extolling His goodness!

O' give thanks for He is worthy!

Monday, December 29, 2008

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR


As a New Year quickly approaches I pray that it will be one of greater devotion to God and His work.

I find my desire expressed in the desire of the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Ephesians.

In chap.3 he says...."For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Eph.3:14-19)


This is my hope and prayer for myself and for all the saints in the coming days!
May His glory shine forth in life changing power and make us channels of blessing!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Some Thoughts from Helen Keller


"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision."

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace."

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow."

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellowmen, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui."

What insight from a woman enclosed in a world of silence and darkness...or was she?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

"THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"


I have been reading about the life and ministry of Robert Murray M'Cheyne and have been blessed by his devotion to the Lord and His work.
He was a well-known preacher in Scotland in the early 1800's and also labored as a missionary in Israel as well.
He would often relate great Christian truths in poetic form and I have included two such examples below....


JEHOVAH TSIDKENU

"THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"

(The watchword of the Reformers.)

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

I oft read with pleasure, to soothe or engage,
Isaiah's wild measure and John's simple page;
But e'en when they pictured the blood-sprinkled tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu seemed nothing to me.

Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu--'twas nothing to me.

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see--
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free--
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,
Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne'er can be lost;
In thee I shall conquer by flood and by field--
My cable, my anchor, my breastplate and shield!

Even treading the valley, the shadow of death,
This "watchword" shall rally my faltering breath;
For while from life's fever my God sets me free,
Jehovah Tsidkenu my death-song shall be.

(November 18, 1834)


'When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o'er life's finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know--
Not till then--how much I owe'


(taken from "Memoir and Remains of R.M.M'Cheyne by Andrew Bonar)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"The Likeness of Sinful Flesh" (Rom.8:3)


The thought of God coming to tabernacle among men is truly amazing. For He who is infinite in all His attributes to come to dwell with finite and rebellious man is astounding.
How can one adequately describe the incarnation in all its splendor and grace? What a privelege to have the record of His coming to live for us and to die for us!

It is very moving to be able to enter in, so to speak, to those conversations between the Father and the Son concerning His coming to do for us what we or the old sacrificial system could never do.
In Hebrews 10:5 it is written...."Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"
A "body" in which He would fully honor the holy law of God and a "body" that was to bare our sins on Calvary.

He took upon our likeness and our infirmities and yet without sin. He became one with His children!

It is said in Hebrews 2:14-15.... "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh an blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."


Knowing that we have such an advocate and redeemer, how can I justly be discouraged or dismayed? Because He has come and taken on the likeness of my sinful flesh and stood for me in life and in death I can rejoice with that unspeakable joy that is full of glory! This message of glad tidings that "much more abounds" all my sin and shame is far too great to be described in human language.

Truly, "great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,..."
(1Tim.3:16)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

"Fair Weather Followers"


"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for awhile: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." (Mat.13:20-22)


Just as it is easy to be a "fair weather fan" it is easy to be a fair weather follower of God.

Throughout history there have been many fair weather followers of God and of Jesus. When all is well and things are going our way, how easy it is to sing "O How I Love Jesus". While Jesus was healing and feeding the people he was thronged with crowds of followers but as he drew nearer to the cross an began to say some "hard things" they began to vanish!

There were those though, who did not go away, but who asked the question....."to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68)
These are they, whether in good times or bad, which confess that "only God will do."
They know that God cannot fail, He must prevail! Even though the outward circumstances look bleak there is a confidence of heart that says with Job... "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him;....." (Job 13:15)
This is the faith once delivered to the saints. It perseveres and presses toward that heavenly city!

In our own day we are continually hearing of troubles in various areas and it is easy for me to get caught up in the negativity. I must always be reminded and remind myself that God is forever the same and his purposes are right on time and will not fail!

The words of Habakkuk came to mind as I considered, in particular, all of the economic turmoil of the day and its propensity to draw our minds from God's watchcare and faithfulness.

He says.... "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut of from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Hab.3:17-18)

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

"HE MUST INCREASE"

"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

How wonderful to "decrease"!

How wonderful is the thought of becoming so enamored with Christ, so consumed by Him that self fades from view.

As Paul says.... "to no longer live".... but instead to be a manifestation of Christ!

I remember the testimony given during the time of Charles Spurgeon. A man in America, who had heard of the fame of this English preacher decided to make the journey to London and experience Spurgeons renowned preaching for himself.
Upon returning he was asked concerning what the experience was like and he shared... "I went to see a great preacher and instead I saw a great Savior."

What a word to be spoken about any believer! That we would not be seen or applauded but that Jesus would appear before the eyes of the onlookers and would be heard in the ears of the hearers.

The wellknown evangelist of the 1700's, George Whitefield was asked on one occasion concerning his legacy and how he would like to be remembered, he replied..."let the name of George Whitefield perish and Christ be magnified."

This man had been "swallowed up" of Christ! This desire reminds me of Paul when he writes to the Phillipians and says....."According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life,or by death."
(Phil.1:20)


I pray that my heart and attitude will be conformed to such heights of love and devotion, that I would fade from view and be eclipsed by the glory of the Son!

Truly, if He is to increase, I must decrease!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

"Our Daysman has Come"


"For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgement.
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both."
(Job 9:32-33)


"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1John 2:1-2)


Thanks be unto God that our "daysman" and "advocate" has come! For he alone can "lay his hand on us both and bring reconcilliation.
He alone can lay his hand on God and not be consumed and lay his hand on man and not be defiled.

There is a Savior!