"And Can It Be......."

I never cease to be amazed at the grace of God. Each time that I am reminded of His unmerited favor toward one such as myself, a rebel, a proud, self-focused sinner, I am staggered and brought to ask, "And Can It Be?"

I am always stirred by the words of that hymn that includes the question, "And can it be, that I should gain, an interest in the Saviors blood?"

A lofty thought indeed, for a rebel against God, to realize that a Holy God who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all would tolerate me enough to let me breath, much less, would deliver up His delightful, sinless Son to rescue me!

I feel that I must respond like Mephibosheth did when confronted with the unmerited favor of King David, "And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" (2 Sam.9:8)

A "dead dog" in truth!! What do I have that would win such lavish treatment? Why am I not consumed? How can I begin to fathom such depths of kindness and love?

I am left in silent awe! Lord, what would you have me to do? Can there be any other response?

Yes, I am left to wonder and muse upon the love of Christ that passeth all knowledge, I am left to desire that I might know it more, in it's depth, and length, and breadth, and height!

I am left to ask in joyous contemplation, "And Can It Be.....?"

The Way of Escape

Christian and Hopeful,after having been confined and tormented by Giant Despair in Doubting Castle.....


"Now, a little before it was Day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out in this passionate speech; What a Fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty? I have a key in my bosom, called Promise, that will I am persuaded open any lock in Doubting-Castle. Then said Hopeful, That's good news, good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.
Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt (as he turned the Key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outward door that leads into the castle-yard, and with his key opened that door also. After he went to the Iron Gate, for that must be opened too, but that lock went very hard, yet the Key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed; but that gate as it opened made such a creaking, that it waked Giant Despair, who hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King's Highway again, and so were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction."
(John Bunyan, "The Pilgrim's Progress")

Remember God's sure, unfailing Promises when Giant Despair and Doubting-Castle are your portion!

"Wait for the LORD"

"Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take
courage;
wait for the LORD!"
(Psa.27:14)


In this Psalm of David there is strength and solace to be found.....Yet, I will readily admit, waiting is not one of my strong points!

Maybe it's in my genes or maybe I have been influenced by our "instant gratification" society. Maybe it's a little of both.

To wait on the LORD is hard for us finite creatures. Time is of the essence....please God, can't you do this right now?.....is often my plea.

How easy it is to affirm our belief in the declarations of scripture when all is smooth....but how hard it becomes to rest and wait when the trials and needs come!

But God, throughout scripture instructs us to "wait" and trust.

I think of Abraham and Sarah....."you shall have a son"....but it would be 25yrs of waiting! A wait that was broken by an attempt to expedite the fulfillment.

This attempt, as usual, brought trouble and sorrow, and it was again proven that God is always right on time and faithful...if we will but wait.

In the wilderness, the children of Israel were instructed to move when the pillar of cloud moved, and when it stood still, they were to abide in their tents....they were to wait on God.

God's ways and times are not ours, and they do not conform to our plans and our preconceived answers to our requests.

Nevertheless, we are told to wait and trust that His ways and times are perfect and that they will be for His glory and our good.

So, I must learn again and again this principle of waiting on the LORD, not with idleness or a wandering heart.....on the contrary, I am to "be strong" and "let my heart take courage" as I actively look to Him by faith and gaze with great anticipation toward what He has in store!

If I am to find strength and courage of heart, I must learn to "stand still and see the salvation of the LORD". I must sit at His feet as Mary did and be quiet and listen.....Wait on the LORD.......The Wait is always worth it!

Some Thoughts.......

Hello to all,

I haven't posted in a few days so I thought that I would just share some things that are bouncing around in my head!

First of all I am daily amazed at the goodness of God and His mercy toward me. He sheds abundant provision on me for my every need. He is worthy of all praise and honor, even if I had never received one good thing from His Holy hand!

Secondly, I am hunbled and stirred in heart when I think of the precious brothers and sisters that the Lord has brought into my life over the years. These dear Saints have many times refreshed my weary soul with their words of wisdom and encouragement.

Where would I be without the faith and strength that flows from the Head and through the other members of the body to nourish my heart and mind?

As I have mentioned in a previous post, the last several months have been some of the most trying of my life as I have dealt with anxiety issues and just a general sense of nervousness and depression. I will freely admit, this has been the toughest ordeal that I have ever endured, and am stil battling!

But God, who is rich in mercy, interposes daily on my behalf through His word, His Spirit, and His children!

I, like you, don't understand many of the experiences of this life, but I am convinced that God is good all the time and that He is working all things for His glory and our profit!

Let me offer my deepest expressions of heart felt thanks for your intercessions for me before the throne of grace, and I continue to covet your prayers on my behalf as I seek to keep my eyes fixed on the gospel and the beauties of Christ!

A Fellow Pilgrim,

Tom

Flood Relief

I have had the privilege this week to work with the Red Cross in their flood relief efforts in the Nashville area and it has truly been a blessing!

It is very fulfilling to help alleviate the burden these folks are going through in whatever small way that we can.

I was moved by the sincere gratitude of many of the recipients of what we had to give and their expressions of thankfulness and "God bless you's" were certainly uplifting as we worked to supply their needs with what we had to give.

How wonderful it is to see God's good that He brings out of such destruction and loss! What an opportunity we have to live out the gospel in times like these and to show forth just a small portion of the abundant grace that Christ has poured on us every day of our lives!

Missional, practical Christianity is most definately a tiring and a strengthening experience all at the same time.

Thanks be to God for His work of mercy to us and through us in this world!

"IT IS FINISHED"

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
(1Cor.1:30-31)

My heart can rehearse this truth that will ring through eternity, "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things."

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!!

Lord, whom do I have in heaven or earth but thee?

My prayer......Lord Jesus, let me only boast in you!

Keep Running!!

I have been pondering perseverance lately. In my ponderings I have considered the fact that Christian perseverance cannot be based upon feelings, experiences, or any other subjective thing.
No, our persevering in the faith must find it's foundation in the indicatives of Holy Scripture.
The unchanging word of God must be our refuge in good times and hard times, in victories and in defeats.
When the flesh or the world or the devil comes knocking, I have only one recourse, "It is written."

How precious is the word in this spiritual battleground! In comfort or discomfort the word of God is forever settled in heaven!

The blood-bought child of God finds in it, inexhaustable strength and solace as we run the race that is set before us. Let us press on regardless of ups or downs and continue to look to the author and finisher of our Faith who has gone before us and ever lives to intercede for us! How do I know this?..... "It is written"!!

[Screwtape warns Wormwood]"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's [God's] will, looks around upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."
(C.S. Lewis/ The Screwtape Letters)