It is sad to me when I see the unsaved maintain their reasons for not trusting in Christ based on what they see or don't see in Christians, rather than what they see or don't see in Christ Himself. Every man falls short - man cannot be God, though he is often worshiped as a god. Only as we see Jesus and fall in love with Him do we trust in Him. Looking at man's works for what they truly are, we see filthy rags. Looking at Christ's works we see righteousness. And when we do see man's works and give God glory, it is truly God's work in man, not man's work in himself.
"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5).
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Your Purpose I Cannot See
O the pain and the deep sorrow,
the depths of this sadness;
the past it haunts me,
my dreams, even they confess.
My heart it wrenches,
the confusion is hard to bear;
years of not understanding this race,
my heart, it continues to tear.
What is my Father doing?
Why has He chosen this path for me?
Speak to me O Lord,
Your purpose I cannot see.
This life is but a vapor,
this world will pass away;
but O the pain that is here,
perhaps it will make sense one day.
the depths of this sadness;
the past it haunts me,
my dreams, even they confess.
My heart it wrenches,
the confusion is hard to bear;
years of not understanding this race,
my heart, it continues to tear.
What is my Father doing?
Why has He chosen this path for me?
Speak to me O Lord,
Your purpose I cannot see.
This life is but a vapor,
this world will pass away;
but O the pain that is here,
perhaps it will make sense one day.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Hill Difficulty
The following quote is taken from John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, a 2007 edition published by Moody Publishers in Chicago, the General Editor being Rosalie De Rosset. Enjoy drinking from the deep waters of our brother's work, written almost 300 years ago. This is our journey...
"...they [the characters Christian, Formalist, and Hypocrisy] all went on till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, at the bottom of which was a spring. There were also in the same place two other ways, besides that which came straight from the gate: one turned to the left hand, and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way lay right up the hill, and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Difficulty. Christian now went to the spring (Isaiah 49:10), and drank thereof to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill, saying:
...I looked then after Christian, to see him go up the hill, where I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to clambering upon his hands and knees, because of the steepness of the place."
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13).
"...they [the characters Christian, Formalist, and Hypocrisy] all went on till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, at the bottom of which was a spring. There were also in the same place two other ways, besides that which came straight from the gate: one turned to the left hand, and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way lay right up the hill, and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Difficulty. Christian now went to the spring (Isaiah 49:10), and drank thereof to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill, saying:
The hill, though high, I covet to ascend,
The difficulty will not me offend;
For I perceive the way to life lies here:
Come, pluck up, heart, let's neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.
...I looked then after Christian, to see him go up the hill, where I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to clambering upon his hands and knees, because of the steepness of the place."
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13).
Monday, June 8, 2009
I Love the Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Gospel says that my righteousness is found in Christ (Philippians 3:9). The Gospel says that I am reconciled to God (Romans 5:10)! The Gospel says that God has redeemed me, ransomed me from the snare of Hell (Galatians 3:13-14, Matthew 20:28). The Gospel says that Jesus wins, and I am a member of his family (1 Corinthians 15:57, Ephesians 1:4-6). The Gospel says that God will finish the work He started in me (Philippians 1:6). The Gospel says that nothing - neither Satan nor man, nor anything else in all creation - can separate me from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39). The Gospel says that the God of the universe will never leave me, never forsake me (Psalm 94:14, Hebrews 13:5). The Gospel says that I have a Comforter and Teacher who leads me to Jesus (John 14:26, 16:13-15). I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! If you are in Christ, yell this truth with me, yell it to your heart, for it is true for you as well!
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God...For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christs" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6). May we yell it also to those who are perishing; perhaps God will allow them to enter His kingdom alongside us.
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God...For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christs" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6). May we yell it also to those who are perishing; perhaps God will allow them to enter His kingdom alongside us.
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