Saturday, January 31, 2015
do not be content in bad circumstances but...
"I realized that the stakes were far greater, far more immense and cosmic than merely my satisfaction with a wheelchair and its unpleasant baggage. I shifted my focus onto God. His glory was at stake, and that made my satisfaction in Him (not satisfaction with 'the way things were') the real issue. It was no longer a matter of being content with His plan for my life; it was a matter of finding Him utterly and supremely the source of all contentment. This, much to my delight, would give Him the greatest glory."
-Joni Eareckson Tada
Friday, January 30, 2015
repost again
In light of my last post, I was reminded of this post from six years ago:
In Pleasing People Priolo portrays the heart of forgiveness as being a promise. Here is what he says: "Forgiveness is fundamentally a promise. As God promises to not hold our sins against us, so we also must promise not to hold the sins of those we've forgiven against them." This is, of course, the foundation of the forgiveness God promises to us: that He will never hold our sins against us. On the day of judgment we know that He will not suddenly charge us with sins that have been forgiven us through the blood of Jesus. We have faith in God and trust in this promise. Without this promise our faith is hopeless. Praise God that he offers us this manner of forgiveness!
The promise of forgiveness, says Priolo, can be broken into three parts. First, you promise not to bring up the offense to the forgiven person so as to use it against him. Second, you promise not to discuss with others the sin you have forgiven. Third, you promise not to dwell on the forgiven offense but to remind yourself that you have forgiven the offender in the same way that God has forgiven you for a multitude of far greater sins. Thus when you ask forgiveness you secure these promises for yourself.
http://theliloone.blogspot.com/2009/07/forgiveness-and-some-webcamming.html
The link to Challies' article that works as of now: http://www.challies.com/christian-living/the-heart-of-forgiveness
Gossip is so dangerous and when we do we have not forgiven this person. We have brought up this offense of this person within our own hearts and to others. It's so easy to gossip to others and to ourselves. But now I catch myself thinking, is it really necessary to bring this up? And usually it's not. And even within my own heart do I truly understand God's forgiveness to forgive this person and not hold it against them? I think that takes humility. Yet it is also humbling for us to admit this weakness and thankfully God will grow us to be more like Him.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The Test of my Love for God
From Secure in the Everlasting Arms by Elisabeth Elliot
What is the true test? We can sing about it, talk about it, preach abut it, write poetry about it, pray about it. But Jesus spelled out the acid test: “If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:15 and 21). Obedience is the valid proof.
If my reaction to one who has done me wrong is less than a loving forgiveness, I simply cannot claim to love God. When we pray “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we are telling God that we will receive from Him exactly the measure of forgiveness which we have willingly offered to the trespasser. Will that be enough? Will that cover our trespasses against our Savior? No, it won’t, for Jesus said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” This is the only petition in the Lord’s prayer with a condition added. We must be careful to honor that condition. Forgive me, Lord, as I have forgiven that person who has not asked for forgiveness, that person who has ruined my marriage or my business or my chance to succeed, that person who goes on blithely as though he had done nothing wrong and couldn’t care less. Will I erect a wall between him and me? Then I do the same to God. It’s the same wall. Therefore I cannot obtain forgiveness. We must admit guilt—rather than hide in “an aristocracy of self-righteousness.” To be a Christian means rising out of our guilt, and being transformed by God’s forgiveness.
Watchman Nee told the story of a Chinese farmer who, as soon as he became a believer, underwent a severe test to the validity of his faith. A daily task was to pump water by hand up the steep hillside. A neighbor breached the retaining bank and ran the farmer’s water onto his own garden. “It is not righteous!” said the farmer to the elders in the church. “What does a Christian do in such a case?” The elders knelt with him in prayer, then thought of Jesus’ words, “If someone takes your coat, give him your cloak also.” “If we do only the ‘right’ thing,” said the elders, “we are unprofitable servants. We must go beyond what is merely right.”
The next day the farmer went to work at his treadmill, pumping water for his neighbor’s two strips of wet land below. He then spent the afternoon laboriously pumping water for his own garden. The neighbor, of course, was dumfounded. He questioned the Christian, and it was not long before he too was drinking the Water of Life.
A lady who had heard this story said to me, “I know why God had me come here today. I’ve had years of contention with a neighbor who has been gradually encroaching on my property. I’ve been furious with him, and no amount of reason has helped the situation. Today I learned that I do not have to expect reason! I am going to deed to him the property he has appropriated. How simple! And what a relief!”
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14). No need to remain in death—just let go of the bitterness.
“Oh, how many times we can most of us remember when we would gladly have made any compromise with our consciences, would gladly have made the most costly sacrifices to God, if He would only have excused us from this duty of loving, of which our nature seemed utterly incapable. It is far easier to feel kindly, to act kindly, toward those with whom we are seldom brought into contact, whose tempers and prejudices do not rub against ours, whose interests do not clash with ours, than to keep up an habitual, steady, self-sacrificing love towards those whose weaknesses and faults are always forcing themselves upon us, and are stirring up our own. A man may pass good muster as a philanthropist who makes but a poor master to his servants, or father to his children” (F.D. Maurice, 1805-1872, from Mary Wilder Tileston’s lovely devotional, Daily Strength for Daily Needs).
"Searcher of hearts, Thou knowest us better than we know ourselves, and seest the sins which our sinfulness hides from us. Yet even our own conscience beareth witness against us, that we often slumber on our appointed watch; that we walk not always lovingly with each other, and humbly with Thee; and we withhold that entire sacrifice of ourselves to Thy perfect will, without which we are not crucified with Christ or sharers in His redemption. O look upon our contrition, and lift up our weakness, and let the dayspring yet arise within our hearts, and bring us healing, strength, and joy. Day by day may we grow in faith, in self-denial, in charity in heavenly-mindedness. And then mingle us at last with the mighty host of Thy redeemed for evermore. Amen." (James MArtineau, born 1805)
What is the true test? We can sing about it, talk about it, preach abut it, write poetry about it, pray about it. But Jesus spelled out the acid test: “If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:15 and 21). Obedience is the valid proof.
If my reaction to one who has done me wrong is less than a loving forgiveness, I simply cannot claim to love God. When we pray “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we are telling God that we will receive from Him exactly the measure of forgiveness which we have willingly offered to the trespasser. Will that be enough? Will that cover our trespasses against our Savior? No, it won’t, for Jesus said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” This is the only petition in the Lord’s prayer with a condition added. We must be careful to honor that condition. Forgive me, Lord, as I have forgiven that person who has not asked for forgiveness, that person who has ruined my marriage or my business or my chance to succeed, that person who goes on blithely as though he had done nothing wrong and couldn’t care less. Will I erect a wall between him and me? Then I do the same to God. It’s the same wall. Therefore I cannot obtain forgiveness. We must admit guilt—rather than hide in “an aristocracy of self-righteousness.” To be a Christian means rising out of our guilt, and being transformed by God’s forgiveness.
Watchman Nee told the story of a Chinese farmer who, as soon as he became a believer, underwent a severe test to the validity of his faith. A daily task was to pump water by hand up the steep hillside. A neighbor breached the retaining bank and ran the farmer’s water onto his own garden. “It is not righteous!” said the farmer to the elders in the church. “What does a Christian do in such a case?” The elders knelt with him in prayer, then thought of Jesus’ words, “If someone takes your coat, give him your cloak also.” “If we do only the ‘right’ thing,” said the elders, “we are unprofitable servants. We must go beyond what is merely right.”
The next day the farmer went to work at his treadmill, pumping water for his neighbor’s two strips of wet land below. He then spent the afternoon laboriously pumping water for his own garden. The neighbor, of course, was dumfounded. He questioned the Christian, and it was not long before he too was drinking the Water of Life.
A lady who had heard this story said to me, “I know why God had me come here today. I’ve had years of contention with a neighbor who has been gradually encroaching on my property. I’ve been furious with him, and no amount of reason has helped the situation. Today I learned that I do not have to expect reason! I am going to deed to him the property he has appropriated. How simple! And what a relief!”
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14). No need to remain in death—just let go of the bitterness.
“Oh, how many times we can most of us remember when we would gladly have made any compromise with our consciences, would gladly have made the most costly sacrifices to God, if He would only have excused us from this duty of loving, of which our nature seemed utterly incapable. It is far easier to feel kindly, to act kindly, toward those with whom we are seldom brought into contact, whose tempers and prejudices do not rub against ours, whose interests do not clash with ours, than to keep up an habitual, steady, self-sacrificing love towards those whose weaknesses and faults are always forcing themselves upon us, and are stirring up our own. A man may pass good muster as a philanthropist who makes but a poor master to his servants, or father to his children” (F.D. Maurice, 1805-1872, from Mary Wilder Tileston’s lovely devotional, Daily Strength for Daily Needs).
"Searcher of hearts, Thou knowest us better than we know ourselves, and seest the sins which our sinfulness hides from us. Yet even our own conscience beareth witness against us, that we often slumber on our appointed watch; that we walk not always lovingly with each other, and humbly with Thee; and we withhold that entire sacrifice of ourselves to Thy perfect will, without which we are not crucified with Christ or sharers in His redemption. O look upon our contrition, and lift up our weakness, and let the dayspring yet arise within our hearts, and bring us healing, strength, and joy. Day by day may we grow in faith, in self-denial, in charity in heavenly-mindedness. And then mingle us at last with the mighty host of Thy redeemed for evermore. Amen." (James MArtineau, born 1805)
Sunday, January 11, 2015
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
One of my favorite hymns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMm5ufwRdT4
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
One of my favorite hymns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMm5ufwRdT4
going through your closet
Have you ever spent double the amount of time looking through your closet for the right combination for your outfit? Certain tops can only work with certain bottoms. Which jacket would best suit it all? Shoes make a huge difference too. As I was reading through a book called True Beauty, I thought of this scenario. I've done it numerous times when it's a special day or I just want to impress someone or just look better for an event.
The author of book talks about what beauty God calls us to strive for. And it's the gentle and quiet spirit. Basically a heart of trust in God and a heart that responds to all circumstances with trust in the Lord.
The effort and examination we do with our physical beauty, maybe even just through picking clothes or picking a hairstyle, that should be how we go through our inner characteristic closet. Which characteristics are pleasing to wear?
The author of book talks about what beauty God calls us to strive for. And it's the gentle and quiet spirit. Basically a heart of trust in God and a heart that responds to all circumstances with trust in the Lord.
The effort and examination we do with our physical beauty, maybe even just through picking clothes or picking a hairstyle, that should be how we go through our inner characteristic closet. Which characteristics are pleasing to wear?
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