This describes my feelings over the past 6 months perfectly. It has been a privilege to pray and study God's word. I would not have been this close to God without the suffering. God wanted me closer to Him and that is truly all joy.
Excerpt from John MacArthur's New Testament Commentary on James 1:2:
"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." James 1:2-3
"The more we rejoice in our testings, the more we realize that they are not liabilities but privileges, ultimately beneficial and not harmful, no matter how destructive and painful the immediate experience of them might appear. When we face trials with the attitude that James admonishes, we discover that the greatest part of the joy is drawing closer to the Lord-the Source of all joy- by becoming more sensitive to His presence, His goodness, His love, and His grace. Our prayer life increases, as does our interest in and study of the Word, and in each of those ways our joy increases all the more." (page 21-22)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
God at the Center
Photo from Pikes Peak
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On earth we tend to think of ourselves. But in Heaven things will be different. We will experience the truth of the catechism, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." In Heaven God, not man, will be at the center of everything. And His glory will be dominant.Have you ever watched young couples in love communicate without words? Have you been in love yourself? People deeply in love find absolute bliss in each other's presence and wish their moments together would go on forever. If those moments could be frozen, with no sense of passing time, would that be "Heaven" for them? Have you ever said, "I wish this moment could last forever?"
I suspect those feelings are a small indication of what it would be like, frozen in time and loving God, enjoying Him, forever. We will never come down from that "mountaintop" experience.
Billy Graham
Heavenly Sunshine
Heavenly sunshine,Heavenly sunshine!
Flooding my soul,
with glory divine!
Heavenly sunshine,
Heavenly sunshine!
Hallelujah,
Jesus is mine!
Five Minutes... Published in the Moody Monthly 1952
It may be a moment, or after months of waiting, but soon I shall stand before my Lord. Then in an instant all things will appear in new perspective.Suddenly the things I thought important- tomorrow's tasks, the plans for the dinner at my church, my success or failure in pleasing those around me- these will matter not at all. And the things to which I gave but little thought- the word about Christ to the man next door, the moment (how short it was) of earnest prayer for the Lord's work in far-off lands, the confessing and forsaking of that secret sin- will stand as real and enduring.
Five minutes after I'm in Heaven I'll be overwhelmed by the truths I've known but somehow never grasped. I'll realize then that it's what I am in Christ that comes first with God, and that when I am right with Him, I do the things which please Him. I'll sense that it was not just how much I gave that mattered, but how I gave - and how much I withheld.
In Heaven I'll wish with all my heart that I could reclaim a thousandth part of the time I've let slip through my fingers, that I could call back those countless conversations which could have glorified my Lord- but didn't.
Five minutes after I'm in Heaven, I believe I'll wish with all my heart that I had risen more faithfully to read the Word of God and wait on Him in prayer- that I might have known Him while still on earth as He wanted me to know Him.
A thousand thoughts will press upon me, and though overwhelmed by the grace which admits me to my heavenly home, I'll wonder at my aimless earthly life. I'll wish...if one may wish in Heaven- but it will be too late.
Heaven is real and hell is real, and eternity is but a breath away. Soon we shall be in the presence of the Lord we claim to serve. Why should we live as though salvation were a dream- as though we did not know?
"To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
There may yet be a little time. A new year dawns before us. God help us to live now in the light of a real tomorrow!
Moody Monthly
January 1952
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
You Must Suffer, John Piper
You will not get leave to steal quietly to heaven, in Christ's company, without a conflict and a cross. Samuel Rutherford
Psalm 63
Psalm 63 from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.
Psalm 63
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 'O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
11But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Psalm 63
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 'O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
11But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Scandal of Grace, John McArthur
Link to entire sermon:
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/41-9
So it is today, this church, the church of Jesus Christ is not made up of good people, it’s made up of bad people. It’s not made up of people who think they’re righteous, it’s made up of people who know they’re not. It’s not made up of the people who have attained to a certain acceptable degree with God, it’s made up of people who know they could never attain to an acceptable place before God.
It’s not made up of people who think they’re good, it’s made up of people who know they’re wicked. It’s not made up of people who have achieved righteousness on their own, it’s made up of people who have received righteousness from God as a gift. This is the gospel.
Yes, He has the authority to forgive sin, but the only sin He can forgive is the sin of those who know their wretchedness, acknowledge it, put their trust in Him.
Father, we are so blessed, this morning, to hear this glorious message of the gospel again. At the heart of all that we do is this wondrous scandal of grace that where sin abounds, grace does much abound. We thank You that however sinful sin is, grace triumphs. As James 4:6 says, “He gives a greater grace.” God is opposed to the proud, His grace to the humble. O Lord, we thank You that You have brought us to the place of being convicted about our sin and our inability to save ourselves and You’ve revealed Your glorious gospel of grace to us. I pray for sinners here today who are willing to recognize their sinfulness. May they be like Matthew, just sitting, waiting for the offer, waiting for the call. May that call come to their heart today. May You call them away from sin to the glory of salvation, call them away from guilt to the fullness of forgiveness, not because they earned it but because they asked. Lord, we thank You for this gift, we thank You for our salvation in Christ’s name. Amen.
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/41-9
So it is today, this church, the church of Jesus Christ is not made up of good people, it’s made up of bad people. It’s not made up of people who think they’re righteous, it’s made up of people who know they’re not. It’s not made up of the people who have attained to a certain acceptable degree with God, it’s made up of people who know they could never attain to an acceptable place before God.
It’s not made up of people who think they’re good, it’s made up of people who know they’re wicked. It’s not made up of people who have achieved righteousness on their own, it’s made up of people who have received righteousness from God as a gift. This is the gospel.
Yes, He has the authority to forgive sin, but the only sin He can forgive is the sin of those who know their wretchedness, acknowledge it, put their trust in Him.
Father, we are so blessed, this morning, to hear this glorious message of the gospel again. At the heart of all that we do is this wondrous scandal of grace that where sin abounds, grace does much abound. We thank You that however sinful sin is, grace triumphs. As James 4:6 says, “He gives a greater grace.” God is opposed to the proud, His grace to the humble. O Lord, we thank You that You have brought us to the place of being convicted about our sin and our inability to save ourselves and You’ve revealed Your glorious gospel of grace to us. I pray for sinners here today who are willing to recognize their sinfulness. May they be like Matthew, just sitting, waiting for the offer, waiting for the call. May that call come to their heart today. May You call them away from sin to the glory of salvation, call them away from guilt to the fullness of forgiveness, not because they earned it but because they asked. Lord, we thank You for this gift, we thank You for our salvation in Christ’s name. Amen.
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