August 31st, 2014

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge 

of God! How unsearchable are his judgments 

and how inscrutable his ways! 

- Romans 11:33 ESV

August 30th, 2014

"Careful For Nothing"

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.  1 Peter 5:7

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.  Isaiah 26:3

"Careful for nothing," 'tis the Shepherd's voice, "Be of good cheer," "forevermore rejoice,'' Precious the truth this message doth impart, Comforts, encourages, and cheers the heart. "Careful for nothing," wondrous love is shown, In His desire expressed thus for His own; Seeking to give them through life's pathway here Freedom from worry, care, or doubt, or fear. "Careful for nothing," for His love would share Every perplexity and every care; "In everything," whate'er the problem be, "Let your requests be made known" unto Me. Bringing thy burden then in simple prayer, Commit it all unto a Father's care; Trusting His love, from doubt and worry cease, For He desires to give thee perfect peace. Peace, rest, and joy, He giveth day by day, His perfect peace, which nought can take away: Peace, that the world can never understand, Peace, that comes only from a Father's hand. What richer portion could one ever find, Than perfect peace of heart, and rest of mind? And 'tis His promise, He will safely keep, Throughout life's pathway, every single sheep. "Careful for nothing," to be then content, All He allows is for thy blessing sent; "In everything give thanks" unto the Lord,— All will work out for good; it is His Word. "Careful for nothing," what is there to fear Since He has promised to be ever near? "Careful for nothing," what-so-e'er betide, Peace is thy portion, with Him at thy side.       —Lois Beckwith

August 29th, 2014

August 27th, 2014

1. God moves in a mysterious way
   His wonders to perform;
   He plants His footsteps in the sea
   And rides upon the storm.
2. Deep in unfathomable mines
   Of never failing skill
   He treasures up His bright designs
   And works His sov’reign will.
3. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
   The clouds ye so much dread
   Are big with mercy and shall break
   In blessings on your head.
4. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
   But trust Him for His grace;
   Behind a frowning providence
   He hides a smiling face.
5. His purposes will ripen fast,
   Unfolding every hour;
   The bud may have a bitter taste,
   But sweet will be the flow’r.
6. Blind unbelief is sure to err
   And scan His work in vain;
   God is His own interpreter,
   And He will make it plain.
7. -William Cowper

August 26th, 2014

IS any thing too hard for the LORD? Gen. 18:14)

God wants us to ask Him for the impossible!  God can do things that man cannot do.  He would not be God if this were not so.  That is why He has graciously made prayer a law of life.  "If ye shall ask...I will do"  This inviting promise from the Lord means that He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves; He will do for others what we cannot do for them--if we but ask Him.  How little do we avail ourselves of this immense privilege!

Someone spoke this searching word at Edinburgh in 1910: "We have lost the eternal youthfulness of Christianity, and have aged into calculating manhood.  We seldom pray in earnest for the extraordinary, the limitless, the glorious.  We seldom pray with any confidence, for any good to the realization of which we cannot imagine a way.  And yet, we suppose ourselves to believe in an Infinite Father."  The natural man calculates results.  Calculations have no place in our relation with God.

  That matter which has been so burdening us just now, and with which we can see no way of dealing, how are we praying about it?  In anxiety, or with thanksgiving? Worrying prayer defeats its own answer; rejoicing prayer gets through.  "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  Then will come the answer "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."
The more we are cut off from human help, the greater claim we can make on Divine help.  The more impossible a thing is to human or mortal power, the more at peace can we be when we look to Him for deliverance.  "Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible!"

-From Springs in the Valley by Mrs Charles Cowman

August 25th, 2014

August 24th, 2014

August 22nd, 2014

August 21st, 2014

This is a season of discouragement. Disappointments. People who let us down. Situations that didn't pan out like we thought they would. Our own failures. Prayers that were not answered in our time or our desire. Discouragement sets in, and we feel downcast. What happened? It comes down to, quite simply, lack of hope. Hope failed, hope ceased, what we hoped for has not come...sometimes that hope suffered a complete fatality and hopelessness sets in because we realize or at least believe we can never get that person/thing back. 

We all go through times of discouragement.  It is universal among human beings.  When we are low and others are up, it's easy to fall into the comparison trap, which makes discouragement worse.

What happens when we get fixated on our problems is that we get our eyes off Jesus, the only One who really matters. We need to remember that our "faith and hope are in God". I Peter 1:21

When we are looking to people or circumstances or things for our comfort, identity, meaning, etc....we are putting our hope in those and not in God. When we pulls those things out from under us, we realize we have been standing or depending on the wrong things. 

 We want comfort.  Jesus wants growth.  We want things to be easy.  Jesus wants us to have faith and dependence in Him.  We put importance in our ideals and our reputation.  Our Father wants us to seek only His glory.  Especially for women, relationships are what give us identity and meaning.  Jesus wants us to put our relationship with Him first.  We trust in our own abilities and depend on our own strength or accomplishment.  Jesus wants us to depend entirely upon Him. 

It is crucial to have a conscious understanding of this, because it helps us to realize God is actually FOR us.  Growth, change, discomfort, pain, lack of material things, disappointments, and loss are all hard.  But we MUST realize that our Father desires so much more for us than our selfish and earthly desires.  He wants us to pursue Him, to hunger and thirst for Him, to desire to do His will, to live for His honor and glory, to depend entirely on Him.  He wants to literally be our all in all.  And He will not settle for less. When He becomes our whole object, discouragement will cease because He cannot fail or discourage us or leave us. 

So when He allows things in our lives that get us really down, a good thing to ask is, "have I been seeking God with my whole heart?"   Not possessions, or status, or acceptance, or praise, or meaning, or anything else.  Just pursue Jesus with passion and purpose. Then we will be filled with hope.  And joy. And peace.  And abundant life!  

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him." Psalm 62:5

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"....we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul." Hebrews 6:18-19 

August 20th, 2014

August 18th, 2014

"Be silent unto God and let Him mold thee." (Ps.  46:10)

We need every day to be led by the Divine Shepherd into the green pastures and beside the still waters.  

Inner preparation is necessary for out service.

And Jesus said to them: "Come away to some lonely spot and get a little rest.... So they went privately in the boat to a lonely spot."  (Mark 6:31 and 32)  Let us find that spot every day, and the fellowship of silence.

-Mrs Charles Cowman

August 16th, 2014

August 15th, 2014

August 14th, 2014

August 13th, 2014

August 12th, 2014

Thinking of the Christians and children being brutally killed and tortured in Iraq right now.  Their lot is better than those left behind, if they have died in Christ.  They are safe eternally in Jesus.  It is the killers who will give an answer to God on the day of judgment before being thrown into everlasting burning.  The Muslim extremists who think it good to slaughter Christians and beheading their children will have the greater torment to which there will be no end.  They are the ones to be pitied in that day.

"Yonder in the better world, the inhabitants are independent of all creature comforts. They have no need of raiment; their white robes never wear out, neither shall they ever be defiled. They need no medicine to heal diseases, "for the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." They need no sleep to recruit their frames--they rest not day nor night, but unweariedly praise him in his temple. They need no social relationship to minister comfort, and whatever happiness they may derive from association with their fellows is not essential to their bliss, for their Lord's society is enough for their largest desires. They need no teachers there; they doubtless commune with one another concerning the things of God, but they do not require this by way of instruction; they shall all be taught of the Lord. Ours are the alms at the king's gate, but they feast at the table itself. Here we lean upon the friendly arm, but there they lean upon their Beloved and upon him alone. Here we must have the help of our companions, but there they find all they want in Christ Jesus. Here we look to the meat which perisheth, and to the raiment which decays before the moth, but there they find everything in God. We use the bucket to fetch us water from the well, but there they drink from the fountain head, and put their lips down to the living water. Here the angels bring us blessings, but we shall want no messengers from heaven then. They shall need no Gabriels there to bring their love-notes from God, for there they shall see him face to face. Oh! what a blessed time shall that be when we shall have mounted above every second cause and shall rest upon the bare arm of God! What a glorious hour when God, and not his creatures; the Lord, and not his works, shall be our daily joy! Our souls shall then have attained the perfection of bliss."  -Charles Spurgeon

August 11th, 2014

August 10th, 2014

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
   Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
   Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
   Standing on the promises of God.
   • Refrain:
     Standing, standing,
     Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
     Standing, standing,
     I’m standing on the promises of God.
2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
   When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
   By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
   Standing on the promises of God.
3. Standing on the promises I now can see
   Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
   Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
   Standing on the promises of God.
4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
   Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
   Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
   Standing on the promises of God.
5. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
   List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
   Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
   Standing on the promises of God.

August 9th, 2014

August 8th, 2014

Sovereign

Chris Tomlin

Sovereign in the mountain air

Sovereign on the ocean floor

With me in the calm

With me in the storm

Sovereign in my greatest joy

Sovereign in my deepest cry

With me in the dark

With me at the dawn

In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you

In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

Sovereign in the mountain air

Sovereign on the ocean floor

With me in the calm

With me in the storm

Sovereign in my greatest joy

Sovereign in my deepest cry

With me in the dark

With me at the dawn

In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you

In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

All my hopes

All I need

Held in your hands

All my life

All of me

Held in your hands

All my fears

All my dreams

Held in your hands

All my hopes

All I need

Held in your hands

In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you

In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

August 7th, 2014

An excerpt from Ann Voskamp's blog, A Holy Experience. 

When I started following Jesus, and grace hit me on the head like a ton of bricks, I still struggled with letting it permeate every last part of me.

I still thought I had to attain a certain spiritual level of awesomeness before I could really receive grace.

That was until I read Roman 4:5, which I’d read plenty of times before, but that particular night God made it jump out of the page (He has a funny way of doing that at times, huh?): “and to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” Romans 4:5

Have you ever sat in the weight of that scripture?

Have you ever realized just how scandalous that verse truly is?

Sometimes in our sanitized, sterile, flat readings we can miss out on the completely explosive language the scripture writers are using to get their point across.

It says God justifies the ungodly.

Or in other words, He makes right  — the ones who aren’t right.

He makes holy the filthy.

He purifies the impure.

He calls the wicked blameless.

He justifies the ungodly.

What’s funny is usually if we are ungodly — we hide.

Hiding, is a natural response to sin, just like our long ago parents who once hid behind a bush and covered themselves with fig leaves. But in that same story, God’s heart has been the same. He cries, “Adam, where are you?”

Now, let’s be honest, God is God so I doubt He is really wondering what bush they hid behind.

It’s a call. A beckoning. A plea of the heart—where is my son and daughter? When will they come home?

And it’s true in this verse too, God doesn’t hide whatsoever what He is in the business of doing.

He boasts as bright as the sun that He makes right those who deserve the opposite. In a weird way it seems the only qualification for us to be justified is to be ungodly. How weird is that? It’s like God is saying the only way to qualify is to admit you don’t qualify.

What’s interesting though is what precedes that verse.

To the one who does not work.

Now, let me clarify working isn’t a bad thing. Discipline is not a bad thing.

But in regards to salvation it is a terrible thing.

You can’t work no matter how hard you try. Any amount of work we think we can add to the Cross of Jesus is in essence saying “Jesus, you’re cross wasn’t enough.”

How beautiful is that though?

You don’t have to try harder, you don’t have to be better, you don’t have to do more, you just have to stop working and TRUST in the one who justifies the ungodly!

Do you struggle with porn? Do you think you always have to give up your body to be loved? Are you addicted to the praise and approval of others?

Jesus says CUT THAT OUT! Stop working and trust in Him, who justifies the ungodly.

You don’t have to hide your filth, you don’t have to hide your scars, you don’t have to hide your shame –  because He justifies the ungodly.

Grace is a call to come out of hiding, because God, not us, makes us right and changes our heart.

How does the verse end though? It says if you don’t work, and trust in Him who justifies the ungodly, then your faith is counted as righteousness.

The minute you trust in Jesus your standing becomes His standing.

You no longer represent yourself but Jesus represents you.

Your faith is “counted” as righteousness. It isn’t earned. It’s counted.

When you trust in Jesus, God then looks at you the same way He looks at Jesus. If you are in Jesus He looks at you (even when you fall and mess up) and says “pure, spotless, blameless, perfect, holy, my son, my daughter, you’re free!”

That’s what changes a heart.

That’s what stirs us to worship.

That’s what changes someone’s life.

August 6th, 2014

I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:8 (NASB)

August 5th, 2014

August 4th, 2014

"Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him." -Charles Spurgeon

August 3rd, 2014

"We are not to cope with our troubles; we are to give them to God:

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1 Peter 5:6-7, Amplified).

If you cope, you hang on to it. If you give it to God, you can let it go.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NASB).

We see here that the Lord will comfort us, and that is what we need. Once we are comforted and pass through our problems, we will be able to help others. Next time trouble knocks at your door, send Jesus to answer it!"

-Cathy Irvin

August 2nd, 2014

August 1st, 2014