So then, no more boasting about men! All things are Yours,
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life
or death or the present or the future—all are Yours;
and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. 1 Corinthians 3:21
…
Things Present
by Edward Taylor (1642-1729)
Oh! that I ever felt what I profess.
‘Twould make me then the happi’st man alive.
Ten thousand Worlds of Saints can’t make this less
By living on’t, but it would make them thrive.
These Loaves and Fishes are not lessened
Nor Pasture over stock, by being fed.
Lord am I thine? art thou, Lord, mine? So rich!
How doth thy Wealthy bliss branch out thy sweets
Through all things Present? These the Vent-holes which
Let out those Ravishing Joys our Souls to greet?
Impower my Powers sweet Lord till up they raise
My ‘Fections that thy glory on them blaze.
How many things are there now, who display thee?
How many Acts each thing doth here dispense?
How many Influences each thing hath?
How many Contraries each Influence?
How many Contraries from Things do flow?
From Acts? from Influences? Who can show?
How Glorious then is he that doth all raise
Rule and Dispose and make them all Conspire
In all their Jars, and Junctures, Good-bad wayes
To meliorate the self same Object higher?
Earth, Water, Fire, Winds, Herbs, Trees, Beasts and Men,
Angells, and Divells, Bliss, Blasts, advance one stem?
Hell, Earth, and Heaven with their Whole Troops come
Contrary Windes, Grace, and Disgrace, Soure, Sweet,
Wealth, Want, Health, Sickness, to Conclude in Sum
All Providences Works in this good meet?
Who, who can do’t, but thou, my Lord? and thou
Dost do this thing. Yea thou performst it now.
Oh, that the Sweets of all these Windings, spouse
Might, and these Influences streight, and Cross,
Upon my Soule, to make thy Shine break out
That Grace might in get and get out my dross!
My Soule up locks then in this Clod of Dust
Would lock up in’t all Heavenly Joyes most just.
But oh! thy Wisdom, Lord! thy Grace! thy Praise!
Open mine Eyes to see the same aright.
Take off their film, my Sins, and let the Rayes
Of thy bright Glory on my peepholes light.
I fain would love and better love thee should,
If ‘fore me thou thy Loveliness unfold.
Lord, Cleare my Sight, thy Glory then out dart.
And let thy Rayes beam Glory in mine eye
And stick thy Loveliness upon my heart,
Make me the Couch on which thy Love doth ly.
Lord make my heart thy bed, thy heart make mine.
Thy Love bed in my heart, bed mine in thine.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phil 4:6
…
I’m afraid that many believers trust in Christ for their atonement, but fail to trust Him in everything else! Churches have turned from faith-building assemblies to self-building training centers, talking and singing about God’s power through Christ while tightening the bootstraps of self-reliance. Sermons in the name of Jesus no longer point to Jesus but systems! Advice from pastors, counselors, books, lessons, sermons and testimonies no longer strengthen faith in Christ but replace it! And we wonder why we’re still anxious, confused, overwhelmed and exhausted.
When we shift our focus from faith in God to faith in self and others, God and His sovereignty become small while people and their solutions get bigger! We lose track of God’s grace and start chasing after man-made assignments! “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” Isaiah 2:22
What is our God-given purpose? GOD IS! In God we live and move and have our being! We are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind; and others as ourselves. We are to do everything, whether in word or deed, in gratitude to the glory of God. We are to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. (ref)
But we fail miserably if we do not serve with the strength that God provides. We can neither live for God effectively nor delight in serving Him if we do not lean fully on Christ in FAITH! “Let God be true, but every man a liar,” even if it contradicts everything that has ever made sense to us! (ref)
As believers we do not have to struggle alone if we are yoked to Christ first and foremost. My identity is found in Christ and only in Him, not in my ‘self’ or others. Cooperation with God in obedience to His word is not burdensome but light, whereas all our many righteous acts without Him are like filthy rags. (ref)
I shudder at the following statement: “If things are not right, don’t blame God. You’ve been sowing bad seed!” This gross generalization can be horribly misunderstood and it shrouds God’s sovereignty! Bad seeds are bad choices–sin–but they do not always cause bad things!
Paul did not sow bad seed when he repeatedly faced death! (He probably enjoyed many more comforts while he was still Saul than after his conversion!) Paul did not miss his great assignment when he was imprisoned, flogged, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, adrift in the open sea, sleep-deprived, hungry, thirsty, cold, naked, and in danger from bandits, false brothers, gentiles and even his own countrymen! (ref)
Paul’s great assignment was to die to self (all of it, including his self-esteem) and to live unto Christ! God willed his hardships and weaknesses to make him strong in Christ and to keep him from pride. Flogged and imprisoned, Paul and Silas sang hymns of praise! They didn’t sing the blues! (ref)
Chastening and hardships are God’s gift of grace to us! Christ came to give us life–life more abundant–yes, but HIS abundance of peace, courage, patience, perseverance, faith and much, much more–not worthless, self-serving creature comforts and conveniences!
God’s Sovereignty vs Man’s Grand Plans
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest Paul. However, Paul was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands. (2 cor 11:32-33)
At an abortion clinic of Los Angeles County Gianna was awaiting her death sentence but was born ALIVE!
God’s sovereign plan had changed everyone else’s plans for Paul and Gianna! God’s sovereign plan is always at work, always changing someone’s plans, and nothing can ever thwart it! God’s sovereign plan never fails; we can trust Him with our lives! (ref)
Why does God allow what He allows? Listen to Gianna and see how in all of her trials God receives praise and glory through Jesus Christ. Gianna’s story is far more than a pro-life pitch, it’s a pro-Christ exaltation!
I know that I am in a government building… and I know that it is not at all politically correct to say the name of Jesus Christ in places like this, to bring Him in to these sorts of meetings because His name can make people so terribly uncomfortable. But I didn’t survive so I could make everyone comfortable. I survived so I could stir things up a bit…
How much are you willing to take and how much are you willing to risk to speak the truth in love and graciousness, and stand up and at least be willing to be hated? Or at the end of the day is it all about you…?
You see, I’ve been hated since conception by so many, and loved by so many more, but most especially by God.
Gianna was diagnosed with what she calls the gift of cerebral palsy, which was caused directly by the lack of oxygen she received while trying to survive.
Ladies and gentlemen there are things that you will only be able to learn by the weakest among us. And when you snuff them out, you are the one that loses. The Lord looks after them, but you are the one that will suffer forever…
Don’t you realize that you cannot make your own heart beat? Don’t you realize that all the power that you think you possess, you really possess none of it? It is the mercy of God that sustains you, even when you hate Him…
I fall gracefully sometimes and very ungracefully at other times depending on the situation, but I consider it all for the glory of God. You see, ladies and gentlemen, I am weaker than most of you but this is my sermon, and what a small price to pay to be able to blaze through the world like I do, to offer hope…
And I think in our misunderstanding of the way things work, we misunderstand how beautiful suffering can be. I don’t willingly sign up for it, but when it comes we forget–we forget that God is in control, andGod has a way of making the most miserable thing beautiful.
After reminding the men, women, and politicians of their basic God-given moral responsibilities, Gianna then asks the ultimate question and gives its only solution:
What sort of man do you want to be, a man obsessed with your own glory, or a man obsessed with the glory of God? It’s time to take a stand. This is your hour. God will assist you. God will be with you. You have the opportunity to glorify and honor God…
Some of you might be slightly annoyed that all I keep doing is talking about God and Jesus, but how on earth can I walk about–limping through this world–and not give all my heart and mind and soul and strength to the Christ who gave me life. So if you think I’m a fool, it’s just another jewel in my crown. My whole intent of living here is to make God smile!
Could she have a better purpose? Gianna does not have self-esteem, she has God-esteem even if she should fall ungracefully or be considered a fool by unbelievers! Gianna has acknowledged God’s irrefutable sovereignty and grace and Christ’s powerful mercies more during her speech in a government building than most pastors do in their Sunday sermons at church!
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” Psalm 139:23
…
This Week’s Gem…
is not a recommended article but a confession of poor time management and less than adequate discernment. In my pursuit of finding weekly gems, I’ve become careless of how I use God’s gift of time and discernment. There are edifying and Christ-glorifying gems to be found, but I will share them more carefully and more prayerfully rather than weekly.
Thank you for your time and willingness to leave encouraging and meaningful feedback. It means much! May our good Lord meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Who has not felt the paralyzing sting of guilt? For the accuser delights to devour us afresh with new onslaughts of regret, to discourage us and to render us useless by bringing alive again and again our sinful pasts and present failures… as he waits and wishes to sift us as wheat.
Do we realize that the biggest sting of death–death of joy, courage, love, peace, and prosperity–is the cancerous effect of sin? Oh, let us retrace our steps back to the cross and see the One who has satisfied the dept fully, once and for all!
How effective would we be if we were free from guilt, if we really knew and truly believed Christ and what He has done? Let’s take a look…
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.” Acts 4:13
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” 2 Cor. 3:12
What is life without guilt? Life that knows and trusts Christ is a life of unhindered and fruitful labor; it’s a life of courage, perseverance, peace and joy; it’s a life full of God’s unspeakable riches and glory even under trials and persecutions!
“It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!”
Because of his trust and faith, Paul can be confident and courageous even in the face of the unknown! Christ’s sacrifice was, is and always will be sufficient and complete – really!
Even before the cross, Jesus’ message was that of redemption.
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her… when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.”
What happens next is priceless! The woman is alone with Jesus–the only one who was truly without sin–the only one who rightly could have hurled the first stone at her! What does He do?
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:9-11
“Neither do I condemn you!”Hold onto these words with me until they ring irrefutably true and evermore loud and clear! These words spell love–the love that Christ took to the cross with Him, where He accomplished the greatest feat ever! The propitiation of our sins!
“He (Christ Himself) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2
Friends, let us mount up with wings like eagles and soar to God’s will, and bring glory to Him whom glory is due, and let us not be ashamed!
“So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!”
— Martin Luther
And, will you pray for me, as I pray for you? I will yet sin, but Love of my soul, how could I do so willfully or wistfully–how could I?
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Romans 2:6-8
…
Don’t Miss
This Week’s Gem
“Today I wish to propose and explore with you the possibility that belief in Jesus Christ may not be the only way to God. Now before you throw me out as being a heretic please hear me through. I intend on opening the Bible to show you that Jesus Himself speaks of another way…” ~ Hendryx
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come…”
Isaiah 35:4
…
We had ice cream , nectarines, Mary Winslow’s precious book Heaven Opened, and the sweet presence of the One who keeps us!
All is Well
My dear friend,–the Lord has tried you of late, and I feel anxious to say a word of comfort to you in this season of tribulation. Those whom he loves He invariably tries. “The Lord trieth the righteous.” The graces of the Spirit are thus brought into holy exercise, and Jesus is honoured thereby; and our souls take a higher stand on the ladder that reaches from earth to heaven. We must sit humbly at His feet, and feel that “He does all things well;” [here I paused and asked Dot if indeed God does all things well, and her smile and answer held no doubt!] and that what is now wrapt in mystery will hereafter be all explained. The Judge of all the earth must do right. Oh, let us cling closer and closer to Him than ever. Let us make Him our all in all.
“Through the love of God, our Savior,
All will be well;
True and changeless is His nature,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that heal’d us,
Perfect is the grace that seal’d us,
All must be well.
“Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy, still to God confiding,
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit’s guiding,
All must be well.
“We expect a bright to-morrow,
All will be well.
Faith can sing in days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying
Or in living, or dying,
All must be well.”
M. W.
And then we’ve read Isaiah 35, which caused a curious smile, beautiful bright eyes, delightful words, and a little more of Mary Winslow’s precious book…
Sovereign Grace
I have been ill; but the Lord has raised me up again, to my own astonishment; [and indeed, our sweet Lord has raised us both up again these past few days] and oh may it be to glorify Him! I wish only to live to shew my love to Him, and to manifest the power of His grace in one who herself is one lump of sin. How marvellous that the Lord should select out of the mass of the world’s sinful beings such a one as myself to shew forth the power of His redeeming love and grace! Every fresh manifestation of this love breaks the heart, and humbles the soul even to the dust…
But time is hastening on, and the moment will quickly come when our dearest Friend will claim us as His own and for Himself. Then we shall see Him face to face; and who will shout the loudest in glory? I think I shall! [Here we both decided that we shall all shout for joy the loudest!] For, what has He not forgiven me? No tongue can tell how my heart goes out, at times, in wondering gratitude and adoring love towards Him. Such is the Lord Jesus that angels themselves know not half His worth…
My soul at this moment–weeping while I write–rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory in God my Saviour. Let us live as candidates for a crown of glory. This will keep us above the trials and the trifles of time.
M. W.
And sweet tears that spill from a humbled heart are the very best of all tears.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105
…
If the reader understands very little of the word of God, he ought to read it very much; for the Spirit explains the Word by the Word. And if he enjoys the reading of the Word little, that is just the reason why he should read it much; for the frequent reading of the Scriptures creates a delight in them,so that the more we read them, the more we desire to do so. And if the reader should be an unbeliever, I would likewise entreat him to read the Scriptures earnestly, but to ask God previously to give him a blessing. For in doing so, God may make him wise unto salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 16. If any one should ask me, how he may read the Scriptures most profitably, I would advise him, that
I. Above all he should seek to have it settled in his own mind, that God alone, by His Spirit, can teach him, and that therefore, as God will be inquired of for blessings, it becomes him to seek God’s blessing previous to reading, and also while reading.
II. He should have it, moreover, settled in his mind, that although the Holy Spirit is the best and sufficient teacher,He does not always teach immediately when we desire it, and that, therefore, we may have to entreat Him again and again for the explanation of certain passages; but that He will surely teach us at last, if indeed we are seeking for light prayerfully, patiently, and with a view to the glory of God.
III. It is of immense importance for the understanding of the word of God, to read it in course, so that we may read every day a portion of the Old and a portion of the New Testament, going on where we previously left off. This is important-
1, because it throws light upon the connection… habitually selecting only particular chapters, will make it utterly impossible ever to understand much of the Scriptures.
2, While we are in the body, we need a changeeven in spiritual things, and this change the Lord has graciously provided in the great variety which is to be found in His word.
3, It tends to the glory of God; because leaving out some chapters here and there, falsely suggests, that certain portions are better than others; or, that there are certain parts of revealed truth unprofitable or unnecessary.
4, It may keep us, by the blessing of God, from erroneous views... reading regularly through the Scriptures, we are led to see the meaning of the whole, and also kept from laying too much stress upon certain favourite views.
5, The Scriptures contain the whole revealed will of God, and therefore we ought to seek to read from time to time through the whole of that revealed will. There are many believers, I fear, in our day, who have not read even once through the whole of the Scriptures; and yet in a few months, by reading only a few chapters every day, they might accomplish it.
IV. It is also of the greatest importance to meditate on what we read, so that perhaps a small portion of that which we have read, or, if we have time, the whole may be meditated upon in the course of the day. Or a small portion of a book, or an epistle, or a gospel, through which we go regularly for meditation, may be considered every day, without, however, suffering oneself to be brought into bondage by this plan.
Learned commentaries I have found to fill the head with many notions, and often also with the truth of God; but when the Spirit teaches, through the instrumentality of prayer and meditation, the heart is affected. The former kind of knowledge generally puffs up, and is often renounced, when another commentary gives a different opinion, and often also is found good for nothing, when it is to be carried out into practice.
The latter kind of knowledge generally humbles, gives joy, leads us nearer to God, and is not easily reasoned away; and having been obtained from God, and thus having entered into the heart, and become our own, is also generally carried out. If the inquirer after truth does not understand the Hebrew and Greek languages, so as to be able to compare the common translation with the original, he may, concerning several passages, get light by an improved rendering, provided he can be sure that the translator was a truly spiritual person.
~ from A Narrative of Some of the Lord’s Dealing… Part One
George Müller (1805-1898)
(Emphasis added. Italics paraphrase text for clarity)
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ Acts 17:28
…
A nugget from today’s sermon:
Most people measure sin by the effects it has on others (or on ourselves). Instead, we should measure sin by how it offends God!
“O Lord God, who inhabitest eternity, the heavens declare thy glory, the earth thy riches, the universe thy temple; thy presence fills immensity, yet thou hast of thy pleasure created life, and communicated happiness; thou has made me what I am, and given me what I have; in thee I live and move and have my being; thy providence has set the bounds of my habitation, and wisely administers all my affairs.”
(from The Valley Of Vision)
The very breath I now inhale is God’s gift!
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
Job 12:10
I might be the best at everything I do, and yet offend God the moment I think: “Not yet, God. Not quite that way, God. Just let me be, God. Can’t you see, God, how hard I try.” I might be the very worst of sinners, and yet please God the moment I believe that Jesus is my righteousness because He bore the wrath of God for me! And even this amazing softening of my heart and wondrous faith is God’s precious gift!
…
All I Have is Christ
by Jordan Kauflin
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander
of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.”
Joshua 5:13-14
…
This Week’s Gem #1
is an older post but ever so timely in light of all that befalls our Christian faith.
