the lyrics say it all...

I heard this song today, and listened very closely to each word.  This song seemed to lift me, and for the second time, I listened carefully.  It still amazes me that Jesus gave us life with His own cost!  His power and His grace and His mercy and He thought of me?  Me?  Me?....

Above All Things

Rebecca St. James

I cannot tell you all the reasons why
Jesus in his wisdom took an interest in my life
It must be endless the boundries of his grace
For he is patient with us and worthy to be praised

For above all things he is powerful
And above all things he is the King
And above all things he is merciful
For above all things he thought of me

I can't conceive it the torture of the cross
The Author of creation gave us life at his own cost
And all those present thought the grave would be the end
But Jesus rose above it and so will I my friend

For above all things he is powerful
And above all things he is the King
And above all things he is merciful
For above all things he thought of me

who am i ?

The only reason I have joy unexplainable and the only reason I can love completely and the only reason I have hope eternal and the only reason I have peace everlasting...  The only reason I’m me and the only reason I’ll live forever and the only reason He can use me and the only reason I’m saved from my sins...

The one and only reason is the grace of God thru Jesus Christ, His only Son.  His love is incredible!    Every person can have this tremendous gift from God!  Believe in God and repent of your sins.  The Holy Spirit guides us towards the beginning of this journey and teaches us along the way.

God is awesome...

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NAS

pause 'n ponder

"To obey the gospel and then turn from the Lord
is to receive his grace in vain. Through compromise whether in
doctrine or in life, we can make void God's grace. Seeking to please
the Lord by doing what the Bible says is not meriting one's salvation. After our miserable efforts are finished, we still stand in need of God's grace. Let us live for the Lord as we look for the salvation to be given at the last day."

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 9, p. 21
May 6, 1993

November 11, 2010

On this Veterans day, November 11, 2010, I salute in honor of our Veterans who served proudly, for those who were wounded, and for those who gave their life for this country.  These Veterans are remembered for their devotion and courage.

 Also, I salute and honor our active military, those who were sworn into duty, and
are bravely serving and defending and protecting our country.  To those who have been wounded, those who have given their life, I solemnly salute in honor to you.

Remember that for each soldier’s life, there are fathers and mothers, and sons, and daughters, and sisters and brothers, and grandparents that are bravely supporting their loved ones.  I thank them for the sacrifices they have made.

These women and men proudly love America!  The Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and National Guard – it is you that makes this country proud.

God Bless the United States of America...

my God is an awesome God!

All Things Bright and Beautiful
Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895)

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
And made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden:
God made them every one.

God gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

quick quotes

"Christians are a body whose truest interest lies in the exaltation of the Messiah's kingdom. Their charter is very extensive, their encouragements exceeding great, and the returns promised infinitely superior to all the gains of the most lucrative fellowship. Let then every one in his station consider himself as bound to act with all his might, and in every possible way for God."  

~William Carey

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, knew the secret of strength through weakness. Complimented once by a friend on the impact of the mission, Hudson answered, “It seemed to me that God looked over the whole world to find a man who was weak enough to do His work, and when He at last found me, He said, ‘He is weak enough—he’ll do.’ All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.”

~Hudson Taylor

pause 'n ponder

I had some shopping to do yesterday.  Since it was a nice afternoon, I had the sun roof open.  I was waiting for a traffic light to turn green, and I leaned back my head and looked up.  It was a sunny day, and the sky was spectacular.  The blue was incredibly vivid and a few white puffy clouds were slowly drifting by.  As I looked up, I thought about how majestic God is. 

He is the Creator of all things, great and small.  I’m unable to comprehend the vastness of His creation, yet He knows me and loves me and saved me!  God created this time and this place and this life for me...

in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27 NAS

flowing waters

It’s no secret, I love the outdoors, nature, and all of creation.  It’s there that I can commune with God in solitude, soaking in His love and grace and salvation.   I may be resting against a tree, gazing at a quiet sleepy creek, thinking about peace beside still waters.  Or, relaxing on a bed of green moss, intently watching a clear-flowing stream, remembering living waters.  Or, perched on a boulder, watching the cascade of a roaring river, reminding me of God’s power.  Or, walking thru the mist behind a thunderous waterfall, thinking of security in God.

Jesus said:

"If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-38 RSV

My eyes can see the rivers of God’s creation, but, more importantly, my heart can feel His rivers of living water.

John Piper said it best:

This is a great help to my faith. It adds marrow to the bones of my subjective experience when I think that all the promissory notes of the gospel are backed by the stable currency of divine objectivity. My prayer for us all is that God the Spirit might make us thirsty for Jesus Christ, that he might remove the callouses from the taste buds of our heart, and cause us to drink deep and savor the magnificence of Jesus who fulfills all of history past and embodies all the glorious hopes of the future. Because if the Spirit will do this for us we have it on the word of Jesus that "out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water." And that is what we crave above all.

(July 19, 1981, Bethlehem Baptist Church, John Piper, Pastor , Rivers From the Heart, John 7:37-38.

compassion

As the Christmas season is almost upon us, I’ve wondered what Jesus would say about how this Holy celebration is so not right.  Yes, I think Christmas trees are beautiful and I enjoy the outdoor lights and then there’s all that food and Christmas music is cheerful.  I enjoy giving gifts, but it’s much more difficult to choose the right gift for the right person.  Maybe it’s the society we live in today – if someone needs or likes or wants something, often it’s gotten then and there.  

Christmas is all about Jesus.  About His birth.  About His love.  About His truth.  About His power.  About His glory.  About His grace.  About His holiness.  About His message.  About His compassion.  About His ministry.  About His life.  About His death.  About His salvation.  About His majesty.

Monetary gifts supporting missions or sponsoring a child in a foreign country or donating to the Salvation Army or donating food to the needy or helping fund centers to save unborn children or donating Bibles to spread His word.  

Are there any gifts better than putting Jesus first?  Are there?                                               

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
   defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:8-9 NIV

worthy words

tears tears and more tears

Is there any shame in tears?  No. 

Sometimes, I find it necessary to cleanse my heart.

Yes, I have tears.

Tears of sadness and tears of joy.  Tears of rejection and tears of happiness.  Tears of  loss and tears of love.  Tears of anger and tears of strength.  Tears of fear and tears of grace.  Tears of hurt and tears of blessings.  Tears of disappointment and tears of hope. Tears of...

My tears are words my heart can’t express.

In Strong’s Concordance, the Bible has about 697 entries for verses about crying (weep, cry, tears).
One of the first is in the book of Genesis when Abraham wept over the death of Sarah. Hannah wept before the Lord in her barren state. Esau wept over his father Isaac, asking for a blessing. King David writes prolifically in the Psalms of his tears before the Lord, even saying they were his portion day and night.

In the book of Revelation, God will wipe away my tears. 

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

Revelation 21:4 NAS

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 7:17 NAS

No.  There is no shame in tears.

about lottie...

Since Christmas is fast approaching, I’ve thought about Lottie Moon. She gave her life to serve God in China.  She was an encouragement to others, a brave servant for God, and was passionate about leading others to Christ.

She served 39 years as a missionary, mostly in China’s Shantung province.  Lottie frequently wrote letters to the United States, detailing Chinese culture, missionary life and the great physical and spiritual needs of the Chinese people. Additionally, she challenged Southern Baptists to go to China or give so that others could go. By 1888, Southern Baptist women had organized and helped collect $3,315 to send workers needed in China.

"When the gospel is allowed to grow naturally in China, without forcing processes of development, the 'church in the house' is usually its first form of organization. God grant us faith and courage to keep 'hands off' and allow this new garden of the Lord's planting to ripen in the rays of the Divine Love, free from human interference!"

- Lottie Moon, Pingtu, China Sept. 10, 1890

In 1918, the Woman's Missionary Union named the annual Christmas offering for international missions after the woman who had urged them to start it - the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®

quick quotes

and speaking about communion. . .

Our prayers have stains in them, our faith is mixed with unbelief, our repentance is not so tender as it should be, our communion is distant and interrupted. We cannot pray without sinning, and there is filth even in our tears.

Charles Spurgeon

Whatever is your best time in the day, give that to communion with God.

Hudson Taylor

All Christian power springs from communion with God and from the indwelling of divine grace.

James H. Aughey

Thus may we abide in union; with each other and the Lord, and possess in sweet communion joys which earth cannot afford.
John Newton

a thursday morning drive

It was a bit chilly this morning when I left the house.  After getting on the intersate, I noticed a misty fog slowly rising from the ground.  As the morning sun began to rise, I saw a wonder unfolding before me.  I began to see sunbeams reflecting off the fog.  There were some areas thick with trees blocking the sunbeams from view.  There were other places that the sunbeams peeked thru small openings.  And, in cleared land, the sunbeams were bright and beautiful.  I love nature, and was grateful to witness this awesome unveiling.

I was listening to a CD of contempary Christian music, but my thoughts were reflecting over sunbeams.  There have been difficult times in my life that I felt all alone.  Times that I felt discouraged and hopeless.  Even thou I couldn't look over or thru the trees to see Jesus, He was always there.  Sometimes, I have wavered back and forth. between blessings and frustations. When I see Him right before me, I can bask in His love and His grace.

I love sunbeams. . .

pause 'n ponder

and speaking about communion. . .

Our prayers have stains in them, our faith is mixed with unbelief, our repentance is not so tender as it should be, our communion is distant and interrupted. We cannot pray without sinning, and there is filth even in our tears.

Charles Spurgeon

 

Whatever is your best time in the day, give that to communion with God.

Hudson Taylor

All Christian power springs from communion with God and from the indwelling of divine grace.

James H. Aughey

Thus may we abide in union; with each other and the Lord, and possess in sweet communion joys which earth cannot afford.
John Newton

worthy words

do i count?

In 2000, my Dad walked thru the gates of pearl.  Mark read the poem below at the grave side service.  My other Dad (affectionately called Padre), took the same path in 2003.  This poem exemplifies the men they were.  We’ll never know how many lives they touched. . .

THE LIFE THAT COUNTS

The life that counts must toil and fight;

Must hate the wrong and love the right;

Must stand for truth, by day, by night…

This is the life that counts.

The life that counts must hopeful be;

In darkest night make melody;

Must wait the dawn on bended knee…

This is the life that counts.

The life that counts must aim to rise

Above the earth to sunlit skies;

Must fix its gaze on Paradise…

This is the life that counts.

The life that counts must helpful be,

The care and needs of others see;

Must seek the slaves of sin to free…

This is the life that counts.

The life that counts is linked with God;

And turns not from the cross…the rod;

But walk with joy where Jesus trod…

This is the life that counts.

Anonymous

amazing grace – a legacy of faithfulness

John Newton (1725-1807) was the author of “Amazing Grace”, I read somewhere that it’s America’s most famous and favorite hymn.

He wrote this hymn as a prayer of deep gratitude poured from his heart to God for having saved his life and his soul. Before he died, he wrote a short statement to some friends that could perhaps sum up his life. “My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.”

He wrote his epitaph, and it’s engraved on a marble plaque in St Mary, Woolnoth, UK.:

JOHN NEWTON, Clerk [preacher]
Once an infidel and libertine
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy
of our Lord and Saviour
JESUS CHRIST,
restored, pardoned and
appointed to preach
the Gospel which he had
long laboured to destroy.
He ministered,
Near sixteen years in Olney, in Bucks,
And twenty eight years in this Church.

I think there’s a lot more to learn from John Newton..

there's power

When I close my eyes and shut out all distractions, I can release all my tension and stress.  This time is one of worship and praise and prayer, this time is to bow down before my God.  I pray each day that I will trust God to use me to make a difference and that my life will honor Him. 

It’s a journey, it's a journey on my knees, until I meet Him face to face. . .  

There's a song I like named 'On My Knees' by Jaci Velasquez

This portion has great meaning to me:

I get on my knees!

I get on my knees!

There I am before the Love
That changes me
See I don't know how
But there's power
When I'm on my knees

quick quotes

Step by step, prayer by prayer, the Lord will always get you there.
~Unknown

Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door.

~Unknown

Calmness is the way we show that we are trusting in God.

~Unknown