Adopted and adapted from a quote that I read today – one that I want to be mine forever:
To know in my whole nature what it is to live by Christ; to be His, not my own; to be so occupied with gratitude for what He did for us (me) and for what He continually is to us (me) that His will and His glory shall be the sole desire of my life.
Here is the final post remaining in my queue to be reposted. It comes from a time before this. I was there and the Lord did bestow on me also His great love and a passion for Him. I am once again in need of revival and this is my prayer for all who read this:
You’ve noticed, I’m sure, a certain emphasis on my blogs looking on the blessings of God with gladness and joy. Many of us here, maybe you included, want to edify and exhort one another to love and service toward our brothers and sisters. We try to preach and teach the gospel without adding to it works of righteousness that we have done, but only according to the mercy of God. Salvation is ALL of God, and NONE of our doing.
All of us who own the name of Jesus tend to lose our ardor and need restoring. We need revival, and we need it badly…now. I am posting this video from a former time during a period of revival in a certain location. Now is the time, and this can be the forum when revival can spread throughout the entire world….Let us pray. Let’s pray that God would use each and every born again Christian, that God would awaken within us that first love we knew when we first came to Christ, that God would rekindle that spark that first came to us when we repented of our sin and knew that Christ had saved us.
The Lord alone is our only hope to revive and rekindle the love we once had for Him.
Lord, I pray that I would never lose my love for You. Help me remember what first drew me to You, and restore to me the joy of your salvation that I knew when You first saved me. Amen.
Not exactly “packing up” but I’m doing the preliminaries for my departure from blogging here. Last night I stayed up late printing out copies of the posts that I have considered worth saving. ( By far, the posts that can no longer be seen which are still on the Revelife site are better and more plentiful.) Mostly, it’s for my children. If you’ve ever gone through old pictures and cards, you know why it takes so long. I got into reading not only the posts, but the comments as well. I’m not saving the comments – at least not many of them even though some of the comments are far better than my words. It was fairly easy to isolate the posts and print them with Print Friendly, but the comments wouldn’t come along, and anyway that would have more than doubled the volume.
Blogging on Xanga was my first and really only venture in the cyber world, but it was fun and rewarding as well as being a learning tool for me. During those years, I never thought about the end of it – blogging, and the end of online friendships; but now it has come for me and I must say that I am sad that it has.
For those who remain here, I wish you continued joy in your blogging. The new “feed” is very attractive with your pictures and all – which I have never learned how to do – but the mechanics of commenting, approving, following, etc. to me are clumsy and not as friendly partly because of the lack of notifications of posts, comments, etc. that the old Xanga had. I once had hundreds of subs and friends, and now less than twenty all told. Also, it seems that the few I have are pretty much just sharing their travels, food, and so on; and not much in the way of discussions as was the case before.
I am paid up to Aug. 31, but I see no point in leaving my “stuff” lying around here. I am putting it to a better use by closing up shop and writing offline. Writing causes me to need to study and grow, and it gives me an outlet for my thoughts; but I would get much more feedback by sharing with friends IRL who can enter into the discussion.
Honestly, this experience has become the loneliest thing I could imagine, so I’m calling it quits – at least by the end of this month.
(A post that I wrote several years ago. I was reminded of this when I posted the quote on ATTITUDE a few minutes ago – just below this one. I am reposting it on Xanga 2 for those who may have missed it. We do have so much to rejoice in and give thanks for!!)
Recently I wrote about how our Father is a prodigal Father…that is He gives lavishly and does not withhold any good thing from us. So much has been written about that particular family, that I almost hesitate to write more…almost. The younger son has been the target of many a sermon on repentance and on the Father’s joy at the son’s return. This time, I had a thought about the older son that I wanted to share.
The older son sounds to us like a sourpuss. We scarcely give him any notice. We watch him go off to himself while the festivities are going on, refusing to rejoice over his brother’s return. He is still muttering to himself – maybe even throwing things around in his anger over the unfairness of it all. The father listens, sympathetic and caring. He reassures this angry young man that he loves him and hasn’t forgotten his faithful service to the family. The father even reaffirms the older son’s inheritance – (all that I have is yours).
The thought that I wanted to share in regard to this story is about joy. I don’t mean just the joy he should have had because the father was SO overjoyed and shedding tears (maybe even dancing for joy). It is obvious from his remarks that he SURELY isn’t joyful that the younger brother is having gifts lavished on him. “Look how dirty he is. I wouldn’t put a fine robe like that on a filthy beggar like him.” (I’m reading his thoughts here) The joy I am thinking of is that joy he should have been having all of his life.
Even though we have probably not thought much about that older son except for what I have noted above, if we stop to think about it, this son had a pretty good life. It may not seem that way because he tries to make a case about how hard he had worked (and never got a party). The family seems to be well off. They have hired servants, and even they have a pretty good life. The father is a loving, caring father. All day every day this son worked for the family, building a rich inheritance for himself (sort of storing up treasures in heaven). He sat at the table with his dad and probably ate heartily – all he could hold. He had a nice bed to sleep in each night. And there probably were some parties and fun, I mean, really was it such a dull and lifeless existence? I doubt it.
Which brings me to my little point. I suggest that he probably forgot to be thankful…the family farm was coming to him without payment. How this applies to us, is pretty obvious. We may not live as luxurious a life as this son did, but we have a loving Father who freely gives us forgiveness for our indiscretions (sins, plainly). God also has promised us the richest inheritance – beyond our imagination. He is with us “whithersoever” we go. He protects us from our Enemy. He gives us strength as the day requires. And most of all He loves us with an unfathomable love always. Are we like the older brother? Do we take all these things for granted? When another brother or sister is blessed or given recognition or succeeds where we have failed, do we still rejoice with them. Do we breathe a prayer of thanks just because? Do we have that joy that a child of the Most High God, Sovereign King of all creation should have…. Even more, do we express our joy? If we were to get what we deserve….well, I’m sure we don’t want that!
Here’s something I ran across today in a book, Touched By The Light by Thomas Kinkade:
“You and I have the option to choose either light or darkness; joy or despair; a meditative heart bathed in the dazzling light of God’s Son, or the crazy, unredemptive cacophony of a media- saturated world gone mad.” (p. 11)
I know too well how it is that circumstances seem to dictate our attitude, but the truth is, that looking to God, we can see His hand in it all; and that is very reassuring!
Can God still transform lives of self-seeking into lives of Christian holiness?
This may not be such a far-fetched question, seeing the growing trend of popular thought regarding the power of man to improve himself and his world without the aid or “intrusion” of God. It is not only the atheist who regards God as an unnecessary and imaginary force. Modern church and denominational leaders, by their purposeful introduction of psychiatric “solutions” to man’s problems, referring to sin as merely a disease (meaning that the sinner is merely a “victim”), and by toleration and acceptance of actions and practices that are not tolerated or prescribed in Scripture, are in effect doing just the same as the unbelieving world. And the world welcomes such capitulations as our “coming to see things as they are and ought to be.”
Most opportunities to explain our position that Christian leaders receive from the media are actually traps set in order to ridicule and humiliate the Christian community. The questions posed will be carefully constructed so that any answer other than the politically correct answer will be construed as anti-human, anti-intellectual and hateful. The mainstream media, being so convinced that the majority will always agree with their agenda will insist on receiving the answer that they are pushing for. (But then it will be easy enough to misquote or take things out of context to create a sensational story no matter how careful the Christian is in answering.)
But, back to the original question: “Can God still change lives?” The answer is, of course, that He can. We can resolve to do this or stop doing that, but to effect actual change that lasts forever…not really. We are weak through the flesh. We may think that we’ve conquered a particular sin or overcome a certain unsavory aspect of our nature only to see that sin or failing show up in some unguarded moment. The self-help gurus, the positive thinking teachers, and all of those who believe that we have no resource other than ourselves, encourage us to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps ( to use a much overused phrase) As a disclaimer, I’m not saying that it isn’t a good thing to make an effort – even an effort to remember the work of God in our lives. It is a good thing, but first we need to seek the will of God and understand His word – not leaning on our own understanding alone.
God is sovereign. That’s the thing that man has kicked against from the time of the Fall. Satan had told the woman that she would be as God, knowing the difference between good and evil and have control over destiny. Satan has continued his deceit, making it seem logical and right to do our own thing and count God (if indeed we must believe in Him) as more or less a “yes man” and a “sugar daddy.” If He doesn’t comply with our wishes, then He is our enemy, Satan tells us.
However, if we would come to God, we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The reward being God Himself – a much greater gift than we could ever imagine. Long ago, before the world existed, God knew that man would sin and that He would have to provide a way that man could have fellowship with Him. Christ paid that penalty of sin by becoming sin for us. This, He accomplished at the cross. Men and women living, both in the time before the cross and after, have been transformed by the faith bestowed on them to believe in His atonement for them. That power of God remains to this day and will continue for all time. Beyond this life, those who have believed and become His children will live for His glory forever!
I write these words as a reminder to all of us that the wickedness in this world with all of its ramifications is not the powerful, unstoppable thing that it may seem to be. The effort to legislate sin out of existence never has worked. Laws don’t change lives, only God can really change someone into a new person. Turning over a new leaf is no more permanent than the next temptation or opportunity to sin….it is man’s nature. We are weak through the flesh but we can have strength through the Spirit of God whom we receive in the new birth.
So, the gospel and the sharing of it remains the only real solution. There has been no “cease and desist” order from God regarding the Great Commission. We share, others hear, they believe, God works:
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:13-17)
A quote for all times from Jim Denison of the Denison Forum: “When the future is frightening and you’re not sure your life can make a difference, remember your King’s promise: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). How close is your heart to God today?”
I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite some time now – dealing with the personal side of theology. One thing that is very clear to us as believers is that God is interested in us and desires to have sons and daughters of the children of men (and of course, women). Another thing, though, is the concept of God’s saving a people for Himself from among sinful men and women. Obviously this cannot mean that the two realities are separate or that one excludes or nullifies the other. So, is it a people or persons that God saves?
There would be no need of differentiating between the two thoughts if we read the scriptures without a preconceived idea. When we first come to faith, we don’t necessarily have all the doctrines memorized. We receive the faith that God gives us and the light comes on. That Light, of course is Christ and the Holy Spirit causes us to find that His coming into the world was to save us (read, mankind) but we see it as what it is, God saving us and we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that that faith is saving us. Then, what a joy when we discover that others understand what has happened in our heart and also have experienced the same thing. So, there are other persons in the Body of Christ and no one person himself is the Body – only a part of His Body. But, some will say, Christ lives in me and that’s all I need – He is enough Himself and the Holy Spirit will lead me into all truth. What need have I for any others? And that is where the misunderstanding begins. Can we separate a member of the Body from the rest and still have it be a member? No. Even if we withdraw our fellowship and assay to live independent of the rest, we are still a member – albeit a disobedient one who does not consider that his independence hurts the body and grieves the Holy Spirit.
If that does not give pause to our “theory” of independence from the rest, then we are not listening to that same Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. There are other considerations such as our growth in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ that we are expected to allow in our lives. There was once a Puritan in the 17th century named John Livingstone who also had to deal with this same problem. His words were: “I hate independency though there be good men among them and some well-meaning people favor it, yet it will be found to the prejudice of the work of God than many are aware, for they vanish into vain opinions.” Vain opinions. Yes, they are vain because the person insisting on his independence from the rest of believers is claiming an exclusive relationship with God that He does not recognize and that He specifically commands otherwise. And those opinons are what I am referring to as being “homespun theology.” To the person expounding it, it sounds so spiritual, so philosophical, so right.
The scriptures are given for our instruction in righteousness so that we can bring God the glory that He deserves and further His kingdom by the sweet savor of Christ. We could not have known Christ or that He became sin for us that we, through Him, might become born again and have imputed to us His righteousness if we had not the scriptures to inform us and the Holy Spirit to make those words alive to us. (Obviously, not all who can read the scriptures come to faith, understanding those things.) But those same scriptures admonish us, yea command us, not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together with other believers . Not only that, but we are told in the scriptures that none of us possesses all the gifts of the Spirit and none likewise are free to do as we please as children of God. No matter how we may try to make a point of being “outside” of Christianity yet close to God, we are lying to ourselves to do so.
We miss the point entirely when we declare ourselves independent and/or autonomous as a Christian – and we need to go back to the scriptures and let the Word of God judge our thoughts and actions
No right-thinking Christian really believes that worshiping God is a Sunday-only thing or that church is the only place where we worship – or even that what we do on Sunday mornings can all be described as worship of God. But on this past Sunday as I drove to church, the thought occurred to me: “why am I going to church this morning?” When I got there, I asked the pastor the same question and his smile disappeared. After staring at me, mouth agape, he regained his composure to reply that he wondered if I were judging others. I reassured him that the question was addressed to none other than myself…..Do I really go to church to worship God?
We remember well the verses in Romans 12: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Our spiritual worship….it’s a great deal more than what we do in church – in some cases scarcely even resembling presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God.
Lets think about the way Sunday morning unfolds as we truly present ourselves to Him. When we promise to pray for a brother or a sister we really will – maybe even at that very moment and our hearts will be turned to Him on their behalf. Later, in the assembly as we sing the opening hymn or song, our hearts will resonate with the words of the writer and become our own; and the message will point us toward the One we’ve come to worship. If there be any deficiencies in the service or sermon, we won’t take offense, but instead will silently pray to our Lord for wisdom, also for those whose contributions miss the mark (for us, they may at least).
I know that the local church is not the only one place where we can worship God, and we don’t have to wait for Sunday to do it, but the Church herself is Christ’s holy bride; and our conduct in that place ought to exemplify the love and worship we profess. The next time we hear someone expressing dissatisfaction or dislike of the church, our prayer for them ought to be that we can be an ambassador for Christ to them – even as we are to those outside the church – and help them find the way they can truly worship God in the church, contributing perhaps the very thing they see lacking.
May the Lord keep me mindful of the reason I go to church and prepare my heart for Him and for those He loves, sacrificing not only my body but also my heart and mind for His glory. Amen.
Charles Kingsley, an English preacher hit the nail on the head in this statement:
.” If nature is merely the result of chance events, life is at bottom meaningless. “Tell us not that the world is governed by universal law; the news is not comfortable but simply horrible, unless you can tell us…that there is a loving giver, and a just administrator of that law.”
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