Spurgeons book, Morning by Morning, reminds me today of a John Piper quote that I heard in a sermon, "There is something more sweet about winning a war where a battle or two have been lost." Jeremiah 17:17 says, ".....You are my refuge in the day of disaster." I am convinced by reading the inerrant Word of God that we suffer through "trials" in our earthly life to get rid of pride and self sufficiency while slowly learning to cling to the robe of our Savior for redemption. We gleen greater dependence on God our Rock by knowing that tough times are for-ordained and under the realm of His sovereign rule.
Further, who am I to say that a good God shouldn't allow bad things to happen to me? The depth of pride revealed in that statement alone is shameful! What do I deserve? Has He shown me grace or mercy? How deep is His love for me? Can I sanctify myself?
"I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross......" Thank you, Jesus.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Satisfaction
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matt. 5:6.
On my own, I'll never seek His righteousness. Oh God, thank you for Jesus! I beg you, Lord, for deeper hunger and thirst for righteousness, implying a petition for one thing in my life: more Jesus! The more You open my eyes to the righteousness You so freely give, the more I see my need for my Savior. How can my filthy thoughts, my selfish motivations, my self-centered intentions, and my prideful dealings with other people be seen as righteous?
The precious blood.
Ps. 31:3-5 "For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; You take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God."
On my own, I'll never seek His righteousness. Oh God, thank you for Jesus! I beg you, Lord, for deeper hunger and thirst for righteousness, implying a petition for one thing in my life: more Jesus! The more You open my eyes to the righteousness You so freely give, the more I see my need for my Savior. How can my filthy thoughts, my selfish motivations, my self-centered intentions, and my prideful dealings with other people be seen as righteous?
The precious blood.
Ps. 31:3-5 "For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; You take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God."
Monday, April 27, 2009
Enough Being Double-Minded
Well, I don't want to blog too much about our church services yesterday at Idlewild Baptist Church because I'm certain you'll be able to read that information at www.convertedbeliever.blogspot.com. However, I would like to share that God is bringing together separate learning events and passages of scripture in my life to drive home one important lesson in my life: He is enough.
On the surface, these three words can seem trite and cliche, but when applied to a consecrated heart in total faith, this scritpural truth finds profound meaning. Last night, Pastor Scott took our little flock to James 1: 5-8. Here's what I take from this passage: To live a life seeking to confront problems or seek wisdom on my own is to be double minded (Js. 1:8). More specifically, to wake up every morning and seek the Spirit in prayer, in reading His word, and studying Spurgeon (et al) is not enough. This quiet time with my Savior is not to be confined to a moment where I seek encounters with Him for spiritual growth. This time should breed wisdom (which is God-given and God-centered straight from scripture), wisdom that finds its way into every situation every day. My dealings with people all day should be scripture lived out! God wants me to ask Him with no doubting. In other words, at work, my actions will be based on the lessons from scripture that He teaches me, not solely on profession-specific books, i.e. "What Great Principals do Differently," etc.
God opened my eyes to this in a lesson on Psalm 95, Hebrews 4:11-13 yesterday morning. It was reinforced in James last night. And guess what? This morning my devotion took me to Psalm 67. Spurgeon uses this Psalm of Thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest to encourage us to seek God in all things, because "God, our God, shall bless us." He will hear our cries and give so freely of Himself. Has He not already demonstrated that?
On the surface, these three words can seem trite and cliche, but when applied to a consecrated heart in total faith, this scritpural truth finds profound meaning. Last night, Pastor Scott took our little flock to James 1: 5-8. Here's what I take from this passage: To live a life seeking to confront problems or seek wisdom on my own is to be double minded (Js. 1:8). More specifically, to wake up every morning and seek the Spirit in prayer, in reading His word, and studying Spurgeon (et al) is not enough. This quiet time with my Savior is not to be confined to a moment where I seek encounters with Him for spiritual growth. This time should breed wisdom (which is God-given and God-centered straight from scripture), wisdom that finds its way into every situation every day. My dealings with people all day should be scripture lived out! God wants me to ask Him with no doubting. In other words, at work, my actions will be based on the lessons from scripture that He teaches me, not solely on profession-specific books, i.e. "What Great Principals do Differently," etc.
God opened my eyes to this in a lesson on Psalm 95, Hebrews 4:11-13 yesterday morning. It was reinforced in James last night. And guess what? This morning my devotion took me to Psalm 67. Spurgeon uses this Psalm of Thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest to encourage us to seek God in all things, because "God, our God, shall bless us." He will hear our cries and give so freely of Himself. Has He not already demonstrated that?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Luke 15:7
"Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
I pray that our Mighty Savior will save me from my pride. Every day I profess my need for repentance aloud, but I pray that Jesus blood runs all the way to the cavenous depths of my sinful nature and prompts authenticity in my request, but furthermore, I pray that He allows me to apply His grace to the sin (not more legalist rules), and the faith to envision and experience this repentance followed through!
Romans 8:37-39, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When the Spirit convicts me of sin, I must apply faith directly from The Conqueror for victory! Spurgeon said, "The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus." I approach repentance from sin just as I did salvation: I came to Jesus as I was, and trusted Him to save me. None of my acts of repentance (conviction, regret, humility, weeping, etc.) have any meaning apart from Jesus. Morale conviction has no place in redemption.
We are more than conquerors [ONLY] through Him that loved us.
I pray that our Mighty Savior will save me from my pride. Every day I profess my need for repentance aloud, but I pray that Jesus blood runs all the way to the cavenous depths of my sinful nature and prompts authenticity in my request, but furthermore, I pray that He allows me to apply His grace to the sin (not more legalist rules), and the faith to envision and experience this repentance followed through!
Romans 8:37-39, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When the Spirit convicts me of sin, I must apply faith directly from The Conqueror for victory! Spurgeon said, "The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus." I approach repentance from sin just as I did salvation: I came to Jesus as I was, and trusted Him to save me. None of my acts of repentance (conviction, regret, humility, weeping, etc.) have any meaning apart from Jesus. Morale conviction has no place in redemption.
We are more than conquerors [ONLY] through Him that loved us.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
God calls Merrell
So.... the first entry. I've got to share with anyone who will read this my reason for entering the world o' blog. God has directly answered my most frequent prayer request to Him. God has opened my oldest daughter's heart, mind, and ears. On Sunday, April 19, 2009, Merrell told me that she is a sinner in need of a savior, and that she wants to "ask Jesus to live in her heart." I've gotta say, God allowed me to see a progression of events that afforded me some opportunities to see His plan unfolding. Quite simply, I'm amazed. I have felt joy like never before.
On Good Friday, Scott Packett (my friend and pastor), decided that at Idlewild Baptist Church, we'd do a very "un-Baptist" thing. We asked people to put Jesus ahead of tradition. We would worship Him, celebrate His precious blood, and praise Him for His sacrifice which was planned before the dawn of time. God had big plans for that night, awaking the dead soul of my daughter Merrell. During the service, Merrell took some notes (please read on).
Now this is profound for several reasons:
1.) It was an 'accident' that Merrell had paper and a writing utensil. We've been studying God's providence in the book of Ruth. Well, I got to see it in a very small way that night. During the service, my 2 year old son, Drew began to act out. Frustrated, my wife placed her Bible and journal in Merrell's lap so that she could wrangle the little satanic booger. Neither of us paid attention to what Merrell was writing during the service, but were humbled, moved to emotion, and driven to our knees by what our eldest had written. I quote, "I am nothing but sin. They nailed Him to a cross. Jesus is my everything."
2.) Every day I pray that my children will see themselves for who they are and see God for who He is. I know and understand that God hears and answers prayers, but this time He chose to work in a tender-hearted, incredibly bright, very curious little 6-year old (who also happens to be my daughter).
3.) This was umprompted by her mother or me. Scott's message that night, as always, was completely gospel driven and centered. As a pastor, Scott sticks true to His Biblical responsibility to instill in the members' hearts a deep understanding of our need for Jesus, and encouragement to constantly, intentionally seek Him...... experience Him. Unbelievably, this is also the reason he is mostly widely persecuted. He tells us we're sinners. Well let me be the first to stand up and scream praises to My Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit, thanking Him for my pastor. While some religious people scowl with disdain, Scott lovingly tells us how desparate he is for Jesus, and seeks to instill this attribute in us, my daughter heard someone besides her mother and me tell her about how desparate we are for Jesus. She picked up on the most important message she could ever hear.
On Good Friday, Scott Packett (my friend and pastor), decided that at Idlewild Baptist Church, we'd do a very "un-Baptist" thing. We asked people to put Jesus ahead of tradition. We would worship Him, celebrate His precious blood, and praise Him for His sacrifice which was planned before the dawn of time. God had big plans for that night, awaking the dead soul of my daughter Merrell. During the service, Merrell took some notes (please read on).
Now this is profound for several reasons:
1.) It was an 'accident' that Merrell had paper and a writing utensil. We've been studying God's providence in the book of Ruth. Well, I got to see it in a very small way that night. During the service, my 2 year old son, Drew began to act out. Frustrated, my wife placed her Bible and journal in Merrell's lap so that she could wrangle the little satanic booger. Neither of us paid attention to what Merrell was writing during the service, but were humbled, moved to emotion, and driven to our knees by what our eldest had written. I quote, "I am nothing but sin. They nailed Him to a cross. Jesus is my everything."
2.) Every day I pray that my children will see themselves for who they are and see God for who He is. I know and understand that God hears and answers prayers, but this time He chose to work in a tender-hearted, incredibly bright, very curious little 6-year old (who also happens to be my daughter).
3.) This was umprompted by her mother or me. Scott's message that night, as always, was completely gospel driven and centered. As a pastor, Scott sticks true to His Biblical responsibility to instill in the members' hearts a deep understanding of our need for Jesus, and encouragement to constantly, intentionally seek Him...... experience Him. Unbelievably, this is also the reason he is mostly widely persecuted. He tells us we're sinners. Well let me be the first to stand up and scream praises to My Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit, thanking Him for my pastor. While some religious people scowl with disdain, Scott lovingly tells us how desparate he is for Jesus, and seeks to instill this attribute in us, my daughter heard someone besides her mother and me tell her about how desparate we are for Jesus. She picked up on the most important message she could ever hear.
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