You are the everlasting God.
When I am tired, You are not.
When I quit, You do not.
When I despair, You give hope.
When I am faint, You revive me.
When I fail, You renew me.
When I am alone, You are still here.
When I am, You always are, were, and have been.
What I am belongs to You (Eph. 2:10)
Who I am is found in You (Phil. 3:6)
Where I am is where You are. (Eph. 2:4-6)
You are the everlasting God.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Eye
I awoke this morning to an unexpected feeling. Peace.
As I lay there I thought about where my life in the Lord is at this moment, and for the first time, probably in my life, I felt completely totally at peace with where I am in the Lord and in my life. I believe I am in the center of His will for me. How can I describe it?
Wonder, grace, fear, awe, joy and, yes, peace, are just a few words that describe where I am in my life. I am in the eye of the hurricane that is life. I stand in awe and amazement at the storm around me. I see the lightning, hear the thunder, and feel the wind fade as I come from the storm of uncertainty, doubt, and fear to the joy, peace and calm that is the perfect will of God. I enter the blue skies, calm wind, and bright sunshine of God's manifest presence and the glory of His love where no storm comes, no fear interrupts, and no doubt enters. Will I always be here? No. Does that matter? No. I am here now and this experience will give me strength to face the next storm of life. I know that I will one day soon face the storms of life, but after being here what have I to fear? My mind immediately goes to the book of Romans and that glorious chapter 8:
Nothing can separate me from Christ. No power of Hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand (In Christ Alone). God's love for me was settled at the cross (Henry Blackaby). The day I cried, "Lord, save me," my fate was settled forever as God applied the blood of Christ to the doorposts of my heart and He declared me free. Pardoned from my sin and the punishment deserved and given a home in Heaven and a royal name. That is my God, my Savior, my Refuge, my Rock, the One from whom my help comes, and the One who walks with me each day to guide, love, and care for me. THAT is my God.
As you read this, as I will again someday when I am in the storm, I want you to remember to get to the eye you have to go through the storm. There is no other way. Life is that storm, and it gets difficult. Continue searching for the eye of the storm, and when you find it rest in His presence, bask in His sunlight, and drink in the beauty of His presence.
In His service,
D
As I lay there I thought about where my life in the Lord is at this moment, and for the first time, probably in my life, I felt completely totally at peace with where I am in the Lord and in my life. I believe I am in the center of His will for me. How can I describe it?
Wonder, grace, fear, awe, joy and, yes, peace, are just a few words that describe where I am in my life. I am in the eye of the hurricane that is life. I stand in awe and amazement at the storm around me. I see the lightning, hear the thunder, and feel the wind fade as I come from the storm of uncertainty, doubt, and fear to the joy, peace and calm that is the perfect will of God. I enter the blue skies, calm wind, and bright sunshine of God's manifest presence and the glory of His love where no storm comes, no fear interrupts, and no doubt enters. Will I always be here? No. Does that matter? No. I am here now and this experience will give me strength to face the next storm of life. I know that I will one day soon face the storms of life, but after being here what have I to fear? My mind immediately goes to the book of Romans and that glorious chapter 8:
Romans 8:31-39 (HCSB)
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Nothing can separate me from Christ. No power of Hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand (In Christ Alone). God's love for me was settled at the cross (Henry Blackaby). The day I cried, "Lord, save me," my fate was settled forever as God applied the blood of Christ to the doorposts of my heart and He declared me free. Pardoned from my sin and the punishment deserved and given a home in Heaven and a royal name. That is my God, my Savior, my Refuge, my Rock, the One from whom my help comes, and the One who walks with me each day to guide, love, and care for me. THAT is my God.
As you read this, as I will again someday when I am in the storm, I want you to remember to get to the eye you have to go through the storm. There is no other way. Life is that storm, and it gets difficult. Continue searching for the eye of the storm, and when you find it rest in His presence, bask in His sunlight, and drink in the beauty of His presence.
In His service,
D
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Forgiveness
Why are Christians astonished and shocked when someone falls deeply into sin?
IF you are a christian, then you know the truth of the thoughts that still go through your head, the wickedness, the vulgarity, the filth that all people have in their hearts and is not uncommon to anyone. Or are you completely purged of every wickedness? Are you pure in act, word, thought and intent? Then why are you surprised when someone else is not? Have you forgotten that you were once enslaved to sin? Do you excuse your sinful thoughts, deeds, and attitudes?
I believe I am like most people. I fail often in thought, word, and deed and I sin. But to be like Christ, I am to forgive those who sin against me as God has forgiven me.
Why do we revel in other's failure? Why do we whisper behind people's backs about what we saw them do or heard them say? Why are we always tools in Satan's hands and look to tear down another when they have fallen?
As I was meditating today, I was pondering different things in my mind and I began to think on this. The right thing to do would be as scripture says in Galatians:
And as I pondered how we should treat a person who has fallen, I thought about how angry some people get when someone in ministry falls. And this led me to think of a verse that has always been a little unclear to me in it's full meaning.
If we apply the truth of God's word found in these two passages, then I believe we carry out the truth of God's word. Those who fall into sin do not need condemnation, but forgiveness and acceptance after they have repented. It is then that God can work through each of us to rebuild a child of God into a useful servant, because God's will for all of us is to be useful in His Kingdom. Even if it means falling into sin to be a warning to others.
IF you are a christian, then you know the truth of the thoughts that still go through your head, the wickedness, the vulgarity, the filth that all people have in their hearts and is not uncommon to anyone. Or are you completely purged of every wickedness? Are you pure in act, word, thought and intent? Then why are you surprised when someone else is not? Have you forgotten that you were once enslaved to sin? Do you excuse your sinful thoughts, deeds, and attitudes?
I believe I am like most people. I fail often in thought, word, and deed and I sin. But to be like Christ, I am to forgive those who sin against me as God has forgiven me.
Why do we revel in other's failure? Why do we whisper behind people's backs about what we saw them do or heard them say? Why are we always tools in Satan's hands and look to tear down another when they have fallen?
As I was meditating today, I was pondering different things in my mind and I began to think on this. The right thing to do would be as scripture says in Galatians:
Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted also. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. Galatians 6:1-5 (HCSB)
And as I pondered how we should treat a person who has fallen, I thought about how angry some people get when someone in ministry falls. And this led me to think of a verse that has always been a little unclear to me in it's full meaning.
My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. James 1:19-20 (HCSB)
If we apply the truth of God's word found in these two passages, then I believe we carry out the truth of God's word. Those who fall into sin do not need condemnation, but forgiveness and acceptance after they have repented. It is then that God can work through each of us to rebuild a child of God into a useful servant, because God's will for all of us is to be useful in His Kingdom. Even if it means falling into sin to be a warning to others.
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