tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56132282906891432452024-03-13T08:44:52.008-07:00Thriving with ArnieLife and growth with an illness affectionately known as, "Arnie".Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.comBlogger305125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-29823704214317526372014-01-31T14:53:00.002-08:002014-02-03T15:15:29.352-08:00Fibromyalgia Hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVlm4gXNt0Q/UuwncbkzvqI/AAAAAAAACcc/BoMa2S0HAAU/s1600/IMG_4346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVlm4gXNt0Q/UuwncbkzvqI/AAAAAAAACcc/BoMa2S0HAAU/s1600/IMG_4346.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Due to all kinds of crazy changes (including getting to marry this crazy guy) I will me moving my blog. Thriving with Arnie will get a face lift and will be focused on hope for those living with Fibromyalgia. For now, check out Firbromyalgia Hope at <a href="http://hopefibromyalgia.blogspot.com/?zx=e0e2d82eb5259142">http://hopefibromyalgia.blogspot.com/?zx=e0e2d82eb5259142</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-1400569522886069322013-12-08T18:05:00.000-08:002013-12-08T18:49:14.162-08:00Not Troubled with Doubts.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wR3QSfS7fao/UqUvbnL5V-I/AAAAAAAACb8/DsTTk2ALToM/s1600/1012782_541291875964307_65907238_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wR3QSfS7fao/UqUvbnL5V-I/AAAAAAAACb8/DsTTk2ALToM/s320/1012782_541291875964307_65907238_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"There was a brother in Dundee Scotland, who had fallen and broken his back when he was a boy of fifteen. He had lain on his bed for about 40yrs, and could not move without a good deal of pain. Probably not a day had passed in all those years without acute suffering. But day after day the grace of God had been granted to him, and when I was in his chamber it seemed as if I was as near heaven as I could get on earth. I can imagine that when the angels passed over Dundee, they had to stop there to get refreshed.<br />
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When I saw him, I thought he must be beyond the reach of the tempter, and I asked him: "Doesn't Satan ever tempt you to doubt God, and to think that He is a hard Master?"<br />
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"Oh, yes," he said, "he does try to tempt me. I lie here and see my old schoolmates driving along in their carriages and Satan says, "If God is so good, why does He keep you here all these years? You might have been a rich man, riding your own carriage. If God loves you, couldn't He have kept you from breaking your back?"<br />
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"What do you do when Satan tempts you?"<br />
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"Ah, I just take him to Calvary, and I show him Christ, and I point out those wounds in his hands and feet and side, and say, 'Doesn't he love me?' And the fact is, he got such a scare there eighteen hundred years ago that he cannot stand it; he leaves me every time."<br />
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That bedridden saint had not much trouble with doubts; he was too full of the grave of God."<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">Please take me there!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-71461534089001994832013-05-02T14:32:00.002-07:002013-05-02T14:32:26.372-07:00<br />
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May the Gospel mark our culture.</div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">Gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture. The doctrines of grace create a culture of grace, as Jesus himself touches us through his truths. Without the doctrines, the culture alone is fragile. Without the culture, the doctrines alone appear pointless. For example:</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of regeneration creates a culture of humility (Ephesians 2:1-9).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of justification creates a culture of inclusion (Galatians 2:11-16).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of reconciliation creates a culture of peace (Ephesians 2:14-16).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of sanctification creates a culture of life (Romans 6:20-23).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of glorification creates a culture of hope (Romans 5:2).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The doctrine of God creates a culture of honesty (1 John 1:5-10). And what could be more basic than that?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">If we want this culture to thrive, we can’t take doctrinal short cuts. If we want this doctrine to be credible, we can’t disregard the culture. But churches where the doctrine and culture converge bear living witness to the power of Jesus.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">Churches that do not exude humility, inclusion, peace, life, hope and honesty — even if they have gospel doctrine on paper, they lack that doctrine at a functional level, where it counts in the lives of actual people. Churches that are haughty, exclusivistic, contentious, exhausted, past-oriented and in denial are revealing a gospel deficit.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">The current rediscovery of the gospel as doctrine is good, very good. But a completely new discovery of the gospel as culture — the gospel embodied in community — will be infinitely better, filled with a divine power such as we have not yet seen.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">Is there any reason not to go there? Is the status quo all that great? Doesn’t the gospel itself call for a new</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">kind of community?</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2013/05/02/gospel-doctrine-gospel-culture-2/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #999999;">Gospel doctrine, gospel culture</span></i></a></div>
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<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2013/05/02/gospel-doctrine-gospel-culture-2/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #999999;"><img alt="Gospel doctrine, gospel culture avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></span></i></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">is a post from: </span><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a></span></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-18099879468974645672013-02-27T13:48:00.000-08:002013-02-27T13:51:24.203-08:00Put on the FULL Armor<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As dusk began to settle on the land, I sat on a rock exhausted from battle. The adrenaline had long since waned before I began to assess my injuries. Scanning my body, I looked down to see that a strap of my sandal wasn't tied and had been flailing about for who knows how long. My feet had been fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace, yet just one strap hadn't been secure. <i>So this is why I have been stumbling</i>, I thought. I reached down to secure it but my fingers were so swollen that two fellow members of the priesthood came to help me.
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While they worked, I rolled back up to sitting and realized that, in my stumbling, my belt of Truth had come loose. Upon closer inspection, I found the buckle had slipped the notch. <i>How did that happen?</i> One of the priests examined it closely. Then with the tenderest of voices he said, "Because your Belt of Truth was missing just one Truth, the notch stretched out." Embarrassed, I fiddled with the belt determined to fix the flaw when I realized that my Breastplate of Righteousness was </span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">missing</span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">! Horrified I began searching for wounds. <i>Had I ever had it on? No! I never put it on! It was offered, but I never took it! I went into battle without the full armor of God?!</i> In my searching I found bloody wounds all over my belly and chest. Some were quite deep however none were mortal wounds, thank God! As the priests attended to my lacerations, my attention turned to anther of my defenses, my Shield of Faith. The brilliant colors and lively shapes that embossed the shield were scorched with deep gouges from protecting my heart. I reached to take it off my left arm as shooting pain and aches filled my other arm. My right side was weak and weary from wielding the Sword of the Spirit. My Sword and Shield were both in tact, yet quite </span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">worn</span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from doing both their job, and the job of the Breastplate. Slowly and carefully for fear of pain darting through my arms, I removed my Helmet of Salvation to inspect it. It was almost perfectly in tact! The Enemy must have seen how securely my helmet was placed. The cunning adversary he is, he saw exactly where my weakness was and aimed straight for it. My most vulnerable of areas was almost completely exposed, so there was no sense in him attacking my salvation.
Overtaken with my foolishness, my head and shoulders sunk. I sat distraught in the Valley of Achor with other wounded and thirsty saints. I knew they must be moaning as much as I yet all I heard was silence. They were so near me but so far from me at the same time. After what seemed like eternity, I heard a melody waft through the desolate place. I turned my head ever so slightly to see that the musicians had come through with the softest of ballads. Even though I was utterly ready to drop, the music swept me up as my heart seemed to just know the harmony. The instruments together made a haunting sound that was solemn yet hopeful, and underneath came a voice barely audible, "He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law". I listened intently to catch those beautiful words and, maybe for the first time, this Truth resounded in my wounded heart and soul. The Truth that, Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us began filling up my trauma. The by nature pure blood of Christ had indeed cleansed me. In Christ, God declares me pure, spotless, blameless, and righteous. One whose name was Guilty, now called Not Guilty. I had heard this before but the discouragement from by my flesh seemed to drown it out. Without this, I did not know the fullness of the Gospel of Peace. I did not know the whole Truth. I did not believe I had been made Righteous.
Immediately, I threw myself to the ground in worship. As I cried and sang songs only the Holy Spirit could reiterate, the Lord, my Abba Father, God of all Comfort laid His gentle hands over me. He took up my chin and looked me in the face whispering how He would begin the work of securing my sandals and tightening the loose notch in my belt. But first thing was first, He handed me once again my Breastplate of Righteousness </span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">reinforced</span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> specifically for </span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">me. W</span><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ith trembling hands I reached out for it saying, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief". </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i><span style="color: #999999;">Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">(Ephesians 6:11-17)</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">1 John 1:7,9</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">1 John 3:7</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Hosea 2:19-20, 23</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Ezekiel 36:25-27, 33-35</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Romans 4:22</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Galatians 3:13</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Revelation 19:8</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #999999;">Mark 9:24</span></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-37918288577970804892013-02-08T12:05:00.000-08:002013-02-08T12:13:50.956-08:00Highchair HordingA couple years ago I read Russel D. Moore's book,<i> Adopted for Life</i> (and by <i>read</i> I mean listened to the audio book). I remember sobbing on the floor listening to the story of his and his wife's visits to the dank orphanage in Russia. I continued sobbing as he told how the boys reached back for that horrific orphanage when they were put in the car to leave for a better life. Later, back in the States, the boys would hide food in their highchairs just in case that was the last meal they would get for a while.<br />
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When I became a Christian, I didn't so much reach back for my old life. I buckled my seat belt with uncharacteristic confidence and waved farewell to my bondage. Things didn't get easier for me, actually life got harder but there was this insatiable joy and hope that I had never felt before, carrying me... covering me. This past year, things have calmed down considerably. Not only that, but circumstances have gotten really good! I have been so blessed. It is so good, in fact, that it feels<i> too</i> good. I have been in the Light for almost 8 years now but this seems too much. I have come to learn the secret of being content and thriving in suffering - when hungry or in want. I can suffer well through Him who gives me strength. However, as I embark on the journey of this season of singing, I have found myself reaching back for my suffering not knowing how to/if I can be close to God without it. I also find myself hording and controlling blessings, afraid that the abounding riches of God's grace are about to run out for me. My head and heart are in shock. Such a mixed bag of junk, Truth, sin, fear and other stuff. All these good things and relationships are so good and I can't help but dwell on how life in eternity will be even better. In eternity they Enemy will no longer be prevalent, I will see Christ face to face, and there will be no sinful doubting flesh to contend with. I guess somewhere in my heart I can grasp the full abounding richness of His grace in heaven but I am struggling to believe the richness of His grace is abounding here on earth, in this flesh. I suppose God has much, much more to teach me about Unfailing Love.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-7344111886526182482012-12-18T12:12:00.003-08:002012-12-18T12:12:22.076-08:00Do You Want to be Healed?<br />
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“He that . . . wants relief must come to Christ himself. He must not be content with coming to His Church and His ordinances or to the assemblies of His people for prayer and praise. He must not stop short even at His holy table or rest satisfied with privately opening his heart to His ordained ministers. Oh no! . . . He must go higher, further, much further than this. He must have personal dealings with Christ Himself. All else in religion is worthless without Him. The King’s palace, the attendant servants, the richly furnished banqueting house, the very banquet itself — all are nothing, unless we speak with the King. His hand alone can take the burden off our backs and make us feel free. . . . We must deal directly with Christ.”</div>
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J. C. Ryle, <em>Holiness</em> (Old Tappan, n.d.), pages 266-267.</div>
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<em><br /></em></div>
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<em>If we go to church just to be with one another, one another is all we will get. And it isn’t enough. Eventually, our deepest unmet needs will explode in anger at one another. Putting community first destroys community. We must put Christ himself first and keep him first and treat him as first and come to him first and again and again. He can heal as no other can. Can, and will. If we come to him.</em></div>
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<em><br /></em></div>
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<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/11/30/do-you-want-to-be-healed-2/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">“Do you want to be healed?”</a></div>
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<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/11/30/do-you-want-to-be-healed-2/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><img alt="“Do you want to be healed?” avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">is a post from:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-89785437696558238942012-12-05T11:47:00.001-08:002013-12-13T14:07:40.106-08:00Green Eyes<br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A year ago you didn't know,</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you'd love freckles and a pixy nose.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But only our Maker, forever wise,</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">knew to put your favorite color in my eyes.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.031172126764431596" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-45650098216726084622012-12-05T11:42:00.001-08:002012-12-05T11:42:12.134-08:00Thumb Holes<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">You took my hand and in that moment I knew, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I’d been waiting all day to be held by you. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Then I thanked the King of kings </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">for shirts with long sleeves </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">with thumb holes to mop sweaty palms.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-79653944730792353212012-09-18T14:50:00.001-07:002012-09-18T14:54:04.803-07:00 Guitar Chords for Hymns For all those out there who love praising God through hymns without instrument gifting/skill.<br />
<h2>
<i><a href="http://guitarchordsforhymns.com/">Easy guitar chords and lyrics for popular hymns</a></i></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-80435253069250724382012-08-31T12:31:00.003-07:002012-08-31T12:31:53.033-07:00A little Martin Luther & John Calvin<div style="font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/files/2008/06/scan0005.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="421" src="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/files/2008/06/scan0005.jpg" title="scan0005" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every
portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the
world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing
Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the
battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be
steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace to
him, if he flinches at that one point.”</span><br />
<br />
A follower of Martin Luther, 2 April 1526, quoted in <em>Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family</em> (New York, 1865), page 321.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/29/where-battle-rages/" target="_blank">Where the battle rages</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/29/where-battle-rages/" target="_blank"><img alt="Where the battle rages avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>
</div>
<div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/28/let-us-consider-this-settled/" name="13973fec8194457f_2" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size: 18px;" target="_blank">. . . as the happiest thing of all</a>
</div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">
<span>Posted:</span> 28 Aug 2012 04:39 PM PDT</div>
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/files/2009/02/gravestone-painted.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="421" src="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/files/2009/02/gravestone-painted.jpg" title="gravestone-painted" width="630" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“Let us consider this settled: that no one who has made progress in
the school of Christ who does not joyfully await the day of death and
final resurrection. . . . Let us not hesitate to await the Lord’s
coming, not only with longing, but also with groaning and sighs, as the
happiest thing of all. He will come to us as Redeemer.”</span><br />
<br />
John Calvin, <em>Institutes</em>, 3.9.5.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/28/let-us-consider-this-settled/" target="_blank">. . . as the happiest thing of all</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/28/let-us-consider-this-settled/" target="_blank"><img alt=". . . as the happiest thing of all avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<br />
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-27045019821587521182012-08-24T19:35:00.000-07:002012-08-24T19:35:02.226-07:00Perfect Grumpy Day Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSzA-4ogCnY/UDg5kr_NlZI/AAAAAAAACSo/zI5NcqTCPMA/s1600/IMG_9282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSzA-4ogCnY/UDg5kr_NlZI/AAAAAAAACSo/zI5NcqTCPMA/s320/IMG_9282.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqLSgN3RLtQ/UDg5l557HiI/AAAAAAAACSw/bDx3MBSQ2PE/s1600/IMG_9287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqLSgN3RLtQ/UDg5l557HiI/AAAAAAAACSw/bDx3MBSQ2PE/s320/IMG_9287.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
'nuf said. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-84163244776730707112012-08-24T15:23:00.002-07:002012-08-24T15:23:30.244-07:00They Unlocked Their Door<div style="color: #666666;">
“It is noteworthy [in Acts chapter 2] that the disciples, who appear
to have been hiding away from their enemies in the spirit of John 20:19,
immediately became different people. They unlocked their door, and
went down to the most public place they could find and there preached
Jesus boldly. This change from cringing cowards to fearless preachers
was permanent. We read of Christians making all sorts of mistakes
afterwards, and they are far from being perfect. But we do not again
read of them hiding away for fear of men. The Spirit altered all that.
From now on they became fearless vehicles of the Spirit in proclaiming
to men the message of the gospel.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Leon Morris, <em>Spirit of the Living God</em> (Chicago, 1960), page 53.</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/23/they-unlocked-their-door/" target="_blank">They unlocked their door</a></span><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/08/23/they-unlocked-their-door/" target="_blank"><img alt="They unlocked their door avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;">Lord, please make me a fearless vehicle of the Spirit! </span></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-5059108578102021972012-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:002012-12-05T11:48:39.877-08:00A Season After Sifting<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">The day after you came to me the Lord said to me:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Arise, for behold, the winter is past;</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>the rain is over and gone.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The flowers appear on the earth,</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>the season of singing has come."</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hallelujah, Lord!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Though my earthly foundations quiver ever still;</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">the snow has melted,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">ice no longer crushes me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Flowers cover this tilled landscape,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">making brighter the dwelling of broken wineskin.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Angels have come,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">laying hands on weary bones,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">they bear water and bread.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I can more than rest from toil,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I may, like Ruth the Moabite,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">arise, behold and rejoice in this season of singing.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="im adL" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-87142184380744525162012-07-28T13:59:00.001-07:002012-07-28T13:59:54.685-07:00Spiritual Depression in the Psalms<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy68YXttAvw&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy68YXttAvw&feature=related</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-89458471386679524522012-07-28T13:54:00.003-07:002012-07-28T13:54:59.563-07:00Spiritual Depression D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mWbOmz5mmhA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-76873556526077879712012-07-13T18:39:00.002-07:002012-07-13T18:39:13.611-07:00My Dry and Empty Barren Soul“I can feelingly say, he has proved himself stronger than I and his
goodness superior to all my unworthiness. He tells me (and enables me
to believe it) that I am fair, and there is no spot in me. Though an
enemy, he calls me his friend; though a traitor, a child; though a
beggared prodigal, he clothes me with the best robe and has put a ring
of endless love and mercy on my hand. And though I am sorely distressed
by spiritual and internal foes, afflicted, tormented and bowed down
almost to death with the sense of my own present barrenness, ingratitude
and proneness to evil, he secretly shows me his bleeding wounds and
softly and powerfully whispers to my soul, ‘I am thy great salvation.’
His free distinguishing grace is the bottom on which is fixed the rest
of my poor weary tempted soul. On this I ground my hope, often times
when unsupported by any other evidence, save only the Spirit of adoption
received from him. When my dry and empty barren soul is parched with
thirst, he kindly bids me come to him and drink my fill at the
fountainhead. In a word, he empowers me to say with experiential
evidence, ‘Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.’ Amen and
amen.”<br />
<div>
Joseph Hart (1712-1768), quoted in Peter C. Rae, “Joseph Hart and His Hymns,” <em>Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology</em> 6 (1988): 22-23.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/07/07/the-life-giving-power-of-imputation/" target="_blank">My dry and empty barren soul</a><br />
<br />
<div style="float: right;">
</div>
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/07/07/the-life-giving-power-of-imputation/" target="_blank"><img alt="My dry and empty barren soul avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-85390871233496654342012-06-28T09:23:00.003-07:002012-06-28T09:23:39.022-07:00Shame Interrupted: He Knows My Name<div style="color: purple;">
I just started reading Ed Welch's blog series on shame. The blog highlights topics from his latest book <a href="http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/-strse-999/Shame-Interrupted-cln--How-God/Detail.bok?xcategory=TOP+SELLING+BOOKS" target="_blank"><em>Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness & Rejection </em></a>(New Growth Press). I haven't gotten a hold of the book yet, but I have really been enjoying the blog. Check it out!</div>
<h2 style="color: #999999;">
Shame Interrupted: He Knows My Name</h2>
<div class="node-header" style="color: #999999;">
<div class="taxonomy blog-taxonomy">
<div class="term author">
By: <a href="http://www.ccef.org/authors/ed-welch">Ed Welch</a></div>
<div class="term topics">
</div>
<div class="term topics">
Topics: <a href="http://www.ccef.org/topics/counseling/shame">Shame</a></div>
<div class="published">
</div>
<div class="published">
Published: Jun 12, 2012</div>
</div>
<div class="top-social-links">
<span style="height: 20px; width: 150px;"></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="content-image" style="color: #999999;">
</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
“Open a Bible at random and you will
find God’s words speaking to those who live with shame.” I have said
this many times and didn’t intend it as exaggeration. But I never put it
to the test.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
Eyes closed, I opened to… 1 Chronicles 3 and 4. As I scanned the pages, I saw-genealogies! How about best out of two?</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
I was just about to close the Bible and aim for a more likely
passage, when I again noticed the many names. So many names. In a sea of
Israelites, God sees individual people and knows their names.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
That reminded me of a story.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
A mission team from our church was in Ivory Park, a destitute
township outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. They were doing kids
clubs and were overwhelmed with hundreds of orphans.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
What should the team do? They planned crafts for about one hundred.
What about some songs? Donna Buddemeier had an inspired thought.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
“Let’s sing, ‘He Knows My Name.’”</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
I have a Maker</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
He formed my heart</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
Before even time began</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
My life was in his hand</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
He knows my name</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
He knows my every thought</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
He sees each tear that falls</div>
<div style="color: #999999; margin-left: 0.5in;">
And hears me when I call</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
Hundreds of children sang this song—many of them having no one who
knows their name. They sang with smiles and hand motions. They sang loud
and with layered harmonies that rivaled the Soweto Gospel Choir.
Witness it and tears stream down your cheeks and your faith in Christ
soars, as you believe your Maker might even know your name too.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today”
(Luke 19:5). When someone important knows your name, your heart
responds—you have been honored! The important person is associating with
<em>you</em>.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
When you are known by name, you have found favor in the eyes of the person who speaks it (Exodus 33:12).</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
But best of all is that those who have identified themselves as being
with Jesus carry a new name. Those who experience shame often say that
their name <em>is</em> shame. Though they are blessed to be known by
name, they still feel . . . dirty. A new name, therefore, is just what
they need. As people sometimes take on a new name in marriage, so we
will all have a new name that identifies us.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
They will see his face, and <em>his name</em> will be on their foreheads <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">(Rev. 22:4)</span>. </div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
You might have a hard time believing all this at first, but then read
another Bible story, and then—another. They bear witness to the God who
“knows” you, in the very best sense. After a few dozen more stories
about the Father’s unique interest in the discarded and outcast, you
must give up and believe.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
He knows your name and will also give you his.</div>
<div style="color: #999999;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><em>{"He Knows My Name" lyrics by Tommy Walker.}</em></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-48782782782645809202012-06-21T11:57:00.000-07:002012-06-21T11:57:10.509-07:00Craft DayHere are a couple projects inspired by meanderings on Pinterest.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Grease board from items in my storage bin. </b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dU5psjPZ0x8/T-NoLNWau6I/AAAAAAAACQE/DPvMPMeApF4/s1600/IMG_9211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dU5psjPZ0x8/T-NoLNWau6I/AAAAAAAACQE/DPvMPMeApF4/s320/IMG_9211.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is just an old frame, a cheap sage pillow case and a coaster. I wrote verses to memorize and encouraging quotes so if I am stuck in bed that day I have encouragement right in front of me. On "bad" days it is easy to get discouraged and lonely so having God's word big, bold and right in front of me helps. In the corner, I put a picture my boyfriend took in Korea to remind me to pray for Korea. Praying for others is so helpful to keep from self-loathing... and this reminds me how wonderful my boyfriend is and I get to pray for him.<br />
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<b>Jewelry organizer</b> <b>out of an old frame, lace, a guarder and push pins.</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huXNaZreHcQ/T-NoPq69PrI/AAAAAAAACQU/F6HpQTeQtEg/s1600/IMG_9217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huXNaZreHcQ/T-NoPq69PrI/AAAAAAAACQU/F6HpQTeQtEg/s320/IMG_9217.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I tried to hang my earrings on the lace but the lace kept drooping. Thankfully, the elastic from the guarder was strong enough. It was nice to put some of my old dance and acting stuff to use!<br />
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I really didn't want to spend any money on this project so instead of buying hooks I used some pushpins. At first they didn't hold, so I had to hammer them in. Nothing super spiritual here... other than the organization keeps me from losing my mind. :)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqy1ipQbfRw/T-NoNwFLRhI/AAAAAAAACQM/CpcSxV_yP9M/s1600/IMG_9216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqy1ipQbfRw/T-NoNwFLRhI/AAAAAAAACQM/CpcSxV_yP9M/s320/IMG_9216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-23500932665643393272012-06-20T13:18:00.004-07:002013-12-19T13:58:24.943-08:00Christ, Satan and Us<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> Some of my favorite quotes about Satan:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">"There
are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about
the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to
believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." -C.S. Lewis</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." -Martin Luther</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="bodytext">"Satan does not care whether he drags you down to hell as a Calvinist or as an Arminian, so long as he can get you there."</span><span class="bodytext"> -Charles Hadden Spurgeon</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="bodytext">"The devil as a serpent does more mischief than as a roaring lion. If we had to meet the devil, and knew him to be what he is, we might far more easily conquer him; but we have to deal with him disguised as an angel of light, and here is the need of an hundred eyes, each one of them opened by God, that we may see." </span><span class="bodytext"> -Charles Hadden Spurgeon</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="bodytext"><i>Father God, I thank You that because I am in Christ, Satan, the prince of this world, has no hold on me.</i> (Prayer from Beth Moore's Praying God's Word, John 14:30) </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="bodytext">As Ray Ortund reminds us, we have authority in Christ and we are not unaware of the Emeny's schemes. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
You have authority in Christ</div>
<div style="color: #666666; float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/30/you-have-authority-in-christ/" target="_blank"><img alt="You have authority in Christ avatar" height="64" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4a65fea63b7f42fd9b475136b284f8d1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Ray Ortlund</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt
you.” Luke 10:19</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
In <i>Dynamics of Spiritual Life</i>, Richard Lovelace proposes
that one of the “primary elements of continuous renewal” in a church is
“authority in spiritual conflict,” pages 133-144. We are not on the
defensive. We have authority from Christ himself. The blows we do
receive from Satan “come from a retreating enemy,” as Lovelace says,
because of the decisive victory of Jesus on our behalf.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Lovelace draws from Scripture five fall-back strategies of Satan:</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>1. Temptation</i></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“The enemy strategy here is either to disfigure a Christian’s witness
through public scandal, to gain some evidence through which his or her
conscience can be accused and discouraged, or to weaken faith in the
possibility of sanctification in some contested area.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>2. Deception</i></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“Negatively, demonic agents induce a strong conscious aversion to
biblical truth, an inability to comprehend it and a distaste for what
little can be understood. . . . Positively, the forces of darkness
inspire and empower antichristian religious counterfeits . . . . The
deceiving work of Satan can even be done in and through Christian
believers, as Christ’s famous rebuke of Peter shows.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>3. Accusation</i></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“Demonic agents italicize the defects of Christians and the churches
in the minds of unbelievers and cause true Christianity to be branded
with the image of its own worst exemplars . . . . They are also
particularly active in dividing Christians from one another into parties
. . . . Finally, satanic forces attack Christians directly in their own
minds with disturbingly accurate accounts of their faults, seeking to
discourage those who are most eager and able to work for the kingdom.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>4. Possession</i></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“The Gospels plainly describe a condition in which human victims come almost helplessly under control of alien personalities.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>5. Physical attack</i></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
“From data in the Gospels it appears that demonic agents can
occasionally cause illness, at least psychological and neurological
ailments like dumbness and epilepsy.”</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
More should be said about all this, and Lovelace does say more. But
he wisely affirms, “The battles we fight against [demonic powers] should
not be occasions of anxiety. They force us back to reliance on
Christ’s redemptive work and enhance our dignity and authority as
redeemed saints who have the power to judge angels.”</div>
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/30/you-have-authority-in-christ/" target="_blank">You have authority in Christ</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/30/you-have-authority-in-christ/" target="_blank"><img alt="You have authority in Christ avatar" height="64" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4a65fea63b7f42fd9b475136b284f8d1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<br />
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-68399839164861320782012-06-19T08:53:00.001-07:002012-06-19T08:53:33.637-07:00Ministry Can Be Dangerous<div class="callout">
<span style="font-size: small;">Lord, Your timing is indeed perfect! The following is an adapted excerpt from Tim Keller's article, Ministry Can Be Dangerous. You can download the full article <a href="http://theresurgence.com/2012/06/19/ministry-can-be-dangerous?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheResurgence+%28The+Resurgence%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher">here</a>. </span></div>
<div class="callout">
<br /></div>
<div class="callout" style="color: #666666;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>It is always gratifying to see Christians become
active in church ministry rather than remain mere consumers of spiritual
services. There is nothing so fulfilling as to see lives touched and
changed through your service, whether you are a volunteer, lay leader,
church officer, or staff member.</em></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But the Bible sounds a cautionary note. By its very nature, Christian
leadership involves extolling the glory and beauty of God above all
else. It means pointing others to God’s worth and beauty even when your
own heart is numb to any sense of divine love and glory. As someone who
ministers to others, how will you survive when that happens? Following
are two things to remember. </span></div>
<h2 style="color: #666666;">
1. Do Watch Your Heart</h2>
<div style="color: #666666;">
The first—and right—thing to do is to watch your heart with far more
diligence than you would have otherwise, and to be very disciplined in
observing regular times of daily prayer. In these times you may find
your heart warming to God’s reality. Prayer can fan the flame of that
reality, allowing you to speak to others out of your daily sustenance
from God.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Even so, your heart may continue to feel spiritually dry or dead for
an extended period. Such a condition requires that you keep your regular
times of prayer even more diligently. Humbly acknowledge your dryness
to God and set your heart to trust him and seek him despite it and
during it. This deliberate act is itself a great step of spiritual
growth and maturity. When you speak to God about your dryness, rather
than avoiding prayer times, it reminds you of your weakness and
dependence upon his grace for absolutely everything. It drives home the
importance and preciousness of your standing in Christ.</div>
<h2 style="color: #666666;">
2. Don’t Rely On the Excitement</h2>
<div style="color: #666666;">
The second—and wrong—thing is to rely not on prayer and your
relationship with God but on the excitement of ministry activity and
effectiveness. In this way you can begin to lean more on your spiritual
gifts than on spiritual grace. In fact, you may mistake the operation of
spiritual gifts for the operation of spiritual grace in your life.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Gifts are abilities God gives us to meet the needs of others in
Christ’s name: speaking, encouraging, serving, evangelizing, teaching,
leading, administering, counseling, discipling, organizing.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Graces, often called spiritual fruit, are beauties of character:
love, joy, peace, humility, gentleness, self-control. Spiritual gifts
are what we do; spiritual fruit is what we are.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Unless you understand the greater importance of grace and
gospel-character for ministry effectiveness, the discernment and use of
spiritual gifts may actually become a liability in your ministry. The
terrible danger is that we can look to our ministry activity as evidence
that God is with us or as a way to earn God’s favor and prove
ourselves.</div>
<blockquote style="color: #666666;">
<br />
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #666666;">
If our hearts remember the gospel and are rejoicing in our
justification and adoption, then our ministry is done as a sacrifice of
thanksgiving—and the result will be that our ministry is done in love,
humility, patience, and tenderness.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
But if our hearts are seeking self-justification and desiring to
control God and others by proving our worth through our ministry
performance, we will identify too closely with our ministry and make it
an extension of ourselves. The telltale signs of impatience,
irritability, pride, hurt feelings, jealousy, and boasting will appear.
We will be driven, scared, and either too timid or too brash. And
perhaps, away from the public glare, we will indulge in secret sins.
These signs reveal that ministry as a performance is exhausting us and
serves as a cover for pride in either one of its two forms,
self-aggrandizement or self-hatred.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Here’s how this danger can begin. Your prayer life may be
nonexistent, or you may have an unforgiving spirit toward someone, or
sexual desires may be out of control. But you get involved in some
ministry activity, which draws out your spiritual gifts. You begin to
serve and help others, and soon you are affirmed by others and told what
great things you are doing. You see the effects of your ministry and
conclude that God is with you. But actually God was helping someone
through your gifts even though your heart was far from him.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Eventually, if you don’t do something about your lack of spiritual
fruit and instead build your identity on your spiritual gifts and
ministry activity, there will be some kind of collapse. You will blow up
at someone or lapse into some sin that destroys your credibility. And
everyone, including you, will be surprised. But you should not be.
Spiritual gifts without spiritual fruit is like a tire slowly losing
air.</div>
<blockquote style="color: #666666;">
<br />
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #666666;">
So let’s examine ourselves. Is our prayer life dead even though we’re
effective in ministry? Do we struggle with feeling slighted? Are our
feelings always being hurt? Do we experience anxiety and joylessness in
our work? Do we find ourselves being highly critical of other churches
or ministers or coworkers? Do we engage in self-pity? If these things
are true, then our ministry may be skillful and successful, but it is
hollow, and we are probably either headed for a breakdown or doomed to
produce superficial results. Abraham Kuyper wrote that Phariseeism is
like a shadow—it can be deepest and sharpest closest to the light.</div>
<div style="color: #666666;">
Christian ministry changes people. It can make us far better or far
worse Christians than we would have been otherwise, but it will not
leave us unchanged.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-65633398300480624882012-06-18T10:44:00.000-07:002012-06-18T10:44:07.150-07:00Guilt and ShameGuilt and Shame touch every heart. For me, it is probably my biggest battle. It is a battle against half truths and flat out lies about who we are. The full Truth is that Jesus Christ bore our sin-shame and victimization-shame on the cross. He took the punishment we deserve. He took the shame that results from our sins and the sins of others against us. But will we accept His gift? Will we accept His forgiveness and/or accept His healing and give that shame up to Him?<br />
<br />
Jesus rose from the cross. Shame remains nailed to the cross. In His resurrection, Jesus conquered sin, Satan, death, hell and absorbed the wrath of God. We can be freed from our guilt and shame if we would only give it (and ourselves) to the Lord Jesus. You can be freed from guilt and shame if you surrender it (and yourself) to the Lord Jesus. <br />
<br />
Recently the CCEF (Christian Counseling and Education Foundation) and Ed Welch have been speaking out on topics of <a href="http://www.ccef.org/topics/counseling/shame">guilt and shame</a>. In October there will be a <a href="http://www.ccef.org/conference">conference</a> where teachers will be addressing shame. Check it out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-83526845101152283892012-06-03T14:55:00.002-07:002012-06-03T14:55:23.118-07:00Where We are is of GodCT: You seem to have a strong sense of place, of the importance of one’s location.
<br />
<br />
EP: I enjoy reading the poet-farmer Wendell Berry. He takes a small
piece of land in Kentucky, respects it, cares for it, submits himself
to it just as an artist submits himself to his materials. I read Berry,
and every time he speaks of “farm” and “land” I insert “parish.” . . .
The pastor’s question is, “Who are these particular people, and how can I
be with them in such a way that they can become what God is making
them?” My job is simply to be there, teaching, preaching Scripture as
well as I can, and being honest with them, not doing anything to
interfere with what the Spirit is shaping in them.<br />
<br />
CT: What does it mean to experience all the material of our lives as an act of faith?<br />
<br />
EP: That I’m responsible for paying attention to the Word of God
right here in this locale. The assumption of spirituality is that
always God is doing something before I know it. So the task is not to
get God to do something I think needs to be done, but to become aware of
what God is doing so that I can respond to it and participate and take
delight in it.<br />
<br />
CT: As a pastor, then, you see grace in some unlikely situations.<br />
<br />
EP: Yes, and my job is not to solve people’s problems or make them
happy, but to help them to see the grace that is operating in their
lives. It’s hard to do, because our whole culture is going the other
direction, saying that if you’re smart enough and get the right kind of
help, you can solve all your problems. . . . The work of spirituality is
to recognize where we are — the particular circumstances of our lives —
to recognize grace and say, “Do you suppose God wants to be with me in a
way that does not involve changing my spouse or getting rid of my
spouse or my kids, but in changing me, and doing something in my life
that maybe I could never experience without this pain and this
suffering?”<br />
<br />
Interview with Eugene Peterson, <em>Christianity Today</em>, 3 April 1987, pages 25-26.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/06/02/interview-with-eugene-peterson/" target="_blank">Where we are is of God</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/06/02/interview-with-eugene-peterson/" target="_blank"><img alt="Where we are is of God avatar" height="64" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/561221b3ffb929122fd5034ba1d82ef1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<br />
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-41773272280234245292012-05-28T10:08:00.003-07:002012-05-28T10:08:44.433-07:00The Gospel's Very Heart“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1<br />
<br />
<em>Now</em>. Not five years from now when you are a better Christian. Right now. At this instant.<br />
<br />
<em>No</em>. None at all. Not even a little. Zero. Gone.<br />
<br />
<em>For those in Christ Jesus</em>. And only because we are in him.
We provide everything that deserves condemnation. He provides
everything that deserves acceptance and even glory.<br />
<br />
This is the clear message of the Bible, because God not only does not condemn us in Christ, he doesn’t want us <em>feeling</em> condemned in Christ. He wants us feeling freed.<br />
James Montgomery Boice, <em>Romans</em> (Grand Rapids, 1992), page
789: “Verse 1 is not only the theme of Romans 8. It is the theme of the
entire Word of God, which is only another way of saying that it is the
gospel. Indeed, it is the gospel’s very heart.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/26/freed/" target="_blank">The gospel’s very heart</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/26/freed/" target="_blank"><img alt="The gospel’s very heart avatar" height="64" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4a65fea63b7f42fd9b475136b284f8d1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<br />
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-52162881560979484742012-05-25T23:13:00.002-07:002012-05-25T23:13:45.856-07:00“It is finished, there is enough”“If today you feel that sin is hateful to you, believe in Him who has
said, ‘It is finished.’ Let me link your hand in mine. Let us come
together, both of us, and say, ‘Here are two poor naked souls, good
Lord; we cannot clothe ourselves,’ and He will give us a robe, for ‘it
is finished.’ . . . ‘But must we not add tears to it?’ ‘No,’ says He,
‘no, it is finished, there is enough.’<br />
Child of God, will you have Christ’s finished righteousness this
morning, and will you rejoice in it more than you ever have before?”<br />
<br />
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, <em>The Treasury of the New Testament</em> (Grand Rapids, 1950), II:675. Style updated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/24/the-joyful-finality-of-it-is-finished/" target="_blank">“It is finished, there is enough”</a><br />
<div style="float: right;">
<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/05/24/the-joyful-finality-of-it-is-finished/" target="_blank"><img alt="“It is finished, there is enough” avatar" height="64" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4a65fea63b7f42fd9b475136b284f8d1?s=64&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D64&r=G" width="64" /></a></div>
<br />
is a post from: <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund" target="_blank">Ray Ortlund</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613228290689143245.post-40878400463399789192012-05-11T13:03:00.003-07:002012-06-13T12:34:39.944-07:00Glory Hallelujah!When things seem bleak, you are bloodied, bruised and there seems no light at the end of the tunnel, wait on the LORD. Be strong and take heart and wait on the LORD (Ps 27:14). Look forward to redemption for it is coming. It is always darkest before the dawn. He <i>will</i> show Himself mighty. When all is said and done, Jesus wins. <sup id="en-ESV-17566"> </sup><br />
<sup id="en-ESV-17566"></sup>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16787032512318991816noreply@blogger.com0