Who Am I? Why Am I Here? 05/14/2011
 The questions posed by the title of this blog have been pondered by all of us at one time or another. We struggle with feelings of unworthiness and wonder about our purpose and usefulness in this life. The truth is, apart from Christ, we are utterly unworthy and have no direction but in Christ we have and are so much! Ephesians chapter 1 tells us that we have been "blessed with all spiritual blessings," chosen by God, "accepted in the Beloved," and adopted into His family because of His great love for us. No matter how you feel about your self; no matter what life throws at you, these truths will never change. God means what He says and says what He means. You are precious to Him and He has a perfect purpose and plan for your life. Check it out... 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1, King James Version) Add Comment All Things New 05/11/2011
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (NKJV) ~ What's new in your life since you came to Christ? ~ How are you different? ~ In what ways have you continued to change? ~ Do people see a difference in you? Notable Quotables 05/05/2011
Notable Quotables Add your quotes of encouragement here... Responding to the People of Haiti 01/14/2010
I don't know enough about the history of the region to say whether or not Pat Robertson's remarks about Haiti are accurate, but have to say I'm rather disappointed that he would make such statements at such a time. (See: www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.pat.robertson/index.html?section=cnn_latest) As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we shouldn't be surprised when earthquakes and wars happen in our time. The Bible tells us that these things will come to pass. "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled : for all these things must come to pass , but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:3-8) However, I do not believe that our response when such things occur should be one of condemnation but rather, of compassion. Jesus said, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink ? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. " (Matthew 25:35-40) Most of us can't physically go to Haiti right now to help pull victims from the rubble or distribute food, water, clothing and medical supplies, but there are things we can do. If you have the funds to do so, you may want to consider giving to aid organizations such as the Red Cross. The very best thing we can do is to pray for the people of Haiti and those involved in rescue and relief efforts. Please join me in responding to the people of Haiti by lifting them before the throne. O Father, As we hear more of the unimaginable devastation and loss of life in Haiti, we are saddened for these people. I thank You that You have raised up many across the globe with the resources to go there to help in rescue and relief. O Father, as food, water and medicines are passed out to the suffering, I ask that Your love would be shared also. Send laborers to Haiti who will meet physical needs and direct the survivors to Jesus. May His Name be lifted up so that the people of Haiti will be drawn to Him. O Father, turn hearts in Haiti to You. May they look to You to find relief for their souls. May repentance, revival and salvation be the outcome of this tragedy. In the midst of despair, bring hope. Comfort those who mourn and heal the broken. Shine the light of salvation into the darkness of this hour, I pray. Hear our cry for Haiti, Lord, and do what only You can do. In Jesus' wonderful Name, Amen. A New Song... Out of the Old 01/10/2010
“And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God…” – Psalm 40:3 Before I left home for college in the 80s, the only Christian music I had been exposed to consisted of traditional hymns and a smattering of Gaither choruses (many of which I still treasure). A roommate introduced me to the contemporary Christian music of the day and opened up a whole new avenue of praise for me. Although there is much that I enjoy, some of today’s Christian music, however, seems to be lacking in substance. It seems the goal is often to entertain rather than to lead into praise and worship. Think about some of the more popular worship songs and I think you’ll see what I mean. This morning, I’ve been thinking about some of those songs I heard in the 80s, how they blessed me and truly lifted my heart to the Lord and lifted His Name. God can take the old and bring something new. This morning, He has taken some old songs and used them to “put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.” I’d like to share just a few of them with you and invite you to worship the Lord with me. Sandi Patti - More Than Wonderful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CcebZCl_DM Steve Green – Lamb of Glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1IZctxGmFA Steve Green – Proclaim the Glory of The Lord http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynekj1Uv7x4 Amy Grant – El Shaddai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuXB1a3NBCw Sandy Patti – Via Dolorosa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6dwOX6N_Tk The Wonders of His Love 12/17/2009
Each Christmas we sing the lovely carol, "Joy to the World," but do we consider the words we sing? Have you experienced the 'wonders of His love"? Do you know that God loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die for you? Have you felt the touch of His love upon your life? If you can answer yes to these questions, then sing of the "wonders of His love" in this wonderful song... What a Friend We Have In Jesus 11/28/2009
Irishman and poet Joseph M. Scriven (1820-1866) came to know Christ as a result of the tragic death of his fiancee on the eve of their wedding. With a B.A. from Trinity College of Dublin, Scriven then emigrated to Canada, where he became a private tutor and, while boldly sharing the good news of salvation, was involved in caring for the sick and needy members of his church. The poem that later became the hymn we know as "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," was written to comfort his ailing mother when he could not return to Ireland to be at her side. Joseph Scriven had a life filled with hardship and pain, yet one that was marked by deep faith and contentment in his Savior and Friend. What an awesome privilege we have as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down His life for us, carries our burdens and has given us access to the Father. May He help us to always live as His friends, in light of what He has done, and to "carry everything to God in prayer." What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer. Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer. Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there. -What a Friend We Have in Jesus - Words: Joseph M. Scriven, 1855 Music: Charles Converse, 1868 Near to the Heart of God 11/20/2009
The hymn, "Near to the Heart of God," was written in 1901 by a 23 year old grieving pastor. He sang it for the first time standing next to quarantine signs outside his brother's home where diphtheria had claimed the lives of his two nieces. Cleland B. McAfee later served on the faculty at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and directed the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, but is best remembered for writing this simple, yet profound message of hope and trust. Over a hundred years later, this great hymn still reminds us that no matter what we are facing in our lives today, we too can find this place of quiet rest, "Near to the Heart of God." There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God, A place where sin cannot molest, Near to the heart of God. O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God, Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God. There is a place of comfort sweet, Near to the heart of God, A place where we our Savior meet, Near to the heart of God. There is a place of full release, Near to the heart of God, A place where all is joy and peace, Near to the heart of God. - Cleland B. McAfee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfZH07mWKKc What's on your mind this morning? 10/26/2009
What's on your mind this morning? What are you thinking about? What are you worried about? What is consuming your thoughts? Want to know what's on God's mind this morning? YOU! That's right! God is thinking about YOU! What's He thinking? Well, He's thinking about -- -- His plans for you -- how much He wants to bless you -- how much He enjoys hearing from you -- how very much He loves you -- and so much more! Think about that! Whatever is on your mind this morning, remember that you're on God's mind this morning.  Shipwrecked Faith 08/21/2009
In Paul's letter to Timothy, he gives a solemn warning to the young pastor: "Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy 1:18-20) Yesterday, while searching for something else, I came upon a blog which really disturbed me. The author of the blog is a former Baptist pastor who has left the ministry and the Lord. He says he made "an intellectual decision" to reject Christianity and the Bible. He says he does not believe the Bible is the Word of God, but claims to have concluded that it is a "fallible, errant book written by men." He says he cannot see God as a loving Creator. Instead, he states, "At best God is a creator who set things in motion and said 'there ya go.. do with it what you will.'" He also very boldly describes himself as "godless, apostate agnostic, and claims he now has a new sense of freedom and that he is living a more honest life. Perhaps... perhaps he was living a lie before. One has to wonder... is it possible that this man ever had a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? When I was living in rebellion 20 years ago, I was certainly disobedient, but never denied the truth of God's Word, never doubted His existence, never spoke against Him. I know believers fall at times, but God never allows us to stay there. He does something to get our attention. I am a living example of God's grace in that regard. Personally, I find it difficult to accept that a true believer could completely turn their back on the faith. Were Hymenaeus and Alexander ever really saved? Was this former pastor ever really saved? Is shipwrecked faith an abandoned faith or a faith that never fully came to fruition? How do we reach a person who has studied God' Word, preached it, claimed at one time to believe it, and later turned their back on it? | AuthorAnn-Louise Gremminger ArchivesAugust 2011 Categories |
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