Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Words from Oswald Chambers
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them —John 13:17
Be determined to know more than others (about God). If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment.
When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more (about God).
Be obedient to God and His higher calling for us.
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
On our journey of faith, there are times when the “freedom” of sin that we left behind is more appealing than the restrictions of faith that lie ahead. We must trust the protective boundaries found in God’s Word as the only way to get to the place of ultimate freedom.
— Julie Ackerman Link
As my pastor would put it: the Christian faith is full of paradoxes. The first will be last, the last – first. You will your find life only when you lose it. And part of that list includes the very idea of freedom. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32)
Christians have been freed, yet the world – and sometimes even ourselves, as Christians – feel that there are a lot of rules to follow. More…
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 11th, 2009
There is a saying that goes: “show respect where respect’s due.” Which makes intuitive sense. If someone does something amazing, we naturally show our respect. However, there is a thought that has been going through my mind for the last few days – which goes along the same lines:
Giving glory, where glory is due.
More…
Thursday, April 9th, 2009
This term, has been busy. On the whole, I’ve been learning what it means to rejoice in the Lord always. Part of me misses the quality time I get to spend with people, but:
“Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my Exceeding Joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God.” - Ps. 43:4
“The joy of the LORD is your strength.” - Neh. 8:10
“Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.” - Ps. 51:12
I’ve been really humbled and broken this term. But as Good Friday approaches, I just wanted to write and reflect on something I was reminded of last Sunday – which is the Mercy and Justice of God.
From God’s mercy, mankind was redeemed. The weight of Jesus’ salvation is sometimes lost on words, or even human emotions.
More…