Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake: Jehovah was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice. (1Kings 19:11-12)

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Words of Wisdom for the Weekend: The Servant in Battle






"O LORD,
I bless thee that the issue of the battle 
between thyself and Satan
has never been uncertain,
and will end in victory.

Calvary broke the dragon's head,
and I contend with a vanquished foe,
who with all his subtlety and strength
has already been overcome.

When I feel the serpent at my heel
may I remember him whose heel was bruised,
but who, when bruised, broke the devil's head.

My soul with inward joy extols
the mighty conqueror.

Heal me of any wounds received
in the great conflict;
if I have gathered defilement,
if my faith has suffered damage,
if my hope is less than bright,
if my love is not fervent,
if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,
if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.

O thou whose every promise is balm,
every touch life,
draw near to thy weary warrior,
refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife,
and never tire until my enemy is trodden down.

Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan,
unbelief, the flesh, the world,
with delight that comes not from a creature,
and which a creature cannot mar.

Give me a draught of the eternal fountain
that lieth in thy immutable, everlasting love and decree.

Then shall my hand never weaken,
my feet never stumble,
my sword never rest,
my shield never rust,
my helmet never shatter,
my breastplate never fall,
as my strength rests in the power
of thy might."


~'The Valley of Vision' {A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions}


*****
{Words for Wisdom for the Weekend: These are words that I have been challenged or encouraged by that I have read throughout my week that I kept pondering; words that I couldn't get off my mind and heart throughout my week. 
For other Words of Wisdom for the Weekend posts see here.}

Friday, August 16, 2013

Five Minute Friday: Small



"I can do all things!"

At first glance, it looks like an amazing motto.

A determined stance, a line we throw out to our children to entice and inspire them to great things.
It doesn't matter our stature or status or size or strength. If we are strong and determined, put our mind to it and apply ourselves, we can do it!! The sky's the limit.

But, in reality it's a lie. A lie that our culture is gulping down in super-sized portions.

The truth is: we are small and we can do nothing on our own!

It's easier to write it out just as a prescription to remedy our sickness than to swallow that pill and admit it. But that is the only way to wholeness.

When I am weak, then He is strong.

When I surrender myself as sinner, I see how He has sought me first.

When by grace I've been saved through faith, He is my Saviour, and I realize the gift of it all.

When I see my smallness, He opens my eyes to His glorious nature and gracious acts of mercy.

It is only through Christ, that we can do all things. It is only by His amazing grace that we can do anything. We are the potsherd; not the Potter. We are in the Hands of the One who is Sovereign whether we admit it or not.

Let the One who can create from nothing, raise the dead, call the reprobate to redemption, restore the harlot to wholeness, and right all wrongs, let Him work in us and then we can say with confidence, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!"




***


Reflecting and writing on the word prompt given here for Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo's place. This week the prompt is: Small

Officially, the rules are:

Five Minute Friday1. Write for 5 minutes  {To be honest, I usually break this rule ;) }
2. Link up at Lisa-Jo's  and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community...

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

No Need To Be Afraid of Being Too Glad

For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
Psalms 92:4






"Do you believe that your sins are forgiven, and that Christ has made a full atonement for them? Then what a joyful Christian you ought to be! How you should live above the common trials and troubles of the world! Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to you now? . . . Christian, if thou art thus saved, whilst thou art glad, be grateful and loving. 
Cling to that cross which took thy sin away; serve thou him who served thee. "I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." 
Let not your zeal evaporate in some little ebullition of song. 
Show your love in expressive tokens. 
Love the brethren of him who loved you.
If there be a Mephibosheth anywhere who is lame or halt, help him for Jonathan's sake. 
If there be a poor tried believer, weep with him, and bear his cross for the sake of him who wept for thee and carried thy sins.
Since thou art thus forgiven freely for Christ's sake, go and tell to others the joyful news of pardoning mercy. Be not contented with this unspeakable blessing for thyself alone, but publish abroad the story of the cross.
Holy gladness and holy boldness will make you a good preacher, and all the world will be a pulpit for you to preach in. 
Cheerful holiness is the most forcible of sermons, but the Lord must give it you. Seek it this morning before you go into the world. When it is the Lord's work in which we rejoice, we need not be afraid of being too glad."


~Spurgeon {emphasis mine}


Come. Let us rejoice in His goodness together!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Words of Wisdom for the Weekend : Brimful of God's Goodness







"Please don't ever get anxious or worried about me, but don't forget to pray for me-- I'm sure that you don't! I am so sure of God's guiding hand that I hope I shall always be kept in that certainty. You must never doubt that I'm traveling with gratitude and cheerfulness along the road where I'm being led. My past life is brim-full of God's goodness, and my sins are covered by the forgiving love of Christ crucified."
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

*****
{Words for Wisdom for the Weekend: These are words that I have been challenged or encouraged by that I have read throughout my week that I kept pondering; words that I couldn't get off my mind and heart throughout my week. 
For other Words of Wisdom for the Weekend posts see here.}

Friday, August 9, 2013

Five Minute Friday: Lonely



She cried as she went to bed tonight: my three year old missing her big sister who is away for a few days. Her room was lonely for her with the empty bed across the way. Her sister sent a text and says she is lonely too. She misses her little sister sleeping in the same room. They draw comfort from one another and know loneliness when they are not together.


The ache is so real. It burns the fibres of my heart. How we can be in the midst of so much noise and activity of life and still know this loneliness of life deep in the recesses of our hearts.

We've been created for community, but we flee when we are hurting and we end up hurting ourselves and those who need us even more.

How we can be so near to one another and still feel the lonely ache. Or how we can be so apart and know that time won't heal the ache. Only God can take the lonely places deep in our hearts and fill them with His presence and give us the security that we can rest in His love and know loneliness no more.

***


Reflecting and writing on the word prompt given here for Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo's place. This week the prompt is: Lonely

Officially, the rules are:

Five Minute Friday1. Write for 5 minutes  {To be honest, I usually break this rule ;) }
2. Link up at Lisa-Jo's  and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community...



Thursday, August 8, 2013

Consider The Lily: {What to do when you toil and spin and are totally spent}


I bend low, to consider, as it dances and sways, this lily in the field. 
I stoop down, drink it in, I ponder, I devour, 
I awaken to, and marvel at its splendor and beauty revealed
Look how God, in all His glory, has arrayed this exquisite flower. 


***
Why am I anxious and troubled, so desperate? you ask. 
I wonder too: Why do I fret and worry away every single day? 
Well, don't you know I tend to my little garden, this onerous task 
On my own! I must endure, move forward, I don't see another way. 

I cannot do it! The strength I need, I admit, I do not have. I toil and spin 
As the sun comes up and still as the day is done. 
I feed, clothe, scrub, laugh and love, and try to face it all with a grin. 
Ahhhh, in my weakness, I falter, I fail, for I, am only one. 


"Consider the lily" He says . . . 


My Father chides me with His gracious love. He opens the eyes of my heart to see:
His presence, provision, promises, His strength! How with grace He writes my story. 
While I'm tucked secure under His tender wing, He gives in abundance to me.
Joy comes when I surrender my worries to Him, and live to the praise of His glory. 





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