What is the purpose of the Gospel? Mostly it is thought of and presented as the means that enables us to be saved from our sins, so we will go to heaven instead of hell. It is good news being saved from pain, suffering, and torment for eternity, but I feel the chief of the Gospel is to allow us to have our eyes opened and be able to savor the eternal glory of God in Christ. Isn't this really what makes the good news good? It is good that we can be saved spiritually from our deadness and depravity to be who we were intended to be in Christ. But these things, do not to the root of why the Gospel is good news. There is only one thing that can satisfy our souls and give us freedom and it is not heaven. Heaven alone is still just a place, yes a wonderful place, but a place nonetheless. It would not be heaven without God's presence and glory there fully revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. The forgiveness of our sins brings us spiritual freedom, but what is the heart of the Gospel that makes it so beautiful? If our confidence and faith are in God's gifts, rather than in God, then it is fair to assume we will never see God. As precious as these gifts are, they in themselves do not hold the power to redeem or rescue us. Only the redeeming work of Jesus Christ can rescue us. Don't forget that God's redemptive gifts are not worth having in their own right. The intrinsic worth is God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Seeing and savoring God's glory is the chief and ultimate end of the Gospel. In 2 Corinthians 3&4, we find what the end of the Gospel means to all who believe. We find our clearest explanation of what makes it good news. The good news teaches us that seeing and savoring the glory of God in Christ is the ultimate purpose of the Gospel. Only the Gospel displays the beautiful spectrum of God's grace and mercy alongside His holiness and justice. Paul refers to the Gospel as, " the ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of (imputed) righteousness, the ministry of the mercy of God and a treasure." Apart from God's intervention, we are left blind in the perception of our hearts and minds not being able to taste and see that the Lord is good. God's glory is what He miraculously enables us to see as being ultimately desirable. If you never get beyond desiring the gifts and not seeing and savoring God's glory, then you have missed the Gospel for what it is intended to do....delighting in God. What I don't want to miss or you to miss is DELIGHTING in Christ's glory!
“There is a difference between having an opinion that God is holy and gracious, and having a sense of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. There is a difference between having a rational judgment that honey is sweet, and having a sense of its sweetness.”(”Divine and Supernatural Light”), Jonathan Edwards
The Gospel is good news because it provides a way of grace for God to forgive our hostility and rebellion toward Him and change our hostile hearts and nature by pouring out His wrath on Jesus Christ in our place. By eliminating both our hostile condition and His own just wrath, He is able to bring us into the condition of seeing and savoring His glory in the face of Christ.
This is the treasure of the Gospel! Make God's glory in Christ your ultimate satisfaction.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23
Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them. Psalm 111:2
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
GOD REVEALED
Everything we know about the Lord has come from what He has chosen to reveal...not that everything is known of God. So often, we are deceived into thinking we need a " new and fresh revelation from God" more than we need the knowledge He has already given us about Himself. I do feel revelation is necessary if we are to understand who God is; however, He has revealed this to us in many ways. 1. a physical revelation... God has given each of us a conscience and has stated that the truth is written upon every man's heart. ... --Romans 2:15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
--2 Corinthians 4:2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.-- Our conscience is designed to discern right from wrong. Our conscience is limited in that it cannot and does not provide enough truth to believe and bring one to faith in salvation because there is no revealing of Christ and His redemption through our conscience. 2. creation's revelation...-- Romans 1:19-20... because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.--
Psalm 19:4 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Revelation is critical for our sinfulness and finite minds. Our lack of knowledge and sinfulness must be remedied if we are to truly know God.
-- Isaiah 55:8-9" For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
-- Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
-- Romans 3:11-12 " There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have altogether become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
There are many other ways God has already revealed Himself in Scripture, audible voice, dreams and visions, speaking through angels, miracles, healings, and so much more could be said on this, but God has revealed what He has chosen to, whether we understand or accept it or not. To act as though we need something new and fresh is to say what we already have about and know about God is not enough and that deceit at its finest....instead we must keep our eyes focused on Christ, the author and finisher or our faith, and meditate upon God's revealed Word.
--2 Corinthians 4:2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.-- Our conscience is designed to discern right from wrong. Our conscience is limited in that it cannot and does not provide enough truth to believe and bring one to faith in salvation because there is no revealing of Christ and His redemption through our conscience. 2. creation's revelation...-- Romans 1:19-20... because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.--
Psalm 19:4 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Revelation is critical for our sinfulness and finite minds. Our lack of knowledge and sinfulness must be remedied if we are to truly know God.
-- Isaiah 55:8-9" For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
-- Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
-- Romans 3:11-12 " There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have altogether become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
There are many other ways God has already revealed Himself in Scripture, audible voice, dreams and visions, speaking through angels, miracles, healings, and so much more could be said on this, but God has revealed what He has chosen to, whether we understand or accept it or not. To act as though we need something new and fresh is to say what we already have about and know about God is not enough and that deceit at its finest....instead we must keep our eyes focused on Christ, the author and finisher or our faith, and meditate upon God's revealed Word.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
A HEART OF GRATITIDE
Col 2:7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
My heart overflows with joy in recognizing it has always been the Lord who has been at work. I am so undeserving. I am amazed at the difference of what I receive from the Lord and what I deserve from Him. I receive grace and mercy daily, when what I merit is judgment and hell. Who am I that you are mindful of me? Who has changed my heart, but thee O Lord. I could have never loved You before you changed my heart and loved me first, nor could I have ever been willing to accept Your gift of salvation if You had not made me so. It is not until we realize our greatest problem has been cured.... the indebtness of our sin, can we fully feel gratitude for what God has done for us and lead a life of response to Him. The blood of Christ alone has redeemed me and I am grateful. The thankfulness we feel should motivate us to follow His teaching and precepts all the days of our lives. Although gratitude can mean thankfulness, it is a much deeper response when our hearts are filled with gratitude for the many blessings God gives us. David was considered by God to be a man after His own heart....why would God give him this title? I believe it is because David recognized the greatest gift God had given him.....HIMSELF. More than being chosen to be king from the least of his family, he had not earned this position and when sin abounded in David's life God's grace restored him. It is more than being thankful for all God has done for you and all the promises that await those who believe and persevere. It is about not missing the fact that God Himself is the greatest gift, more so than eternal life, no more sin, no more pain... Perhaps we will not be able to completely understand God's goodness to us in giving us Himself until we see Him face to face, but for now our mindset needs to be focused on Him being the greatest gift, not the blessings He bestows upon us. This praise to and for His name should overflow out of those of us who are saved. Let our worship be true not just because of what He has done for us, but because of who He is. God is great and greatly to be praised!!
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Col 3:16
My heart overflows with joy in recognizing it has always been the Lord who has been at work. I am so undeserving. I am amazed at the difference of what I receive from the Lord and what I deserve from Him. I receive grace and mercy daily, when what I merit is judgment and hell. Who am I that you are mindful of me? Who has changed my heart, but thee O Lord. I could have never loved You before you changed my heart and loved me first, nor could I have ever been willing to accept Your gift of salvation if You had not made me so. It is not until we realize our greatest problem has been cured.... the indebtness of our sin, can we fully feel gratitude for what God has done for us and lead a life of response to Him. The blood of Christ alone has redeemed me and I am grateful. The thankfulness we feel should motivate us to follow His teaching and precepts all the days of our lives. Although gratitude can mean thankfulness, it is a much deeper response when our hearts are filled with gratitude for the many blessings God gives us. David was considered by God to be a man after His own heart....why would God give him this title? I believe it is because David recognized the greatest gift God had given him.....HIMSELF. More than being chosen to be king from the least of his family, he had not earned this position and when sin abounded in David's life God's grace restored him. It is more than being thankful for all God has done for you and all the promises that await those who believe and persevere. It is about not missing the fact that God Himself is the greatest gift, more so than eternal life, no more sin, no more pain... Perhaps we will not be able to completely understand God's goodness to us in giving us Himself until we see Him face to face, but for now our mindset needs to be focused on Him being the greatest gift, not the blessings He bestows upon us. This praise to and for His name should overflow out of those of us who are saved. Let our worship be true not just because of what He has done for us, but because of who He is. God is great and greatly to be praised!!
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Col 3:16
Thursday, January 10, 2008
NEW REFFERAL!!
Michael and I were asked to pray specifically about a young boy who is 7 years old. He was brought into the orphanage by his oldest brother a year ago. Both of his parents had been deceased for almost two years. His brother at the time was 11 and was caring for his three younger brother. This child is the only one up for adoption and is the youngest of the four brothers. I showed the kids all 9 pages of the secured website where these children are and never told them I was asked to pray specifically about this one child. After viewing all 9 pages, all three kids chose the same boy. It was nothing less than a miracle before my eyes. God has spoken to us through our children. I do not believe in coincidence, I believe in divine intervention. After much prayer, Michael and I have decided to accept the referral of this young boy as our son and look forward to picking him, Dawit and Bereket up in the next couple months. Please continue to pray for their purity and safety as we wait for the Lord's timing to pick our children up. We are so thankful for God's Sovereignty in all things. We have always known we would bring home whomever the Lord ordained for us to have. Thank you, Lord for our children.
Monday, January 7, 2008
I REST IN THEE, LORD
This morning our case worker called to tell us we have lost the referral on our son. We just went through this a month ago. It is so hard, but we must continue to rest and trust in our Savior. I have no idea who the Lord has chosen for us to bring home, but I do know our desire is to be obedient and following His voice. Our hearts are heavy and humbled this morning, but both are a good thing. So this is my prayer and praise to my God this morning.
O Sovereign Lord, Most High God, My Heavenly Father,
To you and you alone do I cry out to this morning.Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass? When the Lord has not commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed? Father, cause Your daughter to trust and rest in You and none other right now. For You alone are all I need. Great are Your ways, O Lord and wonderful are Your works. Nothing I can fathom can ever compare to Your greatness and the power of Your Word. Father, that I would always be thankful- recognizing and rejoices in Your goodness toward me. Who will show me any good? Lord, life up the light of Your countenance upon me and my family today. you have put gladness in my heart and unto You I will sing praise. For you will not cast off forever, though You cause grief. You will show compassion according to the multitude of Your mercies. Let the righteous be glad. Let the righteous rejoice before the Lord God. Yes, Lord let us rejoice exceedingly over Your work. You are the God of my Salvation and may I find rest and peace in the shadow of Your wings. Let me mindful that Your ways and thoughts are higher than mine. For the Lord Most High is awesome and greatly to be praised. He is a great King over all the earth. Whoever offers praise glorifies You, O Lord and to him who shows his conduct aright, You will show salvation. Father, that You would find my soul pleasing to You today. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth and He is extolled with my tongue. He will attend to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be our Great God, Who has not turned His mercy or His ear from me. For Your lovingkindness is better than life. My lips will praise You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
O Sovereign Lord, Most High God, My Heavenly Father,
To you and you alone do I cry out to this morning.Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass? When the Lord has not commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed? Father, cause Your daughter to trust and rest in You and none other right now. For You alone are all I need. Great are Your ways, O Lord and wonderful are Your works. Nothing I can fathom can ever compare to Your greatness and the power of Your Word. Father, that I would always be thankful- recognizing and rejoices in Your goodness toward me. Who will show me any good? Lord, life up the light of Your countenance upon me and my family today. you have put gladness in my heart and unto You I will sing praise. For you will not cast off forever, though You cause grief. You will show compassion according to the multitude of Your mercies. Let the righteous be glad. Let the righteous rejoice before the Lord God. Yes, Lord let us rejoice exceedingly over Your work. You are the God of my Salvation and may I find rest and peace in the shadow of Your wings. Let me mindful that Your ways and thoughts are higher than mine. For the Lord Most High is awesome and greatly to be praised. He is a great King over all the earth. Whoever offers praise glorifies You, O Lord and to him who shows his conduct aright, You will show salvation. Father, that You would find my soul pleasing to You today. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth and He is extolled with my tongue. He will attend to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be our Great God, Who has not turned His mercy or His ear from me. For Your lovingkindness is better than life. My lips will praise You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Friday, January 4, 2008
YOU ARE GOD ALONE
I have been pondering God's Sovereignty and the implications of proper understanding. I believe Scripture clearly teaches us that God requires us to approach Him with proper understanding of His Sovereignty. I think to understand, we must understand and recognize our self-centeredness in Worship. Today, there is much distorted "gospel" being taught related to such things as self discovery, self nurturing, resolving your personal problems and strife. Being taught our needs are as important as others' needs. Self- improvement. So much humanism being taught, man-centered theologies. Christianity today is being viewed through self-concern.
God's Sovereignty oversaw creation.
God's Sovereignty ordains and oversees the government of the universe.
God's Sovereignty has provided all life with beauty and freedom.
God's Sovereignty is beyond what man can comprehend and expect.
God will not respect our self-centered cries and complaints, just as He did not tolerate Job's.
God must allow us to see, so we can understand.
God is to be worshipped as the sovereign and awesome Lord of creation.
God cannot be judged by man's limited view point.
God is the measure of all things, not man.
God's nature must not be distorted based on man's suffering and the evidence of evil.
God's goodness should not be obscured due to real evil.
Sustained only by God's faith can a man bear anything and find life as joyous and secure in the knowledge of God and the truth of His Word.
Isaiah 46:9 9"Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,
For Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.
God's Sovereignty oversaw creation.
God's Sovereignty ordains and oversees the government of the universe.
God's Sovereignty has provided all life with beauty and freedom.
God's Sovereignty is beyond what man can comprehend and expect.
God will not respect our self-centered cries and complaints, just as He did not tolerate Job's.
God must allow us to see, so we can understand.
God is to be worshipped as the sovereign and awesome Lord of creation.
God cannot be judged by man's limited view point.
God is the measure of all things, not man.
God's nature must not be distorted based on man's suffering and the evidence of evil.
God's goodness should not be obscured due to real evil.
Sustained only by God's faith can a man bear anything and find life as joyous and secure in the knowledge of God and the truth of His Word.
Isaiah 46:9 9"Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,
For Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Latest pics of Kylie, Madison and Parker
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18
I am so very blessed to be mom to these precious children. The Lord has been so good to me.
Here are the latest pics on the kids. Kylie and Madison decided to straighten their hair, either way straight or curly, they are beautiful to me. Parker is as handsome as ever. I hate the kids growing so quickly right before my very eyes. I need more time to teach them to fear the Lord. With two more coming in the next few months, our prayer this year is to devote our time teaching our children more Scripture and understanding the importance of having a godly fear.
I am so very blessed to be mom to these precious children. The Lord has been so good to me.
Here are the latest pics on the kids. Kylie and Madison decided to straighten their hair, either way straight or curly, they are beautiful to me. Parker is as handsome as ever. I hate the kids growing so quickly right before my very eyes. I need more time to teach them to fear the Lord. With two more coming in the next few months, our prayer this year is to devote our time teaching our children more Scripture and understanding the importance of having a godly fear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
