A Means of Grace
I often forget the abundance of God's grace. He has provided for my every need, and beyond that He has given me most every comfort. I could never thank Him enough first for the work of Salvation in my life, but then for all the things He takes care of for me. He loves me, and I just can't get over it.
One of the most incredible means of grace that He has provided for me is fellowship with His church. Yesterday I couldn't go to church because I had a bad spell of the flu. I missed the preaching. I missed the Psalm singing. I missed the love and care of my brothers and sisters in the Lord. What a gracious gift He has given. How can we forget? There are times I even complain about people in church, or find myself wishing that I didn't have to serve the way Jesus commanded. How foolish of me! Coming together for worship on the Lord's day is a duty truly, but in a real sense it is not. Christ has freed us from the law, and a person can go to Heaven without attending church every week. It's possible. The trouble comes when we realize that attending church is a privilege of the Christian faith. Like all the other commandments of the Old Covenant, it transferred from law to grace. Now it is God's means of grace in our hearts and lives. We get to go and worship Him with our brothers and sisters. This morning we get to feel refreshed because yesterday was the Lord's day and we were privilege enough to hear His Word preaches and to sing His praises back to Him.
What a glorious life. It is not all easy, and often these gracious gifts can feel burdensome, but I would remind you who it is that you are serving. If you are serving Christ, then is it truly a hard burden? Is He a cruel Master? Has He laid on your back too much to carry, or is that your own doing? Jesus promised, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Jesus was referring to this principle, of the law no longer being a burden but rather a delight. For He "no longer calls us servants, but He has called us friends." We are His friends; the friends of God Himself. Is it a burden to pray, to talk to Him? Is it a burden to read what it is that He has said in His Word? Then we must be reminded. Let us remember what He has done, and who it is that we serve, and then surely we will delight in His work.
I struggle with this as well; please don't get the wrong idea. I just wanted to write my thoughts out so that perhaps others may benefit from them as well. Thank you.
May God be glorified.
the letter
Driving home from play practice on Saturday all I could think about was the throbbing pain in the soles of my feet. I had been abusing them all day, and now it was pay-back. I was in a bit of a rush because I had promised the Whitla's I would baby-sit for them at 5:10, and it was ten till. I pulled in the drive, slammed the car door, and headed inside. I walked in the door and began to head upstairs to change shoes when Mom called, "Becca, you have a letter." My mind reeled, "No, not the letter I've been waiting for. It couldn't have come already." I walked over to the table where she was pointing. Low and behold there it laid, a letter addressed to "Miss Rebekah Ann Long" from Grove City College's Admissions office.
I thrust my figures through the seal quickly tearing the envelope open. My eyes stumbled over the words, "Congratulations," "acceptance," and "class of 2011." I was shocked. The answer was a clear as day. My prayers, tears, anxious conversations about college and God's plan were over. He wanted me at Grove City. Had I gotten on the waiting list, which I was hoping to, because I wasn't even sure I'd make that, I would have gone through a whole other process of waiting and searching and discerning the best path to take. We had begged God to give us a clear answer. Here it was, in my hands.
I had prayed with my Dad just two weeks ago that God would open the door to Grove City. He has. He opened it wide, and I could hardly believe the truth.
It's taken a bit of time for everything to sink in. I've told everyone that as far as I know, I'm going to Grove City College this fall, and I'm excited.
The truth is that I'm also nervous. I'm a bit hesitant about moving so far away. I don't know anyone at the school, but God will be with me, and I shall not fear.
These next few months will be full of change. Yet, I am confident in the Lord. He directs my path. May His name be glorified forever and ever.
what I wish I could have said
We must remember abortion not because it hurts the economy, but because it hurts Christ. Abortion is a moral issue. The people of this day plug their ears at the concept of morality but it's a reality, and we must deal with it in our society.
God hates abortion.
Just as Cain's blood cried out to him in the days of old, the innocent blood of the unborn cries out to Him now, what are we doing about it? More children are being slaughtered each day then all the people who were killed at 9/11. Which image causes more pain: a terrorist who kills, or a mother who kills?
These women are not in their right minds. They have hard hearts. They must be exposed to the light of Christ. We must pray for them. We must pray for the sake of the unborn children who are being sacrificed to the god of Affluence.
We must take abortion seriously. God does. He has restrained his hand thus far, but our mocking God. We must beg for mercy and forgiveness. If we begin to pray, and then talk about the importance of life, think of the difference we can make? "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Let us rise up and defend the defenseless. These children are fatherless, and God has given us a special charge to care for them.
Remember the unborn children in your prayers tonight.
Remember the unborn children, and their mothers, as you live your life. You never know how God will use you if you are willing to proclaim His truth.
Ezekiel 23:39 For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.
Psalm 78:6 That children yet unborn might know... to trust in God recall God's works and His commandments heed.
Psalms 10:12-18
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, You will not call to account? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. 16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Psalm 82:3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
memories
How is it that a lifeless object can flood the soul with memories?
How is it that a scent can bring a scene to mind from years ago?
How is it that a word or a place can prompt an old emotion?
How is it that a touch can retrieve past feelings?
How is it that a picture can pull you into another world?
How is it that our minds remember so much and so little?
How is it that the strongest memories are often the most insignificant?
How is it that Jesus had the memories of Heaven here on earth?
How is it that we make our memories?
How is it that we cling to that past when we have the present to live for God?
Little Ones
Hello little ones,
Please hope in Jesus
I don’t know little ones
How you’ll ever forgive us.
Did you know little ones
Someone has knit you?
I’m sorry little ones,
That you’re screams don’t get through.
We’ve missed you little ones
Your laughter and your song
We’re trying little ones
Hopefully it won’t be long.
Oh dear little ones
You’re sacrificed in vain.
Your memory little ones
Will always cause us pain.
We’re praying little ones
God hears and cares for you.
It’s hard little ones
They know not what they do.
Poor in Spirit
What does it mean to be poor is spirit? Does it mean that we must deprive ourselves the riches Christ has given on this earth? Does it mean we shouldn't seek to know theology or try to understand the Bible? Of course not. Being poor in spirit has to do with our dependance on Christ. We must be needy for Christ. We must be poor and desperate in spirit. We must desire Him above all else, and beg for Him the way the poor beg for alms. We must put any pleasureable pursuit in order to obtain unity with Him. To be poor in spirit is to find riches in the Kingdom. When we are poor and needy for Christ, then He delights in making us rich and fulfilled in Him and His Kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for thiers in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Christ was poor in spirit. He needed the Father. His soul was made poor on earth, so that God could glorify Him by giving Him the Kingdom.
Amen.
