Encouragement

An encouragement from a dear friend in my life....

"O Lord, be gracious to us;

we long for you.

Be our strength every morning,

our salvation in time of distress."

Isaiah 33:2

On the way to work this morning I fell under what I think is a far too common notion in the life of a believer today....


I found myself thinking and praying and longing for an experience that would stir my spirit and propell me forward into a great trek with Christ. What came to mind was a retreat or study, reading a certain book, or giving myself away on a missions trip. These are all well and good and experiences that I think the Lord would encourage us to have, however, they are not the end all be all of our spiritual experiences.

What I mean is this; my thought process this morning was longing for intimacy with Christ and transformation of my broken, sinful self into that which is who God longs for me to be. And that in itself is a beautiful thought and I am utterly gracious that the Holy Spirit is at work in my life. But then here I go, taking that yearning and stripping it of its integrity by scheming of ways I could attain that (i.e. listening to sermons, going on a retreat, doing a missions project).

The point is that I cannot attain that, it is bestowed upon me, by the grace of God and through the work of the Holy Spirit, and as a result of obedience and faith in the good news of Christ. (I mentioned earlier when Derek Webb was telling a story of Martin Luther, and how he preached the gospel week after week, because week after week his congregation walked in looking like a people who didn't believe the gospel.)

This morning this is was I felt like; not because of what I just told you about, but just in general lately. I have become fruststrated with the person I am, and in response to that I have tried to come up with ways to change that; unfortunately my ways will only produce behavior modification at best.

But what I really need is transformation and sanctification. What I really need to is to live as one who is believes and is truly liberated by the truth of the gospel. It is there, in that utter simple truth of the cross, that I will meet Christ, there that he will stir my spirit and say "I love you, Sarah. I forgive you, no sin is too great for me to remove, my grace is more than sufficent for your life. Stand up, walk with me, and I will continue the good work I have begun in you."

Some of Spurgeon's Thoughts on Grace

Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.

The more grace we have, the less we shall think of ourselves, for grace, like light, reveals our impurity.

I hope that none of you think that you have more grace than you need, because you have not. You may, possibly, have as much grace as will last you through to-day; but you will need as much as that to-morrow morning, if not more.

Grace does not make us unearthly, though it makes us unworldly.

A seat in heaven shall one day be thine; but a chain in hell would have been thine if grace had not changed thee.

I know not a word which can express the surprise and wonder our souls ought to feel at God’s goodness to us. Our hearts playing the harlot; our lives far from perfect; our faith almost blown out; our unbelief often prevailing; our pride lifting up its accursed head; our patience a poor sickly plant, almost nipped by one night’s frost; our courage little better than cowardice; our love lukewarmness; our ardour but as ice—oh, my dear brethren, if we will but think any one of us what a mass of sin we are, if we will but reflect that we are after all, as one of the fathers writes, “walking dunghills,” we should indeed be surprised that the sun of divine grace should continue so perpetually to shine upon us, and that the abundance of heaven’s mercy should be revealed in us.

Too many professors are quarrelling with God that they are not other than they are. This is evil, and shows that pride is still in their hearts, for were they conscious of their own deserts they would know that anything short of hell is more than we deserve, and as long as we are not in the pit of torment gratitude becomes us.

We are accustomed not only to say “grace,” but “free grace.” It has been remarked that this is a tautology. So it is, but it is a blessed one, for it makes the meaning doubly clear and leaves no room for mistake. Since it is evidently objectionable to those who dislike the doctrine intended, it is manifestly forcible, and therefore we will keep to it. We feel no compunction in ringing such a silver bell twice over—grace, free grace.

Our God will supply us with those choice graces and consolations which shall strengthen us to glorify his name even in the fires. He will either make the burden lighter, or the back stronger; he will diminish the need, or increase the supply.

That thou shouldest die for me remains the greatest of all miracles in my esteem. That thou shouldest choose me, and call me, and pardon me, and save me, is a world of wonders, at which my soul stands gratefully amazed.

This is how grace works; it enters the soul, penetrates the heart, saturates the conscience, abides in the memory, affects the affections, gives understanding to the understanding, and imparts real life to the heart, which is the seat of life.

Talk of millions and of billions,—we must get into the inconceivable before we can estimate the infinite, the unutterable value of those gifts which Jesus Christ continually gives to us, which grace pours into our lap from the cornucopia of love.

If God had begun saving us because we were good, he would of course leave off saving us when we were not good.

Grace is the free favour of God, the undeserved bounty of the ever-gracious Creator against whom we have offended, the generous pardon, the infinite, spontaneous loving-kindness of the God who has been provoked and angered by our sin, but who, delighting in mercy, and grieving to smite the creatures whom he has made, is ever ready to pass by transgression, iniquity, and sin, and to save his people from all the evil consequences of their guilt.

I do not doubt, brethren, that there is a grace which precedes quickening, a grace for which theology has no name, which prepares the soul for the reception of the divine Word, which makes the soul ready before the living seed comes.

If grace does not make you to differ from your own surroundings, is it really grace at all?

"Shelter" by Sandra McCracken

In the arms of a good Father
You can go to the deep water
Where the questions, we have left unspoken
Come out in the open
We will find shelter here

So I lay down, what I cannot hold in my hands
Every sorrow and hope spinning out of control
And here I find sweet resolution comes in letting go
And we will find shelter here

When I look back I can see,
And when I am old I’ll remember these things
Like a mountain of stone

And the longing that makes me believe…

There is a tree by the blue river
Where the shade stretches wide over
In this breaking we are hand and glove
Come with me my love
We will find shelter here
We will find shelter here…

Ancestry

You can find the definition of ancestry here; but we all know that basically its means our history, who we came from. Well first in line our my parents, Jack and Sheryl. And then of course my grandparents, Jack, Mary, Bob, and Myrtle (yes, Myrtle), who were all unique and fantastic in their own ways. Only Myrtle is still with us, and even then, she really isn't "with us" because she has Alzheimer's, so she is off in her own little "Neverland". But as we like to say, "she's as happy as a clam". Which by the way, what does that even mean, 'happy as a clam'?

Okay, sorry, not the point of this post. Anyways, I wanted to let you all in on a little piece of Myrtle's life and the cool woman I partially came from. She was a bowler, and a quite good one at that; I'm not sure I inherited those skills - based on the last time I played!

So if you go and visit the National Duckpin Bowling Congress site, and look on the Superior Performance page, you will see my grandmother's name on the right hand side: Myrtle Liphard, Baltimore, MD - 1998.

Way to go Grandmom!

The Rest...

(I thought it would be a good idea to include the rest of "Thy Mercy, My God"; it certainly deserves a whole post.)This hymn literally breaks my heart when I hear it. It takes me instantly to the foot of the cross, broken and exposed before my Savior. Grace is this undefinable and immeasurable thing that I'm not sure we can understand, only experience. And I think you know when you have experienced it, it changes you, and are able to understand more and more, how broken and sinful we are, and how great and merciful is the grace of God. I posted the second verse the other day because that is the one that really gets me. "Without they sweet mercy, I could not live here; Sin would reduce me to utter despair;", ahhh! Say that to yourself and realize the magnitude of that; because it is absolutely true. In this world, where we are fighting battles on all levels, trying to live a life that glorifies God in the midst of a culture focused on glorifying "self"; it is only by the grace and mercy of God that we are not crushed, defeated, and "reduced to utter despair" by the simple reality of the world in which we live. It's only "through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive, And he that first made me still keeps me alive." AMEN! He sustains me, he revives my broken and discouraged spirit, and keeps me alive until he returns or calls me home. And so this hymn is one very dear to my heart, that speaks of the wonderful gift that God lavishes upon us, when we need it most, and deserve it least.

"Thy Mercy, My God"

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,

The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;

Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,

Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;

Sin would reduce me to utter despair;

But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,

And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,

Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;

Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,

And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,

And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;

All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine

Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine

Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

"Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;

Sin would reduce me to utter despair;

But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,

And He that first made me still keeps me alive."

from

"Thy Mercy, My God"

by John Stocker

Beauty in Words

I have been realizing lately that I have become so busy in this life of running around, meeting people for dinner, running errands, etc. that there are times where I am so immersed in what I am doing that I wouldn't be able to hear the Lord is he was blowing a fog horn in my ear. And we know that at most times, when the Lord wishes to speak directly to our hearts, its in a "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12). So I have begun to try and make it a point to spend more time in solitude or simply just being still. Last night, after somewhat of a down day, I laid in my room, with candles lit, listening to a new Indellible Grace album I got at their concert on Saturday while I was in Richmond. There is one song that I kept replaying over and over, I'm not sure I even caught all the words when I was listening to it last night, but it was overwhelming the calming and yet stirring effect it had on me. I'm looking forward to digging into it and looking for what God might be whispering to me in it.

"Jesus, I my Cross Have Taken"

by Henry Lyte

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken,

All to leave and follow Thee.

Destitute, despised, forsaken,

Thou from hence my all shall be.

Perish every fond ambition,

All I’ve sought or hoped or known.

Yet how rich is my condition!

God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me,

They have left my Savior, too.

Human hearts and looks deceive me;

Thou art not, like them, untrue.

O while Thou dost smile upon me,

God of wisdom, love, and might,

Foes may hate and friends disown me,

Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me,

’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.

Life with trials hard may press me;

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.

Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me

While Thy love is left to me;

Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,

Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,

Come disaster, scorn and pain

In Thy service, pain is pleasure,

With Thy favor, loss is gain

I have called Thee Abba Father,

I have stayed my heart on Thee

Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;

All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation

Rise o’er sin and fear and care

Joy to find in every station,

Something still to do or bear.

Think what Spirit dwells within thee,

Think what Father’s smiles are thine,

Think that Jesus died to win thee,

Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory,

Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.

Heaven’s eternal days before thee,

God’s own hand shall guide us there.

Soon shall close thy earthly mission,

Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,

Hope shall change to glad fruition,

Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.