march! spring is on its way.

If you haven't noticed, today is an absolutely beautiful day! Or at least, it is here, and I hope it is wherever yall are : ) I came upon Psalm 19 after reading an excerpt from a book I bought a few weeks ago, Reflection on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis. He says about it, "I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world". It seems to be so fitting for this day. So first, here is the familiar Psalm:

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

2 Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech, nor are there words;

Their voice is not heard.

4 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,

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;

It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,

And its circuit to the other end of them;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

And here is some commentary by C.S. (this is why I love this pilgrim):

"First he thinks of the sky; how, day after day, the pageantry we see there shows us the splendour of its Creator. Then he thinks of the sun, the bridal joyousness of its rising, the unimaginable speed of its daily voyage from east to west. Finally, of its heat; not of course the mild heats of our climate but the cloudless, blinding, tyrannous rays hammering the hills, searching every cranny. The key phrase on which the whole poem depends is "there is nothing hid from the heat thereof". It pierces everywhere with its strong, clean ardour. ...The Law is "undefiled", the Law gives light, it is clean and everlasting, it is "sweet"....One hardly needs to add that this poet is wholly free from self-righteousness and the last section is concerned with his "secret faults". As he has felt the sun, perhaps in the desert, searching him out in every nook of shade where he attempted to hide from it, so he feels the Law searching out all the hiding-places of his soul."

It's comforting to know that we can't hide from the Lord, that He knows it all, and He is revealing and repeating His truths to us daily.

Enjoy the beautiful day! I know I am...I have a much-needed half day off.

Spurgeon on Hebrews

I've got some wonderful words for ya'll!  I've just begun to study Hebrews, so I looked up some commentaries online.  I found this sermon from Charles Spurgeon, and it just left me feeling so refreshed.  Basically, he's preaching the Gospel. 

Here's the scripture:

His Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
- Hebrews 1:2

And here's Spurgeon's thoughts on it.

...But it matters not how many worlds there are; God made them all by Jesus Christ: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."  I see him standing, as it were, at the anvil of each stroke of his majestic arm.  It was Christ who was there, - "the wisdom of God and the power of God," as Paul calls him, - creating all things.  I love to think that he who created all things is also our Savior, for then he can create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; and if I need a complete new creation, - as I certainly do, - he is equal to the task.  Man cannot create the tiniest midge that ever danced in the summer evening's ray; man cannot create even a single grain of dust; but Christ created all worlds, so he can make us new creatures by the wondrous power of his grace.

This part refrences the temple from the Old Testament.  I find it so exciting to see how God so often refreneced that, how detailed He is, how thorough, and how far back His plan has gone. 

So let us pass on to the next clause: "and the express image of his person." I said a minute ago, "Shade your eyes;" but I might now say, "Shut them," as I think of the excessive brilliance described by these words: "the express image of his person."  Whatever God is, Christ is; the very likeness of God, the very image of his person."  Dr. John Owen, who loves to explain the spiritual meaning in the Epistle to the Hebrews by the types in the OldTestament, which is evidently what Paul himself was doing, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, - explains the brightness of the Father's glory by a reference to the Shekinah over the mercy-seat, which was the only visible token of the presence of God there.  An extraordinary brightness is said to have shone forth from between the cherubim.  Now, Christ is God manifesting himself in his brightness.  But, on his forehead, the high priest wore a golden plate, upon which was deeply engraven, in Hebrew letters, the inscription, "Holiness to (or of) Jehovah."  Dr. Owen thinks there is a reference, in this "express image of hs person," - this cut-out inscription of God, as it were, - to that which was on the forehead of the high priest, and which represented the glorious wholeness or holiness of Jehovah, whi is his great glory.  Well, whether the apostle referred to this or not, it is for you and me to take off our shoes from our feet in the presence of Christ, "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person."  To me, these words are like the bush in which God dwelt, yet which was not consimed, they are all on fire; what more shall I say of them?

"upholding all things by the word of his power," Just think of it.  This great world of ours is upheld by Christ's word.  If he did not speak it into continued existence, it would go back into the nothingness from whence it sprang.  There exists not a being who is independent of the Mediator, save only the ever-blessed Father and the Spirit.  "By him all things consist," that is, continue to hold together.  Just as these pillars uphold these galleries, or as the foundations uphold a house, so does Jesus Christ "uphold all things by the word of his power."  Only think of it; those innumerable worlds of light that make illimitable space to look as though it were sprinkled over with golden dust, would all die out, like so many expiring sparks, and cease to be, if the Christ who died on Calvary did not will that they should continue to exist.  I cannot bring out of my text all the wondrous truths that it contains, I only wish I could; but, surely, if Christ upholds all things, he can uphold me.  If the word of his power upholds earth and heaven, surely that same word can uphold you, poor trembling heart if you will trust him.  There need be no fear about that matter; come and prove it for yourself.  May his blessed Spirit enable you to do so even now!

I know this is getting long, but its just all so good!

He who is all that I have tried to describe, did what? First, he effectually purged our sins: "when he had by himself purged our sins." ...The sweepers of the streets, the scullions of the kitchen, the cleansers of the sewers, have honorable work compared with this purging sin.  Yet the holy Christ, incapable of sin, stooped to purge our sins.  I want you to meditate upon that wondrous work; and to remember that he purged our sins even before we had committed them?  There they stood, before the sight of God, as already existent in all their hideousness; but Christ came, and purged them, this, surely, ought to make us sing the song of songs.  Before I sinned, he purged my sins away; singular and strange as it is, yet it is so.

For if the blood of  bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead workds to serve the living God?  He gave himself for us; not only his blood, but all that constituted himself, his Godhead, and his manhood.  All that he had, and all that he was, he gave as the ransom price of us; can any of you extimate the value of that price?

"In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve."  Shall I tell you where your sings are? Christ purged them, and God said, "I will cast all their sins behind my back."  Where is that?  All things are before God.  I do not know where behind God's back can be.  It is nowhere, for God is everywhere present, seeing everything.  So that is where my sins have gone; I speak with the utmost reverence when I say that they have gone where Jehovah himself can never see them.  Christ so purged them that they have ceased to be.

It is indeed amazing love that made him stoop to this purgation, this expiation, this atonement for sin; but, because he was who and what he was, he did it thoroughly, perfectly.  He said, "It is finished," and I believe him.  I do not - I cannot - for a moment admit that there is anything to be done by us to complete that work, or anything required of us to make the annihilation of our sins complete.

"When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high." ...Notice first, that this implies rest.  When the high priest went within the veil, he did not sit down...The high priest of old had not finished his work; the next year another atoning sacrifice would be needed; but our Lord has completed his atonement...There he sits, and I am sure he would not be sitting if he had not finished the salvation of his people...But Christ is resting now; my eye, by faith, can see him sitting there, so I know that -

Love's redeeming work is done; Fought the fight, the battle won. 

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS DEVO FROM SPURG.

Morning Devotion
Thursday, February 04, 2010
"The love of the Lord." --Hosea 3:1
Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day--how he hath borne with thine ill manners--how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh pots of Egypt--how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles--how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins--how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ's covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, "For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on "the love of the Lord", our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.

the experience must come alone.

i'm sorry that i have not posted in a while. i have to get ready for class but i read this this morning in "my utmost for his highest" and found it very truthful... about facing things alone. good for the time we are at in our lives.

Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha . . . saw him no more —2 Kings 2:11-12

It is not wrong for you to depend on your "Elijah" for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, "I cannot continue without my ’Elijah.’ " Yet God says you must continue.

Alone at Your "Jordan" ( Kings 2:14 ). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your "Elijah." You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your "Jordan" alone.

Alone at Your "Jericho" ( 2 Kings 2:15 ). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your "Elijah" do great things. Yet when you come alone to your "Jericho," you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your "Elijah," you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.

Alone at Your "Bethel" ( 2 Kings 2:23 ). At your "Bethel" you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your "Elijah"— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14 ). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.

contentment

it seems like the theme that runs through our age and gender at the point in our lives now is contentment. i feel like in every Christian circle, if i talk to a girl my age it is about contentment either in finding a job, finishing school, being in a relationship, etc. it might just be my speculation, but it seems like this is the case. it's cool, though, how we can relate to each other about these things and how we can encourage one another and build one another up with things the Lord shares with us in our walk with Him. claire- i loved what you shared in your last post...that has been recirculating over and over in my head how much i am always thinking, "well i'm just going to move to nashville for something different and to branch out!" even though i pray for the Lord's Will and for Him to open doors wherever He sees fit for me, i also have things in mind (jobs, places i will end up) that i want...which there's nothing wrong in praying specifically for, but i tend to put on my blinders and only focus on where i see myself and the motives behind them are selfish. but i loved that you talked about being content where you are...what does contentment really look like when it is lived out? i feel like i have so much to learn and grasp before i really understand and know what true contentment is like. there are so many areas where i don't feel content. anyway, i think especially this semester the Lord is weighing on my heart already to lean on Him and seek Him for contentment and figuring out where He wants me down the road.
i think i told ya'll about a sermon given by emily ozier about a chapter in joshua. and how she hates change in her life...but how joshua accepted that change and trusted God and God brought about great things because of that. i highly recommend that you listen to that sermon...it is awesome. one of the things she talks about is how even in the midst of trials and difficult situations, Abraham's faith was built on nothing else but God. in hebrews 11:8-10 it says, "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING. by faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with isaac and jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE CITY WHICH HAS FOUNDATIONS, WHOSE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER IS GOD". when i was listening to this lesson again this morning, i was thinking to myself how i am always so concerned with life and the future and what i'll be doing in 5,10,15 years. and i get so consumed with school, stresses of life, and worrying about petty things that i so often forget this life should not revolve around me. my thoughts, actions, words, etc should not be centered on myself, because this is not all there is if i am holding on to the hope and assurance that the kingdom of God is coming. how i long to live kingdom-minded! "For yet in a very little while, He who is coming WILL COME, and will not delay" hebrews 10:37.
as i was unloading the dishwasher last night at my house, i was thinking about how love is a choice and it is something that comes from Christ filling us and we first must allow Him to fill. but as i was unloading it, i was thinking love is basically about little choices...i didn't want to unload the dishwasher or fold kitchen towels that had come out of the dryer. my mom has had a stomach bug for a few days and still didn't feel good last night. but i was just thinking, we shouldn't feel like we HAVE to do things for people or that we are obligated. if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we long to serve people and our joy comes from the love of God that fills us and that can overflow into every second of our lives. our Christian life does not consist of one or two days in the week where we go to church and then spend a few minutes with Him...it is our lives. it is how we spend our time every minute of the day, how we spend money, what we fill our minds with etc. And why wouldn't we want to make our entire lives about Him? He has given us hope, eternal and abundant life, joy, salvation, redemption through the death that He chose of His own Son. we should want to share that with the world! and unloading the dishwasher or serving someone in line before ourselves or offering our things to someone are all tiny miniscule ways we can and should live out our Christ-mindedness.
ok last thing---download the sermon on The Carefulness Factor by Taylor Park from firstevan.org....go to resources...sermons on-line...and download or listen to the one entitled this. amazing. i think every believer needs to hear this and apply.
love.

Freedom

Good Morning! Claire I loved your last post. I'm so excited for you that you've found that class to be a part of. I know that must be wonderful and will really be encouraging during this stage of your life.

So I've been thinking about the freedom that Christ bought for us through His death and how much I cling to it and how much I don't even acknowledge it.

Galations 5:1 says "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."

Isaiah 61:1-3 says "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Yesterday, Steven was preaching from 1 Peter, and he was talking about the freedom that we push aside. He gave this example. He said its as if a husband saved his wife from a rapist with hiv, and in the process was killed. It would be as if the woman, after the funeral, called up the rapist and asked him to meet her at a hotel room. That's the picture of our clinging to our past life, to our sin. I am that woman. I'm so often that woman. Its in the small amount of time I spend in God's Word and prayer, its in my need to watch my certain television shows, my inability so often to be self-disciplined, the way I can spend my money, my insecurities, and my fear of the future, of how everything's going to come together. I cling to these things living as if I have no other option, no power to fight them. In reality, the power of Christ is in me to fight them; the power of Christ has defeated them. Obviously, I'm a sinner and I'm going to continue to fail, but I can certainly live with the knowledge that God has freed me from these things.

The Lord has prepared for us garlands instead of ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of the spirit of mourning. I pray that I would begin to cling to the things of God instead.

I have to report a major praise. Living at home for the past 5 months, I have not been able to find a community of believers like I had in Auburn. I haven't felt at home in my church, even thought about visiting another one. A few weeks ago, I ran into a girl I went to high school with who goes to my church and has just moved back home after graduating. Unbeknownst to me, she is involved in a "young professionals" Sunday School class that I didn't even know existed (at my own church!) and said I should definitely come along. I have only been twice, but it has been such a blessing already! It's a small group, which I kind of like, and we have a married couple who I already know that teaches it. They are going to be alternating teaching time with a woman in her mid-thirties, married with no children. She taught today and seems really cool and relatable. She'll be teaching us about the ways of God...really just who He is and His core characteristics.

Today we talked about the fact that He is love, and the realities of that love. A major point was that He is a God of discipline and I want to share the definition she gave us: discipline - what happens when our loving Father steps in to lift us away from our own destructive and unfruitful pursuits. The phrasing really hit me. I am way capable of pursuing things that aren't for His glory. In fact, I have come to admit to myself that one of the main reasons I want to move off to a big city is so everyone will think that I'm doing something really cool with my life. That doesn't mean moving is wrong, because I honestly think sometimes I'd be happier in a place with more people my age and more job opportunities, but if I'm doing it to please men and to feel better about myself, then it's a selfish move. God hasn't opened any door for me to move yet, and I believe He is working on me in the area of contentment, one I struggle with repeatedly. In other words, He is disciplining me - to simply love Him and follow Him, knowing there will be showers of blessings, but not following Him in order to get the blessings, but because of who He is. I'm coming to see more and more each day that living in this humble state (with my parents in my hometown, not knowing exactly what I'm good at or what kind of work I want to be doing) is not some sort of punishment from our Lord, but in fact, is His good and perfect discipline, which is completely out of His love for us.

"...but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." - Hebrews 12:10-11