Sanctified Affliction

"Sanctified affliction teaches the soul its utter destitution. The believer often commences his spiritual journey with shallow and defective views of the perfect fitness and glory of the Redeemer’s justifying righteousness. There is, we admit, a degree of self-renunciation, there is a reception of Christ, and there is some sweet and blessed enjoyment of his acceptance.
Yet, his views of himself, and of the entire, absolute, supreme necessity, importance, and glory of Christ’s finished work, are as nothing compared with his after experience of both.
God will have the righteousness of his Son to be acknowledged and felt to be everything. It is a great work, a glorious work, a finished work, and he will cause his saints to know it. It is his only method of saving sinners; and the sinner that is saved shall acknowledge this, not in his judgment merely; but from a deep heartfelt experience of the truth, ‘to the praise of the glory of his grace.’"

{Octavius Winslow}

Just What I Need: When I need it!

Have you ever had a circumstance in your life when you thought, "How is this thing good for me? How is this process profitable? Why is this person in my life? Why am I not getting that right now? Why am I getting this right now? How will I get through this?"?

I think if we are honest with ourselves, we would probably all say that we have thought nearly all of those questions, during various circumstances in our lives.

However, as a Christian, I have a just, gracious, merciful God who gives me just what (and when, where, who, and how) I need! Because of who my God is, I can trust that He has my best interest in mind, and will cause things to happen according to His sovereign will (Philippians 1:6)

In His justice, He gives me what I deserve.
In His mercy, He doesn't give me what I deserve.
In His grace, He gives me what I don't deserve.

He puts things and people in my life in just the right way, in just the right place, and at just the right time. Although I cannot always see what is best for myself, I have a Savior who knows my inmost thoughts and needs (Psalm 139).

Who
God knows the people I must have relationships with in order to become more like His Son-- whether they be sweet and kind, or consistently testing my patience. 


What
He knows the things I need (and don't need!) in order to become more like His Son-- whether a thing will bless and provide for me, or will simply become a snare and a stumbling block to my feet. 


When
He knows the exact moment I need to encounter things in life in order to become more like His Son-- whether my persistence for "Today, Lord!"  is good, or a time of stillness and waiting would teach me.


Where
He knows the perfect location I need to be in order to become more like His Son-- whether it be the thrust of a raging storm on the sea, or the soothing of a gentle breeze in the desert. 


How
He knows the process I must go through in order to become more like His Son--whether it be a trying and difficult one, or a pleasantly simple one.

I recently had an overwhelming need, and I had figured out the "perfect" way to fulfill it. However, God had a totally different plan of how He would provide for me! I had prayerfully stepped out in faith, acknowledging that I would do my best according to His revealed will, but that I was ultimately trusting Him to provide the way. And surely, He worked! Provision came in way I never expected, from the people I had least anticipated, and at a much later time that I had hoped!

Blessings in Disguise

The other night, after I had read my Bible, I was talking to the Lord and sharing that I would like to have more patience.  I told Him that I knew He would probably "give" it to me by giving me some situations in which I would have to practice patience, and that the situations would probably not be my ideal way to learn to have more patience. 

Two days later, I was at work dealing with a few difficult people and difficult circumstances.  I hadn't thought much about my prayer for patience since I had talked to the Lord about it, but the day after He was putting me in a place where I had  to practice patience, I heard this little song. 

Blessings

Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things


Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights 
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

As Life Draws to a Close

Christopher Columbus Award

Citation reads: This award goes to those who, like good old Chris, when they set out to do something, don’t know where they are going; neither do they know how to get there.  When they arrive, they don’t know where they are, and when they return, they don’t know where they have been. (Source Unknown)

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 

which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: 

and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
II Timothy 4:6-8

The Apostle Paul was sitting in the Mamertine Prison in Rome when he wrote these words to Timothy. His time was short, he was out of appeals, but he was ready to pour out his life for Christ. Unlike Christopher Columbus, he knew where he had been and where he was going.

Martyrdom might be thought by some to be the ultimate sacrifice and the greatest demonstration of complete commitment to a person or cause. Perhaps that is true. Most Christians that I know would be willing to give their lives to Christ in death. But would they be willing to give their lives in life (living for Christ)?