Doing it your way…

I remember when you were first formed in your mother’s womb. The joy on her face when she shown me the ultrasound. Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.

As you were growing I used to hold you and comfort you. We would always talk with each other, O the times we shared. The time came when you decided to go, go on your journey of life. You wanted to see things, do things for yourself. The experience you were seeking. I said go, do what you must.

I want you to know that, I am, standing here, standing at the door, behold, I stand at the doorway and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne.

Can you hear me calling? Do you hear me crying out to you? He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.

I know you feel you can do it on your own, but trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, for My power is made perfect in weakness, so return to me with all your heart, return to me and I will return to you

d john

Let your voices be heard – let the whole earth hear

I’m no musician nor can I sing great melodies. However the Lord in his greatness always seems to plant grand songs in my heart. As I was reflecting on Psalm 100 and 101 the opening verses say, “ Sing to the Lord, make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth! Sing of steadfast love and justice to you o Lord”

I can hear flutes, horns strings and keys all in glorious harmony, as the people join in singing Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- The whole earth is full of His Glory- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty- Who was and is and is to come! In a lower key they continue on.

One speaking for the people- “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever Amen.

As you approach the throne of God let the melody sing to your heart and join in with all the saints and sing to Him- Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God almighty-

Martin Luther on Marriage as a School of Character

Martin Luther on Marriage as a School of Character.

“Before I was married,” Martin Luther recalled, “the bed was not made for a whole year and became foul with sweat. But I worked so hard and was so weary I tumbled in without noticing it.” However, when Martin married the runaway nun Katherine Von Bora, whom Luther called Katie, the bed was made, the sheets were changed, and the house was kept clean! But life was not all roses for Luther once he was married.

Whose…

Whose feet do you clean,
whose garment hem do you reach to,
whose arms do you run to;

What place do you go for
rest when at a loss,
Is there any that can
redeem you, restore you
protect you and gaurd you
quite like the Lamb;

You search to and fro’ and
you will find that it is He
Christ Jesus, our peace
our joy, our everlasting
King.

DJohn

Confiding in God’s government and the use of means

In my morning reading I picked up Thabiti Anyabwile’s book “May we meet in the Heavenly world”. Let me say if you don’t have this book in your library pick it up. It’s a wonderful read packed with some delightful highlights from Lemuel Haynes life.

I want to bring to light one of those treats for you. It’s from his “Divine decrees”(1805) in Black Preacher to White America

” Faith in divine purposes will excite the people of God to the diligent use of means, as He has appointed them as instruments by which He will accomplish His designs and has commanded them to be workers together with Him; indeed, without the exertions of men, it is impossible that they should take place. God revealed to Abraham that his seed should go down into Egypt and at such a time be delivered, but this supposed series of second causes [was} all dependent on the first cause; without them the event could not take place. one was the edict of Pharoah to destroy the male infants of the Hebrews, that Moses should be born and hid three months, that he should be educated at the expense of the King of Egypt, that the Egyptians should be visited with ten plagues, etc. I might with propriety make the same remark with respect to the deliverance of Israel from Babylonian captivity, and the birth and death of Christ. the people of God consider themselves as active instruments to bring about His holy designs and are, in a good degree, cured of that unreasonable temper of mind that will deduce unnatural consequences from certain promises, in order to gratify a licentious conduct.

The truly pious are pleased with the absolute decrees of God, as what will promote the greatest possible good. if it is desirable that all God's counsels should stand, then it must be pleasing to saints to be in the use of such means as tend to bring them to pass- without which they cannot exist; this makes them cheerful in the service of God, as they are seeking the same glorious ultimate object with Him. Jochebed and her husband doubtless understood that God, by this remarkable child, designed the deliverance of the church from the iron furnace, which was an animating object; all they did in fitting him for this work afforded satisfaction. Although the children of God cannot always see the connection between means and ends, yet they put such confidence in the divine Being as delights their souls in persevering in the path of duty- believing that God will effect the greatest good by it.

The friends of God delight in expressing their obedience to Him. The use of means affords them opportunity to glorify God and commend Him to others. if love and obedience are delightful exercises to the saints, then to express them will be pleasing. As god cannot exhibit any true virtue or moral excellence without pursuing a plan, so neither can we, unless we regard His will and interest and are workers together with Him.

The humble Christian will feel his own weakness and insufficiency to do anything of himself and will see that all his sufficiency is of God, and his faith and all- which will be a motive to diligence. This will be the foundation of his trust and will excite him to work out his salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God that worketh in him, both to will and to do of His good pleasure ( Phil. 2:12-13). This supported the parents of Moses amidst all their care about him and [was the reason] ” they were not afraid of the king’s commandments.”

Christians will diligently attend to means, as they will see much to be done. Wherever they turn their eyes, they will behold work laid out for them. It is criminal to stand idle in the marketplace. The good man will see enough to employ his head, his heart, his hands, and his temporal interest in the service of God. the reason that so many can find but little to do for God is on account of a slothful and indolent heart that refuses to labor.”

Make your life worth living…

Last night I lost my Uncle Carl. I learned a lot from him. Most of all, how to love your family. So I want to close this year with another of his poem’s.

” Do good when you are able;
rejoice in things you do;
then your heart is stable,
Happy, pure, and true.

Don’t pretend when you do things,
make sure you’re on the track,
then in reminiscence,
with pride you can look back.

Make the best of everything,
make your life worth while;
when you encounter trials,
meet them with a smile.

Be sure your deeds are noble,
no matter what others do
then in retribution,
it all comes back to you.

Life is really what you make it;
but no bowl of cherries,
so make your life worth living
devoid of woes and wearies.”

May your smiles always shine down upon us from heaven. We love you.

D John

Mary had a baby

As I was doing some research for an upcoming class I came across this old negro spiritual and being the season that we are in thought it timely to post..

MARY HAD A BABY

——————————————————————————–

Mary had a baby
Yes Lord
Mary had a baby
Yes Lord
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

What did she name him
Yes Lord
What did she
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

She name him King Jesus
Yes Lord
Name him King Jesus
Yes my Lord
Name him King Jesus
Yes Lord
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

She name him Mighty Couns’lor
Yes Lord
Name him Mighty Couns’lor
Yes my Lord
Name him Mighty Couns’lor
Yes Lord
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

Oh, where was he born?
Yes Lord
Where was he born
Yes my Lord
Where was he born
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

Oh born in a manger
Yes Lord
Born in a manger
Yes my Lord
Born in a manger
The people keep-a coming and the train done gone

Jesus is all

I would have never believed that the next and last time I saw him would have been when we were to bury him. All of a sudden gone! The hurt and pain of losing a loved one hard to describe. All the emotions one has unsearchable. Trial after trial all along the way Our Lord training, preparing, protecting me for the what next in my life

Fulfill the ministry, are the words Paul tells Timothy in what will be the last time they see each other. And to Archippus ” see that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord”

I’m reading 2 Timothy 3-4:5 Paul is preparing Timothy for what is to come.

times of difficulty

people lovers of self

the word used here Philautos is defined in reality it is not the one who simply loves himself but one who loves himself more than he ought. a person who is characterized by an undue sparing of self and whose primary concern is that things be easy and pleasant on himself. Simply put it is one who loves his life so much that he seeks ignobly to save it.
lovers of money

they never find contentment in what they have.

proud

walking around as if the king or queen peacock showing themself above their fellow-man.

arrogant,abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless

here we have a compound word astorgos – without family love. So up to this point times will be difficult we have people who only care about themselves greedy proud arrogant abusive now uncaring of their families. You can see why marriage is difficult. Yet the list continues

unappeasable

absolutely irreconcilable refusing to lay aside his enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation. Where do you find yourself, are you willing to listen?

slanderous

without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having an appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

I was awakened this morning by some words I read from a friend, her words of regret lost in thought pain hurt bitterness racing through her mind. And immediately these verses came racing to mind. How do we get through the myriad of stuff in our lives when all that is going on in and around our lives are tied up in these things Paul is saying here.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed. What is it that we firmly believe? Knowing from whom you learned it. What is it that we have learned? For Timothy from childhood has been acquainted with the sacred writings. ( Old Testament Scripture) Are we acquainting ourselves and our children with these precious words of life or have we disqualified them as useless triviality? These words are to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

A. W Tozer wrote ” Believing, then, is directing the hearts attention to Jesus” ” Faith is a redirecting of our sight, a getting out of the focus of our own vision and getting God into focus. Sin has twisted our vision inward and made it self-regarding. Unbelief has put self where God should be, and is perilously close to sin of Lucifer who said,” I will set my throne above the throne of God.” Faith looks out instead of in and the whole life falls into line”

In a declaration of Jesus he tells us… ” Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

He Intercedes for us…

Evening- Octavius Winslow

“But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Heb 9:11,12

“In approaching God in any spiritual service, why is it that your person is an object of His complacent delight? Because Jesus presents it. Why do your prayers, imperfectly framed and faintly breathed, come up before the altar with acceptance and power? Because Jesus is in heaven, and as your pleading Advocate separates your petition from all its flaws, and as your interceding Priest purifies it from all its sin, and presents it as a “golden vial full of odor” to His Father. And when in pensive sadness you have trodden your lonely path, the spirit chafed, the heart wounded, the world desolate, and a thousand images of terror and of gloom filling the vast void, oh little did you think that within that veil, so awfully mysterious to you, there stood One- your Friend and Brother, your Advocate and Priest- who knew your secret sorrow, and who at that moment was pouring out His full heart, His whole soul, in powerful and prevalent intercession, that your tried and wavering faith might not fail.”

Today Walk…

Today, is a day that the Lord has prepared for you. He has blessed you with new life by waking you. Now, by the grace given to you by our glorious Creator in all humility and harmony walk with Him. In all things may your days journey reflect His glory, that, He receives all praise in how people today see you, they see Him.

I’m reading now this wonderful work written by Octavius Winslow, titled Morning and Evening thoughts. He wrote these words ” believer; a holy, filial, joyful liberty is your birthright. It is the liberty of a pardoned and justified sinner; of a reconciled , adopted child; of one for whom there is ” now no condemnation.” Yet how few of God’s people walk in the full enjoyment of this liberty! How few pray, and love, and confide, as adopted children!

Oh sons of God, rise to this your high and heavenly calling! Your freedom was purchased at a high price-undervalue it not. It is most holy- abuse it not. It binds you by the strongest obligations to yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead. Be these the breathings of our soul: “Lord! My sweetest privilege is obedience to you; my highest freedom wearing Your yoke- my greatest rest bearing your burden. Oh, how love I Your law after the inward man! I delight to do Your will, oh my God!”

DJohn