O The Wonderful Cross!

Here's an excellent post from Josh Harris's blog about how the gospel alone transforms our lives. Praise God for His glory invading our hearts and working out in our lives!!

Change Happens Because of the Gospel
Today I'm working on a message I'll be giving to the small-group leaders of our church. The theme is "change." We're taking two days away to talk about sanctification, how God's Spirit works in us to change us and conform us to his image. The main goal of my message, which opens the retreat, is to remind us all that the basis of the ongoing work of change is the finished work of Jesus who died and rose again for our justification.

In his book The Gospel for Real Life, Jerry Bridges quotes nineteenth-century Scottish pastor and author, Horatius Bonar. Read this slowly and let its truth sink in:

The secret of a believer’s holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labor, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross. False ideas of holiness are common, not only among those who profess false religions, but among those who profess the true. The love of God to us, and our love to Him, work together for producing holiness. Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspense brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to god’s favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this.


God calls us to participate, to cooperate with the work of his Spirit and, empowered by his grace, to work diligently. But all this labor must be founded on the objective reality of free pardon.

What sin are you struggling against? Anger? Lust? Anxiety? Do you long for a sense of pardon, peace and greater holiness? These fruits spring from the cross. You will only see real lasting change as you believe and apply what Jesus has done for you through his death for you. He has loved you with a perfect love. It is not the result of your works. It is a free gift. Turning from this truth as some sort of twisted self-inflicted punishment will only drive you further from the grace needed to change. Have you ever tried that? “I can’t think about grace, I need to feel condemned for a week as punishment.” It doesn’t work. As Bonar put it, "No gloomy uncertainty as to God’s favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will."

No, but "the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches."

I pray whatever sin you're facing will be uprooted as you believe and trust "the free pardon of the cross."

// posted by Joshua

Happy Anniversary, Darling!

This past week we visited the church we were married in and even got to dine in the reception hall we celebrated our marriage in while we attended a crisis pregnancy dinner!! Our table happened to be right next to where our head table was on that beautiful evening so many years ago. Next week is our 19th anniversary-and I couldn't be more blessed and loved than I am by this man of God!! Thank you, Lord!

Here's a poem I found in our memorabilia box of letters and cards, written in 1998 for my husband


Complete commitment;

Confident trust:

This is the man I love

So very much.



His faith is his anchor,

His God is his Lord,

His life is lived out

By the power of God’s Word.



He’s so much more

Than I deserve-

This is my husband-

My gift from the Lord.



Wherever he goes,

I will follow behind,

So blessed and so honored

That he is mine.



No matter the cost,

No matter the plan,

I know that he’ll follow

God’s every command.



Lord, make me his crown;

A noble wife let me be

For this, the man of all men,

That You’ve given to me!

Blessed Mundane

Yesterday was a busy day filled with many small accomplishments: two loads of laundry washed and folded, some spackling long over-due finally done, organization of a closet and clothes, meal made, home schooling accomplished (thanks to my very independent students!), running a couple errands..



At one point I thought how busy yet boring the day was. I realized that it’s all in my perspective. The Word teaches us young women (I’m still in that category!) to be workers at home. I was satisfied when I realized that I’d fulfilled that directive. I also thought of those who aren’t presently doing the ‘mundane’ routine of life but are instead at doctor’s visits or hospitals to attend their loved ones who are battling illness or trauma. I realized how very blessed and I am to be living day to day doing the sometimes boring ‘homework’.



Yes, godliness with contentment is truly GREAT GAIN.



Teach me, O Lord, to be content no matter what I’m doing and what You’re doing. For the ‘great things’ are probably not so impressive in Your sight as the humble and hidden things. Glory to Your Name, Glorious One!

Amen