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
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
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
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
Friday, September 29, 2006
Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!!!
Today is my Paul's birthday! Happy Birthday, my love! What a privilege it is to be your wife and to get walk beside you as you fulfill God's call on your life.
Paul and I met in college, UMass, Amherst, where he was a hard working Christian engineering student and I was lost and anything but hard working! The Lord saved me and brought me into fellowship with the Navigators where I met Paul. Right away, I was struck by how incredibly handsome and, more importantly, godly Paul was. He was always about serving the Lord and never about flirting or squandering his time. His passion for the Lord was contagious. I respected and admired him so much..and prayed God would bless me with him as my hubby. (My best friend was praying the same for herself!!) Well, the story is long and fun, and I'll share that another time, but God was so good to turn Paul's heart toward me and bring us together years later. (The Navigators were jokingly termed 'never-daters', so we were just friends through most of our college years).
We married soon after my graduation and Paul enjoyed a successful career as an engineer for 14 1/2 years. During this time we were blessed with four healthy children who have brought us so much joy! Paul is such a godly dad and hubby, always investing time in creating family memories and instilling the Word so diligently in our kids.
Back in 1999, God began stirring up our very cozy nest with a call for Paul to leave his lucrative career behind and become a pastor. Paul really liked what he was doing, serving as a care group leader in our wonderful church while working as an engineer and pursuing his PhD, fully funded by Uncle Sam, at Johns Hopkins University. The road to success and prosperity could not have seemed brighter!
Paul wrestled with God and found his desire and calling for ministry was God-given and confirmed by the pastors around him.
Paul left his job to attend the Pastors College in 2000, where he was equipped for serving as a pastor. We then spent a year in Philly for his internship where he was further prepared and evaluated for church planting. Talk about being out of our comfort zone! Yet, God gave much comfort and provided our every need!
The church plant was launched in Sept. 2002. Paul has had so many responibilites since then and has truly laid down his life for the church here. I've watched him 'die every day' gladly for the Lord's work. God's grace is truly amazing, and I marvel at the things He has done. No, it's not been a smooth ride, but what the Lord has worked in our lives is priceless. And, by His grace, He's building a precious local church, a Sovereign Grace Church, here in New England.
Thank you honey, for laying down your life for the Lord. For receiving many blows and blessings in His Name. For being so unwavering in your faith through the trials here and for leading us, your family, so tenderly and skillfully. Your reward is great in heaven, my love!
Happy Birthday to You!!!
Paul and I met in college, UMass, Amherst, where he was a hard working Christian engineering student and I was lost and anything but hard working! The Lord saved me and brought me into fellowship with the Navigators where I met Paul. Right away, I was struck by how incredibly handsome and, more importantly, godly Paul was. He was always about serving the Lord and never about flirting or squandering his time. His passion for the Lord was contagious. I respected and admired him so much..and prayed God would bless me with him as my hubby. (My best friend was praying the same for herself!!) Well, the story is long and fun, and I'll share that another time, but God was so good to turn Paul's heart toward me and bring us together years later. (The Navigators were jokingly termed 'never-daters', so we were just friends through most of our college years).
We married soon after my graduation and Paul enjoyed a successful career as an engineer for 14 1/2 years. During this time we were blessed with four healthy children who have brought us so much joy! Paul is such a godly dad and hubby, always investing time in creating family memories and instilling the Word so diligently in our kids.
Back in 1999, God began stirring up our very cozy nest with a call for Paul to leave his lucrative career behind and become a pastor. Paul really liked what he was doing, serving as a care group leader in our wonderful church while working as an engineer and pursuing his PhD, fully funded by Uncle Sam, at Johns Hopkins University. The road to success and prosperity could not have seemed brighter!
Paul wrestled with God and found his desire and calling for ministry was God-given and confirmed by the pastors around him.
Paul left his job to attend the Pastors College in 2000, where he was equipped for serving as a pastor. We then spent a year in Philly for his internship where he was further prepared and evaluated for church planting. Talk about being out of our comfort zone! Yet, God gave much comfort and provided our every need!
The church plant was launched in Sept. 2002. Paul has had so many responibilites since then and has truly laid down his life for the church here. I've watched him 'die every day' gladly for the Lord's work. God's grace is truly amazing, and I marvel at the things He has done. No, it's not been a smooth ride, but what the Lord has worked in our lives is priceless. And, by His grace, He's building a precious local church, a Sovereign Grace Church, here in New England.
Thank you honey, for laying down your life for the Lord. For receiving many blows and blessings in His Name. For being so unwavering in your faith through the trials here and for leading us, your family, so tenderly and skillfully. Your reward is great in heaven, my love!
Happy Birthday to You!!!
a feast for the soul
I'm listening to CJ's sermon from this past Sunday at Covenant life Church and am reminded of why we're doing what we're doing, and exactly what it is we're doing here in New England! You see, we were sent from this family-this spiritually rich family. And CJ's the leader, the wonderfully humble leader of this family of churches. His gift for preaching is anointed by God's Holy Spirit. His gift for living out the gospel of grace is filled with humility and wisdom.
We're not planting this church to reinvent the wheel..no, we've found the wheel that works so well..a local church, built upon the gospel, lived out in humility and led by pastors who are submitted to other pastors who are committed to caring for their souls. What an unbelievable blessing and privilege this is! My hubby and my family are so well cared for by this family. Thank You, Jesus, for our extended family of faith!!
Take a listen and be blessed:
Wisdom From the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
http://www.covlife.org/sermons/
We're not planting this church to reinvent the wheel..no, we've found the wheel that works so well..a local church, built upon the gospel, lived out in humility and led by pastors who are submitted to other pastors who are committed to caring for their souls. What an unbelievable blessing and privilege this is! My hubby and my family are so well cared for by this family. Thank You, Jesus, for our extended family of faith!!
Take a listen and be blessed:
Wisdom From the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
http://www.covlife.org/sermons/
Monday, September 25, 2006
interesting thought
I'm reading through Mark and was struck this morning by an account in chapter 7. Jesus healed a deaf man and then charged the people "to tell no one, But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it."
This reminds me of the inherent sinful nature in all of us--just say 'don't eat the last cookie' and everyone in the kitchen wants it!!
I wonder if the great commission had gone like this, 'DON'T go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to ANYONE..' if then I wouldn't be able to keep myself from declaring the wonders of my Lord? (Shame on me for my timidness and laziness in this regard).
For the record, the great commission is perfectly stated in Mark 16:15-16~
"And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Send us forth, Lord, into the harvest field!!
This reminds me of the inherent sinful nature in all of us--just say 'don't eat the last cookie' and everyone in the kitchen wants it!!
I wonder if the great commission had gone like this, 'DON'T go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to ANYONE..' if then I wouldn't be able to keep myself from declaring the wonders of my Lord? (Shame on me for my timidness and laziness in this regard).
For the record, the great commission is perfectly stated in Mark 16:15-16~
"And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Send us forth, Lord, into the harvest field!!
Friday, September 22, 2006
Mountaintop Magnificence
We're incredibly blessed to have a 'family chalet' in the White Mountains. This time of year it looks like God's watercolored canvas. Can't wait to go up for our annual family golf tournament Columbus Day weekend!
Fall and Glory
It's fall in New England and it's gorgeous! The weather is crisp and clear, the leaves are showing off their beautiful display of death. Yeah, strange as it is, their beauty is a result of their dying. Same for us as Christians..the only true beauty we have is a result of our dying to sin and receiving new life by the Spirit of God, bearing fruit for his glory! 1Peter2:24 "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." What a miracle this is! I'm thankful for the reminder the beautiful, falling leaves give me of the ONE who died on a tree and rose again!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
One thing that WON'T be in Heaven
Micah 7:19 "He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
I love the ESV note on this: 'As God began Israel's journey by casting the Egyptians into the Red Sea, He will conclude her history by casting His people's iniquities into the depths.'
What a glorious Day that will be! A Forever Day! And we'll enjoy "the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.." (Rev. 22)
I love the ESV note on this: 'As God began Israel's journey by casting the Egyptians into the Red Sea, He will conclude her history by casting His people's iniquities into the depths.'
What a glorious Day that will be! A Forever Day! And we'll enjoy "the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.." (Rev. 22)
Friday, September 08, 2006
I Hope There's a Beach in Heaven
I love the beach. I grew up enjoying it with my family. We'd spend three weeks every summer there. I'm so thankful to be back home and only 20 minutes away from the beach. Paul & love to walk the shore and fellowship there. My parents lived right on the coast for 11 years before my dad got sick. We enjoyed many weeks visiting them there and have great home videos of our kids enjoying their earliest years there. My dad was a lifeguard at the beach when he was a very young man. He loved to walk the beach too. I remember him pointing out the creative lines in the sand after the tide had receded, saying it looked like a piece of art. His last years of health were spent enjoying God's glorious creation at the shore.
So many memories! No wonder I love the beach so much! I might just write a few posts on it..and post some pictures from our days there this summer.
Psalm 93:4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-
the Lord on high is mighty."
So many memories! No wonder I love the beach so much! I might just write a few posts on it..and post some pictures from our days there this summer.
Psalm 93:4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-
the Lord on high is mighty."
Thursday, September 07, 2006
resting in grace, working in grace
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."(Eph. 2:10)
WOW! God has preplanned wonderful (and sometimes seemingly boring) good works for me to do! Lord, fill me with joy as I rest in your grace and fulfill the purposes you have for me this day. Thank you that you walk beside me and give me the power to do what You've called me to!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man." (Col.3:23)
Thanks for being such a Great Boss, Lord! That you love to hang out with me and help me constantly. Please help me teach my kids today!
Gotta go get to work!
WOW! God has preplanned wonderful (and sometimes seemingly boring) good works for me to do! Lord, fill me with joy as I rest in your grace and fulfill the purposes you have for me this day. Thank you that you walk beside me and give me the power to do what You've called me to!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man." (Col.3:23)
Thanks for being such a Great Boss, Lord! That you love to hang out with me and help me constantly. Please help me teach my kids today!
Gotta go get to work!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
incredible trial and testimony
this is a wonderful family and friends of ours from PA. please read this http://girltalk.blogs.com/
and pray for them. thanks
and pray for them. thanks
i must be getting old
Well, I enjoy checking out blogs and decided to give this a shot. I mean what I said in the title of this blog though-I doubt I'll have time to write. Life is crazy with home schooling and church planting..even though the latter is not my job, I still am busy seeking to serve my hubby and those God has blessed us with in our church. Never mind, keeping up with my wonderful extended family and reachinig out to my great neighbors.
About getting old.. I just turned 29 again!! And my oldest son, Daniel turned 18! Go figure!!!
He's off to college and nothing, nothing can prepare you for that transition!! Thank God for IM and MA Bell! I just sent him a care package and can't wait to see him soon. Thank God he's only 45 min. from home!!! He's an incredible young man and a smart, ambitious student! He couldn't get into Greek so he chose Hebrew instead!!! He had to memorize the Hebrew alphabet for the 2nd class! GO Daniel!!!! (guess who he gets his brains from?!)
Another sign of oldness, besides an adult child in my possession, is the fact that I need to wear my reading glasses almost continually!! And when I go upstairs to look for them I forget what I was looking for! Grr. I picked up a glasses-holder-string-thingy that is going to prove very helpful for my absentminded blindness.
So, there's my first post. not very deep..maybe that will come with time!
About getting old.. I just turned 29 again!! And my oldest son, Daniel turned 18! Go figure!!!
He's off to college and nothing, nothing can prepare you for that transition!! Thank God for IM and MA Bell! I just sent him a care package and can't wait to see him soon. Thank God he's only 45 min. from home!!! He's an incredible young man and a smart, ambitious student! He couldn't get into Greek so he chose Hebrew instead!!! He had to memorize the Hebrew alphabet for the 2nd class! GO Daniel!!!! (guess who he gets his brains from?!)
Another sign of oldness, besides an adult child in my possession, is the fact that I need to wear my reading glasses almost continually!! And when I go upstairs to look for them I forget what I was looking for! Grr. I picked up a glasses-holder-string-thingy that is going to prove very helpful for my absentminded blindness.
So, there's my first post. not very deep..maybe that will come with time!
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