Hymn of the Week: All Your Works Are Good

All Your Works Are Good (Psalm 104) by Sandra McCracken

Here is a modern hymn for y'all:

All Your Works Are Good
Written by Sandra McCracken, Jill Phillips and Julie Lee

The moon it marks the seasons The sun knows when to go down The ocean holds its creatures The river knows its bounds
The birds, the trees, the cattle And all things great and small We find our place in creation Your hand sustains it all
Chorus
All your works are good
All your works are good
From everlasting, to everlasting All your works are good

He makes the clouds his chariot He wraps himself in light
He stretches out the heavens, like a tent across the sky
He knows our every burden When darkness veils our eyes He comes with spring returning, Bringing death to life (Chorus)
As we labor until evening There’s a message on the wind Be still and know your maker Be satisfied in Him (Chorus) 

© 2015 Drink Your Tea (ASCAP) / Sill House Road Music (SESAC) / The Gullahorns Music (ASCAP)

Driving Home With God's Smuggler

Yesterday we braved the snowy, windy roads of Montana to return home.  Ethan drove the car in white, white difficult conditions.  Our family was tired, and admittedly, the two oldest children were bickering and angry several times during the trip.  Our nerves were on edge.  We put on an audio book edition of "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew and John and Elizabeth Sherrill written in 1967.  Andrew's world of 1930s and 40s Holland and then the post-world war Iron Curtain missionary work opened our eyes and our imaginations as we drove.  During the breaks, I read from my book "The Insanity of God" by Nik Ripken.

Brother Andrew traveling behind the Iron Curtain in his blue VW sedan.

The persecution of the Church is heavy on my mind after reading these books.  Brother Andrew told a story about Czechoslovakia where the government frustrated the Christians by sponsoring a new edition of the Bible then refusing the print it.  The other Bibles were not allowed to be printed, only the new edition. So without the new edition, no Bibles were available anywhere.  In one church in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, the congregation of people possessed only seven Bibles amongst them, so they would hold up their Bibles above their heads during the service so that everyone could crowd around them and share the word together.  They would copy the words to hymns on looseleaf notebooks and share those as well.  How may people in our churches even bring their Bibles to church let alone follow along with the reading of Scripture during the service?  We are so free yet so bound in our "Land of the Free."  We value little of what the historical Church has valued, and God's word is no longer precious to us.  Nik Ripken told countless stories of pastors who were tortured and imprisoned for countless years because they were Christian pastors and refused to denounce Christ.  Their families were persecuted and humiliated as well, yet they counted the cost of this and knew that Jesus was worthy of their suffering.  Cause us, Father, to treasure, love, and be devoted to Jesus Christ just as these persecuted Christians were.  You are worthy of our love. Amen.

Living and Dying

A thick fog rolled into this monastery in Romania freezing solid the flowers.

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:19-21

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19

Every believer in Jesus will attest to the fact that they suffer afflictions.  If our Lord did not escape suffering in this world, then we will experience it as well. Our Lord has compassion.  His loving, sovereign hand directs our lives, and Christ is magnified in His chosen ones. That means He radiates His image through my life and death.  He is lifted up, He is exalted.  He shines through my life and death.  You wonder, how can Christ be magnified when I am severely depressed or so afflicted with suffering in my body or my children suffer so much or my empty womb cries out for children or I am humiliated by unemployment or I am dying?  

Christ will deliver you through the hope that is an anchor for your soul.  "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered the Presence behind the veil" Heb.6:19 
Christ will deliver you when He speaks truth to your broken heart through His word.  "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." Ps.119:114 
Christ will deliver you when His power goes out of Him to heal you for His glory. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:4
Christ will deliver you when He brings you home to be with Him where He is seated in Heaven.  "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God….When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Col.3:1,4
Christ will deliver you in Glory when your suffering will produce an eternal weight of glory. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor.4:17-18
Christ will deliver you in your suffering while He is furthering His glorious Gospel. "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ." Phil.1:12-13
Come to Jesus. He will give you rest in your afflictions. Christ will be magnified in you. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “Come unto Me and rest;
   Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
   Thy head upon My breast.”
   I came to Jesus as I was,
   Weary and worn and sad;
   I found in Him a resting place,
   And He has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “Behold, I freely give
   The living water; thirsty one,
   Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
   I came to Jesus, and I drank
   Of that life-giving stream;
   My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
   And now I live in Him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “I am this dark world’s Light;
   Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
   And all thy day be bright.”
   I looked to Jesus, and I found
   In Him my Star, my Sun;
   And in that light of life I’ll walk,
   Till trav’ling days are done.
4. -Horatius Bonar, 1846
5. 
   

Have Thine Own Way

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

by Adelaide Pollard, 1907

I sat down at the piano yesterday in our new home in Zimmerman, MN.  When I flipped open the hymn book, this is the song that came up.  What a comfort to me right now!  Ethan is stuck in London on his way to Ghana.  Stolen documents!  He has no passport, no Ghana visa, and no yellow fever documentation. These are all required to get to Ghana to teach.  My mind and heart have been swirling since he texted me with this news.  I guess there is a first for everything.  He has travelled to many places in the world and has never gotten documents stolen.  Feeling out of control and unable to change anything confirms my humanness and lifts my thoughts and heart to God who has all things in His hand.

Early this morning I spent time reading the Bible and praying.  As I looked out on our woodsy property, I saw the fog in the woods, much like the picture above.  I heard the birds, and the knock-knock-knock of a woodpecker that made me smile.  What comical creatures!  God's glory shines in His creation, and as I think about God providing for these birds, how much more does He care for His chosen people!  Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:31  Then, turning to Acts 16 for my daily Bible reading, the amazing story of Paul and Silas being directed by the Holy Spirit to Macedonia reminded me again of God's rule and good purposes in every one of these foggy days.

Evidence

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  For we know, brothers loved by God that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." I Thess. 1:2-5a

When God has turned on the light in our souls, given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, and saved us from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, we belong to Him.  Jesus warned that there would be those who claim to have the rights as sons and daughters like true believers. They might try get to God some other way by climbing over the wall rather than going through the narrow gate (only through Jesus), but they are only thieves and robbers.  Jesus said some would act like Christians and grow around the true plants, the wheat, but they are weeds and in the end they will be pulled up and thrown into the fire.

But there are some who have entered through the narrow gate of Jesus Christ, people like Christian and Hopeful from John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, who are fully convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord.  They receive the gospel of Jesus when they believe.  They believe that He has removed the burden of sin from their lives through the sacrifice of His life and blood shed on the Cross.  Their lives are changed when they are transferred from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of His love and God's power has forgiven their sins.  They turn from idols to the Living God. They now worship the Father in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23). Their faith in Jesus in evidence they are chosen by Him.  We do not have to wonder when they die that they are now with God worshipping before His throne in Heaven.  Jesus is their life.  Can I convince you to turn to Jesus, who loves you and gave His life for you, today?  You can have full assurance that your sins are forgiven and that you will spend eternity in Heaven with Him. All your shame will be removed because His blood washes away Your sins when you confess and believe in Jesus.  Nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Good Friday Prayer

Isenheim Altarpiece by Mathis Grunewald

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:7-14

Dear Lord, we want You. I want to treasure You above all other things. I pray that Ethan and I would have such a clear vision of You and such a love for You that our regrets and laments from the past would fade, our worries and desires for the future would diminish, and that we would be left with Jesus only as the affection of our hearts. Let us not live for ourselves but for Jesus who died and rose again, and who lives in glory. Amen.

A Beautiful Snow

The beautiful snow-covered trees in our town.

This winter has been lovely in Minnesota.  We have had light snow and pretty cold temps.  A couple of nights ago we had heavy snow that amounted to about eight inches on the ground and the canceling of school yesterday. Because I love the Psalms so much and think about the Bible often, these verses come to mind whenever it snows:

 He sends out His command to the earth;His word runs very swiftly.¹⁶ He gives snow like wool;He scatters the frost like ashes;¹⁷ He casts out His hail like morsels;Who can stand before His cold?¹⁸ He sends out His word and melts them;He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. Psalm 147:15-18

I am picturing the Almighty God commanding the weather.  Whatever He says it happens.  His word is powerful and very effective.

I think also about the word of God that is going out throughout the world even today. I think about all my friends who are sharing the Good News about Jesus: Tracy and Zhenya in Kyrgyzstan, Pastor Vlad and his family in Priluki, the faithful missionaries I visited in Chad last year, the McNamees in Chernihiv, and my faithful friends at ICS Bangkok where I taught art classes for two years in the 1990s. I think about the Bible that is being translated into other languages.  My brother-in-law, Marcos, is still working on the Gospel of Luke to be used in the Bilala language version of the Jesus Film and in other materials.  I am thinking about the faithful servants who are using their intellect and physical strength to pour over words and meanings in order to communicate the Bible in the heart language of native peoples.  I love these missionaries, and I praise God for the word that is going forth.

I am also thinking about those who are suffering because of their faith in Jesus and for believing the precious promises of God's word.  Our friend, Saeed in prison in Iran, who loves his family, the people of Iran, and most of all, Jesus.  He is paying a severe price for his love.  In another place, my dearest friend, Tracy, is laying in a hospital tonight in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for appendicitis.  They performed surgery to remove the appendix, and she is doing okay right now.  But we pray that no infection will come because the hospitals are not known to be very reliable and sanitary. I thank God for her and for all the workers there, who faithfully proclaim God's word, despite persecution and physical problems.

I believe that God's word will accomplish all that He desires for it.  He says it, and it happens.  God is faithful and true, and faith is being formed in hearts through the proclamation of this word and the power of the Father who draws people unto Jesus, by His grace and for His glory.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

We Press On

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 ESV

Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ. Leave the Irreparable Past in His hands, and step out into the Irresistible Future with Him. -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, December 31.

Do I really believe God's Word?  It says "For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death." Psalm 48:14 NKJV I must believe His every word.  He is Faithful and True.  Does that mean, as a believer in Jesus Christ, that every moment of my life is in His sovereign hands?  Indeed, every moment.  And God is good.  That means, through every difficulty and painful trial, God is guiding me.  Through every moment of sheer joy and pleasure, every good and perfect gift comes from Him.  He is faithfully doing a work for His glory in my life.  He is turning my eyes from myself and all the things I put my hope in, and turning my attention and focus and trust to Himself, who is sufficient to carry everything in His strong, loving, able hands.  I trust You, My God, for this new year, 2013.  Soli Deo Gloria.

Mothering on Friday

O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. Psalm 139:1 NLT

Friday was a normal day of raising kids--crazy but full of God's grace.  Ethan was out of town for part of the day, and we were busy homeschooling as we do on Fridays.  Amy had woken up with a fever and spent the day in bed. Later Lizzy came to me with a bleeding gum that was sore and swollen.  I was afraid it was an abscess so I took her to the dentist leaving Gretchen in charge of Amy.  I called the next-door neighbor to ask if they could be available if Gretchen had any questions or problems.  That went just fine.  Fortunately, her sore gum was due to some accident, probably from chewing on something hard.  There was no infection and no procedure needed, thankfully. Hah! The Friday before Peter had to have a tooth pulled for a different reason.

By the end of the afternoon, poor Amy began to complain about a sore throat.  After examining her throat with a flashlight, I decided she probably had strep throat, and I called the doctor's office. The receptionist told me if I could get there in ten minutes, they could fit me in before closing time.  The wonderful doctor took one look at her throat and determined that she had "angry strep" and she was promptly tested and prescribed antibiotics and sent out the door.  Meanwhile, Peter and Lizzy were swimming at the YMCA, and Gretchen was holding down the fort at home.

Being a mother is an amazing balancing act with all kinds of events taking place EVERY DAY!  It is such a comfort to know that God is in control of it all, and I can trust our Shepherd, our gracious Father to take care of everything!

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

This may be an elementary theological concept, but it should never be far from our thoughts nor our lips:
Jesus loves me, this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.

Kathy Chapell, wife of Dr. Bryan Chapell, reminded mothers in her talk at The Gospel Coalition conference for women of this basic theological truth, that Jesus loves us. I just finished listening to this talk called "Parenting With Christ In Mind" while working in my kitchen. She spoke so much about the unconditional love of our Father God and how that is reflected in our Christian parenting.  I know that this is such an important truth to know about God but we are often tempted and lied to by the Enemy of our souls to continually question if God's love is not based on our performance or works. The truth, of course, is "no."  God's love for us is based on His character and grace alone.

Dr. Chapell wrote in his book, "Holiness by Grace: Delighting in the Joy that is our Strength" these true words:

For if he loves us because of what is in our hands, then the days will come when we will believe that his affection has diminished because our works are small, or that his care has vanished because our deeds are wrong.

Ethan ordered us this book to read, and I began reading it last week while he was out of town.  The book is written to explain the relationship of God and believers based on a relationship of God's grace which results in a heart of love for God which desires to obey Him and to be holy.  It explains sanctification in such lovely terms that remind me once again why I love God so much: He loved me first that He GAVE His Son to save me from my sins and offer eternal life.  Grace alone.  No more guilt. No more shame. No more bondage. Free to love, not out of compulsion or obligation, but out of joy, gratitude, and newness.

To explain God's unconditional love in simpler terms, Dr. Chapell has written a beautiful story that we have read to our children called, "I'll Love You Anyway And Always."  In this story, a little girl disobeys her father's instructions to not overwater the orchid plant in the garden, and the plant wilts. The girl fears that her father will not love her anymore because of what she has done. Her father lovingly tells her the Gospel story found throughout the pages of the Bible to her daughter. Later when the girl's brother sins against her, she is able to forgive him and show him she still loves him.  So precious!  Let us never get away from this simple truth about God and His loving attitude towards us, his wayward sons and daughters.

Art and Worship

Last night at our home fellowship, we listened in and watched the 11th session of the Truth Project dealing with the subject of LABOR. When we look at our work from a biblical, God-centered perspective, it brings so much life and creativity to the tasks of six days.  The presenter, Del Tackett, saved an interesting perspective on creative art for the very end of the lesson. In an interview with Makoto Fujimora, this amazing contemporary abstract artist who happens to be a Christian, Mr. Fujimora explained to us the importance of art and of Christians working as artists.
Tonight I found this interview with Mr. Fujimora at patrolmag.com (never heard of this mag before). His intelligence and understanding are very high, so his answers are very deeply thought out and explained, but very abstract (like his artwork).  I particularly resonated with this response to the question:

You speak of “proper worship”—how is the propriety of our worship determined? And, to apply it to art, how is the revelation of something holy evaluated in art?

By “proper worship,” I mean a distinctively Christological way of looking at God, the world and ourselves that is driven by understanding and experiencing God’s grace. I am not merely speaking of liturgical elements, denominations, or traditions. If you follow Tim Keller’s reasoning in Prodigal God, you see that Christ saw the world in grace-filled and extravagantly compassionate ways.

So that means that the enemy of expression is not just waywardness of culture but also legalism of culture, and this often starts at the church. For Christ, we are (and the universe as it pertains to us) the object of affection, his masterpieces. So we need to bring people in to see that we are far more beautiful and transcendent to God as the best of the arts do are to us. But the arts train us, make our hearts and mind more aware, of things excellent and beautiful.

Olana - Matthew Six by Makoto Fujimora

I am inspired. Maybe its time to bring out the brushes again.

I Love Good Theology

As a teenager, I was not mature, but growing up in a good church and with good theology presented to me in confirmation and through my parents helped me to recognize when something was not quite right. I recognized something was not right at a youth camp that I attended with a youth group in high school. The special speaker at the camp gave a week long Bible study on the Blessings of obedience and Curses of disobedience laid out for the people of God, the Israelites, in Deuteronomy 28. The main thesis was, "Obey God and you will be blessed. Disobey God and you will be cursed." Jesus Christ was never mentioned except for perhaps during an altar call to invite people to be saved. At least that much was preached, which is a wonderful conclusion to an otherwise empty message . What should have brought us to realize our totally sinful nature and our utter depravity thus bringing us to the rich mercy offered to us in Christ, was instead a moralistic, hopeless teaching for Christian youth that completely missed the mark.

Yesterday I heard Dr. R.C.Sproul teach on the theme of blessings and curses in the Old Testament and how Jesus took the curse that was due us because of our disobedience. Dr. Sproul explained Galatians 3:13 which states, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree' )" There is a biblical theology that is understood through studying the whole book of the Bible, and can be completely missed through moralistic or legalistic preaching. Without a Christocentric, cross-centered, biblical theology, our "Christianity" has no hope. We will continue to go on living in condemnation and legalism and hopelessness. Let us return to Christ.

I encourage you to listen to this rich teaching and be blessed: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/renewing-your-mind/player/blessing-or-curse-223619.html

All I Have Is Christ

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life --Jordan Kauflin from another favorite Sovereign Grace song

If there is anything good that can come from loss it would be finding joy and fulfillment in Christ alone. I honestly cannot think of a better way of tearing down our idols than having them sovereignly taken away, leaving us to search for something deeper, longer lasting, and eternal. God has brought me to this place over and over again through difficult trials, and though they were extremely painful, I can rejoice over them.

My husband prayed a prayer once that has had eternal impact on us:
Lord, reduce me to Christ.

Were we prepared for the impact that would make on our lives? Jesus is the bread of life. If we have Jesus, we have everything we need. This Christmas season has been especially meaningful to me as I remember the significant gift of a Savior to save us from our sins. Praise God for Immanuel, God is with us.

Take Note

I wish there was an online version of "How To Be Free From Bitterness" by Jim Wilson, published by Community Christian Ministries. This booklet has truly helped me to pray through situations that resulted in feelings of hurt and thus unforgiveness. After reading it a few times, I have gone directly to God in prayer asking for forgiveness for my unforgiveness and bitterness. God has set me free over and over again. Please order it and read it if you are a human being and thus prone to sin in your heart over painful situations resulting in bitterness in your heart. Do as Jesus did, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” I love you, Jesus.

"bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." Colossians 3:13

You can order this booklet through the Community Christian Ministries website. It costs $1.

God bless you.

A Prayer for Sanctification

Dear LORD,

You are the Most Holy God. We praise you this morning and look to You for everything. Lord, make us holy like You are holy. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may be full of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit for Your glory and for building up Your Bride.

We need help to be full of love for You. May we love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. May we love one another. We need help to be cheerful, Lord, when our flesh only feels grumpiness. We want to love You and treasure You more than anything else, so that we may walk in Your goodness and Your glory. With You is the fountain of life, and in Your light we see light. May Your light shine in our lives so that we may honor You and so that we may silence the critics. Thank you that we have the assurance of Your love. Thank you that we are redeemed by Jesus and His precious blood shed on the Cross for our sins. We are reconciled to God because of Jesus' blood that has made propitiation for our sins. We are approved by You, God, because of Jesus. Thank you. We love you. Sanctify us, Lord, for Your name's sake. Be glorified.

Amen.

True Forgiveness

After hearing this sermon today based on Luke 15:11-24, I realized how very weak we as humans are in forgiveness, and how gracious God truly is. In comparing God's relationship with us to one of a father, Jesus told a story about a foolish son who brought shame to his family through wasteful and sinful living. What amazes me is how the father's forgiving heart sought out a restored relationship by a gracious welcoming act even before the son repented. The father ran to him and kissed him. How often we withhold affection and lovingkindness to people because we have been hurt by them or we want to teach them a lesson through our disdain. May we become more like the Father and reach out to loved ones who have hurt us with a willingness to forgive and be gracious to them.

Note: These sermons are free to listen to from Dr. Timothy Keller and they are available on Redeemer's free sermon resources website: http://sermons2.redeemer.com/redeemer-free-sermon-resource. I found these under the heading "What Is The Gospel?" with the subheading "The Prodigal God." There are several sermons in a series on The Prodigal Son story Jesus told. I highly recommend listening to this series.

Words from E.L.Langston

"The devil....is evidently attacking you in your inmost heart, not causing you to doubt so much as causing a spirit of discontent. Fortunately we both know that temptation is not sin, it is yielding to temptation that causes us to sin and I feel that you must count it joy that you are passing through these times of difficulty, for they are sure signs that the Lord is blessing you....

"There is another reason, I think, for the cause of the feeling within us. It comes from the flesh and self-introspection. It is good for us to look at self and know how loathsome it is, but with one look at self we must take ten looks at Christ....

"No one goes to church more than the devil does, and no one appears as an angel of light as he does. We are in the thick of facing powers of darkness who are determined to rob us of Him and rob God of us, and you and I, my brother, have just got to hope in Christ and rely on Him for His Spirit to direct our thoughts, our ways, and our works so that it is not us but Christ in us."

These words were written in a letter to Elisabeth Elliot's father by a missionary to Africa, E.L.Langston, taken from the book "Keep A Quiet Heart" by Elisabeth Elliot.

Silent Protest

Today I removed my Concordia graduation ring from my finger. This is my silent protest against the ELCA's blatant move away from the truth of God's word, and their stubborn ways that would completely ignore God's warning through the tornado in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago. I agree completely with John Piper's article written in response to the ELCA's decisions on human sexuality that contradict God's Holy Word and seeks to reinvent the word into their own crafting. Not that I was surprised. When I went to Concordia 15 years ago, they had already gone off the deep end into the abyss of atheism and liberalism. The denomination seems to have followed their colleges into the abyss themselves. I am probably going to get in trouble for writing all of this down, and being the nice Minnesota girl that I am, it is hard to write it. And the criticism I will receive will be hard to swallow, too, but may the truth ring out! Lord, save us, and come quickly!

Background Music by Elysia

How many of us have the same attitude towards reading the Bible as the Psalmist in 119:162? "I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure." When Jesus was tempted by the Devil to turn stones into bread, He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Mt.4:4 The Scripture was what sustained Jesus Christ--our perfect, divine Savior needed God's word. How much more do we need to search and seek out all that God is saying in His holy word. Or is God's word just background music to us.

Some of us LOVE to hear preachers....I know I love to go to church and listen to great sermons that actually teach God's word. I love to listen to John Piper and J. Vernon McGee along with Jon Courson on the internet. I also love prophecy. When someone speaks a word of knowledge or encouragement or shares a vision, I am so greatly encouraged and edified. But are we actually LIVING what we hear? Are we building our lives on a solid rock by not only hearing Jesus' words, but obeying them. Last week, I read such a striking description of this in Ezekiel 33:30-33:

"As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

"When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."


Do we treat the Word just like lovely music that is pleasant to listen to but never put into practice? How about prophecy? Do we despise prophecies? (1 Thes. 5:19)

Let's seek out the treasure of God's word and by God's grace, LIVE IT.