Rejoicing Always — All by Jesus

 "Our heart shall rejoice in Him."

Psalm 33:21

Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God's countenance; they have a buoyancy about them which keeps their head always above the water, and helps them to sing amid the tempest, "God is with me still." 

To whom shall the glory be given? Oh! to Jesus—it is all by Jesus. Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the believer, but the presence of the Son of God in the fiery furnace with him fills his heart with joy. 

He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold chilly waters of Jordan are gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him, and cries, "Fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death have their fountain-head in heaven; they are not bitter, they are sweet as nectar, for they flow from the throne of God." As the departing saint wades through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail him, the same voice sounds in his ears, "Fear not; I am with thee; be not dismayed; I am thy God." As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown, and is almost affrighted to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, "Fear not, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 

Thus strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; nay, he is even willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength. Truly, the presence of Jesus is all the heaven we desire. He is at once 

"The glory of our brightest days;

The comfort of our nights."

- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning & Evening

5 Steps to Political Epiphany

First off... My apologies for not posting anything for months! I am going to blame it on a combination of laziness and depression.

The latter excuse is not the clinical type. It is definitely situational, given the state of our country and this presidential election cycle.

I had poured my heart and soul into helping Senator Ted Cruz win the GOP nomination, including driving nearly 1700 miles round-trip to Iowa to try to help him win that state's caucus. He won. But in the end, the Hand of Providence worked things out differently than what I had hoped nation-wide.

So I finally shook off my mild indolence and sadness, and I finally came across something that I deemed worthy enough to deserve a new post!

"5 Steps to Political Epiphany"

The word "epiphany" is defined as "a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way." If you have about an hour to kill, the series of short animated videos from Rev. Cary K. Gordon would most likely be well worth your time.

Grab a cup of coffee and a comfy chair, click the link below, and I think you will be entertained... enlightened... and empowered! Do not let anyone tell you that your vote "will be wasted" if you vote for this candidate or that candidate. Let God guide your conscience.

http://stepstopoliticalepiphany.com

Jesus, the Great Scapegoat

 

 

John 19:16

"They took Jesus, and led Him away."

 

He had been all night in agony, He had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, He had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; He had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted Him. They were eager for His blood, and therefore led Him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem's daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also. 

 

What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. 

 

Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce Him guilty; God Himself imputes our sins to Him, "the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all;" "He was made sin for us;" and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon His shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. 

 

Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon His shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether He carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon His head, confessed your sin, and trusted in Him? Then your sin lies ...not ...on ...you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and He bears it on His shoulder as a load heavier than the cross. 

 

 

Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.

 

 

- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, M&E, April 3

The Cords of Death

I confess... Sometimes I doubt. Even as a child, sometimes when I lay my head on my pillow at night, I doubt God... even his very existence. I wonder... What if when you die, you just no longer exist? You are no more? These thoughts rarely creep in these days, now that I am older. But still, occasionally, they do. And since I've debated a few atheists, and read their literature, some of their thinking occasionally becomes mine, and it grieves me. The Bible says to confess our sins, and take every thought captive to the word of God... so that's what I try to do.

Often out of the blue, I send a simple text to my daughters. "I love you, Ellise Virginia." "I love you, Sarah Grace." (My other daughter is somewhat estranged now, per her wish, but that is another story.) Last Tuesday afternoon I did that. Ellise responded shortly thereafter, but Grace did not. She does not keep her phone nearby as Ellise does, since she works.

As I laid down last Tuesday night, around 11pm, for some reason, those awful thoughts returned. As usual, I curled up in the fetal position, hoping the thoughts would go away, and I would just fall asleep. But this time, I thought... I guess I should pray.

I rolled over on my back, looked at the darkened ceiling in my airport sleep room, closed my eyes, and began to cry and pray:

"Dear God... You know all my thoughts. You know my fears. Sometimes I don't much like myself... but I love living.... even with all life's trials, disappointments, and failures. I do not want to die. I want to live. I love life... 

... I love my daughters..."

At that very moment, my cell phone vibrated with a text message. It was from my daughter Grace, with this simple reply: 

"Love you too!"

I laughed a little. I cried a little more. And I thanked God for his gracious Providence! The fears fled, and I soon fell asleep.

The Psalmist says:

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 

the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 

In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

 - Psalm 18:4-6

Just wanted to confess... and share. :)

Called To Be Holy

"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth."
- Deuteronomy 7:6

"Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."
- 2 Timothy 2:20-21

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.' And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
- 1 Peter 1:13-21


I have always been one to make at least one or two new year's resolutions. As a Christian, I believe it would be wise to look to God's Word to see what kind of resolutions would be blessed by the Lord, for without Him, we can do nothing.

My new year's resolution for 2016? I want to be holy in all my conduct, for His glory.

Will you join me?

Convention of States

Do you believe the federal government has too much power? Do you agree the national debt is out of control? Are you convinced Washington will never reign in itself?

As a District Captain (TN Legislative District 63) for Convention of States, I urge ALL to sign the petition to call for an Article V convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution. Our goal is to "...[restore] constitutional republicanism and [preserve] the civil society from the growing authoritarianism of a federal Leviathon" (Mark Levin, THE LIBERTY AMENDMENTS).

I believe THIS is our best hope and last civil recourse!

You can sign the petition here:
SIGN PETITION

This is how it WILL work!

Never to Wander More

"My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him."
Song of Solomon 5:4

Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and ungrateful to arise and open the door, but the touch of his effectual grace has made my soul bestir itself. Oh, the longsuffering of my Beloved, to tarry when he found himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of sloth! Oh, the greatness of his patience, to knock and knock again, and to add his voice to his knockings, beseeching me to open to him! How could I have refused him! Base heart, blush and be confounded! But what greatest kindness of all is this, that he becomes his own porter and unbars the door himself. Thrice blessed is the hand which condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now I see that nothing but my Lord's own power can save such a naughty mass of wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, even the gospel has no effect upon me, till his hand is stretched out. Now, also, I perceive that his hand is good where all else is unsuccessful, he can open when nothing else will. Blessed be his name, I feel his gracious presence even now. Well may my bowels move for him, when I think of all that he has suffered for me, and of my ungenerous return. I have allowed my affections to wander. I have set up rivals. I have grieved him. Sweetest and dearest of all beloveds, I have treated thee as an unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can I do? Tears are a poor show of my repentance, my whole heart boils with indignation at myself. Wretch that I am, to treat my Lord, my All in All, my exceeding great joy, as though he were a stranger. Jesus, thou forgivest freely, but this is not enough, prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to thyself, never to wander more.