A Song and a Prayer

This song by Fernando Ortega has long been a favorite of mine. I first heard it back in the mid-90's and remember being struck by the simple beauty of it. It quickly became the cry of my heart.

1 Peter 1:13-16 says:

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.” 

This song is a prayer to be more like Jesus, to be more holy. By His grace, He will do that work in our hearts and lives by the power of His Spirit. What a beautiful song to sing and offer as a prayer to our Great Savior and our Glorious God. May we ever be growing more and more like our beautiful Jesus. May He grow more precious to us day by day.

Trusting in Jesus

One night i had been reflecting on The End, what it means to stand before Holy God... on and on. I think you get it. I can get a bit unnerved at times when thinking about it.

The next morning after my alarm went off, this song came on that had encouraged me so many other times before. How sweet and tender of my heavenly Father to orchestrate it to play that morning. I was, once again, put at complete peace, being able to completely trust in Jesus when that Day comes.

Rough and Heavy Crosses

At the end of November I mentioned that we would be considering what it means to take up our cross, and follow in the steps of Christ. You can find the post here. This is the quote that started me thinking:

"Our Christianity loves its ease and comforts too well to take up anything so rough and heavy as a cross. And yet, what does Jesus mean? What is it to walk in His steps?"               ~Charles Sheldon, In His Steps pg. 189 

I have been thinking about this for a long time now. Finally, i am able to get some thoughts down! I understand that each of us have different "crosses" that we carry, yet we also share many that are similar. Many of us,if not all, have walked through the loss of a loved one, and all the situations surrounding that. We have to grieve the physical loss. Most have struggled in relationships with others. Some have parental relationships that are difficult and/or strained. We deal with sadness. We wonder what God wants us to do next? He has possibly burdened your heart for a land you may never get to go to. We walk through difficulties with our children, our spouses, our friends. So, while we all have different crosses, we all also have many that are the same.

I have learned that, though the pain of the cross is hard, the suffering seems unbearable at times, that God is using these things in my life to transform me to the image of His Son.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Romans 8:28-29 bold mine

 Anytime i am tempted to cry out "Why, God?" i think of Christ dying in my place: bearing my cross, drinking down to the dregs the full cup of the wrath of God for me. I think of Christ being forsaken by God on that cross, so that i would never have to be. I think of all the sorrows that Jesus bore as He walked this dusty land: abandonment, death of loved ones, rejection, betrayal, grief over the effects of sin, sorrow over Jerusalem... I think of how God placed upon His precious Son the sins that i have committed, that i continue to commit, and that i will commit in the future.  And i realize that any cross that God puts in my path pales in comparison to what my Lord Jesus suffered. It is through suffering that we draw nearer to God, and grow in ways that we wouldn't otherwise be able to.

No matter what the cross is you are facing, be strengthened by looking up to your faithful High Priest, who is ever living to make intercession for you, and who was both the sacrifice and the One offering the sacrifice for you. Fix your gaze on Christ. Pick up your cross, and follow Him. The One who is transforming you from glory to glory.

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.         Hebrews 4:14-16

 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save [i]forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. Hebrews 7:24-27

We do not suffer alone. There is One who has gone before us. Also, God has provided His people as a source of comfort, encouragement, correction, and help when we carrying a particularly heavy cross. Lean in to His excellent Word. Lean in to your circle of friends. Lean in to your local church for godly counsel and help if needed. Most importantly, lean in to the sufferings of Jesus, and there find hope for your soul.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:2-5

Forgiven.

I heard this today and was just so grateful for the forgiveness that has been extended to me in Christ.

We Have Found Him !!

The following entry is from Opened Treasures. It is a gathering of portions of Frances Ridley Havergal's writings in a daily devotional format.

COME AND SEE

Come and see. John 1:39

The Lord Jesus said it first. He said it to the two disciples of John who heard that He was the Lamb of God. They knew very little about Him, but they followed Him. Perhaps they would not even have ventured to speak, but, "Jesus turned, and saw them following," and spoke to them.The they asked Him where He dwelt, and He said, "Come and see!" Philip said it next. He had found Christ himself, and at once he told his friend Nathanael about it, "Come and see!" Is it not said still? Oh, "come and see!" Look into the Saviour's glorious and loving face, and see how ready He is to receive you, and to bless you. Come and see what He has done for you; see how He loved you and gave Himself for you; how He lived and suffered and bled and died for you ! Come and see what gifts He has for you - forgiveness and peace, His Spirit and His grace, His joy and His love ! Come and see where He dwelleth - see that He is ready to come in and dwell with you, to make your heart His own dwelling-place. Oh, if I could but persuade you to "come and see!" There is no other sight so glorious and beautiful. Will you not come? When you have come, when you can say, like Philip, "We have found Him!" and like Paul, "We see Jesus," will you not say to someone else, "Come and see!" You will wish every one else to come to Him, and you have His word to bid you try to bring them: "Let him that heareth say, Come!"

Hush! while on silvery wing of holiest song

Floats forth the old, dear story of our peace,

His coming, the Desire of Ages long,

To wear our chains, and win our glad release.

Our wondering joy, to hear such tidings blest

Is crowned with "Come to Him, and He will give you rest." 

~Frances Ridley Havergal

Love WHO?

One of Jesus' most difficult teachings is for us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-47).

um. yeah.

like trying to swallow a watermelon...whole.

but it must be possible.

it has to be.

not in our own strength.

but through the power of the Holy Spirit.

absolutely dependent upon Jesus Christ.

May His strength be made perfect in our weakness.

May He be glorified as we do the hard work, in His strength.

The Source of True Delight

What is the source of true delight? Might i suggest that it is found in redemption?! 

Christ dying a brutal death.

for me.

for you

paying the price for me,

and you.

bearing the wrath of God

in my place, 

in your place.

Rising from the dead as proof of pardon completed

for me,

for you.

Ascending to heaven to prepare a place

for me, 

for you.

Redeemed. 

This, Thou Lovely Source of True Delight.

This was written by Anne Steele (1716-1778); this arrangement by K. Twit

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

Thou lovely source of true delight
Whom I unseen adore
Unveil Thy beauties to my sight
That I might love Thee more,
Oh that I might love Thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines
But in Thy sacred Word
I read in fairer, brighter lines
My bleeding, dying Lord,
See my bleeding, dying Lord

’Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop
And sin and sorrow rise
Thy love with cheering beams of hope
My fainting heart supplies,
My fainting heart’s supplied

But ah! Too soon the pleasing scene
Is clouded o’er with pain
My gloomy fears rise dark between
And I again complain,
Oh and I again complain

Jesus, my Lord, my life, my light
Oh come with blissful ray
Break radiant through the shades of night
And chase my fears away,
Won’t You chase my fears away

Then shall my soul with rapture trace
The wonders of Thy love
But the full glories of Thy face
Are only known above,
They are only known above

©1998 Kevin Twit Music.

Turning My Eyes

Thought i would walk through this simple chorus  :-)

Turn Your Eyes ~ Nichole Nordeman ( <--- click to listen)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Take your eyes off of anything else. Completely turn your eyes. Not just a bit. Not for just a moment. But completely, steadfastly, resolutely, fix your eyes on Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face
definitions from dictionary.com (except for His) ~ 
Look: To turn one's eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see.
Full: Exactly or directly.
In: Used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits.
His: the great I AM
Wonderful: excellent; great; marvelous.
Face: The front part of the head.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!
As we turn our eyes toward Jesus Christ, all of the cares and worries here are put in perspective. As we turn our eyes to His excellent Word, we are reminded that this world is truly not our home. As we read and meditate on the Bible, we realize that the hooks of materialism and self-love loosen their grip. We see that it is truly ALL.ABOUT.HIM. all we do. all we say. all we are, to His glory.
When the things of earth, those things that we have set our affections on higher than Christ, grow dim, we can walk in freedom. The freedom given to us in Christ.

We start to see things from His perspective.
We love, because we finally see how He has loved us.
We give, because we finally see how much we have been given.
We forgive, because we know the depths of our own depravity, and how very much we have been forgiven by God in Christ.

We can simply be, because we know that our very breath is given to us by Him.

Victory

pic taken with flash

February 25-26, 2011 marks the weekend that i was given this beautiful glass piece by a sweet friend. I attended a conference (i am not a conf. junkie, so it was a rare event for me) put on by a church in Hudson, WI. There were two beautiful women, Carla and Kristi, who talked to me about it, friends on facebook and through the bloggy-world. At this conference i would get to meet them for the first time, and what a meeting it was! When i was given this sun-catcher, made by Kristi, i was floored. The conference hadn't even started yet, and i was in tears. I went to that place broken crushed and undone. My life was a mess. It was literally my last effort at keeping my life together.  These women knew what had been happening, and i believe they prayed me there! Kristi handed me the package, and simply said, "Victory". Little did i know just how much victory would be mine as a result of the Word of God sung by Sara Groves, the Word of God taught by Susie Larson, and the prayers of so many on my behalf. That weekend literally changed my life. God restored me, emotionally and spiritually. I left that place Saturday afternoon a different person... i was FREE. I had HOPE. God had brought about VICTORY.  I am celebrating the awesome work God did then, and continues to do now.

Things did not magically get better in my life. I still had difficulties to walk and work through, but i knew i was no longer alone. I knew that God had a purpose for me. I knew that God was carrying me tenderly in His amazing arms.

This past autumn and winter have been difficult in many ways, including the death of my earthly dad, Ben, on January 25th. Through it all, i have learned to lean in closer to my God, to my Jesus. I have learned to focus on Christ...to keep my eyes fixed on Christ. I have learned to praise Him in the midst of some of the deepest pain i have gone through in my life, for He is worthy. I have learned to allow myself to be loved. Loved by God in Christ, and loved by others. Love without fear.

I have learned to do battle from a place of victory, as the enemy is defeated in the end.

All in all, that one little word, spoken almost 2 years ago now, has changed me. It has become my reality. VICTORY.... IN JESUS!  Victory..... in the cross of Christ. VICTORY!

This precious gift hangs in my kitchen window. It is stunning as it catches the light, and makes little rainbows in my kitchen. And when i see it...it reminds me of all that God has freed me from,  and of all the promises of God that are mine in Christ.

Thank you, Kristi, for such a precious gift in that one word, and for the physical reminder of it.  

w/o flash

**There are many who have prayed with/for me through the years... thank you to all of you. God is faithful.