Wednesday, January 28, 2009

One Rule ~ Well Observed ....

“One rule, well observed, will make all other rules superfluous: let prayer be uttered as in the very presence of God – poured into his ear as from a miserable sinner who deserves his wrath, but to whom for Christ’s sake he extends his infinite mercy.” (William G. Blaikie’s For the Work of the Ministry, pg. 177)

How often do we forget God's very Presence in our lives? Prayer becomes rote, we do it with the intent of our hearts but do we pray in the mind set of being in His Presence? We set at the foot of the Cross, pour out our hearts in praise, thanksgiving and requests, but are we humbled in being in His presence?

I work as a CNA in a retirement home and recently lost a resident on my shift. I work the 10:30pm to 7am shift and the person passed on around 3am. It is a thing for workers in a nursing home to open a window and allow the spirit of the deceased to depart. As a Christian I find this disturbing. I did not do it and the daylight shift about had a fit. Oh well!!! ....

The person had no family only a POA and her daughter there with the resident during the last hours on this earth. I have peace that I gave the resident the best possible care I could. During the night hours as I took care of the resident I talked to this person and prayed aloud for them. I knew the person was a Christian. This, too, brought about a peace I had for this resident. After the person passed on the POA talked some about the life of this person. I got a glimpse into more of the personal aspect since the resident could not speak well theirself. The POA was becoming distraught and I asked her if she was a Christian, she stated she was and I said to her then you do realize that at the very moment the resident took their last breath that they was in the presence of Jesus? Through tear filled eyes she looked at me and said she did not think of the passing in that way, she was too distracted by her loss. We all have been there and react differently to death. One minute here on earth and the next in the presence of the Almighty!!! When an unsaved person passes on I am heartsick for the soul of the person. Hell and torment is their lot. I am at a loss of words to the family and friends. I am sorry for the loss and have deep sympathy and share that but I can not share the joy of Christ with them, I can not share with them the glory in death.

We often hear people stating they don't want to die alone. As a Christian we are never alone, there is always the Three with us. I appreciate my prayer time in His Presence. Let you not forget He is there with you during your time in prayer ... and always ...

"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Cor.15:54,55 ESV"
~~~~~~

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Rev. 7:13-17 ESV

~~~~~
Blessings,
Pam <><

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Logan, The Sky Angel Cowboy ....

words of wisdom from one so young ...



We make the Gospel so difficult when here it is just plain and simple ...

Blessings,
Pam

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Re-visit ~~ The Power of Words & The Wonder of God ...

Previously I had written this on 9/28/08 and since this is the New Year and resolutions resound let's re-resolution this one for the new year 2009! ~~

In his talk tonight at the DG conference Sinclair Ferguson suggested 20 resolutions from the book of James--given Jonathan-Edwards style--that we need to make if we are to live a God-centered, biblical life:

James 1:5 To ask God for wisdom to speak and with a single mind
James 1:9-10 To boast only in exaltation in Christ, & humiliation in world
James 1:13 To set a watch over my mouth
James 1:19 To be constantly quick to hear, slow to speak
James 2:1-4 To learn the gospel way of speaking to poor and the rich
James 2:12 To speak always in the consciousness of the final judgment
James 2:16 To never stand on anyone’s face with my words
James 3:14 To never claim as reality something I do not experience
James 4:1 To resist quarrelsome words in order to mortify a quarrelsome heart
James 4:11 To never speak evil of another
James 4:13 To never boast in what I will accomplish
James 4:15 To always speak as one subject to the providences of God
James 5:9 To never grumble, knowing that the Judge is at the door
James 5:12 To never allow anything but total integrity in my speech
James 5:13 To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer
James 5:14 To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful
James 5:14 To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick
James 5:15 To confess it freely whenever I have failed
James 5:15 To pray with and for one another when I am together with others
James 5:19 To speak words of restoration when I see another wander

John Piper says this: "This is one of the most unusual conferences we have ever conceived. My expectations are very high that its effect will be mind-sharpening, heart-humbling, mouth-seasoning, backbone-strengthening, and Christ-acclaiming."

These last 16 words of his are worth writing in my Bible, too - they are the effect that the Word of God has on my life.

Here is another wake up call by Paul Tripp ... "Diagnosis & Deliverance in This Deadly War of Words."


Blessings!
Pam <><

~~Ancient Words, Fresh and New ~~

M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan

My church has us reading the Bible using M'Cheyne's one-year Bible reading plan. Here's a little bit about it if you are not familiar with it.

M'Cheyne will have you reading:
  • the NT twice,
  • the Psalms twice, and
  • the rest of the OT once.
The plan begins with the four great beginnings or "births" of Scripture: Genesis 1 (beginning of the world), Ezra 1 (rebirth of Israel after her return from Babylonian exile), Matthew 1 (birth of the Messiah), Acts 1 (birth of the body of Christ).

Also available is D.A. Carson's For the Love of God (vol. 1 and vol. 2 are available--vols. 3 and 4 are forthcoming). Carson's introduction and preface--which includes a layout of the M'Cheyne calendar--you can find them available here for free online.

Robert M'Cheyne loved to sing the Scottish Metrical Psalms and mentions this in the introduction to his Bible Reading Calendar.

There's an on-line version of The Scottish Metrical Psalter on the web-site of Still Waters Revival Books
Look at the following page - http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/Psalter0.htm
Also they have some related music stuff on this page - http://www.swrb.com/music/psalm.htm

The Trinitarian Bible Society publish an ecclesiastical edition of the Metrical Psalms.

Lists of Psalters in various languages found at - http://members.aol.com/Puritanone/needps.html

You may also be interested in ......
The Genevan Psalter (with some MIDIs) - http://www.redeemer.on.ca/academics/polisci/psalter.html

It was in 1832 through reading The Sum of Saving Knowledge, generally appended to the Westminister Confession of Faith, that brought M'Cheyne to a clear understanding of the way of acceptance with God. Two years later he recorded in his diary, "Read in The Sum of Saving Knowledge, the work which I think first wrought a saving change in me. How gladly would I renew the reading of it, if that change might be carried on to perfection!"

I would also recommend along with the reading of your Bible, the Westminster Confession of Faith without a doubt! Never have I read/studied anything beside the Word of God such as this. Anymore I struggle having to pay for Bible Studies on the market today when this is available and written by such profound men. It is stout, I tell you, Stout!!

I am also reading "365 Days with Calvin" by Joel R. Beeke.

The sun is starting to fade on this very first day of the year 2009. Have YOU read your Bible or spent time at the foot of the cross? One of my favorite hymns is Ancient Words. Everytime I hear it my heart swells as my thoughts travel thru the Bible and what it means to me. May the Ancient Words become fresh and new to you, guiding you home, changing your heart, heed these words and hold them dear as they do resound with God's own heart.

ANCIENT WORDS
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
O let the ancient words impart
Words of life, words of hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home
Chorus:
Ancient words, ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
O let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
O heed the faithful words of Christ!
(The original lyric is "word of Christ", as I was referencing Col. 3:16)
Martyrs' blood stains each page
They have died for this faith
Hear them cry through the years,
"Heed these words and hold them dear!"

Walk in the Word and under the Word in this year of 2009.

God Bless you and yours!

Pam <><
1Tim. 1:15-17 NKJV