Spiritual Formation or Spiritual Adultery?

I know I am going to be tramping on some toes today but I have to do it. This has hit home so to speak in that the teachings are in my area churches, schools ... dear friends from here are falling into this ... Alpha Courses are taught ... we have to be Bereans and discern these teachings. Spiritual Formation is coming to a place near YOU ... and it is hitting the public schools --

If you have a child in either a public or private school, please contact the school immediately and find out if your child is being introduced to any type of meditation exercise (this includes lectio divina and breath prayers). Tell the school you do not want your child participating in any of these activities. This would include Rob Bell's popular Nooma films and his book Velvet Elvis, which are both being used in Christian junior high and high schools. The following June 16th news story from The New York Times illustrates how serious this matter is. The New Age is overtaking our society. Children are the newest target! This is not only affecting children in public schools. Through the contemplative prayer movement (i.e., spiritual formation) and the emerging church, children and teens in Christian schools are also being introduced to meditation. A whole generation is being taught how to enter dangerous demonic realms through practicing mantra meditation! See our links below for more information on children and meditation.

The New York Times "Focus on Quieting the Mind" by Patricia Leigh Brown OAKLAND, Calif., June 12 - The lesson began with the striking of a Tibetan singing bowl to induce mindful awareness. With the sound of their new school bell, the fifth graders at Piedmont Avenue Elementary School here closed their eyes and focused on their breathing, as they tried to imagine "loving kindness" on the playground. "I was losing at baseball and I was about to throw a bat," Alex Menton, 11, reported to his classmates the next day. "The mindfulness really helped." As summer looms, students at dozens of schools across the country are trying hard to be in the present moment. This is what is known as mindfulness training, in which stress-reducing techniques drawn from Buddhist meditation are wedged between reading and spelling tests. Click here to read the rest of this news article.

Related Research: Focus on the Family's Adventures in Odyssey - Promoting Contemplative? Yoga for children (in public school, that is) Christianity Today: Contemplative for Children Jesus Camp, Film Reveals the Mystical and the Militant, Not Biblical Christianity NOTICE TO PARENTS: Christian Schools Introducing Teens to Mysticism Proponent Ancient Wisdom for Babies For more information on how the New Age is coming into schools, read For Many Shall Come in My Name. If you know a school administrator or teacher that would be willing to read this book, contact us, and we will send him or her a free copy.

From the Editors at Lighthouse Trails Research Project

Spiritual Formation or Spiritual Adultery?

Today, in this postmodern church era, we are being offered a potpourri of sensual experiences in new forms of worship and reviving old forms of contemplative spirituality with the promise of a deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus, but is this really the same Christ or the same Spirit or even the same Gospel? Why is this so strange to our sensibilities and how could this possibly happen in the churches today? And yet this is becoming an ever widening practice that has seduced many to open up their lives to a type of spirituality that is not only unbiblical, but has its beginnings in the occult. We don't even recognize the subtleties of the error which we are being fed to be able to discern the truth and we do not even know we have been seduced into a relationship with another spirit or another Christ, deadened to the voice of the Holy Spirit, leading us into spiritual adultery.

1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (Emphasis mine)

Jeremiah 3:1-3

¹They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

²Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.

³Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. (Emphasis mine)

I have been researching the trends in the postmodern church era and I keep coming across the term, spiritual formation. So I spent a few days reading through many web sites, papers, articles and monograms about the subject. I found that for many years, within Christian circles, the term Spiritual Formation has been defined as a shaping process that begins when one becomes a new believer in Christ, as He takes our life, like a piece of clay, and begins to mold it into the image of Himself, through the process of discipleship. This molding and shaping is based upon our willingness to surrender ourselves completely to His hand and will for us. As we deny ourselves and daily take up the cross, He is free to form us into His image.

All sounded well and good until I started reading through some articles discussing the disciplines listed for spiritual formation which included references to contemplative, Psychological and Eastern religious techniques, all in the attempt at a deeper relationship to God in Jesus Christ but through occult means. This can and does open doors to experiences that are more than just imagination but are real and very dangerous if we practice these techniques; we then come into contact with other spirits thinking that we are meeting God.

One of the directors of spiritual formation that deals directly with this issue is Evan Howard. In his article, "Three Temptations of Spiritual Formation," he gives us a picture of the many practices that mainline Christianity have been introduced:

Exploring spiritual formation in mainline churches often means experimenting with a wide range of spiritual and psychological practices. Mainline retreats often draw on themes from medieval mystics, and have workshops on the Labyrinth (a maze people walk through for enlightenment) or the Enneagram (a temperament schema with spiritual dimensions and Sufi roots). Some directors encourage various Buddhist practices to help us get in touch with our spiritual dimension. These practices are intended to expand our understanding of what it means to relate to God. (Emphasis mine)

Though he does not promote these techniques, he also does not warn of their dangers but includes them as ways that open up doors of personal discovery:

I have nothing against self-discovery, or even using broad-ranging interpretive frameworks like mandalas to assist self-discovery. But sooner or later, we must realize that Christian spiritual formation is the process by which believers become more fully conformed and united to Christ. The source of transformation is the Spirit of Christ. Spiritual formation develops primarily in the context of a relationship with Christ. The aim of formation is conformity to and union with Christ. While other traditions may provide helpful and legitimate insights into human "integration," they do not (indeed they cannot) express what conformity to or union with Christ involves. (Emphasis mine)

I have to at least credit Evan that he does eventually turn our eyes to the only one who can work true spiritual formation, Jesus Christ, but he still leaves the door wide open to experimenting with Eastern meditative traditions and occult techniques that will empower us by another spirit, another Christ and render us impotent regarding the power of God working in our lives.

Richard J. Foster, another director of spiritual formation, speaks of the disciplines necessary to spiritual formation in his article, 'Spiritual Formation: A Pastoral Letter':

Frankly, no Spiritual Disciplines, no Spiritual Formation. The Disciplines are the God-ordained means by which each of us is enabled to bring the little, individualized power pack we all possess—we call it the human body—and place it before God as “a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). It is the way we go about training in the spiritual life. By means of this process we become, through time and experience, the kind of person who lives naturally and freely in “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23).

What are these Spiritual Disciplines I am speaking of? Oh, they are many and varied: fasting and prayer, study and service, submission and solitude, confession and worship, meditation and silence, simplicity, frugality, secrecy, sacrifice, celebration, and the like. The commonly identified public religious activities are important to be sure, but the less commonly practiced activities like solitude and silence and meditation and fasting and submission to the will of others as appropriate are in fact more foundational for Spiritual Formation. All Disciplines should be thoughtfully and resolutely approached for the purpose of forming the life into Christlikeness, or they will have little or no effect in promoting this life. (Emphasis mine)

It is commendable that Richard gives us the basis for spiritual formation through the practice of the disciplines he encourages, but Richard J. Foster has and does promote contemplative spirituality which includes centering and mantra prayer, the silence and breathe prayer (All of these are Eastern religious techniques). These are not neutral religious practices that help one to grow spiritually but are an attempt to blend occultism with Christianity which is clearly not biblical and is not true spiritual formation but spiritual adultery.

This is a trend that has no restraints other than using our ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from error. We are responsible for our own deception; we open the flood gates through a desire to touch the supernatural in our journey for a greater spiritual experience without understanding the warnings given to us throughout the Scriptures. When we seek spiritual formation or transformation using techniques and practices other than those specifically found in the bible, God's word, by incorporating worldly wisdom, pagan rituals, occult practices in the guise of Christian spirituality, we are committing spiritual adultery in God's sight. In our quest for the perfect (His perfect will for our lives through the Holy Spirit and the Word), we settle for the profane (An unacceptable offering of prayer and worship to God by seeking after another Christ, another Spirit, another Gospel). One of Paul's warnings to the Corinthians speaks concerning the deceptions of his day as others tried to bring things into the relationship with Christ that were of course spiritual but in the end could only lead to death:

2 Corinthians 11

¹Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

²For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

⁴For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

⁵For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

⁶But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

⁷Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

⁹And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

¹¹Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (Emphasis mine)

We are surely living in a time where many of the brethren are departing from the truth of God's word for the lies of a false spirituality. How can we knowingly enter into a relationship with another that is not Christ? And if you do desire to know the real why do you settle for the counterfeit? Over the centuries there have been many attempts to draw the brethren away from a walk by faith into a walk by sensory experiences and emotions (sensuality) and we still fall for the trap laid for us by the ultimate deceiver himself, Satan, who will give us the very thing we desire. True spiritual formation happens as a result of walking by faith in God, and not by sight (or our senses).

I quote from Ray Yungen's book, 'A Time of Departing,' from page 136:

"Jesus Christ has called His church to be sanctified (set apart for holy purposes), Spirit-filled (consumed with His presence), surrendered (to Him alone), and willing to suffer (for the sake of righteousness). The world is going to offer many spiritual experiences while we quickly move toward a time where the masses will conform to a universal spirituality that proclaims the oneness of all things. This global spirituality could be the platform that ushers in the False Messiah. Knowing this, let us take the warnings about false teaching seriously and call upon God's grace and mercy for discerning hearts and minds."

In the end, are you going to settle for that which is not of God, even for the chance of gaining spiritual enlightenment or receiving power in your lives. Adultery is not to be taken lightly in our eyes and it is not taken lightly in God's eyes. If you read again through Jeremiah 3, you will see and understand God's heart toward His people and read again 2 Corinthian 11:2, we see His jealousy for us to walk in a pure and simple devotion to Him, in Jesus Christ.

For more information on the subject of Spiritual Adultery, please go to this website: Spiritual Adultery Bible Studies Series

To better understand that contemplative prayer is not biblical practice, please read this article by Marcia Montenegro: Meditation and Psalm 46:10

Also read this article by Ray Yungen concerning Richard J. Foster and Eastern mysticism: Richard Foster: Promoting Eastern Mysticism By Proxy

Ray Yungen's book, 'A Time of Departing' can be purchased at the following website: Lighthouse Trails Publishing Company

Steve Muse, Eastern Regional Watch

http://www.erwm.com

New Blog Start ....

I want to share with you my new blog addition! I have decided to keep my postings on home and hearth at "Cottage at Cabbage Creek" separate from my "a rustling of leaves ..." thoughts and musings on the Christian Life. Please peruse them both. I think you will find them both thought provoking and enjoyable! I chose the name "Cottage at Cabbage Creek" because of the many years while growing up that I spent playing in Cabbage Creek which flowed thru the property of my Grandma Anna and Pap Fred's home. Pleasant, enjoyable years with many warm memories. The home is now owned by a young couple newly married with a babe on the way! Children will again be running the stairs of this home and that brings a joy to my heart! I drive past this home when I go to my Mom's. The young woman has brought life back into the home. There are lights around the door with a grape vine twine. Candle lights in the windows, a garden has taken up residence in a corner that invites you in for a closer look. She decorates with the seasons ... something my Gram always did and we continued to do for her till she had to sell her home and move in with Mom. And, she has put up a porch swing!!! Joy of joys! I remember the swing my grandparents used to have hanging there, along with a metal glider. Only thing missing is the green striped canvas awning Pap used to always put up in the spring and take down in the fall. Mom had planted a three color Butterfly bush in the corner near the drive way and it is still blooming away. So stayed tuned for my memories of life at a dear home along Cabbage Creek.

Election - Think About It ....

The motive for the salvation of the human race is to be found
in the breast of God, and not in the character or condition of man.

Two races have revolted against God-the one angelic, the other human.

When a part of this angelic race revolted against the Most High,
justice speedily overtook them; they were swept from their
starry seats in heaven, and henceforth they have been reserved
in darkness unto the great day of the wrath of God.

No mercy was ever presented to them, no sacrifice ever offered
for them; but they were without hope and mercy, forever consigned
to the pit of eternal torment.

The human race, far inferior in order of intelligence, sinned
as atrociously.

However, the God who in His infinite justice passed over angels,
and forced them forever to expiate their offences in the fires of hell,
was pleased to look down on man.

Here was election on a grand scale-- the election of manhood,
and the reprobation of fallen angelhood!

Had you and I been put upon the choice of which should have
been spared, I do think it probable we should have chosen that
fallen angels should have been saved. Are they not the brightest?
Have they not the greatest mental strength? If they had been
redeemed, would it not have glorified God more, as we judge,
than the salvation of worms like ourselves?

Those bright beings- Lucifer, son of the morning, and those
stars that walked in his train- if they had been washed in His
redeeming blood, if they had been saved by sovereign mercy,
what a song would they have lifted up to the Most High and everlasting God!

But God, who does as He wills with His own, and gives no account
of His matters, but who deals with His creatures as the potter deals
with his clay, took not upon Him the nature of angels, but took upon
Him the seed of Abraham, and chose 'sinful men' to be the vessels of His mercy.

God sees us-- abandoned, evil, wicked, and deserving His wrath;
if He saves us, it is His boundless, fathomless love that leads Him
to do it- nothing whatever in us.

- C.H. Spurgeon

Psalm 65:4 NKJV --

4 Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.

Pastor Brown preached on this verse Sunday and the Spurgeon quotes
I remembered came back to me. When you read this Psalm how can
you think otherwise? How in your audacity can you stand before a
Holy, Wholly God and tell Him ... "I chose You!" ?? ((When you will
be on your face praising and thanking Him for choosing you.)) Read
it again ... Blessed is the man You (LORD God Almighty!) CHOOSE,
and CAUSE (remember my previous post on the word 'drag' in
Matt. 6:44) to approach You. Oh, thank you Lord for loving me
so much that You elected me unto salvation, You chose me, the
wretch that I am, You chose me! A gift of glory and grace.
Thank you for allowing me to dwell in Your courts for eternity,
that I shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
of Your holy temple. We should all be on our face's more ....

Who exactly are we to pray for? ...

Our Enemies ... Luke 6:28
Our Friends ... James 5:16
Our Families ... 2 Sam. 7:17
Ourselves ... Ps. 50:1
Our Fellow-men ... 1 Tim. 2:1
Our Fellow-workers in Christ ... 2 Thess. 3:1
Our Fellow-members in the Church ... Eph. 6:18

Matthew Henry said ...
"Prayers of faith are filed in Heaven;
and, although not presently answered
are not forgotten.
Prayer made when we are young,
and coming into the world,
may be answered when we are old,
and going out of the world."

A prayer I often prayed for my sons ...

"Lord, make my children like Peter.
They are human and they are weak,
but Father, make them useable.
Give them a ready knowledge of the Bible,
let them offer the hope of the Gospel to a hurting world,
and let them always seek to point the way to you
rather than try to gain glory for themselves.
Fill them with the Holy Spirit, give them courage
to stand firm in the face of peer pressure
and negative influences, and cause them
to love You, to fear You, and to obey You
more than they love, fear or obey any human being.
In Jesus name, Amen!"

(Peter -- knew scripture, used scripture, was usable,
teachable, accepted correction and learned from it.)

I picked out character's from the Bible and listed their
strengths and then used these lists for my prayers for them:
Paul - boldness, never ashamed, powerful
Esther - courage, an interceder on behalf of others
King David - passion, wholehearted devotion to God
Stephen - spiritual sensitivity, full of wisdom, grace & power
Noah - willing to go-out-on-a-limb for God, faithful
Abraham - obedience, no matter the cost
Daniel - moral purity, no-compromise
Ruth - loyalty, integrity

These are pages from my Prayer Notebooks. I have been going back thru them from when the boys were small and in school.

Pretty Little Butterfly ...

Pretty little butterfly,
traveling the azure sky,
see it's dainty wings unfold
touched with diamond dust and gold.

Coat of yellow, crimson, green,
black and white with silver sheen,
like as if in wonderland
painted by a fairies hand.

Round the flowers and the trees,
like a blossom in the breeze.
Zig, zag coursing up and down,
robed in nature's richest gown.

Chorus:
Clad in color of a rainbow fair,
showing beauty ever rich and rare,
brightly flittering through the sungilt air,
the pretty butterfly.

Taken from Gram's composition book

Books, Books, and more books, oh my! ....

There's a treasure to be had!

(If you are the lucky one)

All you book addict's out there
lay aside your book and set your attention here!

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!

I've stumbled upon the possibility of a chance to win
a Library of Theology Books worth $$$$$ !!!!!!

Oh, settle and contain thyself ...
of course I am going to share the info!!!!

http://www.kevinstilley.com/2007/03/thousands-of-dollars-in-free-books.html

Pop on over and check it out ...

Be warned ...
you might dream about it tonight ...
I am already planning my Library addition
to my home ... mahogany woodwork, leather chairs,
fireplace, a picture of Thirsty Theologian,
(that is him, isn't it?)
a stuffed kitty cat, I have the dogs,
a huge desk, one of those alien-looking computer's,
a small hidden bathroom behind
a revolving bookcase with an Ipod player toliet
paper holder (I just seen this on a bathroom
make-over on TV), one of those green lamps
with the pull chain - yes Mom, I want yours!,
a world-globe so I seem well traveled,
I already have a bear rug coming, (honest!)
((my son shot a bear in Colorado
last fall - 7 1/2 foot, 600 +lbs. we
are anxiously awaiting the rug from the taxidermist)),
I have the deer mount, 30 lb. turkey mount,
my Dad's gun cabinet,
my guns, a leather wing-back desk chair that
vibrates and massages and
of course I will have to hire someone
to come and smoke a pipe occasionally
...... hmmmmmmm what did I forget ...
oh yeah ... the Do Not Disturb sign!


"What shall I do with my books?" was the question;
and the answer "Read them" sobered the questioner.
But if you cannot read them, at any rate
handle them and, as it were, fondle them.
Peer into them. Let them fall open where they will.
Read on from the very first sentence that arrests the eye.
Then turn to another. Make a voyage of
discovery, taking soundings of uncharted seas. . . .
Arrange them on your own plan, so that if you
do not know what is in them, you at least know
where they are. If they cannot be your friends,
let them at any rate be your acquanintances.
If they cannot enter the circle of your life,

do not deny them at least a nod of recognition.

~ Winston Churchill

Anyone who has a book collection
and a garden wants for nothing.
~ Cicero

A room without books is like a body without a soul.
~ Cicero

The only way to do all the things you'd like to do is to read.
~ Tom Clancy

A book in the hand is worth two on the shelf.
~ Henry T. Coutts

I seldom read on beaches or in gardens.
You can’t read by two lights at once, the light of day
and the light of the book. You should read by electric light,
the room in shadow, and only the page lit up.
~ Marguerite Duras

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends.
They are the most accessible and
wisest of counselors, the most patient teachers.
~ Charles Eliot

When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left,
I buy food and clothes. My luggage is my library.
My home is where my books are.
~ Desiderius Erasmus

But he who truly loves books loves all books alike,
and not only this, but it grieves
him that all other men do not share
with him this noble passion.
Verily, this is the most unselfish of loves!
~ Eugene Field in Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac

And indeed, what is better than to sit
by one’s fireside in the evening with a book,
while the wind beats against the window and the lamp is buring?
~ Gustave Flaubert in Madame Bovary

Read in order to Live.
~ Gustave Flaubert

Never lend books, for no one ever returns them;
the only books I have in my library are
books that other folk have lent me.
~ Anatole France

There are no bad books any more
than there are ugly women.
~ Anatole France

The book must of necessity be put into a bookcase.
And the bookcase must be housed.
And the house must be kept. And the library must be
dusted, must be arranged, must
be catalogued. What a vista of toil, yet not unhappy toil!
~ William Gladstone

The dear good people don’t know how
long it takes to learn to read.
I’ve been at it eighty years, and
can’t say yet that I’ve reached the goal.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

On this website I found some of these
quote's on books and reading.
Some I had, others I read there.
I have a file on my 'puter
and a written book I write
down quote's in.

These are some good ones!

Psalm 121 Musings ...

Psalm 121

A Song of Ascents.

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore. (NKJV)

This is one of the more familiar Psalms is it not? But it is one with deep assurance for you and me as Believer's in Christ Jesus. It is also full of Presuppositionalism -- (yeah - I'm reading VanTil.)

According to MacArthur, this Psalm is part of the "Great Hallel", psalms that were sung by the Jewish pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem on 3 different occasions. 1) The Feast of Unleavened Bread; 2) The Weeks/Pentecost/Harvest; and 3) The Ingathering/Tabernacles/Booths.

This particular Psalm has an unknown author to us. We see God in four ways: as Helper in verses 1 and 2; as Keeper in verses 3 and 4; as Protector in verses 5 and 6; and as Preserver in verses 7 and 8. As I read thru this verse 1 strikes me as coming from someone far away from his destination. As the writer, we today are looking to the Heavens for Christ's return, we look towards the hills for our Savior. The Psalm is noted as a Song of Ascents. A moving towards a destination, a progress towards a goal. In the previous Psalm 120:5 the writer talks of living far away in Meshech, he dwells in the tents of Kedar, upon further study this reveals he is living amongst unbeliever's and is drawn towards his longing, his heart's desire for the temple worship.

Side Note: The church I attend has people who drive an hour or more to attend this church. They have no Orthodox Prebyterian Church near them and are strongly bound to the reformed faith and teaching here that they travel this road to be at their church and worship their Lord on the Lord's Day. I am talking atleast 10 families do this. Our drive is about 1/2 an hour and we enjoy the ride to church but it is so refreshing to be amongst people who strive (drive) for the longing of their heart and the truth of the Word of God. They have to leave their home at 7:30am during the winter months to be there for 9:30am Sunday School. And they have kids!!!! And they arrive smiling and have the joy of the Lord!!!

In this Psalm we have one part, it's our only mention -- verse 1 -- "I will lift up my eyes to the hills." This is my responsibility. Look Heavenward. "From whence comes my help?" The writer is not looking to creation but to the Creator for his help. The rest of this Psalm is all about Him. The writer asks one question and receives his covering. 24/7 covering. Let us take a deeper look into the covering, our covenant blessings we have ...

vs. 2 -- LORD here as our Helper. YWH LORD (Strong's #03068) Meaning: The Proper name of the one true God. The existing One. The second part of verse 2 explains Him: "Who made heaven and earth."

vs.3 & 4 -- LORD here as Keeper. (Strong's #08104) Meaning: keeper, watchman, guard, restrain, to be kept, etc. "He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber." Here is the 24/7 watch. Moved: Strong's #04132 -- shaking, tottering, bar of yoke. The bar of yoke keeps us from shaking and tottering and moving in the same direction does it not? Towards Him not away from Him. Slumber: Strong's #05123 -- drowsy, sleepy. Our Lord is on guard of us with never a moment of drowsiness. Remember when the disciples were in the garden with Jesus and they couldn't even stay awake? He does not slumber on us. Ever watchful, ever faithful, ever loving. Sleep: Strong's #03462 -- to be asleep, sleep. He never sleeps, at all. He loves us all - Jew and Gentile - Israel. Pagan gods slept and needed to be awakened - what assurance is found here? none.

vs. 5 -- LORD as Protector. We already looked at keeper so let's move on to Shade. Shade: Strong's #06738 -- shadow, shade. Here again we see our covering at our right hand. When we are in need we put out our right hand, asking for help. Our place of human need. Jesus is our Mediator at the right hand of the Father, meeting the needs of our right hand in our humanness.
He is our protection.

vs. 6 -- around the clock protection - remember 24/7! Strike: Strong's 05221 -- smite, slay, stricken, beat, slaughter, wounded, given. WOW! We would faint if we knew what protection we have had, will have and are being given at this very moment. Satan wants us, to sift us as wheat, to beat us down, wound us. There is a battle raging beyond anything we can comprehend.

vs. 7 -- Lord as Preserver. Same word as Keeper in verse 5. Same Strong's #. What comfort in those first 3 words. The LORD shall -- no blinking here, no having to think twice -- just do it. He just does it for his beloved. Herein is found the peace that passes all understanding. He preserves us from evil, He preserves my soul. Now folks, I have to say what I believe. How can you teach that you can lose your salvation? When you read this verse folks, how do you see that I can lose my salvation? Only if I never had it in the first place is all. My soul He holds in the hollow of His hand. Do you think He is going to let it slip through His fingers?????!!!!! Our names as believer's is written in the Lamb's book of Life - do you think He would erase it? How sweet and precious is this to you I ask? Do you know him folks? Does He hold your soul to never let you slip away? I pray it is so, if not, Hell is going to be your lot. Let's look at the word soul. Soul: Strong's #05315 -- soul, life, person, creature, mind, heart, desire, appetite, emotion, passion. Look at those -- does He hold your heart? Your mind? Is every thought captive to Him? Your desire? Is it for Him? Is your appetite for Him and His word? Your emotion for Him? Your passion a passion for Him, to serve Him with all your being? This is deep -- you could talk on and on just about this one sentence! But you stray away and what does He do? He preserves you and brings you back around to His course for your life. His will.

vs. 8 -- He preserves our going out and our coming in. From this time forth (the day of your conversion) and even forevermore. Evermore: Strong's #05769 -- long duration, always, perpetual time, everlasting, ancient, unending future, ETERNITY!!!

Take some time and read Psalms 120 thru 123 and find comfort this Lord's Day. Find joy in your salvation and in your Lord. Herein we have our confidence thru the covenant promises which have been secured for us through the obedience of Christ.

Side Bar: http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/PA195.htm is a link to read about VanTil's Presuppositionalism by Greg Bahnsen.

My Mother's Day Gift ....

My two sons decided to get me
a special gift for Mother's Day.
I wanted some books but
they decided on something I needed!

A NEW KITCHEN FLOOR!!
My hubby and the boys installed it themselves
Friday night and I feel like
I am in someone elses home ...

I had painted my cupboards and the
flooring is a perfect match to everything.

How blessed I am ...
wants verses needs ...
God always knows best!

In The Garden ...

UPDATE: My friend Joanne left me a message about my question on what to do to get rid of snails and slugs ... she says, " sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the hostas to keep filthy little piggin’ snails away!" Oh and they are buggers aren't they! Thanks Joanne for the tip! I'm going to head on out to Spring Farm and get me some of that there dirt ... look out you little filthy piggin' buggers ... my weapon has been found ...


I am starting to work on my garden as I am sure all of you are too! This is a pic from the Philadelphia Flower Show in early spring. I am going to create a mini garden this year with a Hobbit Hole, in honor of Tolkiens' works. They had lots of small little abodes throughout the gardens on display of faeries, elves and such . I fell in love with them and decided to create one of my own. Some of them would only fit in your hand, others were only about mid-calf high, others were small holes in a bank of dirt, all shapes, sizes and heights, made with all kinds of materials, but still kept on a small scale.
This pic here as you can see was only the size of a can of soup. I have an old, old stump that I never knew what to do with because it will be there till it disintigrates ... sp? ... well anyhow, I purchased these adorable tiny plants called "Stepables" from my garden center. Here is a link to them online at www.stapables.com. (for some reason the link is not working.)

Here's what I bought --
Baby Tears
Rubrifolia
Mossy Stonecrop
Waterperry Blue
Clumping Baby's Breath
Scotch Moss
Tiny Rubies
Bluemoss Stonecrop
Labrador Violet
Purple Mazus Reptans
Alpine Mouse Ear
and some small violets

I am mulching this area with mushroom mulch, placing small rocks, not too over large ones, so as to keep with the smallness of the garden. I will take some pic's when finished.

I have a small goldfish pond (130 gallon size from Lowes') that keeps going green on me. I have cleaned it out twice now and had to go and get some additives. Didn't have to do that last year. Can't believe my fish even survived the winter but they did. I'll take some pic's of that, too.

What are you doing in your garden this year? Vegetables, flowers, herbs, rock, what?

Anyone know what works good for slugs on Hosta's? They are eating them already.

Share with us a link won't you? ...

"Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce."
-- Jere. 29:5 ESV

May Recipe RoundUp -- Appetizers ...

Kim at Hiraeth is publishing a Recipe
RoundUp on her blog.
Today is the last day to post
your appetizer recipe.
Get out those recipe's
and share with us
your culinary concoctions!!!

Spring find ...

Two bird's nests that Bella our Drahthaar
has nosed out
in the trees around our home.
This first one is really unique ...
it is almost round, with a hole for
the passage way in and out of the nest
surrounded by feathers.
The birds lined the nest with
some discarded pheasant feathers
from the fall hunting season.
We took a flashlight and looked
inside to find it full of birdies.
Do not know what type of bird yet ...
any ideas?
There are Cardinals and a pair
of Baltimore Orioles that are
around our home.

This nest is of course Robin's.
Are not those eggs
the most gorgeous shade of blue?

Forest Goodies ...

Had the golden opportunity to eat
some delectable forest fungi!

Morrels ...
Absolutely delicious shaken in flour
and fried in butter!
We found both tan and black morrels ...

Here are two tired doggies!
They were out helping to find the morrels.
We use Frontline Plus on them for fleas
and ticks and they both ended up with ticks!
The tick population is really bad in
some areas here in south-central PA.
The boys have been out hunting turkey
and came home everytime
with atleast 3 ticks crawling on them.
We all received shots for Lyme disease,
even the doggies,
since we are all out in the woods so much.

Question ...

I have lost some posts when I logged on to Blogger. Some various here and there. I wanted to edit a post and it is gone! There was a comment on the one that said something about testglobal something with a link and it was a 'looking for a date?" type of site, you know what I mean ... anyhow I went in to delete the comment and noticed I had lost some posts. Heard this happens with Blogger, is this true? Oh well, not that my posts are such glorious renditions of thoughts and occurrances ... another thing ... can you delete a comment from Blogger without having to remove the ability to post comments? I never had any trouble but now it seems I am having trouble posting ... I wrote this three times ....

Havergal Devotional ...

TWELFTH DAY.

THE STRENGTH-GIVING LOOK.

'And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might.'

- Judges 6:14

Ps. 25:15 Jer. 24:6 Ps. 119:132; Job 33:27, 28; Ps. 33:18, 19; Ps. 32:8			FOR the might of a look of the Lord is enough for anything! Only, we must meet His look; our eyes must be ever toward the Lord, and then we shall not miss it: for He says, 'I will set Mine eyes upon them for good.' So, if we are indeed His people, we can never look up to Him without His look of grace and goodness and guidance meeting ours.
Ex. 14:24			It will not trouble us as it 'troubled the Egyptians' when that mysterious look of the Lord fell upon them 'through the pillar of fire and of the cloud;' that look of judgment is not for His Israel.
2Sa. 16:7			Yet for them there is the solemn look of searching, when He 'looketh on the heart.'
Is. 5:2 Song. 7:12			For them, too, the look of expectation, when He comes to His vineyard and looks 'that it should bring forth grapes;' when He comes to 'see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear,' with the beautiful promise in His hand, 'There will I give thee My loves.'
Luke 22:61			For them the unspeakable power and tenderness of His look of recall. One who, after denial of the faith, had felt the might of that look, said to a lad who stood awed by the manly tears: 'Ah, Willie, it's forgiven sin that breaks a man's heart!' How many a wanderer has been called back even by the record that 'the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter.'
Mark 9:24 Luke 9:38 Matt. 8:8; Mark 5:28; Mark 9:20, 21			Then the look of healing and help. Have we as simple faith as the father who besought Jesus to look upon His only son, as if even a look from the dimly recognised Master should be enough? And so it was! the 'word only,' the touch, the look, were enough for health and cure in cases to which this was a terrible climax.
Deu. 26:15 Mark 3:34; Matt. 12:49 Deu. 33:3; Luke 10:39			Then the look of blessing and love. 'Look down ... and bless Thy people,' prayed Moses. And what a look of blessing that was when Jesus 'looked round about on them which sat about Him,' and 'stretched forth His hand toward' them, and gave them the right of the nearest and dearest relationships! Oh! let us take time (make time, if need be) to 'sit about Him' and listen to His teaching and meet His look.
Judg. 6:14 Ps. 32:8 Ps. 44:3; Ps. 71:16; Ps. 86:16 Ps. 68:28 Is. 45:24; 2Co. 12:9 Is. 66:2 2Sa. 9:8; 2Sa. 9:13			And, last of the seven, there is for His people the special look of strengthening. There is so much in it. Suppose you are called to take part in some busy and complicated arrangements; it is all new to you; you are not quite sure you are doing the right thing in the right way; you hesitate and go on slowly and uncertainly, with no sense of freedom and power. All at once you catch the eye of the one who is leading and organizing! The look is enough; there is direction, approval, confidence, encouragement, in that one glance, and you work away altogether differently. Very graciously does the Master sometimes give this strengthening look - giving, in a way no one could convey to another, just what we needed for our special work. We know that our Lord has looked upon us, and the look has flashed electric strength into heart and hand; and we go on our way rejoicing, not at all in feeling any more able than before, but in the brightness of His power, saying, 'I will go in the strength of the Lord God.' And then His own strength is ours, and He says, 'Go in this thy might,' for 'thy God hath commanded thy strength;' and yet we know more distinctly than ever that it is His strength which is made perfect in our weakness. Who is it that shall have the strengthening look of the Lord? 'To this man will I look,' saith Jehovah, 'even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit.' It was he who said, 'What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?' who 'did eat continually at the king's table.'

Excerpted from Royal Commandments by Frances R. Havergal

Havergal Devotional ...

ELEVENTH DAY.

THE SMITING OF THE KING.

'I will smite the king only,' - 2 Samuel 17:2.

John 11:51 Ro. 15:4 Cf. 1Ki. 22:31; 2Sa. 18:3 1Ch. 21:17 Is. 53:8			IT may be that this futile threat of a wicked man against the king was like the saying of Caiaphas, - 'not of himself,' but written for our learning 'more about Jesus.' A deadly stroke was to be aimed at 'the king only,' for he was 'worth ten thousand' of the people; if he were smitten, they should escape. Do the words of David in another place tell of his great Antitype's desire that it should be so? 'Let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, ... but NOT on Thy people.' 'For the transgression of my people was the stroke upon Him' (margin); therefore not upon us, never upon us. The lightning that strikes the conductor instead of the building to which it is joined, has spent its fiery force and strikes no more.
Zec. 13:7 Heb. 13:20 1Pe 5:4 John 10:11 Is. 53:4 1Pe 1:8 Is. 63:3 John 15:13 Rom. 5:8 John 19:14			Not the hand of an impotent foe, but the sharp sword of the omnipotent Lord of hosts, was lifted to smite His Shepherd, - our Shepherd-king, The Great, The Chief, The Good (and The Beautiful, as the original implies). Think of the words, 'stricken, smitten of God,' with their unknown depths of agony, and then of Jesus, Him whom we love, fathoming those black depths of agony alone! 'Jesus, smitten of God!' can we even say the words, and not feel moved as no other grief could move us? Do not let us shrink from dwelling upon it; let us rather ask the Holy Spirit, even now, to show us a little of what this awful smiting really was, - to show us our dear Lord Jesus Christ, in this tremendous proving of His own and His Father's love, - to whisper in our hearts as we gaze upon the Crucified One, 'Behold your King!'
Heb. 1:3 1Pe 2:24 Heb. 4:13			'The King only.' For 'by Himself He purged our sins.' Certainly we had nothing to do with it then! Certainly no other man or means had anything to do with it! and certainly nothing and no one now can touch that great fact, so far out of reach of human quibbling and meddling, that Jesus, 'His own self, bare our sins in His own body on the tree.' Is not the fact that He 'with whom we have to do' was smitten of God instead of us, enough? What else can we want to guarantee our salvation?
Matt. 27:55 Is. 53:5			'The King only.' For the sorrow of our King is shared with His people; but in the smiting we have no part. We can only stand 'afar off,' bowed and hushed in shuddering love, as the echoes of the awful stripes that fell on Him float down through the listening centuries, while each throb of the healed heart replies, 'For me! for me!'
Is. 63:3			'I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me.'

Excerpted from My King by Frances R. Havergal

Havergal Devotional ...

NINTH DAY.

THE CALL OF THE SPIRIT.

'And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come.' - Revelation 22:17.

Ro. 15:30 Ps. 143:10, Eph. 4:30 Is. 63:10 Acts 7:51 2Th. 2:13 Heb. 12:14			HAVE you thought about 'the love of the Spirit'? Have you realized that God's 'loving Spirit' says to you, 'Come'? Are you conscious that if you refuse to listen to this gentlest call, you are 'grieving' the Holy Spirit of God, - 'vexing' Him by the rebellion to which this refusal really amounts, - 'resisting' the Holy Ghost, whose power alone can work in you the holiness without which you can never see the Lord?
2Ti. 3:16 2Pe 1:21 John 14:26 Ro. 2:4			Every 'Come!' in the Bible is the call of the Spirit. For 'all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' and the 'holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' And every time that a still small voice in your heart says 'Come,' it is the call of the Spirit. Every time the remembrance of the Saviour's sweetest spoken word floats across your mind, it is the Holy Spirit's fulfilment of our Lord's promise that 'He shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' Last time those words, 'Come unto Me,' came into your mind, whether in some wakeful night hour, or suddenly and unaccountably amid the stir of the day, did you think that it was the very voice of the Holy Spirit speaking in your heart? Or did you let other voices drown it, not knowing that the goodness of God was leading you by it?
2Co. 5:20 Eph.5:25-32; 2Ch. 36:15, 16			Every time an ambassador of Christ bids you come, and every time that any one who loves Him tries to speak a word for Jesus to you, it is the call of the Spirit and the Bride; for the Bride is the Church of Christ, and she is the privileged instrument through which the clear music of the call is oftenest heard.
1Th. 5:24 John 15:26 John 5:7 Mark 10:47-49 Luke 11:13 Matt. 7:7, 8 James 4:2 2Co. 1:22 Matt. 13:12			What makes you take the trouble to read this book? Why is there any attraction at all for you in the subject? Is it not that the Holy Spirit is causing your heart to vibrate, it may be but very feebly as yet, at the thrill of His secret call? Your awakening wish to come is the echo of that call. If you stop and listen, it will be heard more distinctly and winningly. The call will grow fuller and stronger as you turn and yield, and follow it. And the same blessed Spirit will give you power to do this. He will show you your need of Jesus, and He will testify of Jesus to you, so that you shall be willing to come. Do you feel very helpless about it? Do you wish you had the mighty aid of the Almighty Spirit, so that you might rise and come while Jesus of Nazareth passeth by? Then why do you not ask for it? Who is to blame if you do not have what is to be had for the asking? Christ Himself has put the promise in the very plainest words: 'Ask, and it shall be given you,' and 'Every one that asketh receiveth.' What could you wish Him to say more? What could He possibly say more? Clearly, if you have not, it is because you ask not. But if you are asking for the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus, you have already the earnest of the Spirit, and you shall have more and more. So take courage!
Gen. 6:3; Prov. 29:1 Heb. 4:7			But it is no light thing to put away a holy desire, however feeble; because it sprang not from your own heart, but is the voice of the Spirit saying, Come! It will not always speak, if not obeyed. Turn back from Revelation to Genesis, and you find the shadow of the bright light of the winning call in the unchanged warning note: 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man.' Not always, dear, unknown friend whom I would fain win for my Lord, - not always! But He is striving now, He is calling now, 'To-day, if ye will hear His voice.' Listen, yield, come!

Excerpted from The Royal Invitation by Frances R. Havergal

Havergal Devotional ....

EIGHTH DAY.

THE GIFT OF PEACE.

'My peace I give unto you.' - John 14:27.

Col. 1:20 Ro. 5:1 Eph. 2:15, 16 Ps. 68:18 Pro. 17:8 John 17:22 Php. 4:7			'PEACE I leave with you' is much; 'My peace I give unto you' is more. The added word tells the fathomless marvel of the gift - 'My peace.' Not merely 'peace with God;' Christ has made that by the blood of His cross, and being justified by faith we have it through Him. But after we are thus reconciled, the enmity and the separation being ended, Jesus has a gift for us from His own treasures; and this is its special and wonderful value, that it is His very own. How we value a gift which was the giver's own possession! what a special token of intimate friendship we feel it to be! To others we give what we have made or purchased; it is only to very near and dear ones that we give what has been our own personal enjoyment or use. And so Jesus gives us not only peace made and peace purchased, but a share in His very own peace, - divine, eternal, incomprehensible peace, - which dwells in His own heart as God, and which shone in splendour of calmness through His life as man. No wonder that it 'passeth all understanding.'
John 15:5; 1Co. 6:17 John 1:16 Eph. 3:19 Ps. 133:2 Is. 48:18			But how? Why does the sap flow from the vine to the branch? Simply because the branch is joined to the vine. Then the sap flows into it by the very law of its nature. So, being joined to our Lord Jesus by faith, that which is His becomes ours, and flows into us by the very law of our spiritual life. If there were no hindrance, it would indeed flow as a river. Then how earnestly we should seek to have every barrier removed to the inflowing of such a gift! Let it be our prayer that He would clear the way for it, that He would take away all the unbelief, all the self, all the hidden cloggings of the channel.
John 15:10, 11 2Co. 12:9 Is. 11:10, mar.; Heb. 4:5 John 17:22, 24 1Th. 4:17			Then He will give a sevenfold blessing: 'My peace,' 'My joy,' 'My love,' at once and always, now and for ever; 'My grace' and 'My strength' for all the needs of our pilgrimage; 'My rest' and 'My glory' for all the grand sweet home-life of eternity with Him.

Thy reign is perfect peace,
Not mine, but Thine;
A stream that cannot cease,
For its fountain is Thy heart. Oh, depth unknown!
Thou givest of Thine own,
Pouring from Thine, and filling mine.

Excerpted from Royal Bounty by Frances R. Havergal

Do you know her? ....

Frances Ridley Havergal

This is one special lady ... I have been reading about her and received permission to post about her from Havergal Trust a month ago. I have been trying to purchase some of her books on ebay and just recently was able to get three of her books. I received them this Saturday. My nose has been in them ever since! The Royal Invitation and Loyal Responses (2 books in one); My King and His Service; and Morning Bells. They are older, from the early 70's, not the best shape but they are mine! Come this Mother's Day if you want a very nice gift ask for her books from Havergal Trust. I have made a special request for this Mother's Day for them. I have followed thru the devotionals found at the website for over a year. What a blessing they are. I first heard about her in a book about the origins of hymns and their authors. Then I heard about her through the VCY America radio program with Ingrid Schlueter. I have been reading about her ever since. She is one amazing Godly woman.

Frances R. Havergal is well known as the "consecration poet." Her life was consecrated ( devoted or surrendered ) to God and His purposes. She walked very closely with her Lord. She was a woman after God's own heart. One lady states it this way, "Frances had a King and he made her heart His throne." I want to be remembered this way, don't you?

Over the next few days I will be posting some devotionals written by her. I know that she is written about all over the internet. IShe humbles me like no other. Her penmanship is above anything I ever read from one who started out so young. More to come, I promise.

Make note: Mr. David Chalkley, trustee of Havergal Trust is working on publishing an edition of "The Complete Works of Frances Ridley Havergal" I look forward to these.

Many thanks go to Abigail from In The Garden in giving me direction and prayer support. And to Mr. David Chalkley, you sir are a gentleman.

Today's Devotional ...

SEVENTH DAY.

THE RECALL.

'O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God;
for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.' - Hosea 14:1.

Hos. 2:6			THANK God that He does not let His children go on comfortably when they wander and fall!
Job 29:2 Job 15:11, 12			Have we not known (God grant we may never again know!) a wretched mental nausea, a sense of discomfort and restlessness, a misgiving that something is wrong, though we can't say what? no actual pain, no acute attack of anything, but a nameless uncomfortableness, most easily described by a negative, that we are not 'as in months past.'
2Pe 3:17 Rev. 2:4, 5 Is. 1:5			If this is the present state of any reader, do let me most earnestly and affectionately entreat you not to remain one day - no, not one hour - in this most dangerous state, the beginning of backsliding, and already a fall from your 'own stedfastness' and your 'first love.' 'Remember from whence thou art fallen;' look unflinchingly at your position, and recognise frankly the difference between to-day, and the past days of closer walking and happy abiding. Do not let yourself drift on, or you 'will revolt more and more' till 'the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.' Every day's delay will make your case worse.
Eze. 16:12 Eze. 16:8 Lam. 5:16 Hos. 14:1			Do not shrink from asking Him to show you how and why it is that you have fallen. The 'beautiful crown' which He put 'upon thine head' in 'the time of love,' would not have 'fallen from our head,' but 'that we have sinned.' It is 'by thine iniquity' that thou art fallen,' - iniquity personal and real, though very likely unguessed by any one, and hidden even from thine own eyes.
Jer. 3:7 Jer. 3:1 Is. 55:7 Job 36:9, 10			Perhaps the knowledge of this is already sent; if so, listen! 'And I said, after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me.' And again, though you may have gone after other 'lovers,' 'yet return again to me, saith the LORD.' Oh forsake the thoughts as well as the way, and return unto the Lord, and He will abundantly pardon. For when 'He showeth them their work and their transgressions,' He also 'commandeth that they return from iniquity.'
Hos. 14:1 Jer. 3:12 Is. 44:22 Ps. 116:7 Hos. 6:1 Is. 30:18 Acts 24:25			And why? Five infinitely gracious reasons are given. 'Return! ... for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity;' the very thing which seemed the barrier to return! 'Return! ... for I am merciful, saith the LORD.' 'Return! ... for I have redeemed thee.' 'Return! ... for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.' 'Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us.' All these gracious words for you! and the Lord Himself waiting that He may be gracious! Will you keep Him waiting till a more 'convenient season'?
Ps. 116:7 Hos. 14:1 Ps. 67:6 Hos. 2:19 Ps. 135:4 Jer. 2:2 Hos. 11:8 Hos. 2:7			To whom are you called to return? Ah! think of that - not to a state or position merely; not only 'to thy rest,' but to 'the Lord thy God;' thy God, 'our own God;' to Him who has betrothed you unto Him for ever; to Him who chose you unto Himself to be His peculiar treasure; to Him who remembers better than you do from whence you have fallen. Hear Him saying, 'I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals.' 'How shall I give thee up?' What pathetic yearning this is over you, even you! Will you not say, 'I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.'
Jer. 4:1 2Sa. 3:18 Jer. 18:11 Ps. 65:4 Jer. 30:3 Hos. 13:9 Lam. 5:21			Is intention enough in this matter? Listen again to the arousing words of your Lord, 'If thou will return, ... saith the Lord, return unto Me;' in other words, 'Now, then, do it.' Stay no more at being willing to return, but 'Return ye NOW!' It will be harder to-morrow - nay, harder an hour hence than now. He who first caused you to approach, will cause you to return; so you shall not be left unaided, for 'In Me is thine help' even for returning from self-destruction.
Luke 15:22, 25 Job 22:23-28 Hos. 14:4			And then - oh, what wealth of promises to the returning one! what robes and rings and heavenly music! 'If thou return, ... thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity ...; then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God ... He shall hear thee, ... Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: the light shall shine upon thy ways.' For He hath said, 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.'

Return!
O fallen; yet not lost!
Canst thou forget the life for thee laid down,
The taunts, the scourging, and the thorny crown?
When o'er thee first my spotless robe I spread
And poured the oil of joy upon thy head,
How did thy wakening heart within thee burn!
Canst thou remember all, and wilt thou not return?

Excerpted from Royal Commandments by Frances R. Havergal

Announcement ....

My youngest son D (22) proposed to his girlfriend and of course she M accepted! What a romantic he is, too. Took her out for a walk to the first place he took her walking on their first date ... in the woods to his special spot he has enjoyed since very young. A beautiful spot with large boulders and a meandering stream. Knelt down and asked her to be his wife. What a memory. They have been dating for 2 1/2 years. He asked her Dad and Mom for her hand in marriage before he bought the ring. His best friend M is her brother (yeah, it took him a while to realize he had a nice sister!) He asked him if he would have him as a brother-in-law and her brother was very happy for them both.

When my son first decided to ask her out on a date, he prayed about it for 3 months. He wanted to be sure of her salvation, (her family are Christians very involved in their church) I spoke with my sons about being unequally yoked and the problems that could arise. I thank God for the sons He has given to me, what a blessing they are. They are very good boys, men I should say, with integrity and godly character. I have been so blessed by God. They have never and I mean never, raised their voice to me, spoke harshly, nor showed any disrespect, I never had any problems during the teen years, we have always done things as a family together, always able to talk about anything, they have always given me the utmost respect and honor. My son sought the Lord for 3 months concerning whether she was the one - I mean THE one - he never dated in school, never went to the prom, never talked much about girls, it was always hunting and fishing and baseball, so this whole thing was like she was it, if it was of the Lord's will then she was his for life. About blew my socks off when he told me about his time with the Lord in prayer and that he felt this was the Lord's will for his life and he was going to ask her out. It was July 18th 2004. I will never forget it. He even spoke with her Dad and Mom and brother about asking her out before he asked her. It has been love ever since. They were made for each other. They so compliment each other. No date has been set ... they say in a year and half till a wedding. They are trying to decide whether to build or buy an older home.

I have to share this special moment with you all ... one day last summer they were setting out on the porch doing a Bible Study. I was at the kitchen sink washing dishes and could see them from the window. I happened to glance out this one time and stood there and cried, and thanking God for what He was doing in their lives. They sat with their foreheads together, hands clasped, eyes closed, praying. They prayed for each other, their future, the Lord's will for them, for the church they attend, the pastor and his family and then to the needs of the people at the church and then for their families. Every Tuesday for the past year and a half they spend together in Bible Study at our home. What a blessing this was to catch a glimpse into their lives .... many married couples do not even do this, this one special time of theirs is marked into my memory for my lifetime ...