A New Year has opened and with it new possibilities. In a special sense the opening of a new year provides, as no other time, a wonderful opportunity for reflection and for planning. No matter the failures of the past the future lies before us ripe with promise.
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A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, a wonderful Savior to me. Oh has there ever been a friend like Jesus? I can think of none. Though I am a wretched sinner, yet He interposed His precious blood for my pardon. He who is the Sovereign of this universe, the Holy One of Israel, became a curse so that I might have life and life abundantly. Have you ever allowed your mind to meditate on this sublime truth, that the Creator would shed His blood for the creation? Does it not fill your soul with wonder? Do you not ask yourself, what manner of love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for your soul?
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If you like me are watching the news or reading the paper, you’re aware that we have a crisis upon our hands. We are daily faced with economic uncertainties – foreclosures and unemployment numbers continue to rise. As if that was not enough, it seems as if the value of human life has hit an all time low. Each day lives are lost in senseless acts of violence. Wars are being fought across the globe, leaving in its wake untold human casualties; hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods batter an already beleaguered planet. I can go on and on talking about the atrocities and the senseless violence plaguing this world, but there are not enough volumes of books to contain it all. The question is what shall we say to these things?
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This morning someone emailed me the excerpt below. It was very timely and provided needed encouragement. I couldn’t help but share it with you all. In Jeremiah 18:1-6, we read that God is the potter and we are the clay. He is seeking in these last days to fashion us so that we can rightly reflect His character and similitude. This fashioning process is painful and the natural reaction is to draw back, but if we allow Him to do this work we will come forth as pure gold. Read more…
“The christian life is a battle and a march. In this warfare there is no release; the effort must be continuous and persevering. It is by unceasing endeavor that we maintain the victory over the temptations of Satan. Christian integrity must be sought with resistless energy and maintained with a resolute fixedness of purpose. No one will be borne upward without stern, persevering effort in his own behalf. All must engage in this warfare for themselves; no one else can fight our battles. Individually we are responsible for the issues of the struggle; though Noah, Job and Daniel were in the land they could deliver neither son nor daughter by their righteousness.” Ministry of Healing, Pg. 453.
These past few weeks seem as though they have been a quintessential roller coaster of ups and downs. Much of these up and downs have come in the form of emotional mountains and valleys. It’s amazing when one considers the full gamut of emotions that we can go through in a short space of time. This weekend particularly was very hard. I saw in myself things so disgusting and despicable that it made me want to run and hide from myself.
Today, I had the pleasure of listening to a truly inspirational and powerful sermon by David Asscherick. The sermon was simple and it really wasn’t anything new. It was a needed reminder of an old truth. Yet it was water to my thirsting soul. I guess that’s one of the reasons why we can never say “oh, I’ve heard that before, I don’t want to hear it again.” It’s the repetition that deepens the impression, we must never tire of being reminded of the simple truths in the word of God.
Of late it seems as though, I’ve been going through a miniature storm, complete with all the lightning and thunder. Yet, unlike most storms it was within and not without. I don’t know how many of you all can relate to that. In fact, I’ll take an external storm any day over an internal one. But I have to say that in spite of it all, God has been good. No matter what storms come into our lives, it’s important that we remember “this too shall pass.” This sermon was just what the doctor ordered. I’ve attached the link for your listening pleasure…click here.
It is said that no man lives unto himself, and our lives are indelibly linked to others. The more that I walk this earth, the more I understand the truth of that statement. We do not live in a vacuum and as a result of that our actions directly influences the lives of those around us, whether we are aware of it or not. As I study the Bible, the Holy Spirit is driving home to my heart the power of influence. It is one thing to choose to be lost and reject God; it’s a totally different matter to take others with you to the city of destruction.
The Bible likens sin to bondage and in reality it truly is. In this morning’s study the Holy Spirit began in more earnest to show me the bewitching power of sin. In fact in Proverbs 5:22 -23, the Bible says “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.” Often times we play with sin thinking that when we are ready we can break free from its grasp. Like Samson who played with Delilah believing that when he was ready he could use his superior strength to escape, only to realize too late that she had taken away the source of his strength.
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“An Inconvenient Truth” was the subject of a message from Pastor Ivor Myers, http://www.thefinalgeneration.org/index.cfm/media/sermon/The%20Inconvenient%20Truth. Pastor Myers used the text Acts 24:24-25 and brought forth some profound points.