This was a thought written almost a week ago, but just now being posted because of the lack of internet…

In a girl’s Bible study that I’ve been going to we are going through the book Twelve Extraordinary Women by John Macarthur. Three weeks ago we finished a chapter on Eve and the next chapter we were supposed to read was on Sarah. This chapter has entrigued me, and I have had over a week extra to think on it since the teacher had her beautiful little baby girl …anyways…back to the purpose of the blog…. The story so entrigued me that I have been re-reading through the biblical account of Sarah. It is truly an amazing story, and Macarthur’s writings give you a whole fresh look at a story that we have read through so many times without giving much thought to.

With having so much time to wait until the next Bible study meeting, I have also been reading other books and such on the story of Sarah. One thing I read that I found greatly interesting was a sermon preached by Charles Spurgeon (a magnificent preacher by the way) on part of Paul’s allegory of the story of Abraham.

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants;
-Galatians 4:22-24a

The title of the sermon was “The Allegories of Sarah and Hagar” if you would like to try to look it up somewhere and read it. I would have loved to hear him preach it in person!

At the beginning of the sermon, he says:
There cannot be a greater difference in the world between two things than there is between law and grace. He who knows and always recollects this essenestial difference, has grasped the marrow of divinity….He is not far from understanding the gospel theme in all it’s ramifications, its outlets, and its branches, who can properly tell the difference between law and grace.

By this point I could kinda see where this was going, and I was hooked!!

He tells of how Hagar represents the covenant of the law (or the covenant of works) in which God says to man “Here is my law. if you keep it wholly, perfectly, and without a single flaw or blemish, I will carry you to heaven, but if you violate one command and rebel against a single ordinance…I will destroy you forever!”

He also tells of how Sarah represents the law of grace in which Jesus Christ made a covenant with The Father. Christ engaged on His part to bear the iniquities of His people’s sins and to die and pay the penalty for them, and to pay our debts. The Father, on His part, promised to save all those for whom The Son died, and that seeing their evil hearts, He would put His law in their hearts, that they should not depart from it, and seeing their sins, that He would pass them by and remember them no more.

Wow!

The covenant of the law says “Do this and live, O man.”
The covenant of grace says “Do this, O Christ, and thou shalt live O man.”

It truly is an amazing sermon on law and grace. I wish I could just write the WHOLE thing for everyone to see. I will write at least this one more part though…

In talking about the covenant of grace, Spurgeon says:
There are no conditions whatever in the covenant of grace, or if there be conditions, the covenant gives them. The covenant gives faith, gives repentance, gives good works, gives salvation, as a purely gratuitous unconditional act; nor does our continuance in that covenant depend in the least degree on ourselves. The covenant was made by God with Christ, signed, sealed, and ratified, in all things ordered well.

I could go on for a long time about this. It really is a great sermon! Very possibly the greatest I have ever heard on the covenants of law and grace. I would definitely recommend that you read it. The point of this is just to say that I believe we, as Christians, need to always keep fresh in our minds just what God has done. We have nothing that we can hold up and say “this is why I deserve this” or “God remember what I did then.” It is not of us. We don’t even have the right to approach the throne of God in prayer except through Christ. It is ALL because of what Jesus Christ did. It is all because of the covenant made between God the Father and God the Son that we will one day stand face to face with our Creator and He will welcome us into eternal fellowship with Him in heaven. I have really been majorly struggling lately with some things going on, and all of this reading this week has kept me going. God’s Word has been my comfort. He is the reason I live. I cannot say that I enjoy these struggles, but if it is what I need, or what He wants of me, than I will receive it, because I have absolutely no right to claim that I somehow know better than He does. He is all-knowing. He is why I live. I am nothing without Him, and He knows what He is doing. I will trust Him and thank Him for what He has done.

If you are not a Christian, and you have any questions about any of this just let me know, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Wow! This is incredible!

Wow! Life is so crazy! But I’m learning daily that the craziness of life is not worthy to be compared to the awesomeness of Christ. Now…please keep that word “learning” freshly in your mind as you read this, for it is far from perfected. Be sure of that! For in my fleshly state, when life decides to dish out a trial I sometimes lose sight of the absolute awesomeness of Christ. Today switched around so much that I feel as if I’m spinning and unsure exactly what all is happening. I feel like it needs to all soak in. But it didn’t throw Christ for a loop at all. He knew it all and allowed every aspect. And as I said I’m still pretty confused and lost in it all, so I’m not sure the reasoning or where it is all heading, but I know that Jesus Christ knows what He is doing, and that I can trust Him no matter where this road takes me. Oh to be in my head right now and to be able to see what, for me, is so hard to put into words. I shall try a little, but please know that it is nowhere close to what is there. I cannot adequately explain something that I still can’t comprehend and grasp myself!
The day started out ok, which is quite different from the last 2 days that have had rough mornings.
I got up and got ready for church and the whole drive to church just felt as if God was preparing me for something. Like that He was getting ready to teach me something.
We get to church and Sunday School was definitely for me. I honest to goodness don’t know what other people got out of it, but it was exactly what I needed after the week I had just come out of and for the one ahead of me that I was already slightly dreading.
Between services Satan attacked. I was almost in tears, and actually ended up having to leave right at the beginning of the service because I could not refrain from doing so any longer. I had to cry! I walked to the basement of the church and went into a dark corner and closed my eyes and just sat until I felt completely alone with God and poured my heart out. I knew that He could see what I couldn’t. And He knew what Satan was trying to keep me from or discourage me from. After sitting there pouring my heart out to Christ I prayed for strength and the ability to see, and not miss, what it was God was going to teach me, and that I wouldn’t be so distracted by the attempts of Satan. I say that I didn’t want to be distracted from “what God was going to teach me,” because even though Sunday School was absolutely remarkable and I did indeed learn and was greatly encouraged by it…I felt as if that wasn’t the “thing” I had felt that God was going to show me. I was still convinced that it was yet to come.
Well, after drying my eyes, regaining my composure and removing the snot from my nose , I returned upstairs.
Because of a few things going on right there in that service I began to find myself frustrated and began to pray. I didn’t know whether it was wrong that I was frustrated at these things. I will not mention the specifics, because they really are not of much importance to the point I am trying to make and would possibly cause strife between some and much confusion to others. But I will say that I was overwhelmed by the fakeness of “God’s people.”
I began to pray and God began to bring verses to my remembrance and I sat there reading and praying because my heart was so heavy with this burden,and my mind so filled with frustration. A frustration that I was still unsure whether right or wrong. I had pen in hand, fresh piece of paper in front of me, a mind full, a heart broken…so I began to write. I wrote my prayer to God. I wrote out my heart. I could barely move my hand fast enough to pen what expounded from my heart. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I felt as if it was all before me and before Him. I sat in silence unsure of where to go from here…what to do. The Spirit of the Lord spoke to me through His Word and I just melted. I had literally dumped my heart at the feet of Jesus Christ. I had thrown everything I understood, everything I could not understand, my frustration, my brokenness, every bit of what had built within me that morning (some of what was products of trials and testings from the days before) all at His feet and said “what would You have me to do?”
Oh my the sweet presence of the Lord. His sweet voice echoing through the pages of His Word. He showed me some things of my own heart and left the rest as a mystery that was not yet (if ever) to be known by me. But oh the peace granted me in that moment. Oh what sweet peace that cannot be described by mere mortal tongue. His love swept over me and I rested that moment there in His love. Praising Him for who He is. Oh how magnificent the King of Kings who is my Lord!
I left from that church service with a glad heart praising my magnificent Lord.
Much of my afternoon was spent in deep thought and just meditating on the events of the morning and my wonderful God.
When returning to church for evening service I found myself a bit impatient on what it was that was to happen next. I found myself becoming slightly frustrated that I didn’t know the next step or where to go now. When I find myself in this situation I must pray and ask the Lord’s forgiveness for my impatience and for not trusting that He knows when best to show me my next steps. “His ways are not my ways.” Ironically the message this evening was on respecting and obeying the authority placed in your life…ultimately Jesus Christ! So that kinda helped confirm or tie up any loose ends that may have been left from that.
After service I was approached by a few people with a proposition that blew me away. I was completely not expecting such a thing. I am not sure if this opportunity will come to pass, or if it is the will of God for my life right now. I have many thoughts on it, but know that my thoughts are unimportant. I am praying now about this, and know that if it be God’s will He will work it all out, and that if it is not His will for my life right now, He will show me my next step.
I am now praying and just waiting. This opportunity may very well completely vanish and become nothing, but if that be the case I am perfectly alright with that. It has reconfirmed in my heart that my God has not forgotten me and that He will lead me where He’d have me go.
It may sound as if everything is perfect and I have it all figured out…but that is not the case I can assure you. Satan is still attacking even tonight, and He is trying oh so hard to distract me. But oh my God is so much mightier than my adversary! For those of you who read this and wouldn’t mind doing so…I would surely appreciate your prayers. God is so much bigger than anything that may come my way. I am not concerned of Christ failing. But I am mere man. Please pray that I would keep my eyes focused where they need to be so that I do not lose track of where He is taking me, and that I can have the courage and strength I need to follow where it is He leads me.
If you have anything that you’d like for me to pray with you about, I’d love to do so. You can leave a message on the prayer wall (tab above), so that I and others who read it can pray for you.
If you have any questions or need anything just leave a comment letting me know. Thanks .
Born again believers…reflect on the awesomeness of our Lord today. He is so worthy! Praise Him!
You who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ…”TODAY is the day of salvation!” We are not promised tomorrow! Please leave a comment if you have ANY questions! I’d love to talk with you! Go to www.NeedGod.com

I haven’t posted anything for awhile for various reasons, but tonight I just feel so overwhelmly blessed and just want to voice (or type he he) my thanks to Christ for what He is. I can’t even begin to explain or even fully fathom the awesomeness of my Jesus. He has so richly blessed me beyond anything I ever deserve or deserved. I’m almost speechless tonight. I’m just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed…I can think of no other word that explains any better how I feel right now. He is daily opening my eyes to things I have never before seen. I really can’t say much more because even with the vastness of the English language, my tongue nor my fingers can explain what I am feeling inside at this moment. 

But…I will put the lyrics to a song that I have been humming all day long. I love this song!…especially in this moment.

The more I seek You,
The more I find You.
The more I find You,
The more I love You.

I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand.
Lay back against You and breath,
Hear Your heartbeat.
This love is so deep,
It’s more than I can stand.
I melt in Your peace,
It’s overwhelming!

**KARI JOBE- THE MORE I SEEK YOU**

So I’ve been thinking…yeah scary I know ha ha …

In my thinking, I’m reminded of a story I once heard about a young camel’s conversation with his mother…

The young camel asked his mother,
“Mom, why do I have these big three-toed feet?”
“To help you stay on top of the sand as you trek across the desert” she replied.
“Why do I have such long eyelashes?”
“To keep the sand out of your eyes as you cross the desert sands” replied the wise mother.
“And why the large humps on our backs?” he asked.
“To store water for our long journeys across the desert” replied the mother.
The young camel took a moment and considered all that he had just heard.
He then turned to his mom and said,
“That’s wonderful mom! We have big-toed feet to keep us from sinking in the desert sands, long eyelashes to keep the sand out of our eyes, and large humps that store water for long journeys across the desert.
But mom…why are we in the zoo?”

We as Christians have been fully equipped with all that we need to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, but way too often I believe many of us are just sitting in the zoo. We go to church every Sunday and hear God’s Word preached…then we go outside of those four walls and never tell others about Christ. We are -in a way- like sponges that are soaking up, but never squeezing out. We are becoming stingy and musty.

Jesus calls us “the salt of the earth”…

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
-Matthew 5:13

…but what good is salt to anyone if it sits in a shaker somewhere in the middle of a table refusing to be used? I’ll tell you the answer…”it’s good for absolutely nothing!”

We as Christians cannot just sit in our comfy little pews and never reach out beyond the four walls of the church. As Mr. David Jeremiah put it… “The Gospel isn’t something we come to church to hear; it’s something that we go from church to tell.” There is a world full of people dying and going to hell right outside, and we too often refuse to do anything about it.
We are commanded by Christ to “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel“…could He have been any clearer? It’s not that we don’t understand the command, it’s that we’re too comfortable to move and actually obey it.
Oh God please forgive us for forsaking Your command because of our pitiful human comforts!

I think it’s time that we Christians get out of our salt shakers and obey our Father’s command to tell a dying world of His Gospel. Let’s get salty!

Remember the young camel- you have everything you need…you just need to get out of the zoo.

We sing the words in church many Sundays. We wear it on our t-shirts. We talk all the time about how much we just love Jesus. Really? You love Jesus? Does your life prove it?!

I can’t speak for everyone–and I certainly am not perfect and do not always do as I should in this matter either–but I personally am tired of “Christians” who are so “in love with Jesus” and yet they’re not willing to give anything for Him.

So you love Him? What are you willing to give up for Him? Are you ready to give up your job? your house? your life? Think hard. You might at first say “sure”…but really think about it. Just how much do you love Him?

 So many times we say “I love you Jesus and you can have this here and maybe even this…but I like this right here. You wouldn’t ask for that…right?” He wants your all! He knows what’s best for you. He wants you to place your whole entire life in His hands. Are you willing…no matter the cost?

We as Christians should be saying…

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

crucify- to destroy the strength, vitality, or functioning of

Are you “crucified with Christ?” Have you given Him every aspect of your life? Every aspect of your day? Does He have all of you?

My hands are having nerve issues and shakin…thus making it hard to type ha ha. So I’m gonna have to cut short this blog. Maybe I will type some more about this later, but it’s driving me insane typing like this at the moment.

In church a couple days ago we had a guest speaker who spoke about how many of us are sitting on our hands and doing nothing when God has called us to do something. He used the story of Esther and Mordecai and about how when Mordecai told Esther what she should do in talking to the king, she responded that if she do so, she could be killed. Mordecai’s response to Esther was: 

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
-Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

 He was telling her that God had put her there for such a time as this, and that if she was going to sit on her hands and do nothing, another would take her place, but then she’d be missing out on what God intended for her to do. 

Maybe God has you where you are right now in life “for such a time as this.” I know that I have been arguing with God about some things recently. I don’t know why I do such stupid things as to argue with God Almighty when He knows way more than I can even comprehend with my tiny little finite mind. It’s not the first time I’ve tried to talk Him out of something, and of course all those other times, He was right and in the end I realized He did know what He was doing, and how stupid I was for not trusting Him in the first place. But for some crazy reason in my little mind I thought this time was different than those. There was an area of my life where I was giving up. I had waited and fought and prayed and He was answering, but I wasn’t liking that answer…so I kept praying thinking He’d change His mind. But in that service God made it clearer than the windows the birds fly into on Windex commercials (ha ha). He made it so clear that I couldn’t argue. I just said “yes Lord. I’m listening.”  I had sat on the bench and God was telling me “Get back up. You can’t stay on the bench.” That night I realized that I was no good to God sitting on a bench, and that if I didn’t get up and get back in the game He would send in a replacement and I would miss out on what God intended me to do. I don’t want that to happen. I’ve been telling God “I’m not the one for this. I can’t. I’m not good enough.” But what I’m beginning to realize is that it doesn’t matter. My inadequacy has nothing to do with it. It’s God working through me. It has nothing to do with my power or weakness in this area. His power and strength is all that matters, and there is no inadequacy there. I can assure you of that!! 

So as long as my Jesus has infinite knowledge about my inadequacies, and unfathomable power to fulfill His will for me even through my inadequacies…then why should I sit on the bench and lose that chance of bringing glory to Him. I decided that night that I no longer was going to be a bench warmer in this area of my life. Just because I’m tired doesn’t mean that I sit down and give up. It means that I draw close to Jesus and let some of His strength wear onto me and I-with His help- keep pushing on.  

I believe that too many Christians are being bench warmers in so many areas of life. We must get up off the benches! We cannot bring glory to God while sitting on our hands refusing to do what He asks of us. If it’s the feeling of inadequacy that is keeping you from doing what God has asked of you…then don’t worry. Imagine how much glory Jesus Christ will get when you-being so inadequate- are used by God to do something God-sized. People looking at it will have to say “that was a God thing.” If He were to choose someone that you would consider “adequate,” then it would be very easy for that person to get the credit for it. But when God chooses to use someone who in man’s eyes may look very inadequate for the job, when it’s all said and done it will be obvious that it was God working and had nothing to do with men.  

I refuse to stay on the bench any longer! He knows what I’m capable and not capable of. He knows my past statistics. So when He calls me into the game I will trust His leading…get up and get in the game…and through Him give it all I’ve got. He’s already promised victory in the end. But we still have to play the game. If you’re not going to play your part then someone else will be substituted and you will miss out on what God wanted of you. Don’t let that happen. Get out there and give it your all! He deserves nothing less.

The word “compassion” has been bouncing around in my mind a lot lately. I look around me and I see a world full of people who want so bad for someone to care about them, and love them. Then I look at “God’s people” and see a lack of compassion for the hurting people all around them, and it saddens me. What is our problem?!

“Compassion” comes from two Latin parts that mean-  to suffer (pati) with (com). Jesus Christ knows the true meaning of the word. He knows what it’s like to suffer with us in our pain, our struggles, and our heartaches, and He commands His people throughout the Scriptures to have compassion on one another.

…be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous
1 Peter 1:8

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
Hebrews 13:3

We have a perfect example of a life full of compassion, by looking at the way Jesus Christ himself lived while on this earth. Can we then, really call ourselves “followers of Christ” or “God’s people” and live a life without care or compassion for others? No way!

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
1 John 3:17-19

We need to learn to show Christlike compassion!

I think as Christians we are failing miserably in this area. Sometimes we act like we simply don’t care about people. We, without knowing it, use our ”busy” lives as an excuse to not have to care. That is not being a true follower of Jesus Christ at all! 

God Almighty saw you in your sin, every lie, lust, evil thought, every blasphemous word you’d ever spoken, EVERY sin you have ever commited! He knew that the Father’s wrath must be satisfied and that you would have to pay for those sins yourself by spending eternity in a horrible place called Hell unless there was a substitutional sacrifice. He had compassion on you and sent His Son to bear your sins on a cross and die a cruel death, that He, who lived a perfect and sinless life did not deserve, all so you didn’t have to, and so you could spend an eternity in Heaven with Him. That is true compassion!

And yet…we’re “too busy” to help a neighbor mow his lot, drive an older lady to the grocery store, donate time to help serve homeless people food, or “can’t afford” to give money to send missionaries to tell people who are dying daily without Jesus Christ, that He loves them and died to take their place.
…and the list goes on.

There is so much we could be doing to show Christlike compassion to others, but we claim to be “too busy.” What kind of excuse is that? What is our problem?!

We need to open our eyes, and our hearts, and realize that there are hurting people all around us. We need to reach out to them in every way we can with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Pray that God would give you a greater burden for hurting people. 

You may be the only “Jesus” they ever see. How are you portraying Him? Are they seeing a “Jesus” who loves and cares about them deeply, and is always there for them? Or are they seeing a “Jesus” who just simply is too busy for them and doesn’t really care about their needs?

We need to make sure we are sending out a clear reflection of Jesus Christ!

 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:35-40

I know it’s late, but I’m sure you have heard the great procrastinator’s motto… “better late than never.”

I read a little story in a book the other day that came to mind as I was deciding my goals for this brand new year.

If you take an ordinary piece of steel and put a magnet to it, eventually the magnetism will wear into the piece of steel, and it too will become a magnet.

 That is my goal for this new year. Not to become a magnet of course . I want to press myself so close to Jesus Christ that He wears onto me, and I become more like Him. So that is the goal in which all my new year’s resolutions are based on. I just want to be more like my Savior. As I think about this, my mind goes to this verse in God’s Word. It’s very simple and self-explanatory.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. -James 4:8a