The Grand Paradox

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained ;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Psalms 8:3-4


I'm sure you can relate to this Scripture like I can. Many times, I have looked up at the stars, considered the vastness of the earth, or gazed up at the mountains, and a powerful sense of smallness and insignificance sweeps over me. At times I have dwelt on it to the point of fear! Our God, who created the Sun, Moon, and stars, is so amazing and great beyond comprehension, that I think, "Who am I to even be talking to the LORD?"
 
Then I remember this Scripture:


For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
"I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 57:15

So the Most High God, who created the vastness of the universe, and dwells in the height of Heaven, also dwells intimately and lovingly with the "poor in spirit"! The great Keeper of the stars, is also the "Shepherd and Bishop of [our] souls"! It's the grand paradox!
 
And, finally, praise be to God who proved it all and more by sending His only begotten Son to endure our punishment for us (while we were still hostile toward Him), so we could dwell with Him forever!


But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Romans 5:8-10

Personal Call

I have to keep my phone on silent while I am at work. I have found that after a long shift, I immediately check my phone for any missed calls, texts, or emails. I am delighted when a personal call, text, or email from family or friends appears in my notifications bar. I am disappointed, however, when I only find impersonal or spam items.

Yesterday, I checked my phone, and the result was disappointment. Then it dawned on me... How does the LORD feel when He doesn't recieve any personal calls from us? How much does He really mean to me, that I could go a whole day without praying and calling out to Him, seeking closeness with my Creator?


1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly ;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
4 So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
7 For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.
Psalms 63:1-8


The LORD desires deep fellowship with us, His children! The fact the the Creator of all the universe wants to spend time with us is mindblowing in and of itself. What more do I need to convince myself of the beauty, value, and importance of it?



4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:4-8

Just Believe?

They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:31

There is a popular notion in among many evangelicals today. It is the concept of, "All you have to do is believe in Jesus, then you go to heaven." Is this kind of thinking accurate? Well, yes and no. You see, it all depends on what you mean by "believe". Obviously, the important thing is what does the Word mean by believe?


Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said,
"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Heb 3:12-19


So we see that to believe isn't merely intellectual recognition of the facts (like Satan and the demons "believe" who Jesus is) but it is a belief in Him that leads us to love Him and obey His commandments! It's just like in the parable Jesus gave us regarding the two builders. If I truly believe that building my house on the sand will bring it to ruin, whereas building it on the rock will secure it, I am going to act on that belief, and build it on the rock.


"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
Luke 6:46-49


I will build on the Rock of Jesus, by obeying His commandments through the strength He supplies!


In the following Scripture we see the contrast between the true believer and the unbeliever:


"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 3:36


So may we be among the blessed few who travel the Narrow Way that leads to life, and believe for real!

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles ?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Matt 7:21-23


"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:15


See also my article: "True Grace" for more information on this topic at lifeandtreasure.com.

Need I Say More?

Peace

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
John 14:27

It's that time I fret -- the sun's ready to set,
And the darkness will cover the land.
It's been a good day, but I hope and I pray
You'll sustain me again with Your strong hand.

In Your perfect time I know I'll be just fine.
You've never left me before.
The shadow of death at its best cannot wrest
My soul from within Your heart's core.

I know that I'm with You -- You've shown me this through
Your mercy again and again.
But right at this time I'm trapped by my mind.
Help me know You're my Best Friend.

You're right by my side. It just doesn't jive
That I feel so alone, so afraid.
Though I can't see, You're right here with me.
My soul you've redeemed from the grave.

In You may I rest as I face this test.
Please hold me close in my pain.
At the end of my rope, You're my only hope --
Help me trust what I know in Your Name.

I crave to be healed, to be safe and to feel
That my life brings a smile to Your face.
Oh to know where You are, You just seem so far,
And my heart longs again for Your embrace.

I feel lost from the fold, and it gets real old
I just want these fears to be gone.
But the dark and the cold, truth be told,
Is most intense in the hour before dawn.

I still seek You and pray as my hope fades away,
And my heart feels as if it will cease.
Then You open my eyes to Your new sunrise --
You fill me with Your perfect peace.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

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Copyright © 2009 Brother Jeremy

All Those Little Darts

Little headaches, little heartaches,
Little griefs of every day.
Little trials and vexations,
How they throng around our way!
One great cross, immense and heavy,
So it seems to our weak will,
Might be borne with resignation,
But those many small ones kill.

Yet all life is formed of small things
Little leaves make up the trees,
Many tiny drops of water
Blending, make the mighty seas.
So those many little burdens,
Pressing on our hearts so hard,
All uniting, form a life's work,
Meriting a grand reward.

Let us not then by impatience
Mar the beauty of the whole,
But for love of Jesus bear all
In the silence of our soul.
Asking Him for grace sufficient
To sustain us through each loss,
And to treasure each small offering
As a splinter from His cross.


Gertrude Dugan (From Manna in the Morning)

Covenant