Methodist Church - Star of David? - InSPIREd Sunday

 Old Methodist Church, Hillsdale, WI

Last week, on an extremely bright day, when I took a photo of this old church a few miles from our home, I noticed the Star of David window on the east side.  So how does it make sense to have a Star of David, a commonly-recognized symbol of Judaism, incorporated into the window of a Christian church?

Believing Jews and Christians alike are children of the promise, by faith in the Messiah. The promise was given to Abraham long before the Jewish law, or Torah, was given, that through his family all the earth would be blessed. 

Remember in Genesis 22 where Scripture tells us that God tested Abraham, to see if he was willing to sacrifice even his beloved son Isaac to God, and that at the last minute, as he was just about to do so, he was stopped by an angel of the Lord... 

Scripture goes on to say, beginning at verse 16: “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. 

"And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,  (My note: What a profound truth - that the Messiah Jesus, our risen Savior, has control over even the gate of his enemies - so how can his enemies possibly harm us who trust in Him? How can they hold captive those whom the Liberator has freed?) and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

And then in Romans, Paul writes: (Romans 4:13-17)  "For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;  for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

 

^"For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."

Bottom line? The Christian's faith is the same as 'the faith of Abraham' (which is: faith in the Messiah). In Jesus, the Messiah, we have life, forgiveness of sin, freedom, peace with God, and hope.

'So now you know...the rest of the story,' as Paul Harvey would have put it.  

And now I'm wondering: if you could ask someone who once attended that little Methodist Church in Hillsdale about the Star of David window, whether they would give you the answer I did, or if they'd say, 'What?? No....we just got a good deal on that window!'  

Have a blessed Lord's Day, friends.

And Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! 

Jesus - King of Kings
Lord of Lords

Linking to:  InSPIREd Sunday and Roses of Inspiration

St. Peter Catholic Church, Tilden, WI

Especially for those who somehow grew up thinking that God was simply a huge, cosmic bully, waiting for them to do something wrong so that he could lower the boom, these verses from Psalm 103 might be an encouragement to you, as they have always been to me.

"He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust."

Nothing we do will disappoint, surprise, shock, or impress God. He knows us. 

I am in awe when I think of the Lord of the universe having compassion and lovingkindness toward us.  As followers of Christ, we are called to extend that compassion and lovingkindness to others.

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2"

Have a blesssed Lord's Day, Friends.

This post is linked to

INSPIRED SUNDAY

Being In Christ. What Difference Does it Make?

Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3

 
 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE 'IN CHRIST' -

'Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.' (2 Corinthians 5:17)

'I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' (Galatians 2:20)

Our small Bible study group has been reading I & II Thessalonians and the commentary by James H. Grant, Jr., edited by R. Kent Hughes, from the 'Preaching the Word' series. P.S. Our small group is not through our church, but a handful of women, friends, who've been doing Bible study together each week for about 15 years.

 From Amazon, of course

I'd like to share the following excerpts from the chapter entitled 'Union With Christ and the Christian Life:' 

Note:  Emphasis in bold is mine. 

***

'Every time Paul tells his story, he has a reason for telling it the way he does, and the central reason why Paul tells his story the way he does is because of his union with Christ...

'We first notice that in spite of Paul's suffering, his ministry was not in vain...Why does Paul think his ministry was not in vain? Because he is united to Christ, and the great example of suffering that was not in vain is the work of Christ on the cross. The death of Jesus upon the cross was not fruitless. That work accomplished God's purpose. 

"What is Paul doing here? He is not interpreting his suffering as if it were some judgment from God. He is interpreting his suffering as if it is part of his life in Christ.  That means his ministry was not in vain. God is working out the cross in Paul's life, and this suffering will not be fruitless. It is part of the ministry of the gospel...

'Since his life was hidden with Christ in God, he was approved by God. Paul had been approved on the basis of Jesus, not on the basis of how well his ministry went or on the basis of how much people liked him.  His approval came from God and from Christ, and if he was approved by God, that was all he needed to move forward in difficult ministry. That was precisely why he did not seek the approval of men. Such approval did not matter to Paul. He had the approval of Heaven. He did not need the approval of Rome or Jerusalem...

'Paul looks at his life through his union with Christ. Did God approve of his Son Jesus? Yes! And if we are in him, he approves of us. God doesn't approve of us because of our life and greatness. He approves of us because he sees us through his Son.'

***

I know there are many Christians who struggle with thoughts of God being angry with them, expecting any minute a harsh judgment from God, and bearing the burden of never living up to 'God's expectations.' Or perhaps they're suffering, and perceive it as God's anger toward them or disappointment in them. Because of this, they are stuck in a joyless life. I thought that the text above was such a good explanation of what it means to be IN CHRIST, and that it was worth sharing so that we can ponder this and ask God to help us recapture the joy that was once ours when we first began following Christ.

Remember: It's not all about us. It's about Jesus. I realize that in the 21st century, this has become a foreign concept for many Americans, especially. Also, I think it's important to remember that God is not in Heaven wringing his hands, wondering how we get ourselves into these messes. He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). Remember Jesus? It's all about him. When we put our trust in Christ, when we're IN CHRIST, God sees us through his son.  What a wonderful thought!

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. " Titus 3:5-6

***

Have a wonderful Lord's Day, friends.
May you find joy IN CHRIST. 

Linking to

Roses of Inspiration

Seeking After God

York Minster, one of my favorites

Excerpted from In The Presence of God by R.C. Sproul:

"How many times have you heard Christians say, or have you heard the words from your own mouth, 'So-and-so is not a Christian, but he's searching'? It is a common statement among Christians. The idea is that there are people all over the place who are searching for God. Their problem is that they just haven't been able to find Him. He is playing hide-and-seek. He is elusive.

"In the Garden of Eden when sin came into the world, who hid? Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost. Jesus wasn't the one who was hiding. God is not a fugitive. We are the ones on the run. Scripture declares that the wicked flee when no man pursues. As Luther remarked, 'The pagan trembles at the rustling of a leaf. The uniform teaching of Scripture is that fallen men are fleeing from God.'

"People do not seek God. They seek after the benefits that only God can give them. The sin of fallen man is this: Man seeks the benefits of God while at the same time fleeing from God Himself. We are, by nature, fugitives. "

***

"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."  - Romans 3:10-18 ESV

***

"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You." - Psalm 86:5

***

"The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." Psalm 145:17-19  (and I would advise reading the whole wonderful chapter.)

***

"The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope." - Timothy Keller

Have a blessed Lord's Day, friends.

Jesus is Lord.

Hodgepodge Gratitude

I'll have to get the dogs to move before I can vacuum the rugs.
But really...do I want to disturb them?

To

Join Joyce and the Gang

Click on the button below.

She writes the questions,

We write the answers.

Thanks, Joyce.

1. What's something you take for granted, that when you stop and think about it you feel truly grateful for?

I'm not sure that I do take it for granted, actually, because I say a prayer of thanks every time I step into the shower and feel the warm water. How many people on this earth have never felt a warm shower, or maybe even a cold shower, and don't have running water. Every day I am so grateful for those things.

2. The color brown-love it or no? What's your favorite shade of brown? Most loved something in your home or closet in a shade of brown?

Brown used to be my favorite, or at least one of my favorite colors. Now it's green. It might have something to do with the climate in which we live. The brown I like best is the brown of my brother's leather sofa. If I remember right, it's kind of a coffee with cream, soft but dark, rich and yummy. Kinda like a Ritter bar, dark chocolate with hazelnut.

 Brown

 Green

White

3. What's something you're looking forward to today?

I'm looking forward to enjoying a clean house - once I get busy and clean it, that is. I wonder if I'll recognize it.

4. The word 'feminism' is not new, but it has been generating all kinds of headlines in recent days and months. What do you think/feel when you hear the word? If you're a woman, do you want to be described as a feminist? Why or why not?

You bait me, Joyce. You know you do. :-)

Betty Friedan
 TheStar.com

I think this photo was taken just before the house landed on her. 

The word 'feminism' conjures up usually loud and angry images of Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and others. I wouldn't want to be listed among them. I think that many feminists, when they say they want women to have choice, don't really want women to have their own choice, but the choice they think women should make. Ask any one of them how they feel about a woman choosing to stay home and take care of her children (the SAHM). I believe in equal rights for women, equal pay for equal work, but I don't believe in being angry and hating men. Men are nice people. And sometimes way easier to understand.

Personally, I like the differences between men and women, and I'm grateful that I was born female. I'm not insulted if a man opens the door for me or plows the driveway or brings in firewood. And I do know enough to appreciate the good things my husband does for me every day and tell him so. It doesn't diminish me to do so.

Men and women, though different, have equal value. The 'feminists' aren't the ones who thought this up.


Paul writes to the church at Galatia:  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And to the believers at Ephesus, 'Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.'

We don't need feminism; we need Christians who actually live by these principles.

P.S. I'd rather have a load of firewood brought into the house than to receive a dozen roses - any day. Well, any day in the winter, at least.


5. What's something you personally can't eat without making a mess?

A pomegranate.

 I think he's less messy than I am.

6. When did you last surprise someone with a little gift or when were you last surprised by someone with a little gift? What was it?


Probably the meal I took to a young neighbor who just delivered their fourth child IN THEIR VAN at the edge of the highway. It is a long story. She is amazing and calm and extremely capable, and I admire her. Baby is beautiful. Mother and baby and the rest of the family are doing well.

7. Share a favorite quote, saying, song lyric or scripture relating to gratitude.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (This relates to gratitude in that I am grateful for God's faithfulness and mercy.)

 “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”  - G.K. Chesterton

And one more Chesterton, just for fun:
 “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.”  :-)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I was watching the TV news yesterday morning (a bad habit) and saw that in the Chicago area, a small plane had crashed into the living room of someone's residence. A neighbor, interviewed outside, said, 'I'm just thankful that the family is safe. They are really lucky.'

They are really lucky???

No, I am really lucky. I am sitting in a warm house in Wisconsin and do not have a plane protruding from my living room.

NBC News

***

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties:  Amaze Me Monday and Inspiration Monday and Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective and    Treasure Box Tuesday and Vintage Bliss Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Our World Tuesday and Tuesdays at our Home and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Vintage Inspiration Wednesday and Ivy and Elephants Wednesday and Adorned From Above  and Artsy Corner Thursday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Saturday's Critters

Wait in Silence

My soul, wait in silence for God only,

For my hope is from Him,

He only is my rock and my salvation,

My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

On God my salvation and my glory rest;

The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, O people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:5-8

Have a blessed Lord's Day.

(comments are closed today)

New Hope Lutheran Church - InSPIREd Sunday

 New Hope Lutheran Church

Between Ridgeland and Sand Creek, WI

 Photos from October 17, 2014

***

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace,

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

***

(That's how I remembered it.) 

***

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

Have a blessed Lord's Day! 

LINKING TO

INSPIRED SUNDAY

Sunrise, Sunrise

Sunrise September 24, 2014

From our Porch

Sunrise, September 24, 2014

From our Porch

On Wednesday morning I awakened to this gorgeous sunrise. In a few minutes it had turned from that deep orange to pinks and blues. It was breathtaking.

Whenever I see such amazing beauty, I am so grateful to God for giving us sight and perception. I know I've said that before, but each time it strikes me anew as to the generosity of our loving God.

 PSALM 95: 6-11

 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

when your fathers put me to the test

and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

For forty years I loathed that generation

and said, 'They are a people who go astray in their heart,

and they have not known my ways.'

Therefore I swore in my wrath,

'They shall not enter my rest.' 

 'For there is one God, and there is 

one mediator between God and men,

 the man Christ Jesus,

who gave Himself as a ransom for all...'

- I Timothy 2:5-6
   
 

REPENTANCE

 

My Bible study group is studying I Thessalonians. In a commentary on that book, one author wrote, 'Repentance is not a philosophy of life. Repentance involves an allegiance to Jesus as Lord and Christ. For the Thessalonian Christians, repentance meant a change of allegiance from Caesar to King Jesus. For new Christians, that initial moment might be very clear, but idolatry is deeper than simply going to a temple to worship a false god. Idolatry is anything we put in place of God...People make idols out of history and nature and economics and politics...It is simply not true that once you say a prayer or have a certain kind of experience you are in...These Thessalonians had to keep turning to Christ for the rest of their lives, and so do we. They had to be continually delivered by Jesus through repentance and faith...Our final salvation does not rest on how good we are or how much we have changed. It rests upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus provides forgiveness and righteousness, and Jesus is continually at work to deliver us from the wrath to come.' 

 

 - from I & Thessalonians - The Hope of Salvation, James H. Grant Jr., edited by R. Kent Hughes. You can find this book in hardcover or for your Kindle at Amazon.com

Have a blessed Lord's Day.

Time for the Hodgepodge

Once again, it's time for the Hodgepodge.

Join Joyce and the gang

at

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOYCE!!!
(She writes the questions;
we write the answers. Why not join us!)

1. I'm celebrating a birthday this week so a question relating to aging feels appropriate. Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying, 'You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair." Would you agree? If not why not?

Faith in God gives us hope and casts out fear.  I've seen a lack of faith produce cynicism and bitterness. Without God, it is impossible to deal with the horrific things we see going on in the world. (See #2.)

My trust is in Jesus, God in the flesh, who gives us forgiveness, life and hope beyond the immediate. Do I feel it? No. I know it. I choose to put my trust in Him, who paid for my sin and who will ultimately judge the world and bring justice. As (St.) Peter said, when Jesus asked if they were going to leave him also,  "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."

 "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” John 8:31-32
John 1:14–16, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

To choose not to believe in God by default means to choose to believe in chance, in fate, in purposelessness (I tried to find a shorter word), hopelessness and despair. Jesus said 'You're either for me or against me.' (Matt. 12:30) There is no in between.

These are things I want in my life: grace, truth, forgiveness, freedom, hope. I choose to put my trust in Jesus. I choose to believe. And what happens if you run up against doubt? Then you choose again to put your trust in God. For someone like me, there's not an emotional cloud that settles upon me. Remember, if you've ever noticed on my sidebar, my personality type is ISTJ. :-) But the alternative to faith is empty, devoid of joy or hope or certainty of justice or a future.

2. What remarkable feat, interesting piece of trivia, or historical event occurred on your birth day and month? Not necessarily in your birthyear, just the same date/same month.

Unfortunately, they are things we would like to think that humans would not do to one another, but even as I sit in my comfortable house in Wisconsin, things like this are still going on in the world. We just choose not to notice:

Deportation of 70,000 Jews from Lodz Poland to Auschwitz begins 1944

Enola Gay drops atom bomb on Hiroshima 1945

3. Describe a time or circumstance where you wanted to 'have your cake and eat it too.'

I want to live in beautiful Wisconsin and have Mediterranean temperatures. I know.


4. What's something you do that makes you feel young? Something that makes you feel old?

Spending time with my grandchildren makes me feel younger. Realizing how old my children are makes me feel old. Doing things outdoors, breathing the fresh Wisconsin air makes me feel young(er); watching the mainstream news media get excited about celebrities, football players, and Beyonce, but reporting almost nothing about the important things happening in the world makes me feel old(er) and sad. And disgusted. And furious.

5. When did you last do something that was 'a piece of cake'?

I don't know.

6.  Beef, wine, and cheese all improve with age. What's something else you'd add to that list? (not necessarily food or beverage) 

Wisdom improves (grows) with age and experience, something many of the young seem to forget. In this society I think we foolishly treat the young as though they are wise and treat the old as though they are irrelevant.

7. If I were to have a giveaway when we hit Volume 200, what should I give away? By my calculations we'll hit Volume 200 on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving, which means whoever wins would have whatever it is in time for Christmas.

Two Hundred! That is incredible, Joyce, Congratulations! So for the giveaway, let's see. Two hundred turkeys?  OR an Amazon.com gift card!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I know there are people out there who think that bloggers should keep their faith to themselves. I don't agree. Why on earth would we do that? When we see a world suffering, when we see injustice abound, why would we not share with others a Savior who brings hope, justice, life, and joy. Goodness knows the faithless certainly don't keep silent. Neither should we. If someone were dying of a disease, wouldn't we let them know there is a cure.

Rescue From Certain Destruction

wikipedia.org

“When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our sin and hopelessness. Helpless sinners can survive only by grace. Our strength is futile in itself; we are spiritually impotent without the assistance of a merciful God. We may dislike giving our attention to God's wrath and justice, but until we incline ourselves to these aspects of God's nature, we will never appreciate what has been wrought for us by grace. 

"Even Edwards's sermon on sinners in God's hands was not designed to stress the flames of hell. The resounding accent falls not on the fiery pit but on the hands of the God who holds us and rescues us from it. The hands of God are gracious hands. They alone have the power to rescue us from certain destruction.” - R.C. Sproul

***

 "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)..." - Ephesians 2:1-5

Something about the photo bugs me: I was trying to find a photo to illustrate rescue, but unlike that which the photo portrays, God rescued us not while we were still alive and struggling to survive, not with a little help from us - or the best one yet, 'Because He saw something good in me' theory - but 'even when we were dead in trespasses (sin against God's Law'), while we were dead (Picture Lazarus. Dead, rotting corpse) and utterly hopeless.  While we were in that condition, He made us 'alive together with Christ.'  Why? Why would he rescue rebellious, headstrong, arrogant people? Because He is rich in mercy and because He loves us.  

How can we respond to that kind of love and mercy?

Worship.

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." - John 3:18 

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1:13


Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Merry Christmas!

From our house to yours...

From NW Wisconsin,

Where it's always winter,

but

TODAY 

IT'S

CHRISTMAS!!!!

May you have a blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of HOPE for a fallen world, the promised Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord!

And to you, dear friends,

'I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of  wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.'
                                                                    Ephesians 1:16-23

Merry, merry Christmas!

 Christmas Eve with 

our son and his wife

N.T. Wright on the Psalms

September Afternoon, Just Before Sunset

"There is a prejudice in much of contemporary Western society that imagines that humankind grew up sometime in the 18th century, that everything before then is sort of silly, and that everything after then is sophisticated, intelligent, and informed by science.

"But what is true today was true in the first century: There was a clash of worldviews. The early Christians discovered themselves drawn into the Psalter's ancient Jewish way of seeing God as both totally other than the world and radically present—dangerously present—within it. And of course, this very description of God is also the description of Jesus. The Psalms enabled the first generation of Christians to navigate the world of their day, a world not all that different from our own." - N.T. Wright

Read the full interview from Christianity Today.

 

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. 

 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
    though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 

 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble with its tumult.  Selah

 

 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High. 

 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
    God will help her right early. 

 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts. 

 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah

 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has wrought desolations in the earth.
 

 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
    he burns the chariots with fire! 

 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I am exalted among the nations,
    I am exalted in the earth!” 

 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah

 ***

There are Two Kinds of People

 


"We live in a day with such a horrendously inflated view of human potential and such a miserably tiny view of God's holiness that we can scarcely understand what the real problem of guilt is. The real problem is not, "How can God be loving and yet condemn people with such little sins?" The real problem is, "How can God be righteous if he acquits such miserable sinners as we?" There can be no lasting remedy for guilt which does not deal with God's righteous indignation against sin. 
 
That's why there had to be a sacrifice. And not just any sacrifice, but the sacrifice of the Son of God! No one else, and no other act, could repair the defamation done to the glory of God by our sins. But when Jesus died for the glory of the Father, satisfaction was made. The glory was restored. Righteousness was demonstrated. Henceforth it is clear that when God, by grace, freely justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5), he is not indifferent to the demands of justice. It is all based on the grand transaction between the Father and the Son on the morning of Good Friday at Calvary. 

No other gospel can take away our guilt because no other gospel corresponds to the cosmic proportions of our sin in relation to God." - from DesiringGod.org - John Piper. Read More... HERE.

There are two kinds of people:

Those who are guilty and those whose guilt has been removed.


"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." - John 3:17-19


See? God did not send His Son into the world to make us feel guilty! God sent Jesus to rescue us, FREE us from our sin and guilt.


"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Col. 1:13-14

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

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What is the effective cure for guilt?

Christ alone. Trusting in Him is the only way to peace with God and freedom from guilt.

Have a blessed Lord's Day.

Prayer, Update

Thank you to those of you who prayed for James. (See post.) I am thrilled to report that he is home from the hospital after such a scary ordeal. God is gracious. The recovery time is expected to be long, but things are looking good. He was truly brought back from the brink, more than once. For that, and for those whom God placed in the right place at the right time, we thank our Heavenly Father, who hears the prayers of His people. As God brings them to your mind, please continue to pray for James and for his family. His mom also asked me to thank those of you who prayed for him. As any parents know, our children are precious.  To whom could we possibly be willing to entrust them, but God - our Creator, Redeemer, and Friend.

                                                              Psalm 63

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

Have a blessed Lord's Day!