God Rules All
Posted by jerrywhite on Nov 30, 2009
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
Psalm 115:2-3 (ESV)
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The Lord Jesus is on His throne and no one can dethrone Him. He rules the universe. All nature is subject to His command. Every nation is like a drop from a bucket, and every nation’s ruler is under His authority. Because He is sovereign He does whatever He pleases. Rejoice with peace—our Almighty Savior is in charge. As Master Builder and Owner He holds all the keys in His omnipotent hand and no one can snatch them from Him.
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Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).
“It is not easy to be still in this rough and restless world. Yet God says, ‘Be still’; and He also says, ‘In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength’ (Isaiah 30:15).
Be still, and know that I can put all enemies to shame. The Lord shall hold them in derision. Who shall contend with Him who made the heavens and the earth? Remember, I am God.
Be still, and know that I can uphold My own truth in a day of error. Is not My truth precious to me? And My book of truth, is it not above all books in My eyes? Remember, I am God.
Be still, and you shall know that I can say to the nations, ‘Peace, be still.’ The waves rise, but I am mightier than all. Remember, these tumults do not touch My throne. Take no alarm; I am still God.
Be still, and you shall see the glorious issue of all these confusions. Know that this world is My world, and you shall see it to be so. Remember, this earth shall yet be the abode of the righteous, because I am God.
Horatius Bonar (Scotland, 1808-1889)
Fill Me With Hope, compiled by Paul M. Miller, October 14
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Created To Know God
Posted by jerrywhite on Nov 26, 2009
“What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the ‘eternal life’ that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God. ‘This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent’ (John 17:3). What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else? Knowledge of God. “
J. I. Packer
Knowing God, 29
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“Dear Friend in Christ,
In answer to your question, ‘Why didn’t God take me to heaven the moment I trusted Jesus? Does He have a special work for me to accomplish for Him?’—I would turn your heart to a more foundational truth. God in His mercy does not keep us alive because of some mission we have to perform, but rather because He desires to reveal Himself to us on earth in ways impossible in heaven.
The benefits earth yields outstrip heaven in many ways. Take, for example, knowing God as our Sustainer through trouble. This is our privileged experience now rather than later, after all tears have been dried by His own hand. It’s here on earth that God unveils to us His priesthood and enters into our sufferings, rather than in Glory where no one suffers. Only on earth does God show Himself to us as our Fortress and Defender, for who opposes us in heaven? On earth He shows Himself as our Rock and the One who lifts up our heads.
Here, when we faint, His everlasting arms catch and support us. Here He is our Savior and Advocate and gentle Shepherd. Through the changing experiences of this life we are introduced to His hands, His eyes, His feet, His wings, and His heart.
We are not left here on earth because we have a job to do, but because we have a God to know. And because knowing Him is the purpose of our existence here, we need not frustrate ourselves trying to identify our slot of service or qualifying gifts.
O, dear friend, follow hard after Him! Sanctify Christ as Lord and thankfully receive everything that enters your life as preparation for beholding Him in fresh ways.”
Edward Miller, Letters to the Thirsty, 8-9
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Simply Spirit-Filled
Posted by jerrywhite on Nov 23, 2009
“One day a dear friend, head of one of the larger corporations in the East, was convinced that he could no longer live without being filled with the Holy Spirit. He took a day from his business to be filled. He had heard that one way to be filled was to read the letter to the Ephesians, so that morning he sat down to read it. He read it through. It took only a short time, but he was not filled. Others had said, ‘Go alone into the field where you can meditate and be quiet, and you will be filled.’ He did this, but was not filled. That afternoon on his return he telephoned to a friend and made an appointment for an interview at five o’clock. When they met my friend said, ‘Charlie, I want to be filled with the Spirit; I can’t go on like this any longer.’ Then he was told the simple way; to tell God his great need, and as an expression of his faith in Him to present his entire being to Him. He bowed before God, told Him of the great need, presented his being to the Lord Jesus to have and to hold, to fill and to do with as pleased Him. As they arose my friend said, ‘Well, Charlie, nothing has broken yet.’ He expected some great feeling or emotion. Regardless of feeling they thanked God that He was attending to His part—the filling, and the possessing, and that He would manifest Himself in His own time and way. When he returned home, feeling just as he did when he left, he sat down in his chair; there beside him lay the Bible open at Ephesians. Again he picked it up, and then? The first night he could not finish the first chapter. It took days to read the book. The Holy Spirit was declaring to him the things of the Lord Jesus. He saw Jesus in the Book, and was satisfied.
Your evidence that you are filled with the Spirit is that Jesus becomes everything to you. You see Him. You are occupied with Him. You are fully satisfied with Jesus. He becomes real, and when you witness about Him, the Holy Spirit witnesses with you regarding the truth about Him.
L. L. Legters
The Simplicity of the Spirit-Filled Life, 50-52
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Jesus As A Man
Posted by jerrywhite on Nov 19, 2009
How do you view Jesus? Do you see Him as completely human? Oh, yes, He was fully divine, but He was fully human and He lived as any human must live. If we see Him as only Divine and lose sight of His genuine humanity then we lose sight of the significance of what He did for us. He became a human, suffered as a human, was tempted as a human, defeated the devil as a human, and died as a human. He was as human as you and I are, yet without a sin nature. Severest temptation does not require a sin nature. Before his transgression Adam did not have a sin nature.
As a human, Jesus had meaningful relationships. He loved His mother and she loved him. He had close friends like Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and the disciples. He experienced the full range of human emotions like sorrow and grief, anger and joy, disappointment and distress. This is why He can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).
When you see Him for who He really is as a human as well as the Lord, you will love Him more than you ever knew was possible.
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“’There stood by the cross of Jesus his mother’ (John 19:25).
Where else would one expect to find such a mother? It was her very own Son who was suffering. The outstretched arms and nail-torn hands once had clung around her neck. The head now tortured with a crown of thorns was once pillowed on her breast. The mouth on which she had once lavished her kisses of love was now parched and swollen. Though powerless to help, she could at least be beside Him in loyalty and love.
Sympathetically she entered into all His sufferings. The spear pierced her heart as it rent His flesh. With joy she had followed His career, had feared and preyed for Him, had rejoiced in His successes and wept over His disappointments. But now He was dying as a criminal, not as a hero! What an end to the life of such a Son! Lest she add to His sufferings, she did not give way to uncontrolled weeping, but repressed her grief as the sword pierced her soul. She did not faint or swoon, she ‘stood.’ He had enough suffering of His own without her adding to his overflowing cup of sorrow.
J. Oswald Sanders
The Incomparable Christ, 172-173
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The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
Posted by jerrywhite on Nov 16, 2009
“Once I was in the presence of a man who prayed, ‘Lord, thank you for putting up with us.’ ‘No! No!’ I silently cried. ‘That’s not the way he is toward us.’ He paid a measureless price to cleanse us of all sin and to give us his very own perfect righteousness as an infinitely gracious gift. He doesn’t just put up with us, endure or tolerate us as a weary mother does an untrained child. The work of Christ is so complete and perfect that our Father is able to delight in us and love us just as he loves his own Son. Jesus said, ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you’ (John 15:9). Psalm 103:11 assures us, ‘For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.’ This wonderful state is not based upon what we have done or can do but solely upon what God the Father is and has done for us through Jesus. We cannot add anything by our own effort, nor can we subtract from it by failure. This is forever settled for us as his precious children whom he loves. Psalm 86:5 wonderfully declares, ‘You are forgiving and good, oh Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.’ These words should stir all hearts with gladness, wonder, and love.”
Author
Fellowship With God, 24-25.
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O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free;
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me,
Underneath me, all around me,
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To my glorious rest above.
S. T. Francis
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