Acceptable

Bro. Tom Gilliam was preaching again last night out of the book of II Corinthians. He is continuing to preach on "The Wisdom of Weakness". The central verse for the whole book is chapter 12:10 "...when I am weak, then am I strong". He has explained that the little word then means "then and only then" Last night in the course of his message he came across the verse in Colossians 1: 12-13

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

Bro Tom explained that the little word meet means ACCEPTABLE. I looked the word up in the dictionary and this is what it said "to come into the presence of". I don't know about you but these meanings makes this scripture jump off the page. There is nothing good within me and the more of God I see the more I don't like what I see in me. But to know a holy, righteous God, the one who hung on Calvary for my sins, the one who set this world into existence made me acceptable, or made me able to come into HIS presence. That's big, really big. How can I not praise Him, my heartoverflows right now as I think about this. If you have not thought on this I encourage you to read it over and over and think about what you are reading until you see what HE is saying.

Acceptable
Joan

What a Message

Bro Tom Gilliam is with us this week at Calvary for Revival meeting and what preaching he has done. He is preaching on "The Wisdom of Weakness" from II Corinthians. The central verse for the whole book is chapter 12:10 ...when I am weak, then am I strong. He has explained that the little word then means "then and only then". Boy, that really makes the verse so so much more that we really need to get a hold of.

Last night he preached from II Corinthians 4, with a concentration out of the key verses 1 &16 where they both say "we faint not". Bro. Tom gave great insight to 4 things Paul did on a daily basis to keep from fainting not on God. If Paul did these things daily maybe we ought to take a look at them and put them into practice in our lives also.

1. Purifying the Secret Life v.2
2. Purposing the Servant Life v. 4&5
3. Piercing of th Self Life v. 7
4. Promoting of the Spiritual Life v. 16

You need to get the CD's if you were not in the meeting. Awesome preaching and a very timely series for our church.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and are basking in the Love of God today.
Joan

It's Gotta Go..

Matt 18:9
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Mark 9:47
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Hebrews 12 :1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Since I want MORE out of my walk with Christ, I had to cut out something this morning that was distracting me from HIM. Although, not a sin in itself, for me occasionally it was beginning to make me loose my focus of Christ. I toyed with it for a while this morning should I or should I not, did it really matter or not. Then I after I looked up the above scriptures I felt like there was no question to what I must do.

(HaHa) I am not going to tell you what it is any more than you want to tell me what might be a stumbling block for you. We all have them, and it is what we do with them that really counts. What is a stumbling block for me, you might not have a problem with and vice versa. I'm not crazy. Although I want to use my blog for the Lord, I do not plan on devulging everything about myself. Somethings are between a girl and her saviour, or maybe between a girl and her family, or a girl and her church.

Hope to see you tonight at our revival,
Joan

What A Saviour Is Mine

Isaiah 19:20
...a saviour, and a great one....

Oh, what a saviour is mine. Do You know HIM?

Life is All about HIM
Joan

That's Not Fair...

That's Not Fair, I heard this many times as my children were growing up especially by one of them who I will not name. And I will have to admit that I have probably said it and felt it many times. How about You? But salvation is not fair, its Gods gift of grace to us. And we are undeserving of any grace from the Lord, but He so willing to bestow it upon us.

I have had on my mind for a couple of weeks the scripture in James 1:2
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.

Today I have taken the time to look it up and study it out. First, I wanted to see what James was writing about when he was talking about temptations. All the commentaries and word studies agreed with what I already thought that it was just trials of any kind. Then I wanted to see if there were any other scriptures that helped support this verse. And there were many such as I Peter 1:6-8, Romans 5 :3-5 and James 1: 12. I will not post those and just let you look them for yourself.

I have read several thoughts on this scriptures and they all come back to the same thing, that if our faith is not good enough for us in a time of sorrow what kind of faith do we really have. What are we showing to others about God in the time of our sorrows, does this remind you of us being a fair weather friend.(Lord, forgive me)It is in the valley/sorrows that we can let God shine with his grace working in us.

Now, don't get me wrong I have not arrived and have a ways to go on my walk with the Lord. But, I should count it an honor to be used by God in the time of sorrow so others can see a true and living God.

This illustration says it better than I can from one of John MacArthurs sermons on James 1.

A jeweler gives as one of the surest tests for a true diamond what is called the water test. An imitation stone is never ever so brilliant as a genuine stone. But sometimes you can't tell that by just looking at it with your eye. And if your eye is not experienced enough to detect that difference, it is said by jewelers that water will definitely show up the real diamond. A genuine diamond placed in water sparkles brilliantly though it's under water while the imitation is practically extinguished as to its sparkle. Place one along side the other one in water and you'll be able to pick out the real diamond relatively easy. And if I might borrow from that analogy the thought that many people who are very confident of their faith, who feel that their faith is indeed genuine and shines brilliantly, when they find themselves under the water of sorrow or the water of affliction, find that the supposed genuineness of that diamond is shown to be nothing but an imitation. However, put the true child of God under the water of trial and he will shine as brilliantly as ever.

So we should be counting it an honor that God is willing to use us and our trials, according to the scriptures. Now don't get me wrong I don't like heartache any better than you do. But God is working in our lives and in the lives of others when we face trials of any kind in ways that we know nothing about. We must stay out of Gods way and let HIM work. I don't know about you but I want the world to see the true and living God in my life every day. God is more than fair with all of us and whatever He chooses to do.

Lord, let me count it an honor when sorrows come my way to be used by you and not think it unfair or question you to what you are doing. Let my life shine in times of sorrow so others can see you in my life more than ever. I thank you for Nikki and Chad continually letting you shine in the midst of heartache.

Joan

Gods Telephone Number

I was recently at a ladies conference and the speaker told of a little child that learned of Gods telephone and was so excited to tell his parents that he knew Gods telephone number. I can imagine the scene can't you in the day and time where everyone has more telephones than we know what to do with. It was Jeremiah 33:3 so this is my memory verse for today since it is the 15th I am going to post it in the sidebar.

Well on the agenda today, is playing with Clayton(when he is here I don't plan much but to spend time playing with him and enjoying him) Already today Clayton found Mattie - the dog laying in the floor chewing on her bone and he got on her back himself for the first time. Now, I might have put him on there before, but not this time. I am sure this is not the only time this will happen. I wish I had had the camcorder at this moment but of course I did not. Each new day is a blessing and an adventure to see what is going to happen next. But I am trying to make each day count for HIM.

Until next time,
Joan

"Just His Experience and Bible Truth"

How many times do we sing songs in church that we do not realize what we are singing about. I am so guilty of this, how about you?

Lamentations 3:22-23 have been on my mind the last couple of days and I remembered a song that we use to sing at a former church "Great is thy Faithfulness" by Thomas Chisolm. I was curious to the history of the song (checked it out on the internet) and learned he wrote the words in 1923. Many times there are circumsatnaces that have lead authors to pen their words. As I read about this song acording to Chisolm there were no spe­cial cir­cum­stanc­es which caused its writ­ing—just his ex­per­i­ence and Bi­ble truth.

Great is thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Just his ex­per­i­ence and Bi­ble truth. Could we have penned such words just because of our experiences with God and our Bible knowledge. I don't know about you but I fail God so much and am nothing but filthy rags. What a God I Serve.

...and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...Isaiah 64:6
Joan