The Power of God

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence - 2 Peter 1:3

Outside of heaven, the power of God in its highest density is found inside the gospel. . . Nothing else in all of Scripture is ever described in this way, except for the Person of Jesus Christ. - Milton Vincent in A Gospel Primer

I want to make the gospel of Jesus Christ my go to place and camp out there. He has all I need for life and godliness. He will help me battle my sin, humble my proud heart, walk in obedience, love others, and find great joy in learning to know him more in my days. I have the very power of God to take with me into my day - how incredible is that?!

Who has felt the nails upon His hands

Bearing all the guilt of sinful man

God eternal humbled to the grave

Jesus, Savior risen now to reign!

Behold our God seated on His throne

Come let us adore Him

Behold our King nothing can compare

Come let us adore Him!

Behold Our God

(c) Sovereign Grace Worship 2011

one war, many battles: Stand Still

Angela's new favorite song in the office is this one, and it's one of mine as well.

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You've done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say...

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Never Once by Matt Redman

I may be brought to my knees on the battlefield by a painful blow, and the healing process may be slow. But even while suffering injury in lonely shadows, unable to pick myself up, God is with me and at work. It matters not if my senses be numb to feel him near, nor if my eyes be temporarily blinded and thrown into confusion from wartime shrapnel. The General who gave my marching orders to the very place where I received my wound is also the great battlefield Surgeon, and I need not understand the working of his hand but simply trust his sovereign skill. So may I abide by his faint whisper of "peace, be still."
On that final day, we will trade our scars for perfect unity and love found in the scars of Christ.
May I live today in light of that day.


This particular passage keeps coming back to me from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening July 24th (Morning). It speaks directly to where I am, and have been for a while. I am thankful for that.

"Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." - Exodus 14:3

These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master's word to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in his love and faithfulness. Cowardice says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of action; you cannot play the Christian's part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, "do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be doing something at once-we must do it so we think-instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle." But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still;"-keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go forward."

1st photo: WWII bunker in Cinque Terre, Italy 2007

2nd photo: last family trip to hunting cabin in Tioga County, 8/13/11

Through the Eyes of Children

I tagged along as Joy babysat the Howell kids this evening. When you aren't the primary sitter, you can stop and smell the roses, or take some photos, more easily.

Dear Father, please give me more child-like faith each day.

Pretty cool story by an awesome Author

God has and is doing much in my life. It has been hard - intense and extreme in many ways I never would have guessed a year ago. The good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful - it's all worthwhile (even if feelings at times say differently).

And you know what? God let's us be a part of some pretty cool stuff in this life. He doesn't have to, and he definitely doesn't need us. But what a privilege it is that we get to be involved in his story on this earth. Whether mundane or monumental, whether brief or lifelong - whatever or whomever he brings my way, I have great cause to delight in my God. 

I want to delight myself in my God and learn contentment, so that my soul may be satisfied, fulfilled, and sing praises to my Savior in whatever circumstance the moment of my day finds me. At the foot of the cross, ambition and contentment can co-exist. As can sorrow and joy, weakness and strength. 

We've got a pretty awesome Author of life. He creates the best stories, and we get to be in them.

photo: Creation Festival 2011 main stage

Leave it in his care, and seek to love.

 

If we genuinely trust in God's sovereignty, we ought to trust him enough to leave certain things in his care - even and especially personally painful things. 1 Corinthians calls us to bear all things, believe all things and hope all things about one another. - Tim Challies*

So good, yet so hard to do. So glad to have a great and mighty God who is bigger than all my struggles and will lovingly grant the grace I need each day.

Waiting on the Lord with personally painful things looks like trusting that my God is...

great.

mighty.

sovereign.

just.

holy.

caring.

loving.

gracious.

kind.

I will wait on the Lord. Strength will rise. "Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me."

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. - 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. - 1 John 4:18

And waiting on the Lord looks like allowing my faith to be tested and proved genuine, evidenced by obediently walking in the good works God has prepared for me even in the dark times (James 2:14-26). And I do believe the greatest, and sometimes most difficult, good work is truly loving others. How can I love? Because He first loved us. "We love because he first loved us."

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

* In CJ Mahaney and Difficult Days, posted today

photo: torn up baseball I found on the hill in midst

of construction for our church building 8/6/11

Do good; He will keep you strong

Relationship

There is so much and so many who I could give myself to, but...

Outside of Christ there is nothing worth knowing, and all who by faith perceive what he is like have grasped all the immensity of heavenly benefits. - John Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion

I miss out on nothing when I "limit" myself to simply knowing Christ, and in fact gain everything in him.

So even in seasons of isolation from much human interaction, which are particularly trying for this relational gal, I have all I need and more in Christ - let me bury myself in his word. Whether overwhelmed with myriads of places I could focus*, or haunted by shadows of loneliness - in plenty or in want - "hallelujah, all I have is Christ; hallelujah, Jesus is my life." May it be my aim to learn more of this pearl of greatest price, in whatever season I find myself.

As I head into another work day, may my God grant the grace to grow my faith so I can come a little closer to saying with Paul (I keenly feel how far I am from this):

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:11-13)

How I continually need the strength of my mighty God and Savior. So aware that I definitely cannot do anything, much less all things, in my frailty and desperate state. But I will cling to the promise that Christ can and will strengthen me or work through my weakness.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Cor. 12:9-10

If my weakness serves to highlight my need for a Savior, to myself and perhaps even to others, then I have to count it a privilege to be weak so that the power of Christ may be magnified. To God alone be the glory. He will ensure that it is so. And he will also care for me and show his kindness again. My Savior truly does love me. I have only to look and see him bleed on the tree to know this. And he will come back for me, full of glory and power. Until that day, I hold to his dear promises and seek to know him more.

* Today I mused how I never have lived outside of Lancaster county and yet have particular fondness for people in various long distance locations. In my short 24 years, people in places such as Tijuana, Mexico; Charlotte, North Carolina; Hamburg, Germany; and Chicago Land, Illinois all hold groups, actually whole churches, of people that I care for. Then when I think about how many people are even right here in Lancaster that I can never fully contain in my heart, it is a marvel to me how I can care so much and yet be so limited and separated. Only God can fully know even one human heart. I cannot know even my own, much less one other person's or more. And even if I could, the selfishness and pride in my heart would poison that knowledge of another. But how glorious will that day be, when we are unified together in and with Christ - having perfect fellowship with Him and one another, free from all sin. I'm thankful that any sadness of the limitation of fellowship that we are constrained by here serves to drive me in anticipation for eternity. And then I am free to quiet my soul and occupy myself with the small lot God has allowed for me this day. Knowing that the best is yet to come, I can be content in the present. What a work of grace! May God grant perseverance to his saints. I know I need it.

1st photo: Joy at the hunting cabin 7/9/2008

2nd photo: Bunting family's last Sunday at church 

yesterday, before the Pastors College then Bahamas

Evil and Good

fighting fears

anger knocks on the door

feeble love absorbs self-sacrificing pain

and sadness settles softly again

 

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

We are evil people, but we have a good God. May he show himself great and be exalted.