“One day as I was passing into the field, this sentence fell upon my soul: ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven.’ And with the eyes of my soul I saw Jesus at the Father’s right hand. ‘There,’ I said, ‘is my righteousness!’ So that wherever I was or whatever I was doing, God could not say to me, ‘Where is your righteousness?’ For it is always right before him.
I saw that it is not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness IS Christ. Now my chains fell off indeed. My temptations fled away, and I lived sweetly at peace with God.
Now I could look from myself to him and could reckon that all my character was like the coins a rich man carries in his pocket when all his gold is safe in a trunk at home. Oh I saw that my gold was indeed in a trunk at home, in Christ my Lord. Now Christ was all: my righteousness, sanctification, redemption.”
- John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
from Of First Importance
Filed under: General
Spurgeon on objections to Isaiah 45:22: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other!”
But thou sayest sin will not let thee look. I tell thee, sin will be removed the moment thou dost look. “But I dare not; He will condemn me; I fear to look.” He will condemn thee more, if thou dost not look. Fear, then, and look; but do not let thy fearing keep thee from looking. “But He will cast me out.” Try Him. “But I cannot see Him.” I tell you, it is not seeing, but looking. “But my eyes are so fixed on the earth, so earthly, so worldly.” Ah! but, poor soul, He giveth power to look and live. He saith – “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.”
- Charles Spurgeon
from Of First Importance
Filed under: General
It has been some time since I last sat down and actually wrote something. This period of literary silence came as a result of a lack of desire, a lack of time, and a much need Christmas break from classes during which I had little to no internet connection. Even now as type it feels as though it is flowing more out of recognized need then from the joy of writing. It is good to write, it is good to develop thoughts in this manner, it is good to have some sort of outlet for the different things building in and clouding up my mind, yet, at times, it is very difficult.
This is not due to the lack of things to type, but is due to the obsessive manner in which I take to the task. If you (speaking as though people actually read this) were to watch as I attempted to record my thoughts you would be taken back at the amount of time I spend reviewing and deleting. There has been occasions when I have spent a great deal of time writing paragraphs only to find myself unsatisfied with the results. This then leads to the deleting of work and feelings of frustration over wasted time. Yet, I always come back.
So, what compels me to write even when I find it frustrating? In short… God’s work in my life. At times it is overwhelming to see His loving kindness and gentle mercy in my life. There are days when I feel as though unless I find some way to express thoughts I have resulting from His lessons I will explode. God is good… and I need to speak of His goodness.
Hopefully, as in other areas, with discipline this undertaking will become easier and as enjoyable as it once was. It is not the message that I struggle with, but the manner in which it is expressed.
Glory be to God on high
Let peace on earth descend
God comes down before our eyes
To Bethlehem
God invisible appears
Endless ages wrapped in years
He has come who cannot change
And Jesus is His name
Emptied of His majesty
He comes in human form
Being’s source begins to be
And God is born
All our griefs He’ll gladly share
All our sins He’ll fully bear
He will cover our disgrace
And suffer in our place
Let the joyful news ring out
The Prince of Peace proclaim
Lift your heart and voice to shout
Immanuel’s name
God has kept His promises
What a work of grace this is
Son of Mary, chosen One
The Lamb of God has come
Hosanna, hosanna
The Lamb of God has come
Hosanna, hosanna
He is the promised One
Glory be to God on high
Let peace on earth descend
God comes down before our eyes
To Bethlehem
by Bob Kauflin
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
O to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinners to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
O to be like Thee! Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing;
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
O to be like Thee! While I am pleading
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love.
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit for a life which Thou wouldst approve.
by Thomas O. Chisholm
