Future Grace

I've been reading John Piper's "The Purifying Power of Living by Faith in Future Grace".
And learning a lot. Some things the Lord had already begun to teach me.

On Sin
"Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds out some promise of happiness. That promise enslaves us until we belive that God is more to be desired than life itself. . . All that God promises to be for us in Jesus stands over against what sin promises to be for us without him."

On Anxiety
". . . the root of anxiety is inadequate faith in our Father's future grace. As unbelief gets the upper hand in our hearts, one of the effects is anxiety. The root cause of anxiety is a failure to trust all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus."

On Grace supplied vs. Grace denied
"We should not be suprised that God gives us wonderful graces in the midst of suffering that we had asked him to spare us. He knows best how to apportion his grace for our good and for his glory. . . So Christ's power, acting to sustain and strengthen believers, is also his grace."

On Pride
"Consider the relationship between boasting and self -pity. Both are manifestations of pride. Boasting is the response of pride to success. Self-pity is the response of pride to suffering. Boasting says, 'I deserve admiration because I have achieved so much.' Self-pity says, 'I deserve admiration because I have sacrificed so much.' Boasting is the voice of pride in the heart of the strong. Self-pity is the voice of pride in the heart of the weak. Boasting sounds self-sufficient. Self-pity sounds self-sacrificing. . . The need self-pity feels does not come from a sense of unworthiness, but from a sense of unrecognized worthiness. It is the response of unapplauded pride. When pride is not strong it begins to worry about the future. In the heart of the proud, anxiety is to the future what self-pity is to the past. . . Here is another irony. Anxiety does not look like pride. It looks weak. It looks as though you admit you don't control the future. Yes, in a sense the proud admit that. But the admission does not kill pride until the proud heart is willing to look to the one who does control the future and rest in him. Until then, the proud are hanging on to their right of self-sufficiency even as it crumbles on the horizon of the future."

A Living Prayer

--Alison Krauss

In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But theres one who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there

In You're love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to Thee

(Take my life and let me be
a living prayer my God to Thee)

In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

He Will Listen to You

- Glen Soderholm

When the weight of this world crashes down on you
God will listen to you
When the sky turns black and your thoughts turn blue
God will listen to you

He will listen to you, always listen to you
He understands how his children feel
God will listen to you

When the river of tears cannot be contained
God will listen to you
You’re like a drowning man in the pouring rain
God will listen to you
He will listen to you, always listen to you
He understands how his children feel
God will listen to you

When the light explodes in a world gone wrong
God will listen to you
When your heart beats strong with a grateful song
God will listen to you

He will listen to you, always listen to you
He understands how his children feel
God will listen to you

made much of

"If you love for men to make much of you, you will feel shame when they don't. But if you love for men to make much of Christ, then you will feel shame if he is belittled on your account."
John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life

Quote of the Day

"The self was never designed to satisfy itself or rely upon itself. It never can be sufficient. We are but images of God, not the real thing. We are shadows and echoes. So there will always be an emptiness in the soul that struggles to be satisfied with the resources of self."

(Future Grace, pg. 94, John Piper)

the well that satisfies

In case you are like me, and you didn't learn the first time. . .

. . . for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2.13

Why do I continue to return to the well that runs dry, the well that will not, can not quench my thirst, the well that always leaves me wanting more. . . there's something so much greater out there, a water that leads to life, to joy, if I'll just run to that well. . . and drink deeply.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."
John 4.7-15

Life with a sister. . .

of course there are ups and downs. . .



but it's nice to have a built in best friend!

That's My King. . .

Do you know Him?

My King was born King. The Bible says He’s a Seven Way King.
He’s the King of the Jews – that’s a racial King.
He’s the King of Israel – that’s a National King.
He’s the King of righteousness.
He’s the King of the ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of glory.
He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords.
Now that’s my King. Well I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don’t try to mislead me. Do you know my King?
David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show His handiwork. My King is the only one whom there are no means of measure can define His limitless love.
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shore of supplies.
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
Well, well, He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
That’s my King.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s saviour.
He’s the centrepiece of civilization.
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s honest.
He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled.
He’s unprecedented.
He’s supreme.
He’s pre-eminent.
Well, He’s the grandest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He’s the supreme problem in high criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of proved theology.
He’s the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. T
hat’s my King.
He’s the miracle of the age.
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
Well, He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.
He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He’s strong God and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharged debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek.
Do you know Him?
Well, my King is a King of knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.
He’s the master of the mighty.
He’s the captain of the conquerors.
He’s the head of the heroes.
He’s the leader of the legislatures.
He’s the overseer of the overcomers.
He’s the governor of governors.
He’s the prince of princes.
He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.
That’s my King. Yeah. Yeah. That’s my King. My King, yeah.
His office is manifold.
His promise is sure.
His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His Word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Well. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable. He’s indescribable. Yes.
He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible.
I’m coming to tell you, the heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explaining Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind.
You can’t get Him off of your hands.
You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.
Well, Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilot couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

That’s my King. Yeah. He always has been and He always will be. I’m talking about He had no predecessor and He’ll have no successor. There’s nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him.
You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign. That’s my King! That’s my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We’re around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but it’s God’s power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the evers, then, Amen.

My King—Dr. S. M. Lockridge

the Only thing that's good in me. . .

is JESUS!

it's all pride. . .

and it's all me! I've been reading this article in The Christian Single. Totally random cause I never pick it up and read it, but the Lord knew exactly what I needed today and just spoke to my heart that I needed it. It's all about pride-and totally descriptive of me. The whole thing.

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall".
Proverbs 16:18

The word destruction actually means to fracture or break.

MY PRIDE IS BREAKING THIS RELATIONSHIP!

Even last night I was just praying, "Lord, I haven't really experienced you in a huge way in sooo long. Where are you?" and then He reminded me:
"but He gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' James 4:6
He's opposing me right now-that's why He feels so far way.