Joy In Jesus

Thoughts and Ramblings of a christian stay at home mom..Thoughts about the christian life, Reformed theology, homelife, church life, books, music... etc..!

Friday, November 04, 2005

Surviving? ....nay, Persevering!

I confess publicly that I am a watcher of the TV “reality” show Survivor. ( I am fascinated by this show!  For those who have been spared getting drawn into the watching of this show let me explain it to you in its simplest form.  A group of 16 individuals are transported to some exotic, isolated island somewhere in the world and  are separated into 2 tribes (teams) where they compete tribe against tribe for rewards (usually some yummy food or some necessary supply such as matches or cooking utensils) and for immunity.  Whichever tribe wins an immunity challenge the individuals of that team are exempt from being voted out that night. The tribes are left to find their own food, make fire, find potable water etc.. thus the survival aspect of it. Eventually, when the combined number of individuals from both tribes is down to about 10 they merge into one tribe and begin competing against one another for the ultimate prize of 1 million dollars. Only one person can win! This game gets nasty! Rarely can a person participate without succumbing to selfishness, lying, slander, etc in order to win. In fairness to the show there have been a couple of seasons where a few of the participants let it be known that they were Christians and a actually won the million! It is between them and God whether they got there with their integrity completely intact. I believe they did, but I wasn’t there, so what do I know!!!! (

Okay, so why all this Survivor talk? I’m sitting here this morning watching my Tivo’d episode of last night’s survivor episode thinking how opposite the culture of Survivor is from our Christian journey. Last night at my 50th birthday celebration God reminded me of how many friends, brothers and sisters in Christ that I have to run this race with me! We aren’t competing with one another to win this race; we are running this race together. I received so many words of love and encouragement. I was overwhelmed.

God has given us the blessed gift of community so we can run this race in fellowship and unity, in care and compassion for one another. If, on Survivor, someone falters the others are happy because this increases their chances of being the one that survives to the end. In the Christian community and in the local church when one falters there are ones who come around to help! Sometimes help comes in the form of a listening ear, or an encouraging word. Sometimes it comes with practical help such as making a meal, visiting in the hospital and sometimes it comes in the form of speaking into someone’s life, gently and humbly helping someone see a sin that they’ve been blind to. In all these things the point is to help this person to continue to follow Jesus completely, to be brought back to a place of gazing at the cross, of trusting in God fully and completely! What a JOY to have these friends in our life! We are not supposed to be isolated as Christians. We are not in competition with one another; we are here to live this life together, to encourage one another, to care for one another, to help keep our focus on Christ alone!  This glorifies God! To borrow a phrase from one of my favorite authoers, John Piper, living this way is “for our good and God’s glory.”

I thank God that Survivor is not a reflection of the church, of the Body of Christ. I am praising God today for my brothers and sisters in Christ, for those who will whack me upside my head when I need to be whacked… ( They will encourage me when I need encouragement and will rejoice with me when I am rejoicing and will weep with me when I am weeping; that will pray for me when I need prayer, will pray with me when I am interceding.

I was so encouraged and blessed this entire week as people helped me celebrate my birthday. I am reminded of the great gift the body of Christ is! Of course the greatest gift I have is Jesus. He is my inheritance. What a life! I don’t have to “survive” but by the grace of God and the sure promise of His work in me I will persevere!

English Standard Version (ESV)

Hebrews 10:24-25 (English Standard Version)
24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Romans 15:5-7 (English Standard Version)
5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 12:25-27 (English Standard Version)
be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Ephesians 2:20-22 (English Standard Version)
21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
“God thank you so much that I don’t have to “survive” this life on earth, that by your grace and mercy , by your faithfulness and steadfast love I will persevere to the end. This is your promise for the elect. I am so grateful Lord for the people you have placed in my life, for my husband, my children, my church, my pastors, my friends etc who you have placed alongside me to run this race with me! Mostly Lord, I praise you and thank you for YOU are my inheritance. I respond Lord with thanksgiving and praise, I pray you will help me obey you and keep your commands. Thank you for your faithfulness! Thank you for the body of Christ. You are indeed so great. Increase my faith Lord, increase my love for you Lord, draw me nearer and nearer to thee. In Jesus, precious and holy name. Amen.”

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

I love to sing songs of worship to God! It is a joy to honor and praise the lover of my soul, the One who saved me! It is good to sing songs of sound doctrine. My heart is always turned towards Jesus as I praise Him! One part of a song that we sing at my church, from the song, “I Will Glory In My Redeemer(Steve and Vikki Cook),” says, “ HIS faithfulness my standing place.” WoW! Do you see what it says? HIS faithfulness! God’s faithfulness, not my faithfulness… God’s faithfulness!!!

I don’t know about you, but I am not always faithful. My heart wanders; I sin; I am not always devoted to prayer… as another great hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love….” (Be Thou My Vision At¬trib¬ut¬ed to Dal¬lan For¬gaill, 8th Cen¬tu¬ry). When I ponder that it is GOD’S faithfulness that is my security, my standing place I am renewed in the wonder and awe of God’s grace and love and mercy! How great He is!

I found myself in the “performance mode” this week… do you know what I mean? Working in “my” strength, not by God’s grace and sufficiency.. but performing for man, concerned for “my” reputation rather than the good of another or the good of the body of Christ. I found myself in the “all about me” pattern of thought. Pride rears it's ugly head again.Ugh!

Now here is the GREAT news! Through a conversation with a friend and God’s conviction I realized what I was doing and had the opportunity to confess to God my sin and seek forgiveness from a colleague in ministry. My friend pointed out how the world says, “perform, perform, perform”… but God says, “Humble thyself” ( 1 Peter 5:6) Now, this was not my doing, nor my faithfulness that I saw this in my life. Instead, it was God’s faithfulness to sanctify me and make me more and more like Jesus that spoke to my heart.

This is good news, Christian! God WILL complete what he has begun in his elect.

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

What peace; what gratitude this generates; what relief! God will do it.

“Oh Lord, help me to surrender to your work in me! When my heart is hard, please soften it, help me to see my sins. Thank you for your faithfulness. Lord, I don’t have a leg to stand on but YOUR faithfulness is my standing place! Thank you so much that you never lie, that your promises are true and that your steadfast love endures forever! I praise you for your faithfulness.”

Oh Christian let this promise sink into you.. God is faithful! His faithfulness is our security!

Now, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Monday, October 31, 2005

Amazed again...

Today I am amazed by grace. I should actually qualify that statement.. today I am EXTRA amazed by grace.. I left church yesterday amazed by grace all over again, more in love with my Savior, encouraged by my Lord and refreshed in my faith. As we were singing songs of grace I was reminded of how thorough grace is… I was humbled all over again as my gaze was brought back to the gospel, to the cross. How kind God is to lead us to repentance! I could still be wallowing in my wickedness of sin… I could still be an enemy of God but instead, because of God’s love, mercy and kindness in calling me, I am saved, I am seated at the table of mercy and grace. I deserve death, punishment and the wrath of God and instead, by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ I receive faith, grace and mercy.  Sometimes that truth hits me so hard that I can’t put my arms around how great it is! The only response to this must be worship, obedience and gratitude! So join me in praising our Lord!

Dear God, there is not enough time in this world, not enough words to express my gratitude for saving me. I thank you God that you know my limitations and love me still! It is by YOUR faithfulness and steadfast love that I stand in grace. I thank you for giving me a renewed vision of how amazing grace is. I ask that you never let me get complacent about it. Help me Lord to always be in awe of your mercy, love and kindness. Help me Lord to grow in the knowledge of your holiness and greatness and let this knowledge be used to grow me and sanctify me. Do not let my head just be filled with knowledge of this great salvation but use it Lord to change my life and reflect the glory of who you are! Lord, I want my words, my thoughts and my actions to reflect this great salvation. Do not leave me Lord to my own efforts, for my greatest efforts lead to my greatest sin! Instead Lord, by your grace help me to cooperate with your work in me, help me to surrender and to desire your will for my life. You are so great Lord God! May you be glorified today! Be magnified oh Lord for you alone are worthy of all glory and honor and praise! You are my greatest treasure!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestine us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, the praise of glorious grace , with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. “  Ephesians 1:3-10