WHAT GOD HAS DONE ON OUR BEHALF

By Hallie Gipson

December 1, 2012 – do you feel rushed, stressed out, exhausted, and stretched to the limit even though it’s only the first day of the month? The list of descriptives about how we ‘feel’ at this time of year could be endless. And by the way, do you have your Christmas tree trimmed and your home decorated for the Season of Celebration? I know, I know, I didn’t have to bring that subject to mind!! But since I did . . . yes, my tree is trimmed and the decorations have been carefully placed, thanks to two of my precious granddaughters. Their excitement was contagious, to say the least, and they were all too eager to get busy decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. How do you say ‘no’ to those sweet faces and those little voices brimming with excitement at the thought of opening Nana’s boxes of decorations?

The highlight for me came as we were placing several nativity scenes around the house. There is the fragile one with angels that is placed on the piano, a large wooden one complete with stable on the hall table, and a small one (just the right size for small hands) made of olive wood on the sun porch. The curiosity they have about how baby Jesus looks in each nativity scene always touches my heart. The other people and animals in the nativity scenes are not what they are focused on. It’s the tiny Christ-child that commands their attention. My 5 year old granddaughter had to hold each baby in her hand. She was especially drawn to the large wooden carving of the baby Jesus. She held the wooden Baby in her small palm and caressed the smooth wood – the desire to grasp Him almost tangible.

Have you ‘grasped’ Jesus? Have you stopped to think about all God has done for you through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ? Christ is God’s provision for us – sent on our behalf!!

As I think about what I have through Christ, I’m drawn to both Old & New Testament passages. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) has given Psalm 103 the heading of “Praise for the Lord’s Mercies”.

 

Vs. 1 begins:

          “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.”

This verse reminds me that God is holy and worthy of my praise and that I am to bless Him with my whole being.

Vs. 2:

          “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;

          Who pardons all your iniquities,

          Who heals all your diseases;

          Who redeems your life from the pit,

          Who crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion;

          Who satisfies your years with good things . . . “  (underlined emphasis mine)

As these verses sink in, I am immediately humbled and grateful that God sees fit to rain His grace down into my life.

In the New Testament Titus 3:5-6 tells us:

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,

But according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by

the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

As I think about all God has done for me through Christ’s sacrifice, a feeling of praise wells up within me – and when I begin to praise God for Who He is, worship is a natural out-flow of that praise.

Worship is our act of expressing respect and reverence for God and is an all-important element in our relationship with God. Oswald Chambers has said that “Private worship is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness” and I would agree with him whole-heartedly. For me it is the key that seems to unlock my ‘joy’ in the Lord.

Joy in the Lord enables us to experience God’s peace when we face trials that come in many forms -- sickness, day-to-day stress, loss of a loved one, a prodigal child, caring for elderly parents, financial setbacks . . . (you fill in the blank). Each of us has something that would rob us of our joy and tempt us to forget how much God loves us. Some situations might even divert our attention away from our purpose – which is to love, serve and worship God.

I challenge you during this busy season to fix your gaze on The One who can heal your hurts, bind your wounds, and accomplish what concerns you. It is our marvelous God who has made provision for our salvation through His Son, Christ Jesus.

          “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,

          that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

And when you feel your joy-meter dipping low, run to the scriptures and drink in the love of Jesus and the joy of the Lord. It will truly nourish, console, exhilarate and refresh your thirsty soul.

          “Praise the Lord!

          For it is good to sing praises to our God;

          For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.”  Psalm 147:1

Holy Father, may we truly ‘grasp’ Jesus for who He is – the Savior of the world! And may we ever say with the psalmist “All my springs of joy are in you.” (Psalm 87:7)

A Time for Thanksgiving

By Shirley Wiggins

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable  His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!  Romans 11:33 (NIV).

A national day of Thanksgiving approaches in our country on the fourth Thursday of every November.  

A day to plan for and to make preparations for, a day to open our homes and to share with others our very hearts for this great and wonderful God whom we are privileged to know and to serve.

A time to gather together, clasp hands in an unbroken circle as we give thanks to God above, the great God, our great and awesome God. 

 A special day set aside to acknowledge His daily presence, provision, and protection to all who call upon His name, a time to honor Him with our praise and thanksgiving.

A time to call upon this God of mercy, compassion, and love;  a time to ask in unity for His continued blessings upon our children and our families, and all the families of the earth.

Many of us can testify to the fact that life today is not easy, and so many people around the world are suffering physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

And still,  some know and acknowledge and proclaim our praise to the God of the universe, the Lord of creation.  And when we speak, we may be assured of His listening ear turned to us in our times of need.

A beautiful reminder is given in the Old Testament Book of Malachi, whose very name means “messenger.”  Although Malachi gives a very solemn message to people from the world’s Creator, we see in chapter 3:16-18,  a precious promise from this glorious God.

Malachi 3:16-18 (NIV) regarding “The Faithful Remnant”:

“Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard.  A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored His name.  ‘On the day when I act,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘they will be my treasured possession.  I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.  And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.’”

Set aside time to read the Book of Malachi, reflect and allow the Sender of the message to commune with you.

Dirt, like sin,

If it gets on your feet,

You’ll surely track it in.

Don’t let sin in ~

It defiles a body: the temple of God;

Sin defeats and can never win.

Don’t let sin come into your home,

It will destroy, and peace will be gone.

It causes one to hide and far from the Truth to roam.

Trust in the Lord, the God of all power,

Cling to His Word and above the enemy

You will always tower.

God is your Rock, His Word your shelter;

Look to Him and bid others come in, too,

Gather and fellowship, while wanderers walk helter-skelter;

Looking for ways to turn upside down God’s plan;

He is the Author of life and the Creator of all,

To reject Him is futile for man.

Seek His face, learn His way,

Tell of His deeds, sing His praise;

For all mankind in death will lie down one day.

Those who chose their own way,

In hell for eternity to wither and suffer,

For the error of the lie forever in darkness:  a dear price to pay.

Those who chose the way of the Lord in all His might,

In heaven forever their destiny all glorious,

For love of the Truth will live on forever in His great Light.

------------- Written by Shirley M. Wiggins

She Shall Be Called Woman

By Shirley M. Wiggins

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’  … So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.  The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.  The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.’  For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”  Genesis 2:18, 21-24 (NASB).

Thank You for the memories, Jesus; I see her now:

Petite and slender,  she was a lady in every sense of the word with her black hair, long and straight,  drawn tightly in a neat bun on the back of her head,  My grandmother, seated at the piano down front at the little white-frame church,  teaching me as a little girl to play, “Are You Washed In the Blood?”

I’ve seen this picture in my mind’s eye several times before. Often it’s during a Sunday evening service as we are singing that precious old song.

This particular time was several years ago on the last Sunday of the cold month of January.  I was sitting with my dearly loved friends at my current home church and as we began to sing, the tears sprang to my eyes with a sharp stinging pain that caused my mouth to tremble in spite of my efforts to gain control over my emotions.

There was a sudden intense longing to see her again and a sudden strong yearning to have my husband, children, and grandchildren gathered around me singing and worshipping together.

How clearly I could see her:  That sweet, small-in-stature lady with the soft velvety dark hair and eyes, always wearing a smile, always with a warm word of good humor and encouragement on her lips.   She had a softly crinkled beautiful face, and work-worn hands that brought forth such beautiful and worshipful music from the keys of that old  church piano. 

Did she ever have a piano of her own?  Oh, how I wish I could hear her talk to me again!  I have so many questions I would ask!

I never heard that gentle woman say a harsh, angry word to anyone or about anyone, nor ever a critical or complaining word.  So many people told us they’d never known her to speak an unkind word about anyone.

How did she do that, I asked the Lord again.    How did she keep from ever speaking ‘a discouraging word’ or a complaining word?   She experienced some of life’s harsh and hard circumstances while on this earth.

And she surely must have had plenty of worries as a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother.  If any woman ever seemed to have plenty of reason to fret, fear and faint, it seemed to me that she did, just because of the times in which she lived.

But, I never saw any fretting, fearing, or fainting; nor have I ever heard about any from others who knew her.  What I did see, though, even as a young girl myself, was a courageous woman who had a heart full of love and concern for her family and for others in her community.

I’ve wondered a lot about whom she might would have talked to and with about everyday life issues, and have also wondered if she had a close woman-friend that she could confide in.  Or did she take all those concerns straight to the Lord Himself?

She apparently married the love of her life at a young age.  Sometime later in life Papa’s  farm wagon overturned breaking one of his legs, leaving him in pain for many years.  Near the end of his life he was bedridden and my grandmother patiently and lovingly tended his needs night and day until he passed away.

They had four sons and one daughter. Their only daughter married at a young age and died soon after at the age of 18; thirty-four years before my grandmother’s own death at the age of 76.

I am so thankful to the Lord for honoring what I was told had been her desired hope when the time came for her heavenly Father to call her Home.  She hoped to go to sleep one night and wake up in heaven and we were told that was exactly the way her departure seemed to have happened!

As was her custom, on that particular evening she had gone next door to spend the night with her friends who were the other grandparents of two of her own granddaughters.  Early every morning she would get up and slip quietly out to return to her own home.

But, not that early dawn – it was discovered that she had passed quietly away sometime in the night, apparently very peacefully in her sleep.  Her dark hair resting neatly on  her pillow showed no evidence that she had ever even turned over in the bed that night.

She was a woman who sacrificed and did without untold creature comforts of her own so that she could give to others.  She had the most generous heart and giving to her family made her happy.

I praise and thank the dear Lord for this wonderful woman who had such an impact on my young life that her life remains to this day such an important part of my family memories.  I am so grateful for all the years that our family had with her.

I also thank Him for another special day when He brought her lovely face to my mind’s eye.  I was reading Proverbs 31:26-27** in my Amplified Bible and the image of her face was so vivid that I wrote her name in the margin beside those verses as a memorial to her.

Thank You for the memories, Jesus!  I love You!

May each of us, daughters of Eve and sisters – in – the – flesh and in Christ Jesus, our Lord, have as our hearts’ desire, to be as  godly as the women  we read about in God’s Word, especially here in Proverbs 31:10-31.  Please be sure to read the Footnotes following the Scripture below for valuable and insightful information about some of the women in the Bible.

^{Proverbs 31: Amplified Bible:  10}A capable, intelligent, and ^[b]virtuous woman--who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.

    ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.

    ¹²She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.

    ¹³She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].

    ¹⁴She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country].

    ¹⁵She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.

    ¹⁶She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. [S. of Sol. 8:12.]

    ¹⁷She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.

    ¹⁸She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].

    ¹⁹She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

    ²⁰She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

    ²¹She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.

    ²²She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].

    ²³Her husband is known in the [city's] gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

    ²⁴She makes fine linen garments and leads others to buy them; she delivers to the merchants girdles [or sashes that free one up for service].

    ²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!

    ²⁶She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].

    ²⁷She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.**

    ²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying],

    ^29[c] Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all.

    ³⁰Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

    ³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]!

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 31:2 It is important to the purpose of this invaluable chapter that one realizes that it is first of all intended for young men. It is the mother's God-given task to provide youth with this information directly from its inspired source, letting them grow up with it in their consciousness.
2. Proverbs 31:10 It is most unfortunate that this description of God's ideal woman is usually confined in readers' minds merely to its literal sense--her ability as a homemaker, as in the picture of Martha of Bethany in Luke 10:38-42. But it is obvious that far more than that is meant. When the summary of what makes her value "far above rubies" is given (in Prov. 31:30), it is her spiritual life only that is mentioned. One can almost hear the voice of Jesus saying, "Mary has chosen the good portion... which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42).
3. Proverbs 31:29 "Many daughters have done... nobly and well... but you excel them all." What a glowing description here recorded of this woman in private life, this "capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman" of Prov. 31! It means she had done more than Miriam, the one who led a nation's women in praise to God (Exod. 15:20, 21); Deborah, the patriotic military advisor (Judg. 4:4-10); Ruth, the woman of constancy (Ruth 1:16); Hannah, the ideal mother (I Sam. 1:20; 2:19); the Shunammite, the hospitable woman (II Kings 4:8-10);  Huldah, the woman who revealed God's secret message to national leaders (II Kings 22:14); and even more than Queen Esther, the woman who risked sacrificing her life for her people (Esth. 4:16). In what way did she "excel them all"? In her spiritual and practical devotion to God, which permeated every area and relationship of her life.  All seven of the Christian virtues (II Pet. 1:5) are there, like colored threads in a tapestry. Her secret, which is open to everyone, is the Holy Spirit's climax to the story, and to this book.  In Prov. 31:30, it becomes clear that the "reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord," which is "the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom" (Prov. 9:10), is put forth as the true foundation for a life which is valued by God and her husband as "far above rubies or pearls" (Prov. 31:10).

From THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE®                 Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation; page 733.

In The Quarry

By Shirley Wiggins

Where are you?

 I am in the quarry of life, dear friend, in the quarry of life. 

It helps me to remember often where I am; because I am not yet home and should not be surprised that I do not always feel the peace of being at home in my true home:  my heavenly Home.

This morning the words in my little devotional* spoke so sweetly this gentle reminder to my troubled heart.  The beginning words were written as though spoken by stones from the wall of a mountain, describing the effects of “fire and water [which] have worked on us for ages, but made us only crags.  Human hands have made us into a dwelling where the children of your immortal race are born, and suffer, and rejoice, and find rest and shelter, and learn the lessons set them by our Maker and yours.  But we have passed through much to fit us for this.  Gunpowder has rent our very heart; pickaxes have cleaved and broken us, it seemed to us often without design or meaning, as we lay misshapen stones in the quarry; but gradually we were cut into blocks, and some of us were chiseled with finer instruments to a sharper edge.  But we are complete now, and are in our places, and are of service.  You are in the quarry still, and not complete, and therefore to you, as once to us, much is inexplicable.  But you are destined for a higher building, and one day you will be placed in it by hands not human, a living stone in a heavenly temple.”

Long before the mountain wall could be a habitat for humans to dwell in, the effects of time had weathered it, but left it only “crags” … a sharp detached fragment of rock.”¹   A place unfit for service for humans to “find rest and shelter, and learn the lessons set them by our Maker and yours.”  It was only when the mountain had “passed through much” at the skilled hands of another, when “with finer instruments” each crag was cut and shaped to “a sharper edge” that it was then fit for its purposeful service.

 A quarry, says Webster’s online dictionary, is in its noun form “an open excavation usually for obtaining building stone, slate, or limestone; a rich source.”  The transitive verb form means “to dig or take from or as if from a quarry <quarry marble>; intransitive verb is “to delve in or as if in a quarry.”¹

What a picture the words, as penned by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman* in this years-old devotional, draw for me!   I see in it many things, among them the chiseling work required by our Master God in the lives of His people.

As I liken my life to a quarry, an open excavation site where there is stored a rich source of building materials with which to construct an everlasting life that will outlive its human body, I am reminded that  along with that vast store can also lie hidden rock, good-for-nothing rubble and debris, which will have to be hewn out and discarded.

 In much the same way as the chiseled out crag fragments had to be reshaped to become a suitable dwelling place for people, so our God chisels each of His own dear children to a sharper edge to fit our unique places of service.

I am also reminded of the vast number of “inexplicable” events in human life:  all those events and situations and circumstances that “are incapable of being explained, interpreted, or accounted for.”¹ 

What about you, precious friend, what inexplicable things in your own life are you dealing with at the moment?  Or, what things have you already experienced that you still cannot make sense of even though they are in your past?

Do you ever feel as if you are being quarried?  That the impurities of life are being relentlessly removed from your inner being, and perhaps by some pretty rough measures?  

We must remember that God will see to it that all things work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  (Please see Romans 8:28.)  Even those seemingly senseless things that happen in our lives and cause us pain as if they were without design or meaning. 

I so desire to constantly and continually live in the Spirit, to be holy and pure and to serve the Lord’s Kingdom in a useful way.  Yet, too often I have to confront selfish motives and ugly attitudes lurking deep within me.

Whether any other person ever knows about these sins does not matter for I am acutely and painfully aware of them.  Most importantly, my heavenly Father knows them for what they are and not one of them can be hidden from His eyes.  (Please see Hebrews 4:12-13.)   I know that I cannot serve my Lord if secret sin resides in my heart.  Sin must be rooted out and it can’t matter how much it hurts; it has to go.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; but certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving-kindness from being [as it always is] with me.”  (Psalm 66:18-20 Amplified Bible.)

Why should it matter so much – these sometimes so seemingly small sins?

 It matters because sin never stays small, nor does it remain hidden and invisible.  Sin is sneaky and starts small, so tiny, so easy to disguise under another name, a name not as starkly ugly as “sin.”  Sin---that thing which has death itself as its end result.  It can be labeled a “feeling,” a “desire,” a” harmless little thought,” actually, we may tell ourselves. 

Sin is like leaven.  Leaven:  “any substance added to dough to cause it to ferment.  …  The New Testament figurative references to leaven have in mind that which is small, insignificant, or hidden, but which is of great effect.” … “Also that which has effects greater than its appearance …”²

“Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”  (1 Corinthians 5:6.)

But like a little leaven, sin if left to germinate hidden and undisturbed in the dark interior of the private heart will one day show plainly and publicly that it too “has effects greater than its appearance.”

Sin is deadly and it leads to death in some form:  “Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings death.  Do not be misled, my beloved…” (Please see James 1:13-16 Amplified Bible.)

God loves us so much.  He knows that should sin take root in our hearts and remain there great  harm will come to us and that it will not stay small nor hidden, but will spill out and over and hurt us and those whom we love the most.  God is not willing for that to happen.  That is why He will continue to shine the Light of His love into those hidden places in our hearts and will use whatever excavation tool is necessary to rid us of that thing that would work on our souls and spirits as cancer would work on fleshly bodies.

I believe that God is so desirous that we allow His excavation of sin in our lives while it is still personal and purely private, known only to ourselves, that He will, in His mercy, give us time to turn away from it.  But, if we continue to refuse His Holy Spirit’s private conviction of sin, then sin when it is grown can erupt and be blown into a public shameful exposure that we could have avoided with a proper and immediate response to God’s private and personal call to repentance.

What kind of people would we be if we had the power to remove a deadly disease from the human race but we refused to do it?  What kind of God would allow sin to eat His children alive from the inside out without warning them to repent? 

He would not be the holy God of love, the God of the Bible, that we are invited to know and to serve if we choose to live transparently and honorably in relationship with Him.  The holiness of God does not limit His loving-kindness, just as His loving-kindness does not impede His holy wrath against sin (see Romans 6:23).     God gives warnings to people!  People must pay attention and obey Him!

As my thoughts take me to these truths, I wonder why I find it so hard to immediately run to this holy God, Who is my heavenly Father, to seek His face in the matters of my battles with personal sins.  He knows them already.  He has help available for me and will continue to love and cherish me even after this messy excavation procedure is completed for my soul’s victorious return to the spiritually healthy lifestyle Christ Jesus died to give me.  (See John 10:10.)

So why do we so often hesitate, even for a minute, to go to Him for His help to rid ourselves of the blatant or the invisible-to-the-world sin?  One reason might be because we wanted to be better than this - we try so hard to be good!  But the “goodness” is just not in us:  it is in Jesus, our Righteousness.  (Please read Romans 3:21-26.)  

And, once again as I fall to my knees and acknowledge how desperately I need Him every day just to live, I am caught in His spiritual arms of love and cradled there as He sings over me and reminds me of His great love – His never-ending love  for me.  (See Zephaniah 3:17 and Psalm 32:7.)

No matter how messy life may get before I get Home, my Father repeats the never-ending promise that He will never leave me nor forsake me.  Nothing can separate me from His love: 

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? ……No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                               Romans 8:35, 37-39 (ESV)

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation---if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.   As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For it stands  in Scripture:  ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’  So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and  ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’  They stumble because they disobey the word, ….”      1 Peter 2:1-8a (ESV)

In the still air the music lies unheard;

In the rough marble beauty hides unseen;

To make the music and the beauty needs

The Master’s touch, the sculptor’s chisel keen.

Great Master, touch us with Thy skillful hands;

Let not the music that is in us die!

Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let,

               Hidden and lost, Thy form within us lie!”    

Author Unknown.*

                                                                

*Streams In The Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, pages 256-257

¹Webster’s Online Dictionary ©2012 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

²The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary, page 648; ©1987 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.



Complete in Christ

By Hallie Gipson

When we think of being complete in Christ, is that a reassuring thought or something we feel inadequate to ever become? And just what does being “complete in Christ” mean?

Perhaps to understand the concept better we need to define ‘complete’ and look to the scripture to gain a Biblical perspective.  But first let’s take a look at how the dictionary defines ‘complete’. Webster’s dictionary defines “complete” as – entire; whole; perfect.

According to Biblical commentary, “whole” is to give the idea of perfected all over or fully developed in every part.

Hebrews 12:2 says “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

             We should concentrate on Jesus who is the goal and objective of our faith. Our faith, which has its beginning in Him, is also completed in Him.

In James 1:4 the word ‘complete’ is coupled with the word ‘mature’ – the phrase states “mature and complete, not lacking anything”.

Col. 2:9-10 –”For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ . . . “

             Here Paul is declaring that the Christian is complete in Christ, rather than being deficient. Are you beginning to get the concept? We have been given this gift of ‘fullness’ if we are in Christ!

2 Peter 1:3 says: “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

Did you hear that!? – EVERYTHING we need – not part or some of what we need but EVERYTHING!

So, if something is complete there is no need to add to it – as Christians we do have “everything we need . . . through our knowledge of Him . . . “

His divine power has given us all the things we need to live life to the full. God has made every provision for our life in Christ and our godliness of life for Him.

Do we live as if we believe that? Do we really believe that we are complete in Christ?

The secret to knowing God’s complete sufficiency is in coming to the end of everything in ourselves and our circumstances. I can tell you truthfully that is exactly where God wants us – at the end of ourselves. Only then can He work His marvelous plan and begin molding us into His likeness.

My question then is this –

Are we so completely His that all areas of our lives are surrendered to Him?

If not, what is it that keeps us from living as if we have “everything we need”?

• Is our faith lacking?
• Do we have fears that keep us in bondage?
• Have we learned to call Jesus “Friend” because we have a deep abiding relationship with Him or is He a like a distant relative we rarely see or talk to?
• Is our prayer life filled with the power of the Holy Spirit or do we feel as if our prayers barely reach the ceiling?
• Do we just muddle through those times of difficulties and trials on our own, or do we draw on Christ’s strength to give us victory despite our circumstances?

How do we become “whole” and “complete” Christians?

We know that there is no “perfection” this side of heaven – but we also know that we are on a journey toward perfection in Christ and that we are admonished in scripture to love as Christ loved us (John 15:12); to have the same attitude as that of Christ (Phil. 2:5); to live by faith (Gal. 2:20); to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17); and to consider it pure joy when we face trials (James 1:2).

Holy Father, may we be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” – that You will allow the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to make us “Complete in Christ”. For if we have Christ, we have ALL of God – we are ‘complete’!  Amen.

The Giver of Gifts

Our God is such a beautiful Giver of Gifts!

Some of His best gifts are the friendships I've made over the years as we've relocated numerous times.  We've been privileged to be a part of many wonderful church families.

I would like to introduce Hallie Gipson, one of these special friends,  to the readers of this blog.  You will learn more about her in her "About Me" sidebar.  She will be sharing some of her articles and devotionals as blog posts on this site.  One of Hallie’s devotional writings was included in a book titled “Women at Southern: A Walk Through Psalms”, published by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Communications Office. 

That book is a treasured part of my devotional books library and I know it will bless any of you who might choose to read it too. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this book, you can contact Lifeway Christian Bookstore, Southern Seminary, Louisville, KY at  502-897-4506 or southernseminary.4689@lifeway.com. The proceeds of the sale of this book go toward scholarships for women at Southern Seminary.

Thank you to all who read this blog and we especially  want to thank you for your prayers. We are praying for you as well and would love to hear what God is doing in your lives.

The Answer Is...

Jesus.  No matter what the question is, the answer is Jesus.

What are you struggling with today that seems to have no solution?

Turn to Jesus and cling to Him; don’t give up calling upon Him.  He holds the solution to all our situations, circumstances, and life issues.  No matter how long it’s been going on, no matter how dark the future looks because of it, no matter whether another human can understand our desperation, HE DOES.

He does not ignore the one who calls out to Him, He never turns away from the one who comes to Him.  He promises that we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts.  Go to the Word of God and seek His face.

Seek His face, don’t stop calling to Him for the help you need.  He always gives it.  Especially when we cannot see what He is doing, He is working. 

When it seems most obvious to us that He isn’t working on our behalf, we must commit to operate on faith:  believing Him when we see no evidence of His help on the horizon.

Additionally, let us ask Him in whole-hearted sincerity if there is something in us that is hindering His help at the present time.  Let us search His Word seeking His answer. 

I was recently reminded of an incident from an earlier time in my life in one of my former (and very favorite!) churches.  Our pastor would always give us an opportunity at the beginning of our Sunday morning worship services to bow our heads in prayer and ask the Lord to bring to our minds any un-confessed sin in our hearts.

On one particular morning, I am embarrassed to say that in my smug and childish immaturity, I bowed my self-righteous little head and repeated the prayer.  I remember to this day my startled reaction to what my Father told me.  I don’t recall the sin, but I repented of it and sincerely asked for His forgiveness, which He freely gave.

Isn’t it an amazing wonder that a child of God could grow so complacent in her relationship with holy God that, in the first place any un-confessed sin could live in her heart and she be so unaware; and second, that she could be so self-righteous within herself that she would entertain for a moment the very thought that she had no particular sin?!

I am so grateful for the time to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.  God gives us time to grow up in Him.  And, oh, how I need my growing time! I have so much to learn and I am far from spiritual maturity!

 I am still growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Daily I am confessing my sins and receiving His forgiveness and His continuing teaching and guidance. And more opportunity for growing-in-grace time is given me every day.   What a great God we have!

No matter what questions we grapple with today or what situations and circumstances we may struggle with today, or tomorrow, the answer is still …

Jesus.  No matter what the question is, the answer will always and forever be:  Jesus.

“Therefore tell the people:  This is what the LORD Almighty says:  ‘Return to Me,’  declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.”  Zechariah 1:3.

“… For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate.  He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”  2 Chronicles 30:9b.

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”  Colossians 4:2.

 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24.

“So foolish, stupid, and brutish was I, and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.  Nevertheless I am continually with You:  You do hold my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And I have no delight or desire on earth besides You.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm strength of my heart and my portion forever. …  But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your wonderful works.”              Psalm 73:22-26, 28 (Amplified Bible).

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  I John 1:8,9.

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.  … Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’  And You forgave the guilt of my sin.  Therefore let all the faithful pray to You while You may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.  You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”  Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”         Matthew 11:28-30.

Jesus said: “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence.  In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!  For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”                                   John 16:33 (Amplified Bible).

 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners,  so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”            Hebrews 12:1-3.

 “… To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:  Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”  2 Peter 1:1b-3.

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”       Ephesians 3:16-19.

“For no word from God will ever fail.”     Luke 1:37.

{Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™}