WONDERFUL POST!

Here is an awesome post by an amateur author acquaintance, Chelsea.

Mild He Lays His Glory By

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die.

These words kept going through my head yesterday evening after having visited the Creation Museum and the absolutely INCREDIBLE Planetarium there! These words are accepted and true, but often become just commonplace "doctrine" in people's minds. But when we come to realize how very very SMALL we are, and how very very GREAT the glory that Jesus laid by to come and save us, the words become so amazing.... so.... breath-taking... so wonderful that there is no word to describe them!

For those of you who have not seen the "Created Cosmos" show at the Creation Museum, you are much to

be pitied! It is absolutely AMAZING!!! My awe grew as, in the video, we kept going farther and farther out into space... millions and billions and trillions of lightyears! Alpha Centauri seemed so far away...until we kept going farther... and farther... then to find out we had only just explored the Milky Way, one of MANY galaxies! And then we went farther... and farther... until the moment that took my breath away: we came out of the galaxies and saw... the universe (as far as it has been studied)! I was SO "wowed"!! Our universe is SO VAST!! And our God presides over all that; He created it; He knows each star by its name; He holds it all in His hand!

This is the glory Jesus laid by to come to the tiny, tiny speck called earth, to an even tinier speck... me. Tiny, so seemingly insignificant... you and me. Jesus holds all this vastness in His hand, and yet He knows me, He knows you, by name? That is truly, in the very real sense of the word, absolutely AWESOME!!

These thoughts correspond with the equal awe I had in and after watching The Last Adam! In Adam all men die; in Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb and the last Adam, all live. I wish I could express in writing the awe in my heart as I watched that film and considered the wonder of what Jesus did for us. Our God is... AMAZING! Ruler and Creator of all, He chose to humble Himself, take on the form of a servant, and be punished for OUR sins, that we might have a relationship with Him-- the one who holds the galaxies in His hand.

"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens... When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained, what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that Thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:1,3-4)

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt

Who am I, that the bright an morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart..."

-Who I Am, Casting Crowns

"You are God in Heaven, and here am I on earth; So I'll let my words be few:

Jesus I am so in love with you!"

Remembering

Today is one year since Aunt Leah, Harrison, and Sophia went to be with Jesus. At the same time, it seems like it's be so long, and yet like it happened just a couple months ago. Please be in prayer for their families today. Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill them with hope and peace in the salvation we and they have in Christ, and the resurrection that is to come.
Looking forward to seeing Aunt Leah, Harrison, and Sophia again one day, at the feet of Jesus, who gives us hope!

Dwelling

Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
dwell on these things.
I once read a quote by Amy Carmichael where she said that if you go to sleep on a pleasant thought, or thinking on God, you will wake up doing so. I decided to "try" it that night and found it true! When you fill your mind with the Lord and go to bed meditating on Him in your heart, He does wake you up full of thoughts of and praises for Him! It is very exciting and refreshing.

And is a lot nicer than what I've been doing a couple nights this last week: going to bed with so many worries and stresses on my heart, and waking up with a terrible headache one morning, and just distracted thoughts on other mornings. I need to remember the words on a plack (plaque?) I saw at an antique store yesterday; it said "Stress Less, Pray More." You know, we really do have a choice in how miserable we are, or how happy we are. People in the most miserable circumstances have been some of the most cheerful and most life-impacting people! (Take Eric Liddell at Weihsein, so far from his dear family and living under very difficult conditions!)

How we feel is often how we choose to feel. We can choose anger, fear, worry, depression, even stress. On the other hand, we can choose love, rest, joy... we can choose to obey God's Words to "cast our burden upon the Lord." Depression and stress are sometimes a result of bodily challenges (illness, etc.), but many times we choose them when we choose to disobey God's commands to come to Him and rest, His commands to dwell on what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, admirable, reputable.

What are you dwelling on? Your circumstances? Someone's wrong actions towards you? The uncertainty of the future? The things you don't have? Or are you dwelling on God's love? His great mercy to us, who are so unworthy? His blessings? The love of family and friends? The things we do have that many don't? The promises and commands of Scripture?

Choose to dwell/think on things that fit in to Philippians 4:8 today. You will find that there is blessing for those who incline their hearts unto God's testimonies (Psalm 119:36) and delight themselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

Two Encouraging Songs

BE STILL MY SOUL

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

WHEN TRIALS COME

When trials come, no longer fear,
For in the pain our God draws near
To fire a faith worth more than gold;
And there His faithfulness is told,
And there His faithfulness is told.

Within the night I know Your peace;
The breath of God brings strength to me,
And new each morning mercy flows
As treasures of the darkness grow,
As treasures of the darkness grow.

I turn to Wisdom not my own,
For every battle You have known.
My confidence will rest in You.
Your love endures Your ways are good,
Your love endures Your ways are good.

When I am weary with the cost,
I see the triumph of the cross;
So in it's shadow I shall run
Till He completes the work begun,
Till He completes the work begun.

One day all things will be made new;
I'll see the hope You called me to,
And in your kingdom paved with gold,
I'll praise your faithfulness of old,
I'll praise your faithfulness of old.

More Quotes from the Biography on Eric Liddell

I continue to be inspired and challenged by the life of my favorite missionary hero, Eric Liddell. (If I ever have a son, his name is already ERIC! :-D )

I am enjoying the book so much that I can't help but share quotes, and will just do so all at once here (that is, until I find more and have to write another post. ;-) )

~*~*~*~*~*~

The following was included in Eric's annual report for 1938:

HAPPINESS is to have enough for the day's needs with always some to spare for those who have not.

IT is to possess the love of friends and to have the knowledge that all is well with them.

IT IS TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ALL MEN.

HAPPINESS is to have the strength to face with courage all that the day may bring.

IT is to cherish the gift of laughter, to be quick to note all that is lovely and of good report.

HAPPINESS is to find our joy in the common things of life for so will youth abide in our hearts till the end of our days.

Thank God for the gift of happiness.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"The kingdom is where the King reigns. If He is reigning in my heart, then the Kingdom of Heaven has come to me." -Eric Liddell

~*~*~*~*~*~

Regarding Bible reading:

"READ ACCURATELY,

INTERPRET HONESTLY,

APPLY DRASTICALLY."

~*~*~*~*~*~
From his Morning Prayers for School and Family:

One word stands out from all others as the key to knowing God, to having his peace and assurance in your heart; it is OBEDIENCE.

To OBEY God's will was like food to Jesus, refreshing His mind, body and spirit. 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me.'

Obedience to God's will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight. It is not willingness to know, but willingness to DO (obey) God's will that brings certainty.

'If any man will do (obey) His Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself.'

OBEDIENCE IS THE SECRET OF GUIDANCE. Every Christian should live a God-guided life. If you are not guided by God, you will be guided by something else.

The Christian that doesn't know this sense of guidance in his life is missing something vital.

Take OBEDIENCE with you into your prayer hour, for you will know as much of God, and only as much of God, as you are willing to put into practice.

~*~*~*~*~

From Eric's Discipleship manual:

Victory over all the circumstances of life comes not by might, nor by power, but by a practical confidence in God and by allowing His Spirit to dwell in our hearts and control our actions and emotions.

Learn in the days of ease and comfort, to think in terms of the prayer that follows, so that when the days of hardship come you will be fully prepared and equipped to meet them.

Father, I pray that no circumstance however bitter or however long drawn out, may cause me to break Thy law, the Law of Love to Thee and to my neighbor. That may not become resentful, have hurt feelings, hate, or become embittered by life's experiences, but that in and through all I may see Thy guiding hand and have a heart full of gratitude for Thy daily mercy, daily love, daily power, and daily presence.

Help me in the day when I need it most to remember that:

• All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.
• I can do all things through Him that strengthened me.
• My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

'Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen.'

~*~*~*~*~

From his book on discipleship:

 

As we start this course of readings we should first surrender our lives to God and dedicate ourselves to doing His will.  God's Will is only revealed to us step by step.  He reveals more as we obey what we know.  Surrender means that we are prepared to follow God's guidance, wherever or however He guides, no matter what the cost.

New poll!

Please Pray

Dear Bloggie Friends,

Can you please, please, please be in prayer for my Uncle John. (This my mom's sister Katherine's husband, and Aunt Leah's brother.) He has been trying for YEARS, I mean YEEEEEEEEEEARS to get onto the Modesto Police Department and finally was able to get on it, and has been going through training. However, his trainer is a real pain and has been impatient with Uncle John and saying he isn't learning well and just making things very difficult. Now they have given Uncle John one week to prove himself or else he will be let go.

This means a lot of things! For one thing, that would be so terrible if after all this time of working towards this goal, Uncle John would be let go. Another thing is that Aunt Katherine would have to go back to working outside the home and Cousin Daniel would have to go to the public school instead of being homeschooled. Also, the 15th of this month will have been one year since Aunt Leah, Harrison, and Sophia died, and for Uncle John to lose his job in the same week would be very, very hard.

So please, please pray that Uncle John would be able to keep this job and do well in it and that he would experience the supernatural strength of our Lord in an amazing way this week. Also please pray that the Lord would continue to comfort him and help him as he continues to deal with the tragedy of his sister's death.

Thank you all so much!

~Melanie

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More to come on "Day by Day"!