“So that the genuineness of your faith may be tested, because your faith is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. This proving of your faith is to redound to your praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (I Peter 1:7)
Did you know God considers your faith even more precious than what we consider the preciousness of gold? Today the price of gold is the highest it has ever sold in U. S. dollars, according to Google information. Why is gold so precious? Because gold is very rare, it is hard to extract, it is enduring, it is beautiful and doesn’t rust or discolor. We measure all other material values by it, because it is “precious.”
The above scripture tells us that our faith is tested for its genuineness like gold is tested for purity. I read many years ago how gold is refined and tested by fire and the analogy is so applicable to how our faith is being refined, tested and purified that I want to share it.
The entire explanation of how gold is refined is too technical and lengthy to include in this writing but basically the gold ore is put into a crucible placed on a very hot fire (gold melts at l,l02 C). When the gold reaches its melting point it separates from all the earthy impurities in which it has been infused by time and nature and leaves pure gold . These impurities rise to the top of the mixture and are skimmed off by the refiner. These impurities are called “dross.” This process is continued until there is nothing left in the crucible but the precious, pure gold. The point at which the refiner can tell that there are no more impurities is when he looks into the crucible and can clearly see his own reflection.
What a perfect analogy as to how our Father (the Refiner) purifies our faith by putting us in the crucible of life and turns up the fire of His discipline and life’s excruciating circumstances – this tests the genuineness of our faith. When we are in the crucible of life and the fire has been turned up to “high,” the impurities in our life (doubts, fears, self-will, etc.) begin to rise to the surface, the Refiner skims off the dross in our lives with His ladle of His promises and His Word. This process of heating and skimming sometimes makes us feel as if “we are all goin’ to skimmins,” but the Refiner is simply “separating the precious from the vile” (Jeremy 15:19). He is replacing the doubts about Him with the Truth of His Word.
This life process causes our faith to become more pure with every testing. This proving process is intended for our glory when others see the reflection of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is at this point that our faith has become as pure gold and is more precious to the Father than real gold.
The third chapter of Revelation, God is talking to the church in Laodicea whose faith had become contaminated with lukewarmness, self-sufficiency and spiritual blindness. The Father counseled them to buy spiritual gold (true faith), which would make them truly wealthy and would cover their nakedness with God’s robe of righteousness. And this refined faith would be the salve to put on their eyes so they could see the Truth of God’s Word. We are implored to do the same because the world (especially the western world) has been so contaminated with the world’s perspective and ways, that only the Refiner’s process will make our faith pure again. And only then will others see the beauty of Jesus in us.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me – all His wonderful passion and purity!
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me! (Albert W. T. Osborn)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Recipe
“God gave us His wonderful and powerful promises, so that as a result, we will share in His divine nature.” (II Peter 1:4)
…………………………
I like to cook and have a cabinet full of recipe books. I haven’t tried all the recipes in all of those books but I have found if I want a recipe to turn-out like it should, I must follow it explicitly.
God has given us the recipe to most glorious “dish” that if followed and digested will be a life changing experience and the most glorious results that could ever be imagined. The name of The Recipe is, “Sharing in God’s Divine Nature.” The secret of success to His Recipe is to follow it explicitly. This Recipe is simple but hard - simple instructions but hard to follow.
“Sharing in God’s Divine Nature”
Authored and Created by God the Father
You don’t have to heat your “oven of life,” it seems to always be hot enough to bake this Recipe.
1 completely committed life (This is hard because the flesh doesn’t want to commit to
God.)
Add: a life of obedience to God’s Word (This is also hard because our old nature doesn’t
want to obey.)
1 Day-at-a-time of Trusting in God’s wonderful and powerful promises. (This is also
Hard because our old nature wants to trust in “self.”)
1 large cup of daily confessions (This is also hard because our old nature is prideful and
doesn’t want to admit our sins.) When confessions are blended in well with the
other ingredients it makes a wonderfully humble consistency. God loves humility.
After mixing and blending well pour all these ingredients in a prepared and holy vessel and bake in God’s Life-oven of Joys and tribulations. Bake a lifetime. If you follow these instructions explicitly you will experience and enjoy God’s Divine Nature (even while it is baking). Bon Appetit!!
“Come and Dine”
Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine.”
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need;
O ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “come and dine,”
You may feast at Jesus table all the time;
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
(C. B. Widmeyer)
…………………………
I like to cook and have a cabinet full of recipe books. I haven’t tried all the recipes in all of those books but I have found if I want a recipe to turn-out like it should, I must follow it explicitly.
God has given us the recipe to most glorious “dish” that if followed and digested will be a life changing experience and the most glorious results that could ever be imagined. The name of The Recipe is, “Sharing in God’s Divine Nature.” The secret of success to His Recipe is to follow it explicitly. This Recipe is simple but hard - simple instructions but hard to follow.
“Sharing in God’s Divine Nature”
Authored and Created by God the Father
You don’t have to heat your “oven of life,” it seems to always be hot enough to bake this Recipe.
1 completely committed life (This is hard because the flesh doesn’t want to commit to
God.)
Add: a life of obedience to God’s Word (This is also hard because our old nature doesn’t
want to obey.)
1 Day-at-a-time of Trusting in God’s wonderful and powerful promises. (This is also
Hard because our old nature wants to trust in “self.”)
1 large cup of daily confessions (This is also hard because our old nature is prideful and
doesn’t want to admit our sins.) When confessions are blended in well with the
other ingredients it makes a wonderfully humble consistency. God loves humility.
After mixing and blending well pour all these ingredients in a prepared and holy vessel and bake in God’s Life-oven of Joys and tribulations. Bake a lifetime. If you follow these instructions explicitly you will experience and enjoy God’s Divine Nature (even while it is baking). Bon Appetit!!
“Come and Dine”
Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine.”
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need;
O ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “come and dine,”
You may feast at Jesus table all the time;
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
(C. B. Widmeyer)
An Important God Equation
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)
We are nothing……………………………………..0
God is Everything……………….........................+ Everything
Our nothingness, plus, God’s Everything, equals = Everything
All that we are and all that we have come from God as a gift. God is a “gift giver” and gives to us richly and freely all things to enjoy (I timothy 6:17), because God loves us and “love” gives. Any physical wealth, health or favor we have are all gifts from God. Any spiritual wealth or health we have are also gifts from God, so we cannot boast that we have obtained them of our own strength, ability, ingenuity or intelligence. But we must acknowledge that we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13), and boast in Him as being our “everything” (Psalm 34:2; II Corinthians 6:17). We must remember: He is the Great I AM! He is the eternal Everything (Exodus 3:14)!
(HE’S EVERYTHING TO ME)
W. by Kate Ulmer & Kate Byron
In sin I once had wandered, All weary, sad, and lone,
Till Jesus through His mercy -- Adopted me His own.
E’er since I learned to trust Him, His grace doth make me free,
And now I feel His pardon, He’s everything to me.
In sin no more I’ll wander; He’s Pilot, Friend, and Guide;
He brings me joy and singing; His Spirit doth abide.
A blessèd, loving Savior, The Lamb of Calvary!
He purchased my redemption. He’s everything to me.
No longer will I stray from -- His tender, loving care;
Like Him to be my purpose, My aim, my constant prayer.
And when He bids me welcome -- Throughout eternity,
I’ll praise His Name forever. He’s everything to me.
Refrain:
He’s everything to me, From sin He sets me free,
His peace and love my portion -- Through all eternity!
He’s everything to me, More than I dreamed could be.
O praise His Name forever! He’s everything to me.
We are nothing……………………………………..0
God is Everything……………….........................+ Everything
Our nothingness, plus, God’s Everything, equals = Everything
All that we are and all that we have come from God as a gift. God is a “gift giver” and gives to us richly and freely all things to enjoy (I timothy 6:17), because God loves us and “love” gives. Any physical wealth, health or favor we have are all gifts from God. Any spiritual wealth or health we have are also gifts from God, so we cannot boast that we have obtained them of our own strength, ability, ingenuity or intelligence. But we must acknowledge that we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13), and boast in Him as being our “everything” (Psalm 34:2; II Corinthians 6:17). We must remember: He is the Great I AM! He is the eternal Everything (Exodus 3:14)!
(HE’S EVERYTHING TO ME)
W. by Kate Ulmer & Kate Byron
In sin I once had wandered, All weary, sad, and lone,
Till Jesus through His mercy -- Adopted me His own.
E’er since I learned to trust Him, His grace doth make me free,
And now I feel His pardon, He’s everything to me.
In sin no more I’ll wander; He’s Pilot, Friend, and Guide;
He brings me joy and singing; His Spirit doth abide.
A blessèd, loving Savior, The Lamb of Calvary!
He purchased my redemption. He’s everything to me.
No longer will I stray from -- His tender, loving care;
Like Him to be my purpose, My aim, my constant prayer.
And when He bids me welcome -- Throughout eternity,
I’ll praise His Name forever. He’s everything to me.
Refrain:
He’s everything to me, From sin He sets me free,
His peace and love my portion -- Through all eternity!
He’s everything to me, More than I dreamed could be.
O praise His Name forever! He’s everything to me.
A True But Sad, Sad Story
“So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod -(wandering).” (Genesis 4:16)
Part of my Bible reading yesterday was the story of Cain and Able. I had read this story many times before but in this reading the pathos I felt touched me as never before, because this could be the story of any of our lives - “But for the mercy and grace of God there go I.” This could very well be the story of my or your child or grandchild.
This is a story of Cain who was “continuing in the wrong direction.” It is a story of how taking one step of disobedience can lead us down a path of destruction. It is a story of blatant willfulness against the will of the loving heavenly Father. It is a story of an unrepentant heart to the end. It is a story of reaping what you sow. How very, very sad!
It is also a story of the mercy of a loving heavenly Father Who would have saved, but Cain would not repent and accept the offered salvation. This story reminds me of the incident when Jesus’ life was being threatened by the very ones He had come to save. Their hearts were hardened and their minds twisted with hatred and self will. He responded to their hatred and threats with, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yearned to gather your children together around Me, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not!” (Luke 3:14)
The Prodigal Son is another story of one who chose to “continue in the wrong direction,” but his ending was different because he “came to himself” and turned from his willful ways and returned to the Father who was waiting to forgive and restore. Cain never repented but chose to suffer the consequences of his disobedience – to be cursed by God, (read all of the fourth chapter of Genesis). How very, very sad!
Cain found there were steps of digression taken by “continuing in the wrong direction” - by following his disobedient choices to the point of the final consequences of those choices. This digression started in Genesis 4:3 when Cain, who was a “tiller of the ground” – (a farmer), brought the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.
Seth, Cain’s younger brother, was a shepherd and brought the firstborn of his flock as an offering to the Lord. It doesn’t say in this story, but evidently the Lord had already set down the “ground rules” for bringing a sin offering to the Lord. It had to be a “blood offering,” if available (Hebrews 9:22), with the exception in the Old Testament if a blood sacrifice was not available a sin offering specifically should be an “ephah of fine flour,” (ephah is a Hebrew measure of grain) - (Leviticus 5:6-12).
Genesis 4:3 tells us Cain “brought an offering of the ground.” This could have been vegetables or maybe even grain, but the instructions were to bring a measure of “fine flour.” God wanted Cain to obey because he wanted to obey and please God, but Cain’s heart was filled with willfulness and sin, so instead of obeying what God had commanded for an offering to have his sins forgiven, Cain chose to “make a showing” of an offering by doing it his way, not a sacrifice of love to the Lord, but by offering God some of his surplus “stuff.”
Because of the hearts’ condition of these two men, Cain and Abel, God “regarded” Abel’s offering as acceptable, but Cain’s offering as unacceptable because it was offered with a disobedient and willful heart. In II Corinthians 9:7 it says that God loves a cheerful giver. If anything given to God is not given cheerfully, it is not considered a love gift. Love and obedience goes hand-in-hand (see I John 5:2-3). You maybe can obey without loving (obeying out of duty); but you cannot love God without obeying Him. Cain had the first problem. He was giving lip-service to God’s Command by just giving an offering of any kind, but inwardly it was all his will & his way – it was rebellion.
But God saw the true heart of each and therefore, when God did not accept Cain’s offering, he became angry and looked sad and depressed (Gen.4:5). This is the next step of his “continuing in the wrong direction.” Anger always comes when sin is found out and guilt and rationalization show up. This is the time when Cain should have confessed his sin and received God’s forgiveness, but instead the stronghold of rebellion and pride, which had set itself up in Cain’s heart, took even a stronger grip. Even in verses 6&7 when God tries to reason with and warn Cain by asking, “Why are you angry and sad? Don’t you know if you do well and obey Me you will be accepted? But if you do not do well and disobey, sin crouches at the door and desires to master you, but you must master it. You must take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ (II Cor.10:4-5). You must submit your self to God and resist the devil, who is waiting to devour you, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).” But Cain “would not.”
Because of his jealousy of Abel’s offering being “accepted” by God, Cain enticed Abel to go out into the field and he killed his brother, Abel. This was his next step of digression – murder. Why did Cain kill his brother? - I John 3:12 tells us why, “Because he took his motivation from the evil one and his deeds were malicious but his brother’s were righteous and virtuous.” Even at this point, God would have forgiven and accepted Cain if he would only repent and ask for forgiveness, but Cain would not. That was so very, very sad!
This has all been such a sad digression into sin, but what is, to me, the saddest step of digression is the step Cain took in Genesis 4:16. In verses 9-15, God discloses His knowledge of Abel’s murder and made Cain own up to it. Because of Cain’s steps of “continuing in the wrong direction,” God cursed Cain in verse 12 – “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth in perpetual exile, a degrading outcast.” In verses 13-14 Cain cries out in anguish to God (but not in repentance). God still would have accepted Cain – but he would not!!
The saddest step of Cain's digression - “So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod (wandering)”(Genesis 4:16). Why is this so sad to me? Because in God’s presence there is fullness of joy, peace, safety, mercy, grace, comfort and everything we need to have a fulfilling life, and Cain was willing to give up all those benefits to "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
Let’s choose “the road less traveled”- the road of love and obedience- the road Abel chose that leads straight into the presence of our Father! That is a happy story!
Trust and Obey
John H. Sammis
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.
Part of my Bible reading yesterday was the story of Cain and Able. I had read this story many times before but in this reading the pathos I felt touched me as never before, because this could be the story of any of our lives - “But for the mercy and grace of God there go I.” This could very well be the story of my or your child or grandchild.
This is a story of Cain who was “continuing in the wrong direction.” It is a story of how taking one step of disobedience can lead us down a path of destruction. It is a story of blatant willfulness against the will of the loving heavenly Father. It is a story of an unrepentant heart to the end. It is a story of reaping what you sow. How very, very sad!
It is also a story of the mercy of a loving heavenly Father Who would have saved, but Cain would not repent and accept the offered salvation. This story reminds me of the incident when Jesus’ life was being threatened by the very ones He had come to save. Their hearts were hardened and their minds twisted with hatred and self will. He responded to their hatred and threats with, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yearned to gather your children together around Me, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not!” (Luke 3:14)
The Prodigal Son is another story of one who chose to “continue in the wrong direction,” but his ending was different because he “came to himself” and turned from his willful ways and returned to the Father who was waiting to forgive and restore. Cain never repented but chose to suffer the consequences of his disobedience – to be cursed by God, (read all of the fourth chapter of Genesis). How very, very sad!
Cain found there were steps of digression taken by “continuing in the wrong direction” - by following his disobedient choices to the point of the final consequences of those choices. This digression started in Genesis 4:3 when Cain, who was a “tiller of the ground” – (a farmer), brought the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.
Seth, Cain’s younger brother, was a shepherd and brought the firstborn of his flock as an offering to the Lord. It doesn’t say in this story, but evidently the Lord had already set down the “ground rules” for bringing a sin offering to the Lord. It had to be a “blood offering,” if available (Hebrews 9:22), with the exception in the Old Testament if a blood sacrifice was not available a sin offering specifically should be an “ephah of fine flour,” (ephah is a Hebrew measure of grain) - (Leviticus 5:6-12).
Genesis 4:3 tells us Cain “brought an offering of the ground.” This could have been vegetables or maybe even grain, but the instructions were to bring a measure of “fine flour.” God wanted Cain to obey because he wanted to obey and please God, but Cain’s heart was filled with willfulness and sin, so instead of obeying what God had commanded for an offering to have his sins forgiven, Cain chose to “make a showing” of an offering by doing it his way, not a sacrifice of love to the Lord, but by offering God some of his surplus “stuff.”
Because of the hearts’ condition of these two men, Cain and Abel, God “regarded” Abel’s offering as acceptable, but Cain’s offering as unacceptable because it was offered with a disobedient and willful heart. In II Corinthians 9:7 it says that God loves a cheerful giver. If anything given to God is not given cheerfully, it is not considered a love gift. Love and obedience goes hand-in-hand (see I John 5:2-3). You maybe can obey without loving (obeying out of duty); but you cannot love God without obeying Him. Cain had the first problem. He was giving lip-service to God’s Command by just giving an offering of any kind, but inwardly it was all his will & his way – it was rebellion.
But God saw the true heart of each and therefore, when God did not accept Cain’s offering, he became angry and looked sad and depressed (Gen.4:5). This is the next step of his “continuing in the wrong direction.” Anger always comes when sin is found out and guilt and rationalization show up. This is the time when Cain should have confessed his sin and received God’s forgiveness, but instead the stronghold of rebellion and pride, which had set itself up in Cain’s heart, took even a stronger grip. Even in verses 6&7 when God tries to reason with and warn Cain by asking, “Why are you angry and sad? Don’t you know if you do well and obey Me you will be accepted? But if you do not do well and disobey, sin crouches at the door and desires to master you, but you must master it. You must take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ (II Cor.10:4-5). You must submit your self to God and resist the devil, who is waiting to devour you, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).” But Cain “would not.”
Because of his jealousy of Abel’s offering being “accepted” by God, Cain enticed Abel to go out into the field and he killed his brother, Abel. This was his next step of digression – murder. Why did Cain kill his brother? - I John 3:12 tells us why, “Because he took his motivation from the evil one and his deeds were malicious but his brother’s were righteous and virtuous.” Even at this point, God would have forgiven and accepted Cain if he would only repent and ask for forgiveness, but Cain would not. That was so very, very sad!
This has all been such a sad digression into sin, but what is, to me, the saddest step of digression is the step Cain took in Genesis 4:16. In verses 9-15, God discloses His knowledge of Abel’s murder and made Cain own up to it. Because of Cain’s steps of “continuing in the wrong direction,” God cursed Cain in verse 12 – “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth in perpetual exile, a degrading outcast.” In verses 13-14 Cain cries out in anguish to God (but not in repentance). God still would have accepted Cain – but he would not!!
The saddest step of Cain's digression - “So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod (wandering)”(Genesis 4:16). Why is this so sad to me? Because in God’s presence there is fullness of joy, peace, safety, mercy, grace, comfort and everything we need to have a fulfilling life, and Cain was willing to give up all those benefits to "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
Let’s choose “the road less traveled”- the road of love and obedience- the road Abel chose that leads straight into the presence of our Father! That is a happy story!
Trust and Obey
John H. Sammis
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Recipe
January 3, 2012
“God gave us His wonderful and powerful promises, so that as a result, we will share in His divine nature.” (II Peter 1:4) ..................... I like to cook and I have a cabinet full of recipe books. I haven’t tried all the recipes in all of those books but I have found if I want a recipe to turn-out like it should, I must follow it explicitly. God has given us the recipe to the most glorious “dish” that if followed and digested will be a life changing experience and the most glorious results that could ever be imagined. The name of The Recipe is, “Sharing in God’s Divine Nature.” The secret of success to His Recipe is to follow it explicitly. This Recipe is simple but hard - simple instructions but hard to follow. .......................
“Sharing in God’s Divine Nature”
(Authored and Created and Submitted to us by God the Father)
You don’t have to heat your “oven of life,” it seems to always be hot enough to bake this Recipe.
One completely committed life (This is hard because the flesh doesn’t want to commit to God.)
Add: a life of obedience to God’s Word (This is also hard because our old nature doesn’t want to obey.)
One Day-at-a-time of Trusting in God’s wonderful and powerful promises. (This is also hard because our old nature wants to trust in “self.”)
One large cup of daily confessions (This is also hard because our old nature is prideful and doesn’t want to admit our sins.) When confessions are blended in well with the other ingredients it makes a wonderfully humble consistency. God loves humility.
After mixing and blending well, pour all these ingredients in a prepared and holy vessel and bake in God’s Life-oven of Joys and tribulations. Bake a lifetime. If you follow these instructions explicitly you will experience and enjoy God’s Divine Nature (even while it is baking).
Bon Appetit!!
“Come and Dine”
(C.B. Widmeyer)
Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine.”
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need;
O ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “come and dine,”
You may feast at Jesus table all the time;
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
“God gave us His wonderful and powerful promises, so that as a result, we will share in His divine nature.” (II Peter 1:4) ..................... I like to cook and I have a cabinet full of recipe books. I haven’t tried all the recipes in all of those books but I have found if I want a recipe to turn-out like it should, I must follow it explicitly. God has given us the recipe to the most glorious “dish” that if followed and digested will be a life changing experience and the most glorious results that could ever be imagined. The name of The Recipe is, “Sharing in God’s Divine Nature.” The secret of success to His Recipe is to follow it explicitly. This Recipe is simple but hard - simple instructions but hard to follow. .......................
“Sharing in God’s Divine Nature”
(Authored and Created and Submitted to us by God the Father)
You don’t have to heat your “oven of life,” it seems to always be hot enough to bake this Recipe.
One completely committed life (This is hard because the flesh doesn’t want to commit to God.)
Add: a life of obedience to God’s Word (This is also hard because our old nature doesn’t want to obey.)
One Day-at-a-time of Trusting in God’s wonderful and powerful promises. (This is also hard because our old nature wants to trust in “self.”)
One large cup of daily confessions (This is also hard because our old nature is prideful and doesn’t want to admit our sins.) When confessions are blended in well with the other ingredients it makes a wonderfully humble consistency. God loves humility.
After mixing and blending well, pour all these ingredients in a prepared and holy vessel and bake in God’s Life-oven of Joys and tribulations. Bake a lifetime. If you follow these instructions explicitly you will experience and enjoy God’s Divine Nature (even while it is baking).
Bon Appetit!!
“Come and Dine”
(C.B. Widmeyer)
Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine.”
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need;
O ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “come and dine,”
You may feast at Jesus table all the time;
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
Monday, January 2, 2012
An Important God Equation
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)
We are nothing……………………………………....................0
God is Everything……………….........................+ Everything
Our nothingness, plus, God’s Everything, equals = Everything
All that we are and all that we have come from God as a gift. God is a “gift giver” and gives to us richly and freely all things to enjoy (I timothy 6:17), because God love us and “love” gives. Any physical wealth, health or favor we have are all gifts from God. Any spiritual wealth or health we have are also gifts from God, so we cannot boast that we have obtained them of our own strength, ability, ingenuity or intelligence. But we must acknowledge that we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13), and boast in Him as being our “everything” (Psalm 34:2; II Corinthians 6:17). We must remember: He is the Great I AM! He is the eternal Everything (Exodus 3:14)!
(HE’S EVERYTHING TO ME)
W. by Kate Ulmer & Kate Byron
In sin I once had wandered, All weary, sad, and lone,
Till Jesus through His mercy -- Adopted me His own.
E’er since I learned to trust Him, His grace doth make me free,
And now I feel His pardon, He’s everything to me.
In sin no more I’ll wander; He’s Pilot, Friend, and Guide;
He brings me joy and singing; His Spirit doth abide.
A blessèd, loving Savior, The Lamb of Calvary!
He purchased my redemption. He’s everything to me.
No longer will I stray from -- His tender, loving care;
Like Him to be my purpose, My aim, my constant prayer.
And when He bids me welcome -- Throughout eternity,
I’ll praise His Name forever. He’s everything to me.
Refrain:
He’s everything to me, From sin He sets me free,
His peace and love my portion -- Through all eternity!
He’s everything to me, More than I dreamed could be.
O praise His Name forever! He’s everything to me.
We are nothing……………………………………....................0
God is Everything……………….........................+ Everything
Our nothingness, plus, God’s Everything, equals = Everything
All that we are and all that we have come from God as a gift. God is a “gift giver” and gives to us richly and freely all things to enjoy (I timothy 6:17), because God love us and “love” gives. Any physical wealth, health or favor we have are all gifts from God. Any spiritual wealth or health we have are also gifts from God, so we cannot boast that we have obtained them of our own strength, ability, ingenuity or intelligence. But we must acknowledge that we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13), and boast in Him as being our “everything” (Psalm 34:2; II Corinthians 6:17). We must remember: He is the Great I AM! He is the eternal Everything (Exodus 3:14)!
(HE’S EVERYTHING TO ME)
W. by Kate Ulmer & Kate Byron
In sin I once had wandered, All weary, sad, and lone,
Till Jesus through His mercy -- Adopted me His own.
E’er since I learned to trust Him, His grace doth make me free,
And now I feel His pardon, He’s everything to me.
In sin no more I’ll wander; He’s Pilot, Friend, and Guide;
He brings me joy and singing; His Spirit doth abide.
A blessèd, loving Savior, The Lamb of Calvary!
He purchased my redemption. He’s everything to me.
No longer will I stray from -- His tender, loving care;
Like Him to be my purpose, My aim, my constant prayer.
And when He bids me welcome -- Throughout eternity,
I’ll praise His Name forever. He’s everything to me.
Refrain:
He’s everything to me, From sin He sets me free,
His peace and love my portion -- Through all eternity!
He’s everything to me, More than I dreamed could be.
O praise His Name forever! He’s everything to me.
Faith is Gold
January 2, 2012
“So that the genuineness of your faith may be tested, because your faith is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. This proving of your faith is to redound to your praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (I Peter 1:7)
Did you know God considers your faith even more precious than what we consider the preciousness of gold. Today the price of gold is the highest it has ever sold in U. S. dollars, according to Google information. Why is gold so precious? Because, gold is very rare, it is hard to extract, it is enduring, it is beautiful and doesn’t rust or discolor. We measure all other values by it because it is “precious.”
The above scripture tells us that our faith is tested for its genuineness like gold is tested for purity. I read many years ago how gold is refined and tested by fire and the analogy is so applicable to how our faith is being refined, tested and purified that I want to share it.
The entire explanation of how gold is refined is too technical and lengthy to include in this writing but basically the gold ore is put into a crucible placed on a very hot fire (gold melts at l,l02 C). When the gold reaches its melting point it separates from all the earthy impurities in which it has been infused. These impurities rise to the top of the mixture and are skimmed off by the refiner. These impurities are called “dross.” This process is continued until there is nothing left in the crucible but the precious, pure gold. The point at which the refiner can tell that there are no more impurities is when he looks into the crucible and can clearly see his own reflection.
What a perfect analogy as to how our Father (the Refiner) purifies our faith by putting us in the crucible of life and turns up the fire of His discipline and life’s excruciating circumstances – this tests the genuineness of our faith. When we are in the crucible of life and the fire has been turned up to “high,” the impurities in our life (doubts, fears, self-will, etc.) begin to rise to the surface, the Refiner skims off the dross in our lives with His ladle of His promises and His Word. This process of heating and skimming sometimes makes us feel as if “we are all goin’ to skimmins,” but the Refiner is simply “separating the precious from the vile” (Jeremy 15:19). He is replacing the doubts about Him with the Truth of His Word.
This life process causes our faith to become more pure with every testing. This proving process is intended for our glory when others see the reflection of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is at this point that our faith has become as pure gold and is more precious to the Father than real pure gold.
In the third chapter of Revelation, God is talking to the church in Laodicea whose faith had become contaminated with lukewarmness, self-sufficiency and spiritual blindness. The Father counseled them to buy spiritual gold (true faith), which would make them truly wealthy and would cover their nakedness with God’s robe of righteousness. And this refined faith would be the salve to put on their eyes so they could see the Truth of God’s Word. We are implored to do the same because the world, especially the western world, has been so contaminated with the its perspective and ways, that only the Refiner’s process will make us pure again. And only then will others see the beauty of Jesus in us.
“Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me”
Albert W. T. Orsborn
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me – all His wonderful passion and purity!
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!
Did you know God considers your faith even more precious than what we consider the preciousness of gold. Today the price of gold is the highest it has ever sold in U. S. dollars, according to Google information. Why is gold so precious? Because, gold is very rare, it is hard to extract, it is enduring, it is beautiful and doesn’t rust or discolor. We measure all other values by it because it is “precious.”
The above scripture tells us that our faith is tested for its genuineness like gold is tested for purity. I read many years ago how gold is refined and tested by fire and the analogy is so applicable to how our faith is being refined, tested and purified that I want to share it.
The entire explanation of how gold is refined is too technical and lengthy to include in this writing but basically the gold ore is put into a crucible placed on a very hot fire (gold melts at l,l02 C). When the gold reaches its melting point it separates from all the earthy impurities in which it has been infused. These impurities rise to the top of the mixture and are skimmed off by the refiner. These impurities are called “dross.” This process is continued until there is nothing left in the crucible but the precious, pure gold. The point at which the refiner can tell that there are no more impurities is when he looks into the crucible and can clearly see his own reflection.
What a perfect analogy as to how our Father (the Refiner) purifies our faith by putting us in the crucible of life and turns up the fire of His discipline and life’s excruciating circumstances – this tests the genuineness of our faith. When we are in the crucible of life and the fire has been turned up to “high,” the impurities in our life (doubts, fears, self-will, etc.) begin to rise to the surface, the Refiner skims off the dross in our lives with His ladle of His promises and His Word. This process of heating and skimming sometimes makes us feel as if “we are all goin’ to skimmins,” but the Refiner is simply “separating the precious from the vile” (Jeremy 15:19). He is replacing the doubts about Him with the Truth of His Word.
This life process causes our faith to become more pure with every testing. This proving process is intended for our glory when others see the reflection of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is at this point that our faith has become as pure gold and is more precious to the Father than real pure gold.
In the third chapter of Revelation, God is talking to the church in Laodicea whose faith had become contaminated with lukewarmness, self-sufficiency and spiritual blindness. The Father counseled them to buy spiritual gold (true faith), which would make them truly wealthy and would cover their nakedness with God’s robe of righteousness. And this refined faith would be the salve to put on their eyes so they could see the Truth of God’s Word. We are implored to do the same because the world, especially the western world, has been so contaminated with the its perspective and ways, that only the Refiner’s process will make us pure again. And only then will others see the beauty of Jesus in us.
“Let The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me”
Albert W. T. Orsborn
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me – all His wonderful passion and purity!
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!
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