Hannah

That sermon by Keller on Hannah's prayer has sustained me during a hard week. Some scattered notes...

At the point of moral inability, confessing your spiritual barrenness...

In general, God begins a new chapter of his power in your life at your greatest point of hopelessness and helplessness...

take barrenness to God

in teeth of hopelessness and helplessness

If you are confused, at wits end... absolutely helpless and hopeless... Say to God, "I'm going to obey you MORE right now than ever."

God will always use your suffering, but don't expect to understand how during your lifetime. ((This says to me, "Rob--keep an eschatological perspective."))

Hope in Him

My hope lives not because
I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my
trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my
righteousness.
My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in
what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me.

"Accepted in the beloved."
- Ephesians 1:6



What a state of privilege! It includes our justification before God, but
the term "acceptance" in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that
we are the objects of divine complacence, nay, even of divine delight. How
marvellous that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of
divine love! But it is only "in the beloved." Some Christians seem to be
accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension.
When their spirit is lively, and their hopes bright, they think God
accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above
the earth! But when their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims
of the fear that they are no longer accepted. If they could but see that
all their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low despondencies do
not really depress them in their Father's sight, but that they stand
accepted in One who never alters, in One who is always the beloved of God,
always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how
much happier they would be, and how much more they would honour the
Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted "in the
beloved." Thou lookest within, and thou sayest, "There is nothing
acceptable here!" But look at Christ, and see if there is not everything
acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has cast thy sins behind
his back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One. Thou hast to fight
with corruption, and to wrestle with temptation, but thou art already
accepted in him who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts
thee; be of good cheer, he cannot destroy thee, for thou art accepted in
him who has broken Satan's head. Know by full assurance thy glorious
standing.
Even glorified souls are not more accepted than thou art.
They are only accepted in heaven "in the beloved," and thou art even now
accepted in Christ after the same manner.

Spurgeon's morning and Stott on Romans 8 were so good this morning

Whatever our
desires, our difficulties, our wants, we are at liberty to spread all
before him. It matters not how much we may have sinned, we may ask and
expect pardon. It signifies nothing how poor we are, we may plead his
promise that he will provide all things needful. We have permission to
approach his throne at all times-in midnight's darkest hour, or in
noontide's most burning heat. Exercise thy right, O believer, and live up
to thy privilege.
Thou art free to all that is treasured up in Christ-wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Spurgeon's evening is fitting

"And they follow me."
- John 10:27

We should follow our Lord as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their
shepherd, for he has a right to lead us wherever he pleases. We are not
our own, we are bought with a price-let us recognize the rights of the
redeeming blood. The soldier follows his captain, the servant obeys his
master, much more must we follow our Redeemer, to whom we are a purchased
possession. We are not true to our profession of being Christians, if we
question the bidding of our Leader and Commander. Submission is our duty,
cavilling is our folly. Often might our Lord say to us as to Peter, "What
is that to thee? Follow thou me." Wherever Jesus may lead us, he goes
before us. If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go. With such
a companion, who will dread the perils of the road? The journey may be
long, but his everlasting arms will carry us to the end. The presence of
Jesus is the assurance of eternal salvation, because he lives, we shall
live also. We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the
paths in which he leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true
they may not be smooth paths-they may be covered with sharp flinty trials,
but they lead to the "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker
is God." "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep
his covenant." Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that,
come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt,
his purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled
good to every heir of mercy. We shall find it sweet to go up the bleak
side of the hill with Christ; and when rain and snow blow into our faces,
his dear love will make us far more blest than those who sit at home and
warm their hands at the world's fire.
To the top of Amana, to the dens of lions, or to the hills of leopards,
we will follow our Beloved.
Precious Jesus, draw us, and we will run after thee.

book by Sam Storms.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus, the hero, must sail his ship through dangerous waters near an island of Sirens. The Sirens were an evil, man-eating monster that entranced passersby with songs so beautiful that they could then control the thoughts and actions of the sailors, driving them to crash their boats on shore, and be devoured by the seductive beasts. Odysseus, being well aware of their powers, commands his crew to plug their ears, and chain him to the mast. You see, though he knew the dangers, he still longed to hear the Siren’s songs. And hear them he did: the Sirens even took the shape of his own wife, capturing all of his passions: heart, mind, soul, & strength. He was only restrained from redirecting the ship by the chains binding him to it’s mast. Yet, Odysseus survived the temptation of the Siren’s song, at least physically.

In another Greek myth, the Argonautica by Appolonius of Rhodes, our hero is Jason. On his journey home from his quest to find the ‘Golden Fleece’, he travels the same route as Ulysses, and also encounters the same threat. However, heading wise instruction, he brought with him the musician, Orpheus, who was renown for playing the lyre so beautifully that nothing could compare to his music. Instead of plugging their ears, and tying Jason to the mast, like Odysseus, Jason simply asked Orpheus to play his finest tune. Jason and his crew didn’t even notice the songs of the Sirens because they were entranced my music far more lovely: the songs of Orpheus.

RP: May you hear the freeing song of Jesus and find hope.

today my calendar brought up this reminder for Lent

Lent 2009
Groaning & waiting ... Using lent to reflect on our present suffering and our future glory... But what about nehemiah and moving into building??

4 Little Girls, At Church... 45 years ago in B'ham

I know part of what I'll be talking with my children about tonight....

Today, 45 years ago, four little black girls were killed in the Birmingham church bombing.

brief article with pictures


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