One of my favorite things about the internet is being able to be connected to other saints. These are saints who I would have no connection to if it was not for the internet.
Reading books is wonderful, but the encouragement that comes from reading articles, blogs, short comments, and the like simply overwhelms me with the goodness of God's grace!
Here is a fitting word that John Piper posted the other day:"Walking in the light does not mean sinlessness. It means seeing our sin, confessing, and fighting it as forgiven. (1 John 1:7-9)"
In the Word
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Lately I have been looking into the process of mortifying sin.
Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I will continue to sin until I reach the presence of God in heaven. In the meantime, I know Christ and my life is in Him. I have been called to walk worthy of that work that God has done and is doing in my life. This requires putting off the old, sinful self that I was on my own and putting on the new, holy self that I am in Christ.
While I have studied this before to some degree, I am starting over. Here are some of the things I have looked at so far. First of all, an article by John Piper that I set aside to read a few days ago. I read it this morning before going over to the Bible to look up a particular passage about the "put off"/"put on" process.
To make it simple, I'll make a list:
"Battling the Unbelief of Misplaced Shame" - John Piper
Romans 13
Ephesians 4
Colossians 3
God is faithful....Bits and pieces of each of these chapters have been coming to mind over and over again. When I typed in "put off" and these three chapters showed up I was not a bit surprised!
Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I will continue to sin until I reach the presence of God in heaven. In the meantime, I know Christ and my life is in Him. I have been called to walk worthy of that work that God has done and is doing in my life. This requires putting off the old, sinful self that I was on my own and putting on the new, holy self that I am in Christ.
While I have studied this before to some degree, I am starting over. Here are some of the things I have looked at so far. First of all, an article by John Piper that I set aside to read a few days ago. I read it this morning before going over to the Bible to look up a particular passage about the "put off"/"put on" process.
To make it simple, I'll make a list:
"Battling the Unbelief of Misplaced Shame" - John Piper
Romans 13
Ephesians 4
Colossians 3
God is faithful....Bits and pieces of each of these chapters have been coming to mind over and over again. When I typed in "put off" and these three chapters showed up I was not a bit surprised!
Something to Share
Friday, June 03, 2011
For the most part, I have a few blogs that I follow using Google Reader.
Perhaps you follow some of the same blogs I do!
Just in case you don't, I wanted to take a minute to post three links for you to check out.
Enjoy!
"The Soul's Thirst" - Tim Challies
"People Do Not Drift Toward Holiness" - Desiring God (quotes from D.A. Carson)
The Main Sessions from NEXT2011 - Sovereign Grace Ministires
Word is that this year's NEXT was considerably different than in years past...I've listened to the first message and look forward to tracing the theological depth that people are talking about!
It's June...Summer will be upon us for real before we know it. I'm looking forward to getting together with friends, backyard BBQ's, days at the river, and being able to soak up some sun while reading and studying outside this summer.
May this summer be a time of refreshment for you and for me. A time when we return to the Lord with great vigor.
May God do a work in the hearts of His people this summer. May He refresh and revive the souls of His people wherever they are!
Perhaps you follow some of the same blogs I do!
Just in case you don't, I wanted to take a minute to post three links for you to check out.
Enjoy!
"The Soul's Thirst" - Tim Challies
"People Do Not Drift Toward Holiness" - Desiring God (quotes from D.A. Carson)
The Main Sessions from NEXT2011 - Sovereign Grace Ministires
Word is that this year's NEXT was considerably different than in years past...I've listened to the first message and look forward to tracing the theological depth that people are talking about!
It's June...Summer will be upon us for real before we know it. I'm looking forward to getting together with friends, backyard BBQ's, days at the river, and being able to soak up some sun while reading and studying outside this summer.
May this summer be a time of refreshment for you and for me. A time when we return to the Lord with great vigor.
May God do a work in the hearts of His people this summer. May He refresh and revive the souls of His people wherever they are!
Once Again
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
I could probably write several posts everyday about the way the music I listen to blesses me. I know I have written numerous posts in the past about specific songs. In light of my last series of posts, I wanted to share some lyrics from a song that I know I have shared in the past. These lyrics communicate a truth I seriously think about each and everyday.
In our home it is quite common to hear a reminder that, "but for the grace of God, so would you/we be." This is a Gospel truth. As God's people, we are who we are by His grace because of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
The lyrics I want to share with you today come from a song that FLAME did along with Lecrae and John Reilly called, "Joyful Noise".
Lecrae opens the song with them,
"Your boy has been a Christian for quite a few years. Victory in faith, but I've failed in my fears. I've heard a lot of words that have tickled many ears. That's why I praise God for the Word that we adhere..."
I live in this fallen world. I have heard the words that Lecrae is talking about. I have fears. By God's grace, I have faith. This is life.
I am a Christian and I have God alone to thank for that.
May God's people go through the lives that He has given them encouraged by His mercy and goodness and grace. Life may not be what we thought it would, but it is always God's best and happening to make us more like Jesus Christ.
This is our goal, to be like Jesus. God is good enough to labor with us and for us to make it our reality!
In our home it is quite common to hear a reminder that, "but for the grace of God, so would you/we be." This is a Gospel truth. As God's people, we are who we are by His grace because of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
The lyrics I want to share with you today come from a song that FLAME did along with Lecrae and John Reilly called, "Joyful Noise".
Lecrae opens the song with them,
"Your boy has been a Christian for quite a few years. Victory in faith, but I've failed in my fears. I've heard a lot of words that have tickled many ears. That's why I praise God for the Word that we adhere..."
I live in this fallen world. I have heard the words that Lecrae is talking about. I have fears. By God's grace, I have faith. This is life.
I am a Christian and I have God alone to thank for that.
May God's people go through the lives that He has given them encouraged by His mercy and goodness and grace. Life may not be what we thought it would, but it is always God's best and happening to make us more like Jesus Christ.
This is our goal, to be like Jesus. God is good enough to labor with us and for us to make it our reality!
A Testimony pt. 4
Monday, May 30, 2011
What does all of that have to do with my present condition? A LOT
This morning as I was journaling, a particular song came to my mind. It is a song by Lecrae called "Breathing to Death". It basically summed up exactly how I've been feeling lately. As I listened to it, I began to thank God for the men involved with Reach Records once again. They live lives and make music that are consistently Biblical. Even with growing popularity, they continue to press on toward maturity in Christ. They continue to be unashamed of the Gospel and clearly speak it and sing it and live it wherever God sends them because they know that it is the power of God for salvation.
I have been following Reach Records since they first began. When I made the switch from my "old music" to "Jesus music", it was hard. The Christian music industry was certainly big, but it was terrible. I couldn't find anything that sounded even remotely like what I listened to. The music wasn't good and the lyrics really weren't much better. So many songs had me wondering whether the artists were singing about God or their latest lover. Enter, the Christian Hip Hop movement. Prior to Christ, I listened to it all country, rock, pop, R & B, etc with the exception of raunchy rap. So, when I came across all these Christians who were rapping the Gospel I was pretty excited. The beats were really good, the styles varied, and there was a lot of talent. The music AND the lyrics were quality, I found GOLD! One problem, this wasn't my kind of music. I was a thirteen year old white girl from hicktown.
I quickly realized it was either this or the latest "Christian" boy band, Brittney Spears wannabe, whiner.....Don't get me wrong, there are some others in the Christian music industry that I enjoy every now and then. For the most part though, I have found the Christian music industry to be in a pitiful state.
So, I bought some cds. I grew to love the Christian Hip Hop movement. Somehow, this white girl from hicktown had no trouble understanding the lyrics that were being rapped extremely fast. The movement has grown. There have been some counterfeits. So far, Reach Records (and the artists involved) have remained faithful to Christ. New projects are coming out all of the time and each one seems better than the last.
Many times throughout the day lyrics will pop into my head. I'll read a Bible verse and think, "Oh, this is where so and so got the idea for their song ______." OR I'll hear a Bible verse in a song and pretty soon it's in my head to stay. OR I'll be struggling with something and relate to a song that serves as a prayer to God and find myself built up by a brother in Christ who faced it to and found God to be faithful.
In short, my journey toward being obedient to my God and my mom in the area of music was not easy. I still have to explain to people why I don't listen to certain music and why a now 20 year old white girl who still lives in hicktown listens to rap. I sort of kind of enjoy the shocked faces now.
Today I was tempted to despair. Thanks to the victory found in obeying God with music that honors Him, I am built up in Him by it. Through these last months the music I listen to has not proved to be a single hinderance to me. Rather, it has exhorted me and encouraged me toward righteousness. Even if I threw my Bible in the closet, the Words and truths found in it would be impossible to get away from. Over the last eleven years they have been written on my heart and mind through my time spent in God's Word and also through the music that has filled my speakers and headphones.
God is good, isn't He? Who knew that one little decision all those years ago would be so encouraging to me today? He did!
This morning as I was journaling, a particular song came to my mind. It is a song by Lecrae called "Breathing to Death". It basically summed up exactly how I've been feeling lately. As I listened to it, I began to thank God for the men involved with Reach Records once again. They live lives and make music that are consistently Biblical. Even with growing popularity, they continue to press on toward maturity in Christ. They continue to be unashamed of the Gospel and clearly speak it and sing it and live it wherever God sends them because they know that it is the power of God for salvation.
I have been following Reach Records since they first began. When I made the switch from my "old music" to "Jesus music", it was hard. The Christian music industry was certainly big, but it was terrible. I couldn't find anything that sounded even remotely like what I listened to. The music wasn't good and the lyrics really weren't much better. So many songs had me wondering whether the artists were singing about God or their latest lover. Enter, the Christian Hip Hop movement. Prior to Christ, I listened to it all country, rock, pop, R & B, etc with the exception of raunchy rap. So, when I came across all these Christians who were rapping the Gospel I was pretty excited. The beats were really good, the styles varied, and there was a lot of talent. The music AND the lyrics were quality, I found GOLD! One problem, this wasn't my kind of music. I was a thirteen year old white girl from hicktown.
I quickly realized it was either this or the latest "Christian" boy band, Brittney Spears wannabe, whiner.....Don't get me wrong, there are some others in the Christian music industry that I enjoy every now and then. For the most part though, I have found the Christian music industry to be in a pitiful state.
So, I bought some cds. I grew to love the Christian Hip Hop movement. Somehow, this white girl from hicktown had no trouble understanding the lyrics that were being rapped extremely fast. The movement has grown. There have been some counterfeits. So far, Reach Records (and the artists involved) have remained faithful to Christ. New projects are coming out all of the time and each one seems better than the last.
Many times throughout the day lyrics will pop into my head. I'll read a Bible verse and think, "Oh, this is where so and so got the idea for their song ______." OR I'll hear a Bible verse in a song and pretty soon it's in my head to stay. OR I'll be struggling with something and relate to a song that serves as a prayer to God and find myself built up by a brother in Christ who faced it to and found God to be faithful.
In short, my journey toward being obedient to my God and my mom in the area of music was not easy. I still have to explain to people why I don't listen to certain music and why a now 20 year old white girl who still lives in hicktown listens to rap. I sort of kind of enjoy the shocked faces now.
Today I was tempted to despair. Thanks to the victory found in obeying God with music that honors Him, I am built up in Him by it. Through these last months the music I listen to has not proved to be a single hinderance to me. Rather, it has exhorted me and encouraged me toward righteousness. Even if I threw my Bible in the closet, the Words and truths found in it would be impossible to get away from. Over the last eleven years they have been written on my heart and mind through my time spent in God's Word and also through the music that has filled my speakers and headphones.
God is good, isn't He? Who knew that one little decision all those years ago would be so encouraging to me today? He did!
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