Perspective

'Thanks be to God who always leads us in
triumph in Christ.' 2 Corinthians 2:14

'The proper perspective to maintain is that 
we are here for only one purpose--to be 
captives marching in the procession of  
Christ's triumphs. We are encompassed with 
the sweet aroma of Jesus, and where ever 
we go we are a wonderful refreshment to 
God.' (OC)

Reader, when did it become about us?
It begins and ends with Him. He captured
our hearts, we are His love slaves to do
with us as He wishes. But note the 'love'
part. Lavish, unending pure unselfish love
on His side; we the victors by His power,
for His intense pleasure!

Fruitfulness

God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.
Gen 41:52

A poet stands by the window watching a summer 
shower. It is a fierce downpour, beating and pounding 
the earth. But the poet, in his mind's eye, sees more 
than a rain shower falling. He sees, a myriad of lovely 
flowers raining down, soon breaking forth from the
freshly watered earth, and filling it with their match-
less beauty and fragrance. 

No, it is not raining afflictions on you. It is raining
tenderness, love, compassion, patience, and a 
thousand other flowers and fruits of the blessed
Holy Spirit. And they are bringing to your life
spiritual enrichment that all the prosperity and ease 
of this world could never produce in your innermost
being.  JMM

Reader, are times tough? God is working in you all
that you cannot attain by your own efforts. The
beautiful fruits of the Spirit.

He Concealed Me

In the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into 
a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. 
Is 49:2

'"In the shadow"--each of us must go there. The glare
of the sunlight is too bright, and our eyes become
injured. Soon they are unable to discern subtle shades
of color or appreciate neutral tints, such as in the
shadowed sick room, the shadowed house of grief, or
the shadowed life where sunlight has departed.

But fear not! It is the shadow of God's hand. He is
leading you, and there are lessons that can be learned
only where He leads. The photograph of His face can
only be developed in the dark room. But do not assume
He has pushed you aside. You are still "in his quiver."
He has not thrown you away as worthless. He is only
keeping you nearby till the moment comes when He
can send you quickly and confidently on some mission
that will bring Him glory. O shadowed, isolated one,
remember how closely the quiver is tied to the warrior.
It is always within easy reach of his hand and jealously
protected.'  FB Meyer

Reader, The words of FB Meyer are so encouraging. I
went through many years of concealment and anguish.
Nothing I tried opened a door. I read mystery books,
and then read them again because each time they were
new! My memory, energy, was shot. This blog over four
years ago was the crack in the darkness that led to an
ever widening door--and eventually to better health.
New relationships have formed, and so have new
opportunities. It was during this time I discovered that
I could NOT make the Christian life work. It was during
this time that I began to realize just how much He loves
me!

See my story: The Crucible of Lyme Disease

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/story.php?id=8

Faith in Your Faith?

God who does not lie, promised. Titus 1:2

'I often hear people praying for more faith, but
when I listen carefully to them, and get to the
essence of their prayer, I realize it is not faith
they are wanting at all. What they are wanting
is there faith to be turned into sight. Faith
when walking through the dark with God, only
asks to hold His hand more tightly.'

'The shepherd does not ask of thee
     Faith in your faith, but only faith in Him,
And this He meant by saying, "Come to Me."
     In light or darkness seek to do His will,
     And leave the work of faith to Jesus still.'
LB Cowman

Reconciled

...much more, having been reconciled, we
shall be saved through His life.
Romans 5:10

'When I turn to God and by belief accept 
what God reveals, the miraculous 
atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly 
places me into a right relationship with God. 
And as a result of the supernatural miracle 
of God's grace I stand justified, not because 
I am sorry for my sin, but because of what 
Jesus has done.' (OC)

Reader, it is only in Jesus...

Deep Fellowship

I was a Christian for a very long time before I began
to understand some very puzzling scriptures:

'Knowing this, that our old man is crucified.'
Romans 6:6

'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is 
crucified unto me, and I unto the world.' Gal 6:14.

These scriptures speak of something that has been
done in Christ, and I enter into His work on the
cross by faith.

'If I am crucified and dead with Him, then I am a 
partner in His Life and Victory.' (Andrew Murray)

There is one big problem and that is our flesh. God
has left it alive so that we must depend on Him for
the victory. This comes by recognizing that 'no good
thing dwells in my flesh.'  God does not want to save
the flesh; He wants to kill it! The cross has the
power; the victory is in the resurrection. Our part is
to surrender.

Reader, I know that this message goes against my
grain, against the grain of the world, and against
most of church teaching today. To surrender to His
sovereign will moment by moment allows the cross
to work deeply into me. It is painful. I find myself
going to my Dad over and over in some of the more
difficult things,
--not my will, but Thy will --
however, abiding in Him in this way leads to life,
joy, and deep fellowship with Him that goes beyond
just having a 'quiet time.'

Life Out of Death

'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...' Gal 2:20

'The cross is the chief mark of the Christian as 
it was with Christ. The crucified Christ and the 
crucified Christian belong to each other. One 
of the chief elements of likeness to Christ 
consists of being crucified with Him. Through 
faith in Christ we become partakers of Christ's 
life. That life is is a life that has passed through 
the death of the cross, and in which the power 
of that victorious death is always working. 
When I receive that life, I receive, at the same 
moment, the full power of the death on the 
cross working in me in its never ceasing energy.'
Andrew Murray

Reader, the cross is misunderstood, leaving
the church of today without power. We are
being asked to be in unity around Jesus, but
not around the power of the cross. Have you
noticed that God works in ways opposite to
what we see and hear in our culture? God says
'Look at my Son and see that His Life comes
out of death.'