Only By Your Grace

"For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

1 Corinthians 4:7

God I just ask and pray that you continually remind me that by nature, I am no better than others. Remind me Father of what I would be, without the continual influence of your grace in my life. Remind me that whatever I am, that I have nothing to make myself proud. Remind me Father that the only thing I would have been great at in life without you, would have been sinning and living in my own misery. Thank you Father for making me different and for saving me from the trespasses and sins in which I once walked, and for continually pouring out your grace in my life.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom

Gimme Gimme

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."
- Mark 10:15

As I was reading in Mark I came across this verse which kind of tied into a book I am currently reading titled The Pleasures of God. In the book, one of the main points Piper keeps mentioning is how it is God's pleasure to give us the kingdom. He makes the point that Jesus does not say, sell you the kingdom, or trade you the kingdom, but how it is the Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom.

As a child, most of us our always like gimme gimme gimme. I am so thankful that God is like a mountain spring and not like a watering trough. I am grateful that he delights to overflow, and to give and give and give, and that is why the gospel is the good news that God does not need a measuring cup, but people who will drink. The qualification for receiving his kingdom is not strength but thirst. How great is it that its our Father's pleasure to give us the kingdom, and to give it freely.

Footprints in the Sand

"One night a man dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. As scenes of his life flashed before him, he noticed that there were two sets of footprints in the sand. He also noticed at his saddest, lowest times there was but one set of footprints. This bothered the man. He asked the Lord, "Did you not promise that if I gave my heart to you that you'd be with me all the way? Then why is there but one set of footprints during my most troubled times?" The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never forsake you. For you see, during those times of trial and suffering, when you only see one set of footprints, was when I carried you."

As I look back in my life, seeing how God has carried me numerous and numerous of times, I know I can look to the future without fear, knowing that what ever the future may bring, God will be there. Knowing this there should be no reason for me or anyone to fear the future, but to just trust in the loving arms of God to carry us there.

'Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold
you with my righteous right hand.'

Isaiah 41:10

Biblical Fellowship

''We should not...think of our fellowship with other Christians as a spiritual luxury, an optional addition to the exercises of private devotion. We should recognize rather that such fellowship is a spiritual necessity; for God has made us in such a way that our fellowship with himself is fed by our fellowship with fellow-Christians, and requires to be so fed constantly for its own deepening and enrichment."

J. I. Packer

Morning Prayer

Good Morning, VOV

As I cross the threshold of this day
I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care;
Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways;
Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus,
as a potter forms clay;
May my lips be a well-tuned harp
to sound thy praise;
Let those around see me living by thy Spirit,
trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed to lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armour of God,
shining as a never0dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.
Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.
In needful transactions let my affection
be in heaven,
and my love soar upwards in flames of fire,
my gaze fixed on unseen things,
my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility,
mockery of earth and its vanities.
May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,
waiting for the coming of my Lord,
listening for the last trumpet call,
hastening unto the new heaven and earth.
Order this day all my communications
according to thy wisdom,
and to the gain of mutual good.
Forbid that I should not be profited
or made profitable.
May I speak each word as if my last word,
and walk each step as my final one.
If my life should end today,
let this be my best day.

Grace in Trials

Grace In Trials, VOV

Hear me for Jesus' sake.
I am sinful even in my closest walk with thee;
it is of they mercy I died not long ago;
Thy grace has given me faith in the cross
by which thou hast reconciled thyself to me
and me to thee,
drawing me by they great love,
reckoning me as innocent in Christ though guilty in myself.
Giver of all graces,
I look to thee for strength to maintain them in me,
for it is hard to practice what I believe.
Strengthen me against temptations.
My heart is an unexhausted fountain of sin,
a river of corruption since childhood days,
flowing on in every pattern of behavior;
Thou hast disarmed me of the means
in which I trusted,
and I have no strength but in thee.
Thou alone canst hold back my evil ways,
but without they grace to sustain me I fall.
Satan's darts quickly inflame me,
and the shield that should quench them
easily drops from my hand:
Empower me against his wiles and assaults.
Keep me sensible of my weakness,
and of my dependence upon thy strength.
Let every trial teach me more of they peace,
more of thy love.
Thy Holy Spirit is given to increase thy graces,
and I cannot preserve or improve them
unless he works continually in me.
May he confirm my trust in they promised help,
and let me walk humbly in dependence
upon thee, for Jesus' sake.

The Convicting Spirit

The Convicting Spirit, VOV

Come, work repentance in my soul;
Represent sin to me in its odious colours that I may hate it;
Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God;
Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him;
Teach me to behold my Creator,
his ability to save,
his arms outstretched,
his heart big for me.
May I confide in his power and love,
commit my soul to him without reserve,
bear his image, observe his laws,
pursue his service,
and be through time and eternity
a monument to the efficacy of his grace,
a trophy of his victory.
Make me willing to be saved in his way,
perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus:
Help me not only to receive him but to
walk in him,
depend upon him,
commune with him,
be conformed to him,
follow him,
imperfect, but still pressing forward,
not complaining of labour, but valuing rest,
not murmuring under trials, but thankful
for my state.
Give me that faith which is the means of salvation,
and the principle and medium of all godliness;
May I be saved by grace through faith,
live by faith,
feel the joy of faith,
do the work of faith.
Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ
wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
redemption.