Give thanks with a grateful heart, for all that the Lord has done.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! - RefRev
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road. - John Henry Jowett
Monday, November 25, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes - and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
“Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.” ― G.K. Chesterton
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Denying Self: The Key to Happiness
The denial of oneself is not a new idea in Christian thought. We see it as a reoccurring theme in the New Testament, especially with our Lord. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus reminds his disciples of the importance of this when he says "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." The denial of self allows us to look to God first and enables us to place the will of God over our own; freeing our minds from the clutter of selfishness, pride, and other hinderances.
The great reformer John Calvin addressed the idea of self denial often in Book 3 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. In his writing Calvin shows a true clarity of thought when addressing the struggles we believers face trying to move from our world of self-absorption to the spiritual state of self denial.
So let me close these few lines of thought with his words "In earlier times it was truly said that a world of evil is hidden in the soul of man. There is no remedy other than self-denial, which enables us to lay our own preferences aside, and to set our minds on the things which God requires, striving for them only because they are pleasing to him."
RefRev
The great reformer John Calvin addressed the idea of self denial often in Book 3 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. In his writing Calvin shows a true clarity of thought when addressing the struggles we believers face trying to move from our world of self-absorption to the spiritual state of self denial.
So let me close these few lines of thought with his words "In earlier times it was truly said that a world of evil is hidden in the soul of man. There is no remedy other than self-denial, which enables us to lay our own preferences aside, and to set our minds on the things which God requires, striving for them only because they are pleasing to him."
RefRev
Monday, November 11, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
Faith makes all things possible... love makes all things easy. - Dwight L. Moody
Sunday, November 10, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. - F.B. Meyer
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Waiting
Like David, I have often called out to God in my distress, as if I have the ability to summon Him on my behalf as I please. I have saturated my prayers with the words mercy and forgiveness time and time again. On other occasions I have used phrases like "How long O Lord?" and "I call upon the name of the Lord" hoping these biblical sounding words would move God to act more quickly. However, even in moments of distress there often seems to be a required period of waiting, as if God is whispering "this is part of my plan."
Waiting is not something I am fond of doing and not something I do exceptionally well. It is a struggle because I seek and desire an immediate answer or response in all that I do or have need of. To wait is never in my plan. It does not appear to fit my spiritual DNA, or does it?
The scriptures are clear; waiting on God is part of understanding our relationship with God. Our heavenly Father is not bound by space or time; He has no such mortal limitations. So as I call out to Him the scriptures remind me that His answers will always come, but on His time not mine.
In Psalm 13:1 David cries out "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" David goes on to say he is wrestling with his thoughts, he has sorrow in his heart, and it seems his enemies will continue to triumph. His struggles pierce him from depths of his very being. However, in verses five and six David sings a different song, "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me."
In this short Psalm, David's emotions move from distress to praise, doubt to conviction. Here I can resonate with him because in his response I find myself. The distress, the doubting questions, the cries for help, all are there. Yet here I am also reminded of the faithfulness of my God and if I wait upon Him He will answer me in His good time; so like David I wait. For it is in moments like these I find the assurance I seek. It is in the depths of this silent place I sense His love and grace covering me. It is in the waiting, I release my fears and the burdens of life. It is in the waiting I am able to dwell in the safety of my relationship with the one true living God, through Jesus Christ my Lord.
RefRev
Waiting is not something I am fond of doing and not something I do exceptionally well. It is a struggle because I seek and desire an immediate answer or response in all that I do or have need of. To wait is never in my plan. It does not appear to fit my spiritual DNA, or does it?
The scriptures are clear; waiting on God is part of understanding our relationship with God. Our heavenly Father is not bound by space or time; He has no such mortal limitations. So as I call out to Him the scriptures remind me that His answers will always come, but on His time not mine.
In Psalm 13:1 David cries out "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" David goes on to say he is wrestling with his thoughts, he has sorrow in his heart, and it seems his enemies will continue to triumph. His struggles pierce him from depths of his very being. However, in verses five and six David sings a different song, "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me."
In this short Psalm, David's emotions move from distress to praise, doubt to conviction. Here I can resonate with him because in his response I find myself. The distress, the doubting questions, the cries for help, all are there. Yet here I am also reminded of the faithfulness of my God and if I wait upon Him He will answer me in His good time; so like David I wait. For it is in moments like these I find the assurance I seek. It is in the depths of this silent place I sense His love and grace covering me. It is in the waiting, I release my fears and the burdens of life. It is in the waiting I am able to dwell in the safety of my relationship with the one true living God, through Jesus Christ my Lord.
RefRev
Thursday, November 7, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
He who prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays. - John Owen
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
Most Christians expect little from God, ask little, and therefore receive little, and are content with little. - A.W. Pink
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
Prayer is not, as many take it to be, just a few babbling, prating, complimentary expressions, but a sensible feeling in the heart, an awareness of what God is and what we are. - John Bunyan
Sunday, November 3, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. - George Mueller
Friday, November 1, 2013
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life. - Jonathan Edwards
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