An Eternal Perspective

["He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put
eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work
that God does from beginning to end." Eccl. 3:11]

"We have abandoned a self-conscious allegiance to the reality of
eternity that structures the way we think about and approach the here
and now. The functional philosophy of the modern person is simply
devoid of eternity. Forever isn't a topic written about much in our
newspapers and magazines. It isn't a topic of interest in our popular
entertainment media. It isn't a serious topic of interest in the
university or in the halls of government. The thought of forever
simply isn't a thought many of us carry around anymore, at least not
in a way that makes much differenc people who have lost sight of
forever."

["For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Rom. 8:18]

- Paul David Tripp , Forever (Zondervan, 2011). p. 20

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

"'There is no fear in love', writes the apostle John, 'but perfect
love drives out fear."[ 1 John 4:18]

'He goes on to point to the source of that perfect love: 'We love
because He first loved us". In other words, the cure to fear is not a
change in circumstances, rather a deep grounding in the love of God.
I ask God to reveal His love to me directly, or through my
relationships with those who also know Him--a prayer I think God takes
great delight in answering. When I get depressed about my present
failures, I ask God to remind me of my true identity: one who will be
made perfect and has already been forgiven. '

"You''ve got to go deeper'," ... my burned out pastor [was
counseled]. "'Sink the well into a water table that never runs dry'."

Thomas Merton conceded that everything in modern city life conspires
against such surrender. We worry (fear) about money, about what we
need to have and to know, about whom to compete with and what is
slipping out of our control. (He) found the secret to true freedom:
If we live to please God alone (the One who loves us), we set
ourselves free from the cares and worries that press in on us."

-Phillip Yancey

Quoted by Dr. Tom Wood, Church Multiplication Ministries

Facing Pain Together

Pain is not something most people like.  That is why we run from it as fast as we can.  That is also why we aren''t free.  Jesus hardly ever goes to those places where we run.  When pain comes (or when we fear that it will come), don''t run away.  Run to it, and you will find you have run into the arms of Jesus.  In other words, buck up, face it, embrace it, and know that you and Jesus can deal with it.  Then you will laugh and dance in the freedom and the reality of God''s sufficiency and the power that becomes awesome in your weakness."

Steve Brown, A Scandalous Freedom

- http://www.gracedagain.com

DO THE FIRST WORKS

"Repent and do the first works." Revelation 2:5

This is a command of Jesus to the church in Ephesus. In that same
message, Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that they have lost their
first love and are in danger of Jesus forsaking the church.

The first works of the Ephesians were works of their first love.
Following the salvation experience, God gives new believers a
sovereign period of grace in which they are filled with love because
they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Interpreting the experience in Ephesus in light of other Scriptures in
the New Testament, we know that in time the sovereign experience came
to an end and the Ephesian believers began serving God in the flesh.
All believers who begin to serve God in the flesh lose that first
love. More than one child of God has said, "I would give anything if I
could have the love in my heart for others that I had following my
conversion experience."

In John 13:34 Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another." Then in John 15:12, Jesus says, "This is My commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you. In Romans 13:8 Paul
writes, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who
loves another has fulfilled the law."

It is sad when we see a professing Christian who seems to be filled
with bitterness rather than love; that seems to be filled with a
spirit of condemnation rather than compassion.

When a conscientious believer who has lost that first love is
confronted with the statements of Jesus about His commandment of love,
he grieves. In his grief, he may attempt to work up a spirit of love
in his heart. In time he knows that this approach to solving his
problem will not work.

The answer is in receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit by living
out our oneness with Christ. [John 15:5-8]

www.livingbygrace.org.
Copyright © 2000-2005 David Kuykendall Ministries.

Triumphant Peace

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid." - John 14:27

"However, faith has its trials, as well as it's answers. It is not to
be imagined that the man of faith, having pushed out from the shore of
circumstances, finds it all smooth and easy sailing. By no means.
Again and again, he is called to encounter rough sea and stormy skies;
but it is all graciously designed to lead him into deeper and more
matured experience of what God is to the heart that confides in Him.
Were the sky always without a cloud and the ocean without a ripple,
the believer would not know so well that God with Whom he has to do;
for alas, we know how prone that heart is to mistake the peace of
circumstances for the peace of God. When everything is going on
smoothly and pleasantly—out property safe, our business prosperous,
our children carrying themselves agreeably, our residence comfortable,
our health excellent—everything in short, just to our mind, how apt we
are to mistake the peace which reposes upon such circumstances for
that peace which flows from the realized presence of Christ."" -C.H.
Mackintosh

(Compiled by Dr. Tom Wood, http://www.gracedagain.com)

The Secret of Guidance

F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) wrote from a Christ-centered, grace-oriented perspective. Pastors need guidance from the Lord personally and in their role in leading the "flock." CCEL.org has this classic online for free download: "Many Christians wonder whether or not God has a plan for their future. F.B. Meyer spent his life as a pastor and evangelist ministering to people all over the world about God's unfailing guidance. In his book, The Secret of Guidance, Meyer shares his thoughts on the subject for all Christians to read. In order to receive God's guidance, we must first surrender our wills and seek guidance with pure motives. Meyer tells Christians that prayer and patience are two of the most important habits that must be practiced as they wait for the gradual unfolding of God's plan. Several sections in this text help readers identify the places in their lives where they have gone astray, in hopes that they can improve upon these areas. Meyer reminds Christians that Christ is there to help them bear their sorrows and burdens. Finally, Meyer shares the importance of faith as Christians try to understand the fullness of the Spirit. The Secret of Guidance helps assure uncertain Christians that God is always faithful." http://www.ccel.org/ccel/meyer/guidance.html

Spiritual Antidote for Lust

""When we feel the pull toward the golden-haired woman, we must recognize that 'something deeper is at play' as Augustine said, 'Let my soul praise you for all these beauties, but let it not attach itself to them by the trap of love,'  the trap of addiction because we''ve taken our soul to her for validation.  

But there is an even deeper issue than our question.  What else is it we are seeking from the Woman with the Golden Hair?  What is that ache we are trying to assuage with her?  Mercy, comfort, beauty, ecstasy--—in a word, God.  I'm serious.  What we are looking for is God.

Notice that the struggle with pornography or masturbation is most difficult when you are lonely, or beat up, or longing for comfort in some way...but if this is the water you are truly thirsty for, then why do you remain thirsty after you''ve had a drink?  It's the wrong well.  We must reverse Adam''s choice; we must choose God over Eve.  We take our ache to Him.  For only in God will we find the healing for our wound."

"- John Eldredge

Quoted by Dr. Tom Wood in Graced Again (Church Multiplication Ministries)  http://www.gracedagain.com