Crucifixion and Resurrection

O Lord,
I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate,
be crucified, dead, and buried.
The sepulchre calls forth my adoring wonder,
for it is empty and thou art risen;
the four-fold gospel attests it,
the living witnesses prove it,
my heart’s experience knows it.
Give me to die with thee that I may rise to new life,
for I wish to be as dead and buried
to sin, to selfishness, to the world;
that I might not hear the voice of the charmer,
and might be delivered from his lusts.
O Lord, there is much ill about me - crucify it,
much flesh within me - mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness,
the fear of man,
the love of approbation,
the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
the desire to be cultivated or modern.
Let me reckon my old life dead
because of crucifixion,
and never feed it as a living thing.
Grant me to stand with my dying Saviour,
to be content to be rejected,
to be willing to take up unpopular truths,
and to hold fast despised teachings until death.
Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained.
Never let me wander from the path of obedience
to thy will.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials,
and grace for all the joys.
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
free from every wrong desire,
from everything contrary to thy mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
may it rule me,
may I walk in its power,
and be strengthened through its influence.

lllllllllllllll
Arthur Bennett, “The Valley of Vision”

“Theological Hats & Spiritual Eyes”

It has been an interesting last two weeks to say the least. If you are “thinking and acting biblically” and have your “theological hat” on and “spiritual eyes” open, the times and seasons of unrest, ungodliness, “culture of hate and death” abound in every avenue of life. What a joy to belong to Christ at such times as these. Today is Good Friday and no matter what happens in this world of sin and death, we belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords and we celebrate the greatness of our God and His wonderful gift of salvation to us. It is day of taking eyes off the world and for introspection and a biblical housecleaning of our own hearts, minds and Christian walk. He has come to give us life and that more abundantly, can we not give Him His due in obedience? Pray today that you might discover over these days of reflection on the cross, burial and resurrection what a glorious gift you have in Jesus and be thankful. The world will continue falling headlong into hell, death and destruction and without regard for life of the unborn, the innocent, those not able to help themselves, for the poor, weak and maimed, but God will preserve His church and His providential care of His universe and people will continue until the clouds open and He appears in all of His glory. He has promised and we believe because of His gift of faith. Be encouraged as you approach His throne of grace to be bold in knowing, loving and speaking of Him. This is the day that the Lord has made and we will, most assuredly, rejoice in it!

“Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples. My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.” Isaiah 51:4-8

Christ’s Priestly Work…..

At RW, we are continuing our reading of Summary of Christian Doctrine by Louis Berkof and I was again, as I have been many times reading the subject of the atonement, struck by God’s grace and mercy to miserable hell-deserving sinners such as us. What a glorious and gracious God we serve. Here’s a bit from it…

There is one part of Christ’s priestly work that calls for further consideration, namely, the atonement.

1. The Moving Cause and Necessity of the Atonement. It is sometimes represented as if the moving cause of the atonement lay in Christ’s sympathy for sinners. God in His anger, it is said, was bent on the sinner’s destruction, but the loving Christ steps in between and saves the sinner. Christ receives all the glory, and the Father is robbed of His honour. The Bible teaches us that the atonement finds its moving cause in the good pleasure of God, Isa. 53:10; Luke 2:14; Eph. 1:6-9; Col. 1:19, 20. It is best to say that the atonement is rooted in the love and justice of God: love offered sinners a way of escape, and justice demanded that the requirements of the law should be met, John 3:16; Rom. 3:24-26. Some deny the necessity of the atonement, and hold that God could have pardoned the sinner without receiving any satisfaction. The Bible teaches however, that a righteous and holy God cannot simply overlook sin, but reacts against it, Ex. 20:5; 23:7; Ps. 5:5, 6; Nah. 1:2; Rom. 1:18, 32. Moreover, He had pronounced the sentence of death upon the sinner, Gen. 3:3; Rom. 6:23.

2. The Nature of the Atonement. The following particulars should be noted here:

a. It served to render satisfaction to God. It is often said that the atonement served primarily, if not exclusively, to influence the sinner, to awaken repentance in his heart, and thus to bring him back to God. But this is clearly wrong, for if a person offends another, amends should be made, not to the offender, but to the offended party. This means that the primary purpose of the atonement was to reconcile God to the sinner. The reconciliation of the sinner to God may be regarded as its secondary purpose.

b. It was a vicarious atonement. God might have demanded a personal atonement of the sinner, but the latter would not have been able to render it. In view of this fact God graciously ordained that Christ should take the place of man as his vicar or substitute. Christ as our vicar atoned for the sin of mankind by bearing the penalty of sin and meeting the demands of the law, and thus wrought an eternal redemption for man. For that reason we speak of the atonement as a vicarious atonement. The offended party Himself made provision for the atonement in this case. The Old Testament sacrifices prefigured the atoning work of Christ, Lev. 1:4; 4:20, 31, 35; 5:10, 16; 6:7; 17:11. We are taught that our sins were laid upon Christ, Isa. 53:6, He bore them, John 1:29, Heb. 9:28, and gave His life for sinners, Mark 10:45; Gal. 1:4; I Pet. 3:18.

c. It included Christ’s active and passive obedience. It is customary to distinguish a twofold obedience of Christ. His active obedience consists in all that He did to observe the law in behalf of sinners, as a condition for obtaining eternal life; and His passive obedience in all that He suffered in paying the penalty of sin and discharging the debt of His people. But while we distinguish these two, we should never separate them. Christ was active also in His suffering, and passive also in His submission to the law. Scripture teaches us that He paid the penalty of the law, Isa. 53:8; Rom. 4:25; Gal. 3:13; I Pet. 2:24, and merited eternal life for the sinner, Rom. 8:4; 10:4; II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 4:4-7. 3. The Extent of the Atonement. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Arminians of every description regard the atonement of Christ as universal. This does not mean that in their estimation all men will be saved, but merely that Christ suffered and died for the purpose of saving all without any exception. They admit that the intended effect is not achieved. Christ did not actually save, but made salvation possible for all. Their actual redemption is dependent on their own choice. Reformed Churches on the other hand believe in a limited atonement. Christ suffered and died for the purpose of saving only the elect, and that purpose is actually accomplished. Christ not merely made salvation possible but really saves to the uttermost every one of those for whom he laid down His life, Luke 19:10; Rom. 5:10; II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 1:7. The Bible indicates that Christ laid down His life for His people. Matt. 1:21, for His sheep, John 10:11, 15, for the Church, Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27, or for the elect, Rom. 8:82-35. If the Bible sometimes says that Christ died for the world, John 1:29; I John 2:2; 4:14, or for all, I Tim. 2:6; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9, this evidently means that He died for people of all nations of the world, or (in some instances) for all kinds or classes of people.

Praise be to God for His unspeakable gift!!

___________
Louis Berkof, Summary of Christian Doctrine
Part IV: The Doctrine of the Person and Work of Christ
Chapter XVII: The Atonement Through Christ

Virginians!! Jerry Kilgore for Governor Announcement Tour

Friends of Virginia….pray for Jerry Kilgore as he begins his campaign for “Honest Reform” and his candidacy for Governor of Virginia. Here is the announcement of his tour…..
As an old saint said, “do it for God, for family and for Virginia”!!!

* * *
Dear Virginian,

Jerry Kilgore for Governor Announcement Tour

Next week Former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore will embark upon an historic journey as he formally announces his candidacy for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The RNC and the Kilgore Campaign hope that you and your family will join Jerry as he launches his campaign for “Honest Reform.”

Beginning Monday, March 21st, Jerry will travel across Virginia and share his reasons for running and outline his Honest Reform agenda. Please Click Here (http://jerrykilgore.com/contents/ontheroad/)to see where Jerry will be visiting. He will be joined by his wife, Marty, their children Klarke and Kelsey, U.S. Senators George Allen and John Warner, former Governor Jim Gilmore and members of Virginia Republican Congressional delegation.

Please visit www.jerrykilgore.com for details of the campaign kick-off tour and highlights from along the way. It will be an exciting week and we would be grateful if you can join Jerry at the stop nearest you.

We look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail ahead!

Paid for by The Republican National Committee. Authorized by Virginians for Kilgore. www.jerrykilgore.com

Politics and Deliverance

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah. Psalm 32:7

My usual daily reading of the political blogs has been slim lately but in catching up a bit to them today, I am reminded again of God’s blessing of my escape from the Washington scene and the daily strife of political life. I am content and happy here in the Shenandoah Valley serving Him in ministry. The hustle and bustle of the “big city” along with its yummy restaurants, great art galleries and museums I do miss but I do get “over the mountain” occasionally to enjoy those good things. Yes, I still am involved in politics but only on a very limited level, i.e., Team Leader for the GOP. The ministry keeps me hopping and too much involved mentally to take on much more than that. I am thankful for the folks at the various political/news blogs, especially Powerline and Blogs for Bush so that I am not totally out of the loop. And yes, I am still a bit “political” in my writing on various doctrinal issues that are important to us as women. We never escape politics completely nor should we as good stewards of God with a true biblical world and life view. Thanks be to God for His gift of deliverance and for the wonderful things He is doing on the earth and in the hearts of men and women. God is providentially working out His will in Heaven and on earth and for this we are most thankful and at peace. Be encouraged that our God is on the throne ruling His world and even the politics of the day are at His command.

Made In God’s Image — I am a woman…..

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

Made In God’s Image*

I am a woman who rejoices in the Lord.
I rejoice because He is worthy,
because He is good,
because His mercies are new every morning,
and because His lovingkindness endures forever.
I rejoice in happy times, in sad times,
in rainy times, in sunny times.
I rejoice because I belong to the Lord.
I rejoice because He takes care of me
watches over me,
and is for me.
I rejoice because I am forgiven,
because I am redeemed,
because my home is in heaven,
and because I am part of God’s family.
I rejoice with my mouth,
with my heart,
with my soul,
and with my spirit.
I rejoice because He is the Peace within me,
the Covering over me,
the Shelter around me,
the Guard behind me,
and the Captain before me.
I rejoice because I have the highest,
the fullest,
the wisest,
and the greatest life there is to live.

*Journal Affirmations for the Trusting Heart by Dayspring

“Wanted: Super Nannies Needed at Church”

What would you say if you saw a newspaper ad like this in the religious section of your local newspaper? You would probably have a reaction of utter disbelief and exclaim “are you kidding, what’s next”? Well, if we are completely honest and are “thinking and acting biblically,” we would fess up and say yes, our children are much like the world’s children, doing what they are naturally inclined to do, sin, rebel, buck authority and do what is pleasing to their own selfish desires and self-interest. Wow, that’s pretty tough language and a pronounced judgment on our children isn’t it? No, on the contrary, it’s not fluff, psychobabble or soapy sentimentalism, it’s biblical. It is what God’s Word says about children in their natural estate:

The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Gen 8:21

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Pro 22:15

Thus, if we are biblical in our application of Scriptural principles and truth, we will say that we need help as parents, especially God’s help, so that we can nurture, train and discipline our children in a consistent and godly manner so that they will honor and obey us and bring glory to God in their lives. We don’t need a “Super Nanny” to train us how to be biblical parents in our training and discipline of our children. We have the “best” Super Nanny of all, God’s Word and it, and it alone, gives us the biblical answers to raise them in all of those good and godly attributes that will make them obedient children, good citizens and godly examples of a Christ-centered life.

On the other hand, if we are not biblical in our training but use the world’s methods, terms, psycho-applications, warm and fuzzy feelings of motherhood and child rearing, and other like-error, we will reap what we sow and especially so in the Church itself, both spiritual and corporate. Why is that? Because it takes our spiritual temperature and will speak volumes of whom we are as Christian parents. It will be a poor example to other Christians and the world of what a Christian child and family are and do and more importantly, it dishonors God and brings His Word and promises into question. It says, in essence, that being a Christian and raising children biblically makes no difference whatsoever and that the “ways of the world” in their Freudian thinking and practice is more successful and a “better” way to raise children. That, in itself, gives glory to the false, liberal thinkers and psychobabblers, agents of the evil one rather than to Jesus Christ, the Author of life and breath and the Providential God to whom we have to do.

So now you say, “What has this got to do with the Church corporate”? What it is saying is this: If we do not respect God in our homes by obedience to His Word and honoring our parents, it will reflect how we behave outside the home. We attend Church, the corporate worship of God with the brethren to worship, praise and adore our God. We come on His day with obedient hearts, minds and attention focused on Him in exercise of praise and worship. We come with a quiet and meek spirit, with confession and prayerful preparation. We come bringing Him our full attention so that we can worship Him as He has commanded. So then, as obedient and worshipful parents, we train our children to do likewise. We train them to listen, to worship, to praise, to confess and they show their love and obedience to God by obeying us in their behavior. It is our responsibility to train them for worship that is according to Scripture. We do not train them as the world trains their children, that all things are acceptable in religious worship, i.e., eating and drinking, playing with toys, talking and visiting, running around between pews, standing on their heads, not participating in singing or bowing their heads in prayer, or following along in Scripture readings. We train them that to take their attention away from worship with God’s family and God’s ministers bringing His Word to them, is to rob God of His offerings and is disobedience and an affront to our Holy God. We train them that true happiness and joy in their life is through obedience and especially obedience in the worship of their God who has given them life. We make this a priority in our own worship and in the worship practice of our children so that our great and loving God is honored and obeyed and we are blessed.

If we truly want what is best for our children, we will do it God’s way and if God’s way, there is no need for a Super Nanny, but rather obedient parents bringing their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord through His Word. If you truly want blessed children begin discipline in the nursery, in the home, in public places and carry it on into the corporate worship of God. Do not “spare for their crying” or be lazy in discipline but pursue diligently all of those things that God’s Word has commanded you to do as you train (catechize) your children. Train them, love them, be gentle and tender with them but discipline them as God has commanded. He has given you “super” responsibilities and support to be biblical trainers and godly examples to your children and placed them and the nurture of their souls in your hands.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Eph 6:1-4

For the glory of God…..for the life and joy of our family…for the good of the body of Christ….let it be so. Joany

* * *

Joany, Editor & Publisher, “Heavenly Notes 2005”

Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved

Further reading:
J.C. Ryle: “The Duties of Parents”

Sinclair Ferguson: “Little Innocents”

Jay Adams: “Christian Living in the Home”

William & Colleen Dedrick: “The Little Book of Christian Character and Manners”
Bruce Ray: “Withhold Not Correction”

Wayne Mack: “Your Family, God’s Way”

Donald Van Dyken: “Rediscovering Catechism”

Important Scriptures:

Pro 13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
Pro 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Pro 15:5 A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
Pro 23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Pro 23:14 If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
Pro 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Pro 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

Glorious Music & Web Stuff

Before I take down my Classy Java site for the new java music site, I thought I would share some of the lovely pieces there, especially the music so grab a good cup of coffee or tea and take a spiritual encouragement break! I am still in the “deciding” mode of how much music and how many new java pages I will create for the music site but I believe it will be a blessing as the old one has been. God created music and art for us to enjoy — so enjoy!

http://www.joypals.com/java/parrishtunnel.html
http://www.joypals.com/java/currantunnel.htm
http://www.joypals.com/java/poptunnelirisglass.htm

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord….” Ephesians 5:19

“Whoever is born of God…..”

How appropos is this evening’s devotional. We have just looked at this doctrine in detail in our last study. Be encouraged, be prayerful. God is surely merciful to His children. Read on….joany

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MARCH 4.

Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John 3:9

THESE words have received two interpretations, both of which we believe are equally true. The more general one is, that he who is born of God does not willingly sin, having “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” he cannot sin with the full consent and concurrence of the will. He hates it, he fights against it, he resists it. But it may be inquired, is not all sin an act of the will? We reply, not the renewed will. The apostle speaks of two wills in a believer, or rather, the same will under two opposite influences. Thus, Rom. 7:15: “That which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” Ver. 19: “For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” Few will question that Paul here speaks of himself as a regenerate man. And yet he refers to two antagonist principles dwelling in him—the one on the side of holiness, the other on the side of sin. “What I hate, that I do.” No man can possibly hate sin, unless he is “born of the Spirit.” “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” And still he says, “what I hate,” the sin that is so abhorrent to me—”that I do.” Is there volition in the act? True philosophy demands that we reply, “Yes.” Every sin must be voluntary; if not so, it cannot be sin. Is there the concurrence and consent of the renewed will in the act? True grace demands that we reply, “No.” “For what I hate,”—there is the mark of the regenerate man—”that do I,”—there is the act of the will under the influence of indwelling sin.

But there is another and a stronger interpretation of which the passage is susceptible. It is this—He that is born of God, as such, sins not at all—there is in him a regenerate soul, an indwelling, living principle of grace and holiness, whose natural and constant bias is to holiness. “He” (the new man) “cannot sin, because he is born of God.” “He cannot sin;”—why? “because his seed remains in him;” and what is that seed? “Incorruptible,”—”Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.” In accordance with Christ’s own words, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” It is spiritual, holy, “from above,” “the Divine nature,”—it “cannot sin, because it is born of God.”

Again, we beg the reader to mark this great evidence of regeneration. “Whoever is born of God does not commit sin.” He does not commit it with the total, absolute, and complete assent and concurrence of the renewed will. He does not give himself over to sin “with greediness.” He “would do good.” He hates sin. Grace reigns, not sin. Sin dwells in him, but does not govern—it has power, but does not rule—it torments, but does not reign with a continued, unbroken supremacy; in accordance with the promise, “sin shall not have dominion over you.” It may for a moment triumph, as it did in David, in Solomon, in Peter, and in a host of other eminently holy men; yet still the promise is verified, as we see in the restorings of the blessed Spirit in their spirit and conduct, in their humblings and confessions, and their holy and upright walk with God in after-years. Reader, have you ever been made sensible of the inward plague? What do you know of the warfare within—of “the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh”? Your honest reply will decide the great question, whether you are born of God.

EVENING THOUGHTS, or DAILY WALKING WITH GOD
Octavius Winslow, 1858

Thanks to our good brother at gracegems.org for this devotional

“Joy in Divine Testing”

Joy in divine testing? Yes, that is what we are to have regardless of our trials, testings and suffering. This is a subject that comes up often so I thought I would post a previous HeavenlyNotes article on the subject. I pray it is helpful to you if you are in the slough of despond or questioning God’s providential working in your life:

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“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” I Peter 1:6-7

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In “The Joy of Divine Testing,1/ Ruvolo quotes Scot McKnight:

“For Peter, the reason the Christians were suffering was because they had the results of salvation in their lives, and their Christian living was not grating against a sinful society . . . Suffering, when properly understood and applied, is the wake following behind salvation’s boat.” 2/

We can see from that quote that “persecution” in all of its forms, is part and parcel of the Christian life. Surely if we are a saved people, having been “born anew,” and are being obedient children of God, we will live under persecution. It is not optional or something that we can choose not to suffer as His children. It is something we are promised. Thus said, we anticipate it and prepare for it by putting on “the whole armour of God” so that we can stand against it.

Ruvolo says,

“Scripture affirms that suffering in the form of persecution is a natural result of Christian living.”3/

Thus, it is as sure as God’s Word and there is not one child of God that will not suffer it but thanks be to God, He has given us “everything for life and godliness” so that we can bear it, stand up to it, and rejoice during it.

With this promise in mind that “all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution,” Ruvolo takes us into various kinds of persecution and helps us make distinctions regarding it including whether some of the trials, testings, sufferings that come upon us are of our own making by our own actions or whether they are the result of godly faithful living. She further counsels us to be sure that we are living a life of obedience and that the persecution suffered is because of an obedient life and not an obnoxious witness or a failure to be biblical Christians.

Ruvolo continues,

“The message of 1 Peter is one of hope and encouragement for Christians who are doing their jobs.”4/

In other words, Peter is saying, if you are living a life that is obedient to Christ, trusting Him, being His ambassador for the gospel, being distinctly different from the world, having a Christian world and life view, following Jesus in all things, not the world, taking on His characteristics and walking in His paths, you will suffer persecution and that persecution will cost you something. It may be your own desires, your family, your children, your church, your health, your wealth and even maybe your life but it will cost you something. Jesus says that “in the world you will have tribulation” and that we will “suffer” as He suffered. We will suffer loss, we will be forsaken by others, we will suffer the sinful acts of others, we will be delivered up to councils, we will walk in the narrow path that He walked, taking up our cross and following Him. This is the life that He has called us to. A life of giving of ourselves for others, suffering all of those things that He and our brethren saints have suffered but, as we suffer, we are to be “of good cheer” because He has overcome the world, the flesh and the devil for us so that we have an inheritance, immovable, eternal in the heavens, forever, which cannot be shaken or taken away. We are promised persecution but we are also promised everything to help us in that persecution that we might glorify God as His afflicted offspring. Our God is a faithful God, ordaining from eternity past all things for our good and His glory so that we triumph in all of our sufferings. As our brother the Apostle Paul said in Romans 5:1-5:

“1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Isn’t this just glorious? Here is what Christ is doing with us in these tribulations, persecutions, trials and suffering. He is working patience, experience, hope, strengthening our faith and resting our lives in His hands. We glory in them because we are “suffering for His sake.” We should be “turning the world upside down for Christ.” As Ruvolo says, when we “stand firm in God’s grace” the “sparks are flying.” Can we say we are “not set on simmer” but our witness is “boiling” and the “sparks are flying” for Christ? Ruvolo exhorts us and asks, “Are you part of the group to whom Peter is speaking? Are you generating a few sparks because your Christian witness is boiling?”5/ Or, are we like the unbelievers who have no hope or a Christian who compromises with the world so that we do not suffer and our sparks have been snuffed out by our conformity with the world and its practices? We must examine ourselves and our lives to be sure that we are “being conformed to the image of Christ” and not conforming to the world. The sparks surely must be flying if we are obedient disciples of Christ.

Ruvolo encourages us, as does Peter in these verses, that we rejoice in the midst of our suffering, trials, and persecutions because they are but for a moment in time and not be compared to the glory that awaits us. Ruvolo says,

“In the light of eternity, they can indeed be perceived as “momentary, light affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17). And in the light of God’s sovereignty, they can be received as integral elements in the outworking of God’s ultimate purpose.”6/

As I read and studied this chapter, I was reminded time and time again of the saints in “Foxes Book of Martyrs” and how they truly went through suffering of body, mind and spirit and even horrific death but the encouragement of their witness, their testimony of faith and God’s provision of grace and perseverance in the face of incredible trials and sufferings cause us to rejoice. We have not in our 21st Century lifestyle suffered as these have or as Christ and His disciples did, but we will surely suffer persecution as promised. It may be subtle persecution that tears at the heart and mind; it may be painful suffering of body that is for a lifetime; it may be the suffering of loneliness and abandonment; it may be the suffering of loss of children, family or friends; it may be the suffering of not being wanted or needed by the body of Christ; it may be suffering for standing for biblical truth, and it may be the suffering of wrongdoing in the past that cannot be righted; but we will suffer and we will be refined as gold, and we will survive it by the power and almighty providence of God and we will, because of His glorious grace, reach the glory that awaits us in His presence forevermore. The suffering of this life is nothing, a breath, a vapor, compared to an eternity of perfection and perfect love and contentment with Him. Be encouraged as you read this that your God who loves you so, will equip you to stand firm and strong in the face of persecution and bring you safety through it for His glory and your good.

Living Coram Deo, joany

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_____________

1/ Lesson#2, “Grace to Stand Firm, Grace to Grow, Carol J. Ruvolo, P&R Publishing Co. p. 27.
2/ Ibid.
3/ Ibid.
4/ p.29
5/ Ibid.
6/ p.32
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Copyright 2003, Joany, ReformedWomen, Excerpt from “My Summary and Comments,” “Grace To Stand Firm” study, November 2003 .

NOTE: I would highly recommend this book. It is available through http://www.cvbbs.com or http://www.prpbooks.com –Joany