Drawing near before the throne

I Wait for the Lord

2011-09-21T00:02:00.000-04:00

In what WAYS Jesus Christ is precious to those who believe 1. His History is precious to them 2. His Person is precious to them 3. His Names are precious to them 4. His Offices and Characters are precious to them 5. His Blood and Righteousness are precious to them 6. His Love is

Christ is Precious in Thought, Word and Deed I

2010-07-03T00:40:00.001-04:00

The EVIDENCE believers give, that Christ is precious to them 1. They trust their everlasting concerns in his hands 2. They delight to think of him, to hear of him, and to speak of him 3. They are grateful for the benefits they receive from him 4. They prefer him to every other object, and give him the chief place in their affections 5. They sincerely desire his presence,

More reflections on our Heavenly Father

2010-07-01T21:10:00.000-04:00

More reflections on our Heavenly Father. . . This was sent to me by Grace Gems and it was such a wonderful reminder that I wanted to share it. --- James Smith (1802—1862) "The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons! For what son is not disciplined by his father?" Hebrews 12:6-7 Christian! God

Heaven in Perspective

2010-06-20T01:26:00.000-04:00

Reflections put together from this past week during my time of mediating on God. It is a great joy to see He is becoming more beautiful as each day passes. . . We do a lot better job at loving our idols then loving God. We do a lot better job at serving ourselves then serving the people of God for Him. We pay little attention to the passing of time and the shortness of our days. We are consumers

Quotes from God's Light on Dark Clouds,Theodore L. Cuyler

2010-06-14T09:29:00.000-04:00

Quotes from God’s Light on Dark Clouds, Theodore L. Cuyler · My favorite book right now that speaks on Suffering. Bite size truth that will encourage one to grasp the character of God and his promises in a dark valley.* A Saint that is going through grief or an excruciatingly painful trial will find the words of Cuyler to be uplifting and a brother who has gone before the suffer and has had

More Than I Can Say

2010-06-05T03:03:00.002-04:00

* Researching some orphan care ministries for my internship and this song played in Pandora. I WEPT! Which lead me to pray on my knees for God to stir in the hearts of more families to consider adoption not just in thought but into action so children will experience not just a physical temporal home but be introduced to an eternal Father and forever family in the Kingdom of God. The Lord is a

The Warrior is a Child

2010-04-27T09:05:00.001-04:00

The Warrior is a Child Words and music by Twila Paris Lately I've been winning battles left and right But even winners can get wounded in the fight People say that I'm amazing, strong beyond my years But they don't see inside of me, I'm hiding all the tears They don't know that I go running home when I fall down They don't know who picks me up when no one is around I drop my sword

Francis Chan quote

2010-04-20T19:51:00.000-04:00

When I am consumed by my problems – stressed out by my life, my family, my job – I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a “right” to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities. Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving

Loving Correction

2010-02-09T11:39:00.004-05:00

May we never run from difficult lesson or flinch from the rod of discipline Richer will be our crown, and sweeter will heaven be, if we cheerfully endure to the end. Then we will graduate in glory.” Theodore L. Cuyler Hebrews 12:7-11 5And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him

Christ's Work on my Behalf

2010-02-04T08:12:00.001-05:00

"It's essential for us to think about God's love today because it is only his love that can grant us the JOY that will strengthen our hearts, the COURAGE that will embolden us to fight against sin, and the ASSURANCE that will enable us to open up our lives to him so that he might deal powerfully with our unbelief and idolatry. If we're not completely convinced that his love is OURS RIGHT NOW-

Another Sister's Visit to Ecuador to her Birth Country

2010-01-26T22:17:00.010-05:00

My Dad sent me this link a few weeks ago. I am excited about getting my copy in the mail and reading about a sister in Christ's journey in understanding the character of God as her "Abba Father" through adoption and returning to Ecuador. If I am not mistaken, Marisa is currently attending my parents church in Rhode Island while her husband is stationed in the military in Newport. More on this

2010-01-06T20:35:00.004-05:00

Hoping for a Broken Heart"A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."Psalm 51:17I am too satisfiedwith the things I saythe things I dothe attitudesof heartthat shape my reactionsdayafterdayafter day.I too easilyacceptquick assessmentsof my own righteousnessin situationswhere I have beenanything butrighteous.I am too skilledat mounting plausible argumentsstructured to make me feel

The Grinch Who Stole Santa?

2009-12-08T10:40:00.005-05:00

While other children were tickled with delight to spot “Santa Claus” and stared at him with big wishful eyes, I was not fooled that the big jolly man in a red and white suit was only a guy dressed in a costume. I use to disagree with my parents about telling me flat out there was no Santa. Unfortunately, I was not a kind kid and remember at the age of four on the military base telling friends

A Small Glimpse of Grace

2009-11-26T00:13:00.006-05:00

GRACELaura Story My heart is so proud.My mind is unfocused.I see the things You do through me as great things I have done.And now You gently break meThen lovingly You take meAnd hold me as my FatherAnd mold me as my Maker.I ask You: "How many times will You pick me up, when I keep on letting You down?And each time I will fall short of Your glory,how far will forgiveness abound?"and You answer: "

Biblical Confrontation: Learning How to Confront With the Purpose of Reconciliation and Restoration

2009-11-21T20:28:00.004-05:00

“Speaking redemptively is all about choosing our words carefully. It is not just about the words we say, but also about the words we have chosen not to say. Speaking redemptively is about being prepared to say the right thing at the right moment and exercising self-control. Speaking redemptively is refusing to let our talk be driven by passion and personal desire but communicating instead with

I Asked The Lord That I Might Grow

2009-10-18T00:30:00.002-04:00

I asked the LORD that I might growIn faith, and love, and every grace;Might more of his salvation know,And seek, more earnestly, his face.’Twas he who taught me thus to pray,And he, I trust, has answered prayer!But it has been in such a way,As almost drove me to despair.I hoped that in some favored hour,At once he’d answer my request;And by his love’s constraining pow’r,Subdue my sins, and give

The Sovereign Care of King Jesus

2009-10-16T23:52:00.007-04:00

“God will eventually test you in all areas of your life, but He will not let yourtrials become greater than you can bear. Let God use trials to help you grow. Donot measure your progress, your strength or what God is doing. His work is notless efficient because what He is doing is invisible. Much of God’s work is done insecret because you would not die to yourself if He always visibly stretched

2009-09-08T22:59:00.008-04:00

Aren't You Glad You're Not like David?Aren't you glad you're not like David,Such blazoned sin, how could he?Aren't you glad you're not like Saul,Making up His own rules; what was he thinking?Aren't you glad you're not like Cain,Violence against his own brother?Aren't you glad you're not Rebekah,Such a planned deceit?Aren't you glad you're not like the Israelites,So easily seduced by idols?Aren't

The Lord, my Shepherd, is Jehovah Jireh

2009-07-11T23:35:00.008-04:00

The Lord Is(Psalm 23)The depths of Your grace who can measureYou fully supply all I needYou restore my weary soul again and againAnd lead me in Your righteousness and peaceYou’re with me through every dark valleyThere’s nothing that I have to fearYou are there to comfort me again and againProtecting me, assuring me You’re nearThe Lord isThe Lord is my shepherdThe Lord isThe Lord is my shepherdI

Faith: Walking not by Sight but in the Promises of God

2009-05-30T19:27:00.009-04:00

Imagine driving on the road and all of sudden the only sign you see is the one above with no indication of where you are or how to get to your determined destination. We can all identify with being frustrated trying to get somewhere in our travels at one time or another where the street signs are not marked correctly or hard to see. In life there are sections where you plan to journey one way

An Anchor For the Soul: The Assurance of Salvation Found in Christ

2009-04-02T14:40:00.018-04:00

(I was so encouraged by one of my writing assignments for class, that I decided to go ahead and post it. This is a part of section in a group paper on the assurance of salvation and how to counsel someone lacking assurance. How refreshing to step back and see the beauty of Christ shown in the words below. Homework ought to strengthen and challenge your spiritual growth. Sadly, I do not always

The Heart Is . . .

2009-03-29T00:43:00.018-04:00

“ The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9C.S. Lewis conveys the problem with our heart is that “our passions are not too strong, they are too weak. We are far too easily pleased.” Through books, class lectures, papers, and progressive sanctification I have been learning more on the area of heart this semester. I have been personally

The Sovereign Ruler

2009-03-07T23:46:00.008-05:00

Sovereign Ruler of the skiesSovereign Ruler of the skies,Ever gracious, ever wise,All my times are in thy hand,All of events at thy command.His decree who formed the earthFixed my first and second birth;Parents, native place, and timeAll appointed were by him.He that formed in the womb,He shall guide me to the tomb;All my times shall ever beOrdered by his wise decree.Times of sickness, times of

Recovering the Lost of Art of Speaking Redemptively

2009-02-21T01:03:00.022-05:00

Delighting in the Words of our God

2008-12-29T00:09:00.012-05:00

We Are ListeningWords & music j. quillo 2006; John 1: 1-14; Psalm 119Father, I long to be wise, too see with new eyes The truth that was written by Your hand Father, speak Your truth into me because I still believe that You will help me understand And we are listening to Your word Morning and evening we come To delight in the words of our God Give us eyes to see Give us faith to hear …that the

Christmas: The Coming of the Savior

2008-12-23T23:58:00.011-05:00

I looked outside the window and saw the trees caped in snow. I snapped a picture, (the photo above) and was immediately reminded of Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." God in His tender and loving way has again convicted me over the past few

Putting Our Theological Education into Perspective

2008-12-20T02:25:00.036-05:00

Recently I've been writing a paper on eschatology, and found the following article to be beneficial to my lack of motivation to accomplish this assignment. I used the excuse there is no desire because it is break. Yet, when are we told we are to rest from learning from Scripture? It's a heart issue!!! As with any other theological paper, terms, views, and theologians, can often fog up the true

Running the Race: A Focus Not a Speed

2008-11-11T15:17:00.014-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPLCaAu_H2U&feature=relatedThis video gives me a glimpse of what our Heavenly Father does for us: He runs with us, He pushes us, He pulls us, and He carries us. I think this video story of Team Hoyt competing in the Ironman Triathlon race is a clearer illustration then the footprints in the sand painting. Dick Hoyt ,is a dad who runs Ironman competition with his son

worry?

2008-10-28T01:29:00.017-04:00

More than health has been hitting me especially in these past several days. I will not go into it, but again the comforts of those which I held onto seem yet again moved so I might yet learn to rely on God alone. As I have sought to preach the Gospel to myself I found these verses worth mediating on and these quotes encouraging as well. I definitely down the future want to dig deeper into this

His chisel & hammer: refining, chipping and polishing.

2008-10-20T00:34:00.030-04:00

“Suffering is his chisel and his hammer to chip away my pride"The faithfulness of our Father was so evident tonight as I listened to the life testimony of Joni Earekson Tada and the jewels of truth she shared through 40+ years of suffering as a quadriplegic( please see link). I count it a great joy to call her a sister in Christ and have been deeply challenged and encouraged by her humility, raw

Seeking the Rare Jewel of Contentment

2008-10-10T09:30:00.005-04:00

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”1 Thessalonians 5:16-18You might respond to the above passage by saying, “Well Paul if you were in my circumstance I am sure you would agree that there’s nothing to rejoice about. If you only knew how it feels. I tried but let’s get realistic

We Can Cry With Hope: 'cause we believe there's a place where we'll see your face again

2008-09-20T13:43:00.004-04:00

“This is not at all howWe thought it was supposed to beWe had so many plans for youWe had so many dreamsAnd now you've gone awayAnd left us with the memories of your smileAnd nothing we can sayAnd nothing we can doCan take away the painThe pain of losing you, but ...About every week since I came back to school I carve out a few hours in an afternoon and go to a park and sit on some rocks near a

Christ the Hope and the Gospel

2008-09-18T12:04:00.022-04:00

Over the past summer, I have been asking myself how the church ought to present the Gospel and if we have done a good job presenting the Gospel? I fear churches in America are speaking more of God’s blessings then God Himself. A pastor in Cleveland, OH Alistair Begg, states it this way; "we are drifting towards a religion which consciously or unconsciously has its eye on humanity rather than on

Dwelling on the Beauty of the Lord by Seeking His Face

2008-08-25T01:15:00.022-04:00

“Oh Lord, you're beautiful,Your face is all I seek,For when your eyes are on this child,Your grace abounds to me.”I am sitting here in my dorm room staring at the “massive” reading that will be accomplished by the end of the semester. It definitely has been awhile since I have posted anything on this blog, yet a lot has happened. In fact, when I look over back I am amazed by how much I have grown

THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL l

2008-05-29T10:25:00.003-04:00

THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL I: Suicide, Grief & the Hope of Christ“God is doing a greater work in us and that can only come as we learn to trust Him no matter how dark the days and sleepless the nights. And it is only as we have been through the darkness with Him that we know when our hearts no longer demand answers. The why? Becomes unimportant when we believe that God can and will redeem pain

KEEPING THE RIGHT FOCUS

2007-12-23T18:05:00.001-05:00

Saturday, December 22, 2007KEEPING THE RIGHT FOCUS(originally posted on facebook on Monday, Dec 31, 2007 2:03pm)Attending Bible College comes with a great temptation to fall into arrogance, which is guaranteed if humility and selfless love are not at the forefront of the mind. There is nothing wrong with enjoying learning and understanding more about God, yet when the desire to gain knowledge of

On Facebook...

2007-12-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

(Due to issues with my old blog some posts are not here)Thursday, December 13, 2007ON Facebook....I found that it encouraged me to think about me even more than I already do--which is admittedly already quite a bit. Does that make any sense? Without any help from the internet I'm inclined to give way too much time to evaluating myself, thinking about myself and wondering what other people think