Moments of Quiet Truth

"B y sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin , he condemned sin in the flesh," Rom. 8:3 By sending his own Son . . .      Linger long on this. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      I read on a church sign that, when Christ came, the inconceivable God was conceived in a virgin's womb. The dictionary states that 'to conceive' can mean 'to form,' 'to form an idea or opinion,' or 'to express verbally.' The eternal spirit God was formed in a virgin's womb. "and the Word became flesh ." Jn. 1:14   "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard , which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life." (1 Jn. 1:1)       The verbal words of God were spoken by the Word "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being o

T he Holy Spirit - who is He and what does He do? Wow. These ares no mere theoretical, abstract questions. An understanding of their answers frees us to live lives that please God. Period. "Apart from me you can do nothing," Jesus said. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of the Lord. In seeking to develop a Bible study for ladies in Poland, I have turned to Romans 8. Not accidentally, this is the one chapter in the Bible that has more references to the Holy Spirit than any other chapter - it has the highest concentration of references to Him. I have begun to study out who He is and what He does. I hope to post my findings as I go. Meditate on these two thoughts: "Apart from me you can do nothing." and "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."  I would love to read your thoughts on these truths and what God has taught you from them.   

   W hat do you do when you've fallen flat on your face, after tripping over the same speed bump that you've run over so many times before, when you've fallen again to the lie that God is not enough to satisfy? How do you respond when God reminds you that you are a jar of clay? That you don't need people as much as you. need. Him.      You thank Him. You thank Him for showing you the reality of what is really under the trash can of your heart. You thank Him for His grace that again forgives, forgets, does not deal with you as you deserve, picks you up, and helps you try again - immediately . You praise Him that you don't need to re-earn His favor once you've fallen - it's right there - not a second late, in fact, it never left. The fellowship was broken, but not the relationship. "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven , whose sin is covered . Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity , and in whose spirit there is no

     T hat moment when God pulls back the curtain of uncertainty and shows you truth. . . . .when God answers questions that have long run the track of your mind, questions that have caused heart angst and heaviness. . . . that moment when God shows you just the next step, after waiting long for it  . . . . that moment happened tonight. He pointed me in the direction I should go and told me to walk therein. He put some puzzle pieces in place and gave me peace about them, peace that is possible in the face of an uncertain tomorrow. He closed my heart to certain possibilities, showed me ones I still need to surrender to Him, and opened my heart to others - to waiting..      I think that waiting is the biggest puzzle piece He showed me tonight. It doesn't make sense that waiting can be something so definite and concrete, but it is. It's the next step, the next rock to leap to in the stream, the next pavement stone to tread on the path that leads to His front door. God doesn

"B ut he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12:9-10)      "I am content with weaknesses, insults, . . . ." Oh, what a grace that is strong, that never speaks a harsh or cutting word! It never fails, because God does not fail. God never verbally abuses His children or kicks them when they're down. He infuses them with strength and the ability to endure. He does not ask us to ignore or deny our pain - He asks us to tell Him about it. He never condemns us for it - He listens, He cradles, and He loves. "But we hold this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power is of God and not of us." 2 Cor. 4:7a.      I am r

  "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Ps. 30:5      W hen life is confusing and hard, where can I turn? When the questions don't have answers, how do I move forward, confident of His leading? Can I? When I give up fighting hard things, how do I pick the shield and sword back up and begin to fight anew? Where do I look for my battle tactics? When life seems darkest, when my limitations, weaknesses, and failures confront me, when all of life screams at me, but God seems silent, where do I find hope? When I'm in the dark before the sunrise, where do I find light - In my need of Him, in His promises, in His peace, in His people.        It takes the times of weeping in the dark before the joy of the dawn for me to see my need of Him. This is the season of life He has given me right now. He is continuing His humbling work of grace and growing my understanding for my need of dependence on Him. I may not have all the answers to my questio