Saturday, April 21, 2012

This Is Not My Home

I don't know about you, but everyday finds me with a deeper longing for home...Today the desire was kindled afresh. I'm determined to hold on till the end no matter the cost...anything we have to go through in this life, any trial or suffering endured will be found worth it in the end. While sitting under the tree of life we shall try and recount up our greatest trials, but they will seem so small in light of the eternal glory that surrounds us that we will not be able to speak them out...the only words on our tongue will be, "Hallelujah! Heaven is cheap enough!"

Let's hold on friends...it will be more than worth it!



I woke up this morning, the sun was shining,
the birds were singing, their carols raising,
I felt a thrill fill my soul for the joy of being alive,
But as I looked out my window I saw tears in people’s eyes...
And I was reminded that this world is not my home,
I’m just passing through...
Chorus:
I don’t belong here, I’m but a stranger and a pilgrim in this land
I’m treading down the straight and narrow path
My eyes fixed upward, upon the prize
Oh, Lord Jesus led me home.
Every day I hear of more tragedies and deaths,
Famines, wars, earthquakes, sorrows and thief,
How much longer can this poor earth go on?
Oh, Precious Jesus come and take us home!
I can’t help but praise you that this world is not my home!
That I’m just passing through...

Chorus

Bridge:
Sometimes this old world can look attractive,
Sometimes I can forget where I’m bound,
Oh, Jesus keep me pressing forward, help me never forget...
That this world is not my home!
Chorus
Oh, Lord there is so much hurt in this worn earth,
How can I show others that there is a better place,
A land where sorrows, famines, tears and dying aren’t found,
And best of all, where we can see our Savior's face. 
Oh, help me tell them that this world is not our home.
That we’re just passing through...
We don’t belong here, We’re but strangers and pilgrims in this land,
We’re treading down the straight and narrow path,
Our eyes fixed upward, upon the prize
Oh, Lord Jesus led us home,
Oh, Lord Jesus...please...lead me home...
Abigail Eagan 2011

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Reflecting Him

The less we see to esteem in ourselves, the more we shall see to esteem in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Saviour. A view of our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon; and when the soul, realizing its helplessness, reaches out after Christ, He will reveal Himself in power. 


The more our sense of need drives us to Him and to the word of God, the more exalted views we shall have of His character, and the more fully we shall reflect His image. ~ SC 65

Lessons from a Lawn Mower

It wasn’t some new revelation. I’ve heard others repeat it...but this time it hit home in a new and deeper way then ever before. I love object lessons and while sitting on the lawn tractor the Lord revealed some very important ones I tend to easily forget. 




You’ve all heard it, “You can’t go in a straight line unless you keep your eyes fixed on something ahead.” I found this true over and over again yesterday, but as I sat there I began thinking...I’ve found this true over and over again in my life. I must keep my eyes fixed upward on heavenly realities...on Jesus, or my path will slowly wander away from the one He has planned for me. Remember the slough of despond? It was when they took there eyes off of the light that they fell. If they continued to keep their gaze upward and forward they passed through safely. 

But once the line is straight can't you just follow it instead of looking ahead? No...if you are very careful you may be able to stay straight for a pass or two, but very quickly curves appear and if you keep following them there will eventually become so many that you will doubt that you ever had a straight line in the first place. The only way to restore the straight line is to look again to a mark ahead. Even so, it may take a few swipes to restore it completely to the line it was in the beginning. Is it not the same in the Christian’s life? When we begin to look at ourselves or at the lives of others as our pattern, we will always begin to turn from the straight way. For Jesus is the only true pattern to follow. But when we turn our eyes again toward heaven he gently leads us back again to the path. But even so, we must remember that we will never be where we could have had we kept our eyes upon our Savior. Delays and detours our not in the Shepherd's plan. 






So my fellow pilgrims, let us faithfully traverse this path ahead of us. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who is just before us leading us to the city, and then...we will be safe!

The Honor of God

The sparkling sun was shining brightly in mid-heaven as a ruddy young man stepped out from among a multitude of trembling onlookers. Resolutely making his way down to the small brook nearby he stooped down and expertly choosing 5 smooth stones slipped them into the leather bag at his waist. 




Looking up his eyes fall upon his opponent. A giant of a man, girded about with heavy armor and a mighty spear in his hand. No wonder all the host of Israel has quaked at the sight of this Goliath. His eyes turn upon himself...he is unarmed except for a limp leather sling and unprotected by armor. To the human eye it doesn’t look like much of a match, but to David he knows it’s much more then a match. He is not just some stripling young man out to make a show and earn himself honor. No, he is a soldier in the service of the God of heaven and the honor of his God is at stake. 


Confidently striding forward, and with a ring of fearlessness in his tone he declared to his antagonist: "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." 

The clear, musical words were still hanging in the air as with a look of triumph and rejoicing upon his fair countenance he pulled a stone from his bag and slipped it quickly into his sling. “The anger of Goliath was roused to the very highest heat. In his rage he pushed up the helmet that protected his forehead and rushed forward to wreak vengeance upon his opponent. The son of Jesse was prepared for his foe.” Fearlessly he slang the stone and it hit it’s target...the forehead of the Philistine. 

“Amazement spread along the lines of the two armies. They had been confident that David would be slain; but when the stone went whizzing through the air, straight to the mark, they saw the mighty warrior tremble, and reach forth his hands, as if he were struck with sudden blindness. The giant reeled, and staggered, and like a smitten oak, fell to the ground.”

The giant was dead...killed by a young boy who was willing to take God at His word. 




Are there giants in our day who are defying the Armies of the Living God? Me thinks so... But where are the Davids of our generation? Where are the ones who will take the Lord at his word? Where are the young people who will stand for the right and risk their lives for the honor of the Living God?

It is Davids, who will finish the work... “The Lord has appointed the youth to be His helping hand.” 

The honor of our God is at stake my friends...let’s not take it lightly.

Look Up!

So you are not to look to yourself, not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ. Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of His character. Christ in His self-denial, Christ in His humiliation, Christ in His purity and holiness, Christ in His matchless love--this is the subject for the soul's contemplation. It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him, that you are to be transformed into His likeness. ~ EGW

Love Notes

I can truly say that this last week has been one of the busiest and most stressful of my life, but it has also been one in which I’ve realized the love of a Father in a more real and deeper sense. One where I’ve once again stood in complete awe at the lengths He will go to show His love to a little girl. 

It wasn’t even the big things...just a little love note here and there...at the exact moment I needed it. 




He stopped at nothing to reveal in the most real way that He was right beside me...cheering me on. He ordered the elements and they had to obey...He spoke through the words of a friend...a warm embrace...a song sent in His perfect timing. 

He never does anything on accident, friends. He will go to amazing measures to order circumstances just to show you one thing...His love.

What is Man?


Darkness envelopes me as a warm blanket. 

Silence.

My head on my pillow. Pondering...It’s late, but I can’t help but take a few moments gazing out my beloved skylights into the star studded heavens...my favorite talky time with my God. 





It never ceases to amaze me at my littleness when I study the stars...or at the greatness of my God, may I add. 

“The majesty and Glory of Your name...transcends the earth and fills the heavens...”The words of a song come flashing into my mind...it’s been running through my head all day thanks to a friend, but now it comes again...emphasized.

"When I gaze into the night sky, and see the work of you fingers.
The moon and the stars suspended in space. 
Oh, what is man?" 

Stop...

What is man? 

Just a tiny speck in this immense universe. On a world that has rejected its creator. Far from the image he was created in. 

Yet... 

So valued that the Creator would leave his majesty and glory, yea all of heaven to restore the image. 


I lie in awesome wonder... 

I no longer see the stars...my eyes are too clouded with tears. 

My heart cries out to my maker... 

“Oh one who made the stars...restore the image...in me”

Not Afraid to Die

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was...I AM."

These final words reverberate through the marble halls to the farthest corners of the temple.

Silences hangs like a thick cloud upon the vast assembly.

“The name of God, given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed as His own by this Galilean Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be the self-existent One, He who had been promised to Israel, ‘whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.’"

Suddenly, the significance of the words just spoken hits the priests. Turning to one another with hatred and anger in their voices they cry out, “Blasphemer! He is worthy of death because He has made Himself equal with God!”

On hearing the outcry of the priests, many people begin to gather stones.

Seeing the multitude on their side, the leaders again raise the cry, “Blasphemy!”

As stones and angry voices are lifted toward the young teacher, He calmly hides himself and silently passes through the midst of them.

This is usually where the story stops, but wait...continue on to the next chapter.

“And as He passed by”...

Who was He passing by?

The multitude who was trying to stone Him.

So...as He is fleeing for His life He sees a man, who has been blind since birth.

What will Jesus do? Will He stop and help the poor man, or will he continue to flee knowing that His attackers are only steps behind him....

What would you do?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Our loving Savior stops.

He is not worried about the angry mob. His focus is on the man who was born blind that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Gently, He approaches the man and making mud, places it on the blind man’s eyes, and tells him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam.

He was not afraid to die...he was afraid to pass the man by.

And today... He was not afraid to die...he was afraid to pass YOU by.