Abundant Life

Breathe deep this is life, rich and deep: No where else you can go! fall into My arms and know I Am there. You are never alone! Breathe deep and see Me always in the life I have created...knowing My eternal presence...with you.

C.S. Lewis in his sermon entitled "The Weight of Glory" says:
"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mudpies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
Oh, I hope that my heart will aspire to reach beyond these earthly things to see Heaven's eternal realities, they are less than 70 years away anyways! For sure.

"O taste and see the Lord is good, how blessed are all those who place their trust in Him!" Psalm 34

"Untill now you have not asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will recieve, so that your joy may be made full" ~Jesus
in John 16:24

The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth...Salvation is found in
no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to
men by which we must be saved.
--Acts 4:12
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As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience.
--Colossians 3:12
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The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me
lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he
restores my soul.
--Psalm 23:1-3
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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you
trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
--Romans 15:13
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The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
--Galatians 5:22-23

"I remember you I lie awake and try so hard to not think of you, but I believe you and I'll give up everything just to find you...to live to breathe, you are taking over me" From song "Taking Over Me"
Intriguing lyics! To hear the song on real audio go to http://www.evanescence.com/ This website has a melencholy sense but the lyrics in the song are thought provoking on what humans are longing for...the Creator God. See for yourself.

"At last I love You alone, You alone follow, You alone seek. You alone am I ready to serve, for you alone, by right, are ruler. Under Your rule do I wish to be. Command me, I pray You, and order what You will, but first heal and open my eyes that I may see your every movement.

Remove all unsoundness from me so that I may recognize You. Tell me where to look so that I may look upon You and I shall hope t do all things You command! Receive me, I pray, Master and most merciful Father, me your fugitive! I have suffered enough punishment already, have been in bondage long enough to Your enemies whom You have secured under Your feet; long enough I have been deluded.

Receive me, Your household servant, fleeing from my delusions, which took me in, though I was a stranger, fleeing from You. I feel that I must return to You. Let Your door be open to me when I knock. Teach me how to come to You.

I have nothing more than that the running and the falling away must be spurned, the immutable and the eternal sought after. This I do, Father, for this seeking is all I know. Tell me how; make it plain; equip me for the journey!

If they who take refuge in You find you by faith, give me faith; if by virtue, give me virtue; if by knowledge, give me Knowledge. Increase my faith, increase my hope, increase my charity, O Goodness unique and admirable!"
from Augustine's Siloquies 1, i, 5

Wonder and awe consume me...I can not fully express the love and peace God grants! God's gifts of love and goodness to those who have placed their trust in Him are SO overwhelming. I am enveloped in His love, His grace, His compassion surrounds me as a shield...An eternal shield. He is my only Refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble, therefore I will fear no evil for the Lord God is with me. Praise be to His gracious and loving name eternally. May our lives reflect His goodness and graciousness...May we reach out in love to all mankind...for that is what God has done...God became human in Christ and lived among sinful men with all their pain and experiencing their suffering in order to bring about His great salvation from evil and the effects which the fall into sin brought (Genesis). Christ offers living water to those who are thirsty, thirsty for peace, hope, comfort, eternal love and an abundant life through a relationship with Himself. It is an offer that is real and authentic. I have with great joy experienced it as have many millions of others of God's people. No mortal or devil can convince me otherwise, God is more real to me than anything else, "In Him I live and move and have my being". Christ lives and reveals Himself to mankind by His Spirit in people's hearts. His presence is so real and it is powerful it transforms one closer to God's pure and beautiful image. I can only say what I know is the absolute truth and that is that God is there and He is good and He can reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to come to reveal Himself to you and show you who He is. Expect Him to come to you. We are all on the road to a relationship with Him, we will all one day stand before Him and give an account, seek a new relationship with Him now. He is both perfectly loving and just. "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6) and may all the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice forevermore! His Word is absolutely brimming over with promises and hope. It is so exciting to read. It is also a book that is so grounded to reality it is also "messy," in that it shows the world's fall from perfection into the state it is in now, in which it is tainted with evil and has the ugliness and horror of evil in it. But the Bible also shows God in His most compassionate beauty, in that it shows how (this is historical truth) Christ came to earth to redeem His people from the bondage of evil. Christ was a real person who was also fully God, He died, nailed to a cross for the payment of His people's sins (God is just and therefore requires that someone pay for the evil of sin) and He rose again from the dead because death could not have dominion over Him as the holy Son of God. Now He is alive and is calling people to Himself for eternal life and a relationship, not religion, a relationship in which rules are not the focus but rather love and His transforming power in ones life. It is not a condemning relationship one is brought into but rather one in which God accepts you and loves you yet is making you more like Himself....Holy and happy. It is an awesome relationship and He offers it to all freely.
"O taste and see the Lord is good, how blessed are all those who place their trust in Him!"
Psalm 34

Joh 14:6
Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
In love You reveal to us how we can come to the Father and have life, may You draw us to Yourself in love!

Here is a link to the diary of David Brainard, a good friend of Jonathan Edwards who was a missionary to the Amarican Indians. The diary is full of his experiences with God and about his relationship with God...very encouraging!
http://www.eternallifeministries.org/brainerd.htm

Next Saturday (March 5th) at 8:00 am all 15 members of the New Orleans team will be setting of for the South. We will drive about 12 hours until we reach a church near Covenant College where we will stay overnight. We will get up early on Sunday morning and continue driving down to New Orleans, getting there sometime (not sure!). There will be 2 Geneva vans going down and about 5 registered drivers, me included. So please pray for safe travel! Thank you! We will be staying outside of the French Quarters this year, which will allow us to sleep more soundly than last, I am told because there will hopefully be less drunk people yelling in the streets that we will hear away from that area. We are not sure what the church/mission (TFYP) has for us to do yet in the mornings as a work project. It could be construction, cleaning up, or helping out with the local kids. In the afternoon/ evenings we will be going out on the streets to talk to people about Christ or prayer walk. There are many tarot readers, vudoo practicers, much immorality and other spiritually evil practices that go on rampant around this area (similar to Haiti's spiritual climate yet subdued) so prayer for strength and encouragement in the face of much spiritual opposition would be appreciated greatly.
We will head off on Friday to go camping somewhere along the way back to Geneva, possibly in Florida. We will camp a night then drive all Sunday into Geneva arriving in Monday morining exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually according to the three leaders. Yet, I think that God is going to bless it and He will pour into us what we need to grow and learn and survive! I am very excited about the trip and how it will help me center my heart more on others and less on myself, as well as make me more aware of the needs around me. Thank you all for your prayers!
~Jessica

There is a deep joy in abandonment to God. Living with Him as your Guide and following His voice and Word, Knowing His close presence within you by His Spirit. It brings peace to a troubled heart and healing to a wounded conscience. Things that all humans crave and need, we need God we need a close relationship with Him! What a joy that He offers this to us in Chrsit!
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

The next time someone asks me what I want to do when I get out of college or (as some college students affectionately say "grow up") I am going to retort "be an artist and a poet...starving of course! (knowing my talent and lack thereof) Living preferably somewhere beautiful like Oregon or Germany." Sounds fun huh even if a little wild and dreamy! I will only be in college for another year and a half, So, I intend to enjoy the constant questioning of what I will be doing etc. and the fun possibilties of those creative genres as much as possible.... even if they are the awesome sidebars on whatever I end up doing! creativity is wonderful and you dont have to be the best at something to enjoy doing it, I am a case in point. But as one of God's creatures I get alot of pleasure out of exercising my creativity in this beautiful creation. So my advice to everyone is to go out and enjoy living thier dreams even if that means breaking out of thier preconcieved mold! We only go around once each day so we should enjoy it, and be CREATIVE! ;) Hey and everyone should check out Norah Jones' website you can listen to her music while you surf! www.norahjones.com also check out the Cranberries website audio clips and thier single "You and Me" it is a neat song esp. when you think about it from the perspective of Christ and the church...it is truly an eternal relationship!

A poem I wrote fall semester 2004 about conversion (By far the best thing that can happen to you ever in my book!)

"FOREVER"

She awoke singing
Her soul breathed words welling up from within her quickened soul
Pangs of feeling beat within
new life pulsed with passion within
Resonating wonder
Her life was meant for this realization
Moment of recognition
Moment of truth
Eyes seeping delighted by reality
He is her eternal Lover
He is her eternal Lord
Consumed with awe~Silence pauses~
The question arises
Who is she in relation to Him?
She is His!
He is hers!
That is enough
For now
Forever!

God says "Come to Me My daughter I love you; these circumstances may break you but I will heal and remake you. Remember your Savior and what He suffered! You can not be His disciple without drinking from a cup mixed with suffering. Although sorrow and weeping lasts for a night, eternal joy comes in the morning."

Take heart children of the King we are on the winning side!

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
--Isaiah 25:1
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Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my
anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.
--Psalm 139:23-24
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts
us in all of our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
--2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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The Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his
covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love
him and keep his commands.
--Deuteronomy 7:9
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He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that
through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
--2 Peter 1:4

Pain, almost no one likes it. But it can do good things because it can cause us to run to God. It can in many cases drive us to God when in all other circumstances we would remain apart, smugly enjoying our ease. As C.S. Lewis said pain is "God's megaphone" shouting to us "wake up: somethings wrong!". In short, pain does 2 things it alerts us to danger, it shows us something is wrong and needs to be changed. We realize often through experiencing "heart" pain, (the kind that makes your whole mind and soul ache) That is when we realize that God is the only One who can answer that pain and heal us through conforming us to Christ's holiness.
Conviction hurts, often because it involves the realization that what we need is nothing less than essetially the tearing of of our old skin like Eustace in the Chronicles of Narnia when his dragon's skin is being clawed of by Aslan, that clawing of of the sinful gross mess of our rotting corpse of an old man which we must walk around chained to. Oh thanks be to God that He is in the process of using this productive pain to tear of the old man and set us FREE! Free to do righteousness to live in His light to enjoy and delight in God to literally "love God and do what we want" (will be right if truly we love God!!) Oh how good this pain is in its end result, in fact we are when we do not have this painful renovating work of conviction and sanctification going on in our hearts and lives living in a worse kind of pain....the denial of pain and a delusion which if persisted in will end in worse pain and ultimate death. God alone holds the key to healing and it resides in the painful work of tearing of the old man in its corrupt ways and desires and the process of being renewed in the mind.

These verses were compiled by Fern Horst and are exceptionally encouraging! Enjoy and may your heart be refreshed by God's living waters!

"We have many God-given longings that we'd like to have fulfilled. We often think that they can be fulfilled only by another human being. While God does use other humans to demonstrate love to us, He also wants to fulfill these longings with Himself. Consider these Words from Scripture as you identify your personal longings and God's promise of fulfillment."

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I want to be loved. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3)

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I want to belong to someone. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself. (Psalms 4:3)
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)


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I want to be cherished. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (Isaiah 43:4)
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)


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I want someone to fulfill my heart's desires. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalms 37:4)

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I want someone who will always love me, no matter what. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-89)

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I want someone to be with me through the hard times of life, and to protect me. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)
Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (Psalms 32:7)


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I want someone I can draw strength from. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. (Psalms 29:11)
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (Psalms 31:24)

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)


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I want someone to be with me when I am afraid. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

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I want someone to comfort me. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:18)
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3)

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)


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I want someone to help me with life's burdens. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalms 55:22)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)


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I want someone to hold me. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. (Psalms 119:117)


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I want someone to be with me. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9)


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I want someone to live with me who loves me. The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. (Deuteronomy 33:12)

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I want someone to make me happy. For the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

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I want someone to protect me from those who would harm me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. (Psalms 31:4)
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Psalms 31:20)


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I want someone to shower me with nice gifts. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

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I want someone who inspires me. Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)

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I want someone who is always consistent. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. (Hebrews 6:19)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)


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I want someone who will pray for me. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

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I want to be able to call someone when I'm in trouble. The LORD will hear when I call unto him. (Psalms 4:3)
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (Psalms 34:15)

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Psalms 34:17)

Everyone is a spiritual being.
All people are on their way to a relationship with God. This relationship is either on a road heading toward a loving embrace in Heaven or on a road heading to a forced bow before the Judge of all the earth to which all mankind must give an account as to why they have or have not accepted the free offer of forgiveness through faith in Christ's life and resurrection. This truth should lead Christians to be bold and loving in sharing the Gospel with all they have an opportunity to do so with. We are Christ's witnesses and we have no choice if we wish to obey Christ! We have good tidings of great joy to those who are enabled to accept them!

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep. O LORD You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness O God!And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill in the abundance of Your house; And you give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your purest light we see light. Psalm 36:5-9
May the Lord always be our refuge and the One in whom we delight our hearts each day. As George Mueller advised we must make our chief duty in the moring be to be fully delighted and happy in God because this will allow the spring of our affections to be godward rather than based on external circumstances or self. Contentment and delight in God are the path to true happiness and satisfaction. It is not stoicism it is true solid delight, test Him and see "Oh taste and see the LORD is good; How blessed is he who takes refuge in Him!" Ps. 34:8. It is amazing to think about but we can know that His love is constant and secure for His people!

I learned about Augustine in Church History class again (3rd time) today and here is a wonderful thing to think about that Augustine wrote:
"'For he loves Thee too little who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.'"

Wow, need to think about that one for a while, I think its about the idol factory in our heart needs to go down! For good! Lord "grant what Thou commandest and commandest what Thou will!" (another of Augustine prayers again!) They are so rich!

Amelia reminded me (or rather God through Amelia) that God is at work in my life and that He is doing what He has promised to do in His word inside me and it is changing my outward behaivor as well. That is so encouraging and exciting! It changed my attitude that night from fear to faith and peace that I am God's "project" and that He IS doing good things in me! YAY! That is so wonderful to think about, It made me remember that I cannot stop His plan and that His plan will keep rolling onward in my life. That is just what I desire. I do not want to belong to myself but rather God!!

"How can I resist such tender love deeper than the deep blue sea
Love as constant as the morning tide, Let Your love wash over me...its a deep and wondrous thing this mystery I know I feel heaven reaching out inside my soul."

~Michelle Tumes CD "Center of My Universe"~
This is the love the child of God lives in...the constant love of the eternal God and the indwelling of His Spirit...it is a constant love, we must remind ourselvs we change daily somewhat yet ~God does not change ever, His love is constant!

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

What a Valentines Day message to recieve from the Eternal God!~Every day of the year~! Those who have set their faith on Jesus as thier Savior from their sins through His death on the cross have peace with God and are now DEARLY BElOVED! We are now the very bride of Christ! We see the love and justice of God most clearly portrayed at the cross, if you ever doubt God's love for His creatures look to the cross! There God the Son came to earth and died for the sins of all who trust in Him! That is love! Deep, Deep love! Love that demands an answer~ will we give in and seek that we might be engulfed in that puresest and most fulfilling love or will we leave it and turn to our own ways of lonliness and sin. The love of God is worth our lives and everything! May we enjoy this sweet and awesome eternal treasure found in Christ!

God's glory fills the earth do we see it or are we blinded?

Tonight Heather, Amelia and I formed a trio singing Psalms together in beautiful harmony. It was delightful in numerous ways! I enjoyed especially Psalm 36b 5-11

"Thy mercy Lord extends to heaven Thy faithfulness the sky Thy justice is like the mounts of God; Thy judgements depths defy. LORD Thou preservest man and beast. How precious God Thy grace! Beneath the shadow of Thy wings men's sons their trust shall place. They with the bounty of Thy house shall be well satisfied; from rivers full of Thy delights Thou dost their drink provide. Because the fountain filled with life is only found with Thee; and in that purest light of Thine we clearly light shall see. To them that know Thee evermore Thy lovingkindness show, and still on men of upright heart Thy righteousness bestow. Let not the foot of pride crush me, nor wicked man detain." Amen Lord pour out Your purest light, lovingkindness and river of delights. You Oh Lord delight the heart fully. Only You!

God's precious promise to His beloved bride found in Psalm 37:1-6

"Set thou thy trust upon the LORD; continue doing good. Dwell thou securely in the land; make faithfulness thy food. Joy in the LORD He'll grant each gift for which thy heart may call. Commit thy way unto the LORD; Trust Him He'll do it all. And like the morning light He shall thy righteousness display; And He thy judgment shall bring forth like noontide of the day."

The snow here is melting the sun is out and it is beautiful! YAY it is perfect for sitting inside and studying for exams.

It is fascinating how Edwards views the "ranks" (probably not a good term to use! But what else could I use instead? Help me out here!) in heaven as being primarily based upon those who have more divine knowlege and are therefore more humble and see more clearly there own "nothingness". That concept fits SO well with what Jesus says concerning the "first shall be last and the last first". I am so excited to learn about how wonderful Heaven is...one feature I really look forward to is the perfect love we will have for eachother in heaven as well as for God...that will be our happiness!

This week I found out the topic for my research paper for Church history, I couldn't be more thrilled! I get to research Jonathan Edwards view of Heaven and Hell. This will be absolutely fascinating! I can not wait to be able to read the numerous sermons I found on this topic. He really expounded deeply on this subject. No silly extrabiblical explanations like "when we get to heaven we will all stand around with angel wings and eat cheesecake!" The modern version of both heaven and Hell need to change desperately and I think Edwards had the Biblical references to detail the main thrust of what both places are like. Here is a quote I LOVE from a sermon entiltled: Heaven, A World Of Charity or Love
"The CAUSE and FOUNTAIN of love in heaven. — Here I remark that the God of love himself dwells in heaven. Heaven is the palace or presence-chamber of the high and holy One, whose name is love, and who is both the cause and source of all holy love. God, considered with respect to his essence, is everywhere — he fills both heaven and earth. But yet he is said, in some respects, to be more especially in some places than in others. He was said of old to dwell in the land of Israel, above all other lands; and in Jerusalem, above all other cities of that land; and in the temple, above all other buildings in the city; and in the holy of holies, above all other apartments of the temple; and on the mercy seat, over the ark of the covenant, above all other places in the holy of holies. But heaven is his dwelling-place above all other places in the universe; and all those places in which he was said to dwell of old, were but types of this. Heaven is a part of creation that God has built for this end, to be the place of his glorious presence, and it is his abode forever; and here will he dwell, and gloriously manifest himself to all eternity.
In heaven there shall be no remaining enmity, or distaste, or coldness, or deadness of heart towards God and Christ. Not the least remainder of any principle of envy shall exist to be exercised toward angels or other beings who are superior in glory; nor shall there be aught like contempt or slighting of those who are inferiors. Those that have a lower station in glory than others, suffer no diminution of their own happiness by seeing others above them in glory. On the contrary, all the members of that blessed society rejoice in each other's happiness, for the love of benevolence is perfect in them all. Every one has not only a sincere, but a perfect goodwill to every other. Sincere and strong love is greatly gratified and delighted in the prosperity of the beloved object; and if the love be perfect, the greater the prosperity of the beloved is, the more is the lover pleased and delighted; for the prosperity of the beloved is, as it were, the food of love, and therefore the greater that prosperity, the more richly is love feasted. The love of benevolence is delighted in beholding the prosperity of another, as the love of complacence is, in beholding the beauty or perfection of another. So that the superior prosperity of those that are higher in glory, is so far from being a hindrance to the degree of love felt toward them, that it is an addition to it, or a part of it....

There is undoubtedly an inconceivably pure, sweet, and fervent love between the saints in glory; and that love is in proportion to the perfection and amiableness of the objects beloved, and therefore it must necessarily cause delight in them when they see that the happiness and glory of others are in proportion to their amiableness, and so in proportion to their love to them. Those that are highest in glory, are those that are highest in holiness, and therefore are those that are most beloved by all the saints; for they most love those that are most holy, and so they will all rejoice in their being the most happy. And it will not be a grief to any of the saints to see those that are higher than themselves in holiness and likeness to God, more loved also than themselves, for all shall have as much love as they desire, and as great manifestations of love as they can bear; and so all shall be filly satisfied; and where there is perfect satisfaction, there can be no reason for envy. And there will be no temptation for any to envy those that are above them in glory, on account of the latter being lifted up with pride; for there will be no pride in heaven. We are not to conceive that those who are more holy and happy than others in heaven, will be elated and lifted up in their spirit above others; for those who are above others in holiness, will be superior to them in humility. The saints that are highest in glory will be the lowest in humbleness of mind, for their superior humility is part of their superior holiness. Though all are perfectly free from pride, yet, as some will have greater degrees of divine knowledge than others, and larger capacities to see more of the divine perfections, so they will see more of their own comparative littleness and nothingness, and therefore will be lowest and most abased in humility.

This is truly my true and solid hope. It is awesome to know that Christ loves me so deeply and has given Himself for me!
Heidelburg Catechism:
Question 1: What is your only comfort in life and death?
A. That I am not my own but belongeth with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head: indeed, all things work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

="http://jessijoy.blogspot.com/">Abundant Life
John Perkins lecture at Geneva was awesome! I loved his passion to serve others in response to God’s call to obedient love of others. It is absolutely awesome to be able to know that you have a purpose in serving others, and are doing it for God’s praise and glory not yours! God is doing good things and we are commanded to be His vessels ministering love and grace to a hurting world. One thing that struck me in the lecture was when he started talking about how some Christians say “I was not called” or “God has not told me to do that” and Perkins said “your not reading the Bible!” Because it tells us to GO minister to people! It is the authoritative voice of God we need to hear it and visit the orphans and widows in distress and keep ourselves unspotted from the world. John Perkins has truly been persecuted for Christ and righteousness sake. But he is joyful and he is thankful to say that he has run the race and is about to finish the course. I was refreshed by his honesty in saying this would probably be the last time he would be at Geneva. He is so joyful in saying that because He knows his Redeemer lives and he knows where he’s going when he draws his last breath!

Abundant Life: The Logos

Here are some good things to think on....Love these sayings and they are John Piper's favorites as well! Enjoy!

Jonathan Edwards, his 6th life resolution written in college: "Resolved: To live with all my might while I do live."

From his book the Religious Affections: "True Religion, in great part, consists in holy affections."

From St. Paul a sentence hit me when I was about twenty-two that has shaped my theology ever since, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to do his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12f).


C.S. Lewis in his sermon, The Weight of Glory: "If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mudpies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

From St. Augustine's Confessions, "I have not hope at all but in thy great mercy. Grant what thou commandest and command what thou wilt."

from his Confessions: "For he loves Thee too little who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake."

I have been reading Evangelism and the Sovereinty of God...good book...it really gets to the heart of why we evangelize: love of God and love of people. Good reason, basic but thats what we humans need to get into and live. If I would nail these things deeper in my heart and walk them out each day that would be awesome...guess thats something to ask for more of in prayer!