Ponder nothing earthly minded...

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing is His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand.

King of Kings, Yet born of Mary, As of old earth He stood,
Lord of Lords, In human vesture, In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful. His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads it's vanguard on the way,
As Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph, Cherubim, With sleeples eye,
Veil their faces to His presence as with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Lord Most High!

by Fernando Ortega

Stirring one another up

One of my pastors posted an article that was so intricately connected to a two-hour conversation I had last night with a close friend. It was so encouraging to see the Lord provoking multiple people to the same thoughts in the same season. I was going to leave a really long comment on his blog about how his post applied directly to the conversation I had with my friend. However, after rereading my comments, I decided it would be better for me to simply post about it on here. Firstly, because sometimes blog comments can be misconstrued or misunderstood to mean something other than what the author intended. I don't want to place additional words in the mouths of the Grace Remarx bloggers. The post linked to here is merely a jumping off point for some thoughts of my own. And secondly, because I am still relatively "new" to the blogging world, especially commenting. So, all that said...I would encourage you to read the post at Grace Remarx, which is linked to below. Now I would like to expand on something that has been the meditation of my thoughts in recent days, as well as the topic of several conversations I have had:

Last night, a friend and I were discussing how there seem to be more and more first-generation believers in this age. This is a beautiful and exciting thing to see, particularly in the college ministry I have the joy of serving under. But it also presents a thoughtful issue for the longstanding believer who has never known a life of solitary faith. What I mean by solitary is that most traditional church-going individuals have historically come from a long line of spiritual family members. That is quickly becoming less common. And it should be a source of joy for the Church, as we observe the work of Christ being wrought in the hearts of those who have no explanation for the salvation they have inherited other than the express and profound mercies of God Almighty! When God delivers someone from the absolute pits of darkness where he had no exposure to or experience of any religious affections in his home, that is a distinctly miraculous event!

Unfortunately, sometimes I think we are so inward-focused on our personal spirituality and our family's (sometimes to the point that we idolize it) that we fail to properly "stir up" some of these new converts, particularly those who may be the only believing person in their family. They do not have any godly heritage cultivated in their home and so it is imperative that they be included actively in ours so that we can model it for them. I see this specifically in young adults (many of whom have been redeemed out of an entirely pagan unbelieving family) who are eagerly growing in doctrine and holy living as young believers but it is often solely the result of God's grace to incline them to righteousness and unfortunately, not from the precious investment of their spiritual family to intimately mentor them and spur them on in the faith. They need us to build them up so they are ready to go back into the fires that surround them in their unbelieving homes, so they will be encouraged to carry out "good works" in living a life that is wholly set apart from all that they have previously known.

We take for granted that we may have grown up in a home where Christ and His Word were openly taught and embraced. We so much take it for granted that we build our entire lives around our families and rarely reach out beyond the four walls of our homes. Dare I say we are almost building a fortress around our parents, spouses and children to the point that we neglect the spiritual sons and daughters God has given us to care for and beyond that, fail to reach out to those who are not even in our spiritual family yet! I am not at all trying to take away from the biblical principles of marriage and parenting, which must be pursued diligently and primarily. However, the most clear picture a young solitary believer who comes from a lost family background will ever have of what true eternal happiness is, can only be found in seeing mature believers who treasure Christ more than any earthly blessing, including family.

We are really good at coming to church every week and even participating in ministries, but are we searching out opportunities to place the needs and eternal outcomes of others before our own comforts and enjoyments? It necessarily implies sacrifice, something most of us are not willing to make (myself included). This sacrifice might mean inviting a young single mother and her children into your home for a meal. It might mean offering to meet for coffee with a teenage girl who is all alone in her spiritual journey and is being persecuted by her own parents for her new found faith. In the end, I don't really see how these things are truly a sacrifice, but instead are a privilege! It is a privilege to fellowship with other believers and to spur them on in the faith. "I belong to you and you belong to me, and we each belong to and have 'ownership' in EVERY other believer in the world" (Jerry Bridges).
Grace Remarx link:
http://graceremarx.blogspot.com/2008/12/love-and-good-worksnot-just-attendance.html

Twilight

I have been pondering some thoughts for several days now on the newest craze sweeping amongst our young people, that being the "Twilight" book series and subsequent movie. I have not seen the movie nor read any of the books, so I do not have a firsthand opinion of them. However, I am hearing about so many teens and young adults, particularly Christians, who are soaking up the books as fast as they can. And women in general, even wives and mothers, who are enthralled by this series. As I stated, I do not have personal experience with any of the material, however, am very concerned about the unquestioningly loyal following that has been established. Young women everywhere are saying "It's my favorite ever!"; "You have to read/see it!"; and on and on... I have read two specifically insightful reviews of the material, and would just like to pass it on here. I don't think many people read my blog, but for those that do, please take a moment to read the links below. I am in no way saying that no one can see the movie or read the books, and I am not attempting some legalistic persuasion to prevent people from doing something they are certainly free to do. However, I am saying, don't be thoughtless in your reading and viewing material. Put some research into it before you just open your mind and heart to such things. And mothers, please be alert about what your young daughters are immersing themselves in. I remember quite well, as a teenager, reading some "harmless" romance fiction books. I pray I would be more careful with such decisions knowing what I know now. These stories only conjure up unrealistic and even ungodly expectations about what we think we will find in a mate. Being swept away by romantic notions may feel good in the moment, but the end result is often a sinful meditation on things we think we are lacking, and at best is simply a waste of time that could be spent reading much more thoughtful and helpful material.
http://www.gospelandculture.org/2008/11/vampires-and-young-female-desire/
http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/book-review---twilight.php
UPDATE: I wanted to clarify something that several friends have asked me. If you check either of these links, please note that I am not the "Melissa" who has posted comments on these other sites. I guess there are other 30-something single Melissa's out there, but this one is not me as I have not commented about these articles except here on my own blog:)

Graduate Hope

I have been working diligently on my master's degree in biblical counseling throughout this past year. Lord-willing, I have one to two years left, depending on how many classes I can afford to take at a time. But in my recent classes, I had to write several papers, that unbeknownst to me at the starting point, ended up coinciding in such a distinct manner. One, which was to be the defining and application of true biblical hope; another, an exegesis project on I Peter 1:3-9; and finally, a paper outlining my future thesis topic - biblical counseling cross-culturally and inter-racially. All three of these papers ended up signaling me so clearly to a better grasp of HOPE and how the believer's sincere faith automatically results in a genuine hope. A hope that surpasses racial boundaries, a hope that assures the saved man to press on amidst the deepest afflictions, and a hope that produces lasting changes in the sanctified Christian. It would be impossible to share here all the wondrous things the Lord has been teaching me throughout this time, and to point out the careful ways in which my studies related so personally to God's specific providence in my life at this time, but here is a snippet of something from one of my papers:
True biblical hope is defined and applied in Peter’s letter. The reason Christians can rejoice is because of their living hope. This hope is outlined in four key areas. The ground of hope is the mercy of God in causing regeneration within the heart of man. The character of this hope is secure and indestructible. It is not like worldly hope, which will most assuredly perish in the end. The power of this hope is the resurrection of Jesus Christ because that is the power of God. Finally, the object of the believers hope is his inheritance in Christ Jesus. All earthly things are decaying, but the believer’s hope is never going to diminish in power or glory because it is an inheritance that has already been given. It is kept for the believer; he does not keep it himself.

Tragedy of Congo

A couple of summers ago, I served as a missionary teaching English amongst other things, to Congolese refugees in South Africa. I heard firsthand accounts of the violence and poverty this country has suffered, and unfortunately the times have only worsened. With over five million dead, this little country is suffering tremendous strife and families are being ripped apart in the bloodshed. Please follow this link for an in-depth look at the tragedy of Congo. PRAY for our brothers and sisters there, and pray that God would send more believers to encouraged these suffering people with the only true hope, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!
http://www.slate.com/id/2204662/

Wisdom in choosing friends

Lydia Brownback at The Purple Cellar posted some great articles last week on friendships for women. I would highly encourage you to check it out on the link to her site in my blog list. However, I couldn't resist quoting a bit of it here:

"Prov. 12:26 - 'The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.' The friendships we choose are a direct reflection on our heart for God. Don't give your trust to those whose Christian walk is unstable. (Prov. 24:21) This doesn't mean we don't reach out with our lives and actively love unstable people. What we are talking about here is linking ourselves emotionally to them. DO choose a friend for her passion for holiness. 'As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.' We can sharpen or be sharpened for better or worse. The primary criterion for choosing a friend is whether we help one another grow spiritually. One way to know is to assess, overall, where we are spiritually after spending time together. Are we generally closer to God as a result, or farther away? In other words, does the friendship cause us to flourish or diminish?"

God pours out His presence

The past week has been deeply encouraging to me by God's grace. I have been searching out the answer to the question: is it possible to grieve and yet still be joyful in the Lord? (or something like this)...as I have pondered that thought in recent weeks, God providentially chose this week to really lay out before me the answer to it. By prayer and meditating on specific Scripture passages, I am confindent that YES, we can grieve tremendously, being filled with sorrow, and yet rejoice in the inheritance we have in Christ through a relationship with Him as Lord. I so want to expound on this, but have so much to do today...so I will just leave this quote from a song that was sung at church this morning:
"For I am crucified with Christ. It is not I, but Christ that lives within me. His cross will never ask for more than I can give!" This is sorrow mingled with joy, being assured that in the suffering and crucifxion of Christ, I am now guaranteed that He will never require something that is beyond what can be accomplished through Him, despite my inabilities. His strength perfects my weaknesses!

True Womanhood for the Single

The following excerpt was taken from John Piper's introductory statements at the recent "True Woman" conference:

The apostle Paul clearly loved his singleness because of the radical freedom for ministry that it gave him (1 Corinthians 7:32-38). One of the reasons he was free to celebrate his singleness and call others to join him in it, is that, even though marriage is meant to display the glory of Christ, there are truths about Christ and his kingdom that shine more clearly through singleness than through marriage. I’ll give you three examples:


1) A life of Christ-exalting singleness bears witness that the family of God grows not by propagation through sexual intercourse, but by regeneration through faith in Christ. If you never marry, and if you embrace a lifetime of chastity and biological childlessness, and if you receive this from the Lord’s hand as a gift with contentment, and if you gather to yourself the needy and the lonely, and spend yourself for the gospel without self-pity, because Christ has met your need, then he will be mightily glorified in your life, and particularly so because you are a woman.

2) A life of Christ-exalting singleness bears witness that relationships in Christ are more permanent, and more precious, than relationships in families. The single woman who turns away from regretting the absence of her own family, and gives herself to creating God’s family in the church, will find the flowering of her womanhood in ways she never dreamed, and Christ will be uniquely honored because of it.

3) A life of Christ-exalting singleness bears witness that marriage is temporary, and finally gives way to the relationship to which it was pointing all along: Christ and the church—the way a picture is no longer needed when you see face to face. Marriage is a beautiful thing. But it is not the main thing. If it were, Jesus would not have said, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). Single womanhood, content to walk with Christ, is a great witness that he is a better husband than any man, and in the end, will be the only husband in the universe.

In other words, true womanhood can flourish in marriage and singleness.

AMEN PASTOR PIPER!!!

God's providence in the creation of His people:

"The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved. Adam lost a rib...but in lieu thereof he had a helpmeet for him, which abundantly made up his loss." Matthew Henry

To a Christian Gentlewoman

This is a letter written by Samuel Rutherford in 1628, to a woman under the severest of afflictions. Let us consider how "light and momentary" our current afflictions are and rejoice in God's sweet care for us even in allowing such painful circumstances:
"My love in Christ remembered to you. I was indeed sorrowful when I left you, especially since you were in such heaviness after your daughter's death; yet I am sure you know that the weightiest end of the cross of Christ that is laid upon you, lies on your Strong Savior. For Isaiah said that in all your afflictions He is afflicted (Is. 63:9). O blessed Savior, who suffers with you! Your soul may be glad, even to walk in the fiery furnace, with the Son of Man, who is also the Son of God. Take courage. When you tire, He will bear both you and your burden (Ps. 55:22). In a little while you shall see the salvation of God. Your lease on your daughter has run out; and you can no more quarrel against your great Superior for taking what He owns, than a poor tenant can complain when the landowner takes back his own land when the lease is expired. Do you think she is lost, when she is only sleeping in the bosom of the Almighty? If she were with a dear friend, your concern for her would be small, even though you would never see her again. Oh now, is she not with a dear friend, and gone higher, upon a certain hope that you shall see her again in the resurrection? Your daughter was a part of yourself; and therefore, being as it were cut in half, you will be grieved. But you have to rejoice; though a part of you is on earth, a great part of you is glorified in heaven. Follow her, but do not envy her; for indeed it is self-love that makes us mourn for them that die in the Lord. Why? Because we cannot mourn for them since they are happy; therefore, we mourn on our own private account. Be careful then, that in showing your affection in mourning for your daughter that you are not, out of self-affection, mourning for yourself. Consider what the Lord is doing. Your daughter has been plucked out of the fire, and she rests from her labors. Your Lord is testing you by casting you into the fire. Go through all fires to your rest. And now remember, that the eye of God is upon the burning bush, and it is not consumed; and He is gladly content that such a weak woman as you should send Satan away frustrated. Honor God now, and shame the strong roaring lion, when you seem weakest. Should you faint in the day of adversity? Recall the days of old! The Lord still lives; trust in Him. faith is exceedingly charitable and believes no evil of God. The Lord has placed in the balance your submission to His will and your affection for your daughter. Which of the two will you choose? Be wise; and as I trust you love Christ better, pass by your daughter, and kiss the Son. Men lop the branches off their trees so they may grow up high and tall. The Lord has lopped your branch off by taking from you many children, so that you would grow upwards, setting your heart above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Prepare yourself; you are nearer your daughter this day than you were yesterday. Run your race with patience; let God have what belongs to Him. Do not ask Him for the daughter who has been taken from you, the daughter of faith; but ask Him for patience, and in patience possess your soul. Lift up your head; your redemption draws near."
Your affectionate and loving friend in the Lord Jesus,
Samuel Rutherford

My dear friends in Christ, let us love one another so sweetly that we would speak such words to soothe each other in our most difficult days!