post 30. All Fullness Dwells in Him
source: http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/hbhymns.htm
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So the restaurant looks like it will be opening (hopefully!) on November 25th! I’m excited and apprehensive at the same time. It’s going to be a crazy, hectic week of trying to figure things out on the fly. It’s one thing to work by yourself and another to work with your parents. Hopefully I can exhibit some patience towards my parents. I don’t know why but sometimes I get so impatient with them (mostly when teaching them to use the computer, or when they keep telling me to do things). I guess it’s a lack of preaching the gospel to myself. Reminding myself of the ultimate patience Christ shows to me in my daily life as I fill and give my heart to things other than Him.
I stumbled on this hymn by Horatius Bonar last night at New Jersey Christian Fellowship (on-campus fellowship) and it reminded me that while it is supremely important to remember Christ’s redeeming sacrifice on the cross for my sin, it is a radical change of heart from this knowledge (from the Holy Spirit) that moves us to want to be like Him. Not out of a heart of that is trying to earn grace, but one that is so moved and spurred by the spirit that its only motive is to glorify. To put off the old self, and put on the new.
As Colossians 3:5-17 illustrates,
5Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
God I pray that you would constantly berate my conscience with a conviction of my depravity and my heart with an endless well of unending grace that I may seek to be like You in thought and deed. In Your name, not mine. Thank you Father.
post 28. Exposed by the Cross
From A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent,
It was while rehearsing the gospel truths in Romans 5-8 that the Apostle Paul was moved to speak of his struggle with sin and exclaim, “O wretched man that I Am!” (Romans 7:19-24) While reviewing God’s abundant saving grace on another occasion, Paul was prompted to confess that he was “the foremost” sinner of all. (1 Timothy 1:15)
Likewise, the deeper I go into the gospel, the more I comprehend and confess aloud the depth of my sinfulness. A gruesome death like the one that Christ endured for me would only be required for one who is exceedingly sinful and unable to appease a holy God. Consequently, whenever I consider the necessity and manner of His death, along with the love and selflessness behind it, I am laid bare and utterly exposed for the sinner I am.
Such an awareness of my sinfulness does not drag me down, but actually serves to lift me up by magnifying my appreciation of God’s forgiving grace in my life. And the more I appreciate the magnitude of God’s forgiveness of my sins, the more I love Him and delight to show Him love through heart-felt expressions of worship.
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So I’ve started working (for free… at least i get free food) at Charley’s Grilled Subs up in Bridgewater, NJ in order to get some needed experience before our store opens up (hopefully by thanksgiving!). The work itself isn’t hard per-se but it definitely takes some getting used to. I’m always out of place, forgetting orders, or messing them up. Whew. Newfound respect for fast-food restaurant operators. I kind of want to go on vacation somewhere far away before this chaos begins.
Oh. that random moose picture telling us to call on Jesus was in one of the rooms at church. We were all like what the. hahah. It has nothing to do with the eloquent writings of Milton Vincent on the beauty of grace that makes life not fair.
post 27. Divine Mercies (Valley of Vision)
Thou Eternal God,
Thine is surpassing greatness, unspeakable goodness, super-abundant grace;
I can as soon count the sands of ocean’s ‘lip’ as number thy favours towards me;
I know but a part, but that part exceeds all praise.
I thank thee for personal mercies,
a measure of health,
preservation of body,
comforts of house and home,
sufficiency of food and clothing,
continuance of mental powers,
my family, their mutual help and support,
the delights of domestic harmony and peace,
the seats now filled that might have been vacant,
my country, church, Bible, faith.But, O, how I mourn my sin, ingratitude, vileness,
the days that add to my guilt,
the scenes that witness my offending tongue;
All things in heaven, earth, around, within, without, condemn me –
the sun which sees my misdeeds,
the darkness which is light to thee.
the cruel accuser who justly charges me,
the good angels who have been provoked to leave me,
thy countenance which scans my secret sins.
thy righteous law, thy holy Word,
my sin-soiled conscience, my private and public life,
my neighbors, myself–
all write dark things against me.I deny them not, frame no excuse, but confess,
‘Father, I have sinned’;
Yet still I live, and fly repenting to thy outstretched arms;
thou wilt not cast me off, for Jesus brings me near,
thou wilt not condemn me, for he died in my stead,
thou wilt not mark my mountains of sin,
for he leveled all,
and his beauty covers my deformities.
O my God, I bid farewell to sin by clinging to his cross,
Hiding in his wounds, and sheltering in his side.
Another powerful puritan prayer. I like the picture of the ducklings. It’s kind of like.. the brown ducklings (resembling sinful people) and the yellow duckling (representing Christ). Christ’s beauty covers my deformities. It’s funny how the yellow duckling has it’s arms stretched out like the prayer says.. Yet still I live, and fly repenting to thy outstretched arms. Yeah. It’s corny I know. hahah. So weird that it was just a random picture that I picked and yet I can find so many more attributes to the picture representing the wonderful, awe-inspiring love of Jesus. My true Father and Savior. Became dirty. So that I may be clean.
Valley of Vision. pg. 16-17.
post 26. by this we know love
By This We Know Love is a new song that I’m really liking. It doesn’t have any epic bridge buildups or awesome instrumentals but the lyrics get at the heart of Christ’s redeeming love. love it!
here are the lyrics:
God of all Creation, Lord of heaven’s light
Descended into evil’s darkest night
Infinitely Holy, Your perfections know no end
Selflessly You died my rightful death
By this we know love that He laid down His life
God’s very own Son came from Heaven to die
Suspended He hung as He shed His own blood
What grace in His pardon, by this we know love
Forsaken man of sorrows, hated by all men
You willingly surrendered for my sin
Scornfully derided, yet in silence stumbling on
Bearing wrath for all that I’ve done wrong
© 2009 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)
awesome.
post 25. calvin and hobbes
I think I could read Calvin & Hobbes all day. Bill Watterson is the man..
© Universal Press Syndicate
© Universal Press Syndicate
Hahaha ohh.. abstract art.
© Universal Press Syndicate
Right now.. Phillies to win game 1 of the NLCS.
© Universal Press Syndicate
haha i love this one.
I want to buy this…
*random entry over*
post 24. the prodigal
This is a song I came across on Sovereign Grace’s new album: “Sons & Daughters”. I really like it. It instantly went into my gospel reminders playlist. 
The Prodigal – Sovereign Grace
You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent, I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life
Where now are the friends that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh, to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house
You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy’s robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child
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Whenever I listen to this song it just reminds me of the constant rebellious state that I am in. It reminds me that without Him, I am completely and utterly lost. It reminds me that I need the word. That I need prayer. That I am in desperate need of a savior. ”Running to embrace me..” I remember in the parable of the prodigal sons, the father running to his son who had just come back from squandering all his money away. I think a lot of times in my sin I feel so guilty that like that younger brother, I feel ashamed and unworthy of the father’s love. Like I just deserve some type of deal of being a low slave for him. But then I remember the gospel and its complete… ‘not making sense-ness’. That a father would run to his son with open arms despite having squandered his money and rejected his love. It just doesn’t make sense but thats the beauty of the gospel. Jesus took the ultimate rejection for us. I remember at a retreat a couple years back when the speaker said.. “Jesus didn’t just die for us, he died instead of us”. It’s crazy! That the perfect, holy, and sinless God came to earth in the flesh to redeem those that were flawed, depraved, and sinful. He paid the penalty of sin for us. What an amazing Father. What an amazing Savior. What an amazing God. My heart sinks yet rejoices whenever I’m reminded of this truth. [bitter/sweet]
btw. isn’t the picture awesome. yes it is.
post 23. the great paradox (the valley of vision)
So I’ve started to read this collection of puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision. The introductory prayer was so awesome that I wanted to share it.
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The Valley of Vision
Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
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I think it starts off in a beautiful paradox. How the most high and holy Lord became meek and lowly. How the ultimate king became a servant by taking our sin on the cross. And then it goes into the valley of vision, where the author talks about being hemmed in by the mountains of sin. Yet he stands in the glory because he sees God in the heights. He knows where he is. Where his heart lies, covered on all sides by the mountains of sin. And then he goes into the paradoxes of knowing Christ. It’s beautiful. In the end he’s asking God to reveal to him all those things. I like the line, ‘that to bear the cross, is to wear the crown’. The author, in admitting his sin, guilt, and utter depravity, is pointing to the cross for healing, rejoicing, victory, possession, life, joy, grace, riches, and glory. Help me O Lord to do the same.
post 22. transitions
I feel like for the first time in my life I am going through a bunch of transitions. I guess its quite normal. I am now a senior in college. I am going to manage a REAL business, not just classroom simulations. Seminary is in the not-too-distant future. There a lot of critical decisions that are to be made so soon… and I’m so excited! I know that college is supposed to be the best time of your life, but I just can’t help but be so excited about what the future has in store. Yes, there’s a lot of uncertainty. How am I going to make money? What if everything falls through? Of course these are definitely things to be concerned about but I know that through it all, whatever happens, Jesus is still my savior, he is still my Lord, and he is still good, constantly sanctifying and making me His. It’s the ultimate comfort, security, and hope that I could ever dream of. Thank you Lord.
post 21. You are mine
YOU ARE MINE – Mutemath
Everyone has their obsession
Consuming thoughts
Consuming time
They hold high their prized possession
It defines the meaning of their life
You are mine (4x)
They’re our objects of affection
That can mesmerize the soul
There is always one addiction
That just can not be controlled
You are mine (4x)
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What are the things that we treasure? Things that drive us. Why do we work so hard to do what we do right now?
I was driving back home from school and this song reminded me about our core idea behind the camp 2009 theme this year at PFC camp: Jesus is Mine. Thought it was cool. I don’t know why I put a picture of a cat.
