Beloved sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, I come to you today in great humility and gratitude as I consider the Cross. During my quiet time this morning with our great and awesome God, I couldn't help but be baffled and utterly grateful for His choosing me, as it is written:
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you."
~ John 15:16
"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
~ John 15:19 (emphasis added)
~ John 15:16
"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
~ John 15:19 (emphasis added)
With sober eyes, I see myself. I see myself as I am without Christ. I am an arrogant and prideful woman who presumes I am qualified to sit in the seat of the Judge and speak condemnations or praise for those I deem worthy or not. How often my prideful heart, so easily deceived gives birth to criticism and judgments without knowledge nor wisdom. There are so many other sins I am aware of and seek to crucify, but I believe my pride and arrogance is the greatest of them all. For pride is what separates any sinner from knowing Christ and living in holy and reverent fear of our Lord, who is the God Almighty.
Charles Spurgeon pretty much nailed what's in my heart today when he wrote:
Charles Spurgeon pretty much nailed what's in my heart today when he wrote:
"I believe in the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love."~ Charles Spurgeon, "A Defense of Calvinism,"
www.spurgeon.org/calvins.htm
Sisters, I am bewildered at God's choosing me to be His child. To be called a child of God is beyond my comprehension, for I know all to well who I am. And in the light of God's pure glory, I can't seem to understand the reason, but I am grateful beyond any words.
May we all always be in awe of our salvation. May we never forget our wonder of the fact that God would desire an intimate relationship with us sinners that He would sacrifice His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.
And in the light of this glorious truth, may we all live in humility, considering others better than ourselves, and always speak well of others - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If this can not be done, it would be better that we do not speak at all. As often is the case for me. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
May we all always be in awe of our salvation. May we never forget our wonder of the fact that God would desire an intimate relationship with us sinners that He would sacrifice His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.
And in the light of this glorious truth, may we all live in humility, considering others better than ourselves, and always speak well of others - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If this can not be done, it would be better that we do not speak at all. As often is the case for me. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."
~ James 3:8-10
~ James 3:8-10
Lord God, may it never be again of me. May the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to You alone, my Rock and my Redeemer. Help me to never grieve Your heart again with the overflow of my arrogance. Forgive me Father for allowing the deceptive belief that I supposed I was anything that I could so judge. You Lord alone are the Judge, the righteous Judge. I humble myself before Your presence and bow before You with holy reverence, awe and immense gratitude for your calling. May Your name alone, forever be praised! All glory and honor be given the name of Jesus! Amen.
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