A Favorite--Sunday's Hymn

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863.

Patience

I like what Elyse Fitzpatrick has to say about patience in Helper By Design.

Patience is the "power to endure without complaint something which is disagreeable." It involves restraint in the expression of one's feelings. Sometimes, I forget God's patience with me as I complain and grouse about how I wish the people I love would change more quickly. In practicing patience, we are reflecting God's character, as His anger at sin was restrained by holy love: "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads to repentance?" (Romans 2:4; also 1 Timothy 1:16)

Goodness and Kindness

In her book, Helper By Design, Elyse Fitzpatrick describes how God works in our character, through trials, to make us have evidence of the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. "He is applying the harmless flame to our souls to consume our sin and refine our nature." She says this about goodness and kindness:

Goodness--This refers to an uprightness of soul that abhors evil and loves what is good. It is a heart attitude that shows itself "in a zeal for Truth which rebukes, corrects, and chastises, as Christ when He purged the temple". It is a sterner version of kindness. It isn't wimpy, nor is it cross, but it's ready to go to the mat when truth and uprightness are at stake.

Kindness--Kindness is opposed to a harsh, crabby temper. It is easily pleased, "a mildness of temper, calmness of spirit, an unruffled disposition. It sweetens the temper; corrects an irritable disposition; disposes us to make all around as happy as possible." God is the only one who can tame our hearts and make us into women who are known for their kindness. Is your lifestyle marked with good deeds, expressed in grace and tenderness?

This book is written in the context of marriage...Are we women of goodness and kindness in our marriages? Sometimes our harsh crabby temper is seen mostly by our husbands. This is not God's plans for us...He wants us to show *real* kindness to our husbands. Being unkind can be an easy temptation to give into and we must be careful in this area. We must consider that not only is it a fruit (or evidence) of God's spirit working in our lives, it is also a commandment.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Refinement and Restoration

We know that through difficult challenges in life, God is working to refine our nature...to make us more and more like Christ and less and less of our old sinful nature. Elyse Fitzpatrick in Helper By Design, says that:

He's remaking our character and restoring the shattered image. The spirit is refining us for His glory. What does the character that He's working in us look like? This work in our lives produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The Christlike character produced in us through both trails and blessings flows forth from our lives as we experience His gentle, though ostensibly bruising touch.

Think about the ways that God is working in your heart to produce godly spirit filled fruit that shows evidence that He is always at work...to make you what He wants you to be...in life...and in your marriage. I am going to be posting a little series on the fruits of the Spirit from Helper By Design, as Elyse Fitzpatrick challenges us to live out the fruits in our marriage and with others.

Self Control--Do you seek to glorify God by longing for a heart restrained by His love? For instance, God has lovingly blessed us with a gift of communication, but we can abuse and be enslaved by it when we give ourselves to outbursts of anger or words that demean His goodness in ours or our husband's lives.

Faithfulness-- Does the faith you assent to inform your life? Do you really believe that God is holy, good, all powerful, and wise? The work of the Spirit in your life is to enable you to live in the light of these beliefs, so that those around us, particularly our husbands, will be encouraged in their faith by our steadfast conduct.

Sunday's Hymn

Corporate worship was so wonderful this morning, as usual. This song has such Christ centered words...how can we not worship with our hearts and all say together: Hallelujah, What a Savior!

Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Lyrics and music by Phillip Bliss
Arranged by Bob Kauflin

“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood—
Sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Guilty, vile and helpless we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Arrangement copyright 1998 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), a division of Sovereign Grace Ministries. All rights reserved.

Motherhood

Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is place in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into its soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others hands the sacred and holy trust given to her.

~ J.R. Miller, Homemaking

What Biblical Submission Is

Some wise words from John Piper....

Submission is the divine calling of a wife to honor and affirm her husband’s leadership and help carry it through according to her gifts. It’s the disposition to follow a husband’s authority and an inclination to yield to his leadership. It is an attitude that says, “I delight for you to take the initiative in our family. I am glad when you take responsibility for things and lead with love. I don’t flourish in the relationship when you are passive and I have to make sure the family works.”

But submission does not follow a husband into sin. What then does submission say in such a situation? It says, “It grieves me when you venture into sinful acts and want to take me with you. You know I can’t do that. I have no desire to resist you. On the contrary, I flourish most when I can respond joyfully to your lead; but I can’t follow you into sin, as much as I love to honor your leadership in our marriage. Christ is my King.”

Completely Free

“Completely free of all condemnation”

“Because of the gospel’s power, you can be completely free of all condemnation.

Not mostly free; completely free.

Don’t buy the lie that cultivating condemnation and wallowing in your shame is somehow pleasing to God, or that a constant, low-grade guilt will somehow promote holiness and spiritual maturity.

It’s just the opposite! God is glorified when we believe with all our hearts that those who trust in Christ can never be condemned. It’s only when we receive his free gift of grace and live in the good of total forgiveness that we’re able to turn from old, sinful ways of living and walk in grace-motivated obedience.”

- C.J. Mahaney, The Cross Centered Life, 39, 40