Thursday, July 26, 2012

“My Father, Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips, supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres at Calvary.’ There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy Son, made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me; There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow; There thy infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made; There infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured. Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy, cast off that I might be brought in, trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend, surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best, stripped that I might be clothed, wounded that I might be healed, athirst that I might drink, tormented that I might be comforted, made a shame that I might inherit glory, entered darkness that I might have eternal light. My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes, groaned that I might have endless song, endured all pain that I might have unfading health, bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem, bowed his head that I might uplift mine, experienced reproach that I might receive welcome, closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness, expired that I might for ever live. O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me, All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished; Help me to adore thee by lips and life. O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise, my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my enemies crushed, Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed, sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood, hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open. Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.” - The Valley of Vision,

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

What mirror do you use?

It's been a while since my last blog, let's hope that I still know how to do this. As I write this, I am actually in Louisville for the Together for The Gospel conference. It has been a tremendous time thus far. I have been blessed to sit under the teaching of some of today's most brilliant minds and eloquent and powerful communicators of the Gospel.

This morning as I was getting ready, God gripped my heart with something. As I was getting dressed, I was a little frustrated by the lack of sleep and by the fact that I was disappointed with the mirrors in the room. None of the ones offered in my room seem to give me the proper lighting or angle that I wanted. Please catch this, the mirror was not offering to me, what I wanted, but it did give me the image of what stood in front of it. So as I grew a little frustrated, that's when my spirit just gave me one those nudges...and got me thinking, that's what I do in my daily spiritual walk.

I tend to use the wrong mirrors or question what the real mirror is showing me. You see we all fall into this trap. We tend to define ourselves, measure our worth, our value, our impact or even our goodness and badness by using mirrors and standards that God never intended us to use.