It is my desire to begin a series called Glory to Glory which the details of which are still forming; yet, before I embark further into those details, I want to share with you the truth upon what grace it is on which we stand.  It is in the center core of that Grace that we are able to see the Glory of God as it is displayed in the Face of Jesus Christ.  There we are able to stand and to rejoice in hope of the Glory of God.  As we see the glimpses of His Glory displayed we seek after His beauty, His Glory knowing that it is the only thing that will fulfill our desires for beauty and Glory.  The name of my website came from this very search, as years ago I wanted to begin to write about my journeys through grace with the heart of my mission statement being, "Seeking and Savoring Christ that His Love and His Joy might be displayed"  By seeking and savoring Him, we must see His Glory, His beauty as our greatest treasure.  Only then do we rejoice in hope of the Glory of God filling our hearts.  I want to begin this series with a chapter from my book "A Broken and Contrite Heart".

Romans 5: ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Within the recesses of this verse is the key to getting off the rollercoaster of Christian living.  It holds the power that we need to stand firm, never wavering with our roots dug deep, unshakeable no matter what the hurricane that surrounds us.  How could I possibly say that these two little verses can hold such power over sin?  Let me help you to understand by carefully dissecting this out for you.  Oh, that God give me the wisdom and the words to make this truth real to you so that it may transform your life forever.

            “Therefore being justified by faith” begins these two verses.  Wherever there is a therefore, we need to look to what has been said before since the basis of this statement comes as a direct inevitable conclusion to what has already been said.  Paul in the chapters 1 through 4 has laid out in great detail man’s dilemma as a sinner with no means of earning merit by his own works.  He demonstrates God’s absolute justice and wrath against sin.  Carefully, He lays out God’s plan of redemption by Jesus Christ receiving on Himself God’s full fury for our sins; thus, paying our penalty once and forever by His death on the cross with separation from God the Father for a time.  He then rises from the dead, victorious against Satan and all his armies to be lifted up next to the Father full of GLORY and HONOR and Dominion.  He provided a way that unrighteous man might gain His righteousness and share in His Glory through faith in Him.  Because of all this work being performed by the Creator of the entire Universe we may be justified by faith.  Imagine He who spoke all the Galaxies into being came to earth, suffered and died that we tiny flecks of dust, so unworthy and ungrateful, might share in His full Glory one day.  This is so big that it is difficult for us to even wrap our minds around such truth-it is too big for us.  Yet, because of this we are declared just and righteous before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of everything He has done.  Our only act, is to see His Glory, to believe that He is and by faith accept this wondrous gift that He has given.  There is no room for self-pride in our adoption as His child, only awe that He would choose me with all my flaws.  “Therefore, because of all of this redemptive work completed by God we are justified (declared innocent or guiltless; absolved; acquitted) by faith in the one who paid our price for sin to the only true Just and Righteous Judge-God.

            By faith in Jesus Christ and through His power and might, we “have peace with God.”  His entire just wrath against sin has been satisfied by the atonement of His son, so that we might enjoy peaceful, joyful communion with God.  Instead of the wrath we would deserve, we now have His full blessing.  Jeremiah 29: “¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you” By the justification of Jesus Christ, we are moved into the position of being sons and joint heirs with Christ of everything He has.  Romans Chapter 8 tells us “¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  As part of this package of peace we have been provided with the Holy Spirit who reminds us of this promise of peace. Christ promised this peace in John 14: “²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I

Through Jesus Christ “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.”  Please listen very closely to this.  By faith in Jesus Christ we have access into grace which is the force that makes us stand firmly in our Christian walk and reconfirms and circles back to fill our faith which opens our eyes more fully to Grace that holds us firm in the palm of His hand.  Mercy does not give us what we deserve (death, wrath and penalty). Grace gives us what we do not deserve which is God’s unmerited favor toward us.  Grace which holds us up is based on the power and might of God; not by my power at all.  Over and over God tells us that whosoever comes to Christ will be transformed into the image of Christ.  This is found both in Romans 8: 28-29 and II Corinthians 3: 17-18.  He confirms this as His work through the Holy Spirit.  Having been saved by Jesus Christ and His power, it does not then change that I keep myself through works of my own.  Do not get me wrong here.  I am not saying then to run after sin so that God’s grace might be magnified.  There are two major problems with that idea.  First, if you are never longing after Him then I would wonder whether you had ever seen Him through the eyes of saving faith.  Second, since He has confirmed that He will complete the work; He will use however much fire and chipping needed to mold you into Christ’s image. I certainly do not want to be the child molded into obedience, kicking and screaming all the way. There is another important point to it being Grace that sustains us.  If you indeed are seeking after Christ, then stop worrying so much about yourself and your failed attempts to follow.  Again, He will complete the work and we are held by His strength, not our own.  We need to rest and relax in that promise.  He made a new covenant which Hewill not break to each and every person who accepts Christ as their Savior.

            This covenant is recorded in Hebrews 10¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ¹²But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  ¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for everthem that are sanctified. ¹⁵Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ¹⁶This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ¹⁸Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. ¹⁹Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ²¹And having an high priest over the house of God; ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”  WOW!!    Christ paid the price once and for all so that we may enter in boldly to the throne of God.  He commands us to hold fast the profession of our faith not because we are faithful but God is faithful who has made this promise to us.  Our righteousness is held tight by the power of God who cannot and will not deny himself.  So what about those moments that your faith may waiver? He still holds us.  2 Timothy 2: ^13”If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”  Guilt and shame which continues with us after we have turned it over to God is our way of saying that Christ is not enough.  Can we raise ourselves to such levels as to say I am too holy to forgive myself when God has forgiven us?   Read Romans 8: “31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  ³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”  I do not have the right to condemn even myself once I have laid my sin at the feet of Christ. I am to confess my sin, then get up with my focus ever more fixed on my Gracious Savior and march forward with Him, “the author and the finisher of my faith” as quoted from Hebrews 12: ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

            Our ability to Stand Firm is based wholly upon Grace.  By that I do not wish you to imagine something soft and fragile; but rather this comes with the Mighty Power of A God who spoke the Galaxies into being with one breath.  Grace reigns through Jesus with Power, Authority and Dominion over the entire Universe.  That is the power that makes you stand and keeps you standing, and stand you will even in your weakest moments because God Himself is holding you there.  Romans 14: “⁴Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

            Because of all of this, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  Would there be any reason left not to be joyous.  He saved me, He sealed me and He will finish the work of transforming me into the image of Christ.  I must rejoice in the hope that I will look like Christ.  Maybe not today, but I will one day look like Him in all His Glory.  That hope should be enough to keep me rejoicing through whatever trial or tribulation may come my way; knowing that God is working out my perfecting and He only has my best interest at heart.  Our faith which is anchored in Jesus Christ is not only for what He has already done but that this Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient Savior is steady about the work of imparting His Glory to me.  I see glimpses of that Glory, little changes and transformations that are forever presenting themselves in me.  I, like Paul, have not yet obtained it; yet, I look more like Him today than I did 10 years ago or 20 years ago.  He will complete the work He started in me by His power and might, Hallelujah, Amen. Our Faith is anchored in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  His promises remain steady and sure; therefore, our faith is not grounded and supported by yesterday only; but sustained through today and creates steady hoping for tomorrow, joyfully awaiting the grace that will come in the future.  Knowing this stabilizes us and removes that rollercoaster from our Christian Walk.

The Grace in Which I Stand

Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul

Where is the hope on which you hold

With all the failures of your past

Where is the faith to make you bold

Where is the faith to make you bold

There was a King though blameless He

That came to pay my penalty

And in that act He set me free

To follow Him in liberty

To follow Him in liberty

It is His love that drew me out

And in His Grace I shall not doubt

That He who started this work in me

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

One day the finished work be done

That I might look then like God’s son

Sifted, shined just like pure Gold

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

And in this hope my faith conformed

I know my life will be transformed

I stand upon this future grace

So for His work my passion warmed

So for His work my passion warmed

So in this faith I firmly stand

That formed in me as God had planned

No force on earth can shake me free

My future held by God’s great hand

My future held by God’s great hand.

•    

Yesterday, so much was happening and so much I needed to accomplish; thoughts whirling through my mind as I gazed ahead at the mountains in my pathway.  There still stung within me the pain of their accusations flung deep into my heart, the sorrow of such labors forgotten, the uncertainties of the future, painful steps that must be confronted, financial uncertainties, and in the midst, one wonders–God, does any of it matter?  Have I done enough to testify of you or is it my failure that has led us here to this moment of trial?  I had been listening to Christian music all morning; but, then in the whirlwind of my mind–knowing I was going to receive an important phone call–I sat down quietly listening to God’s voice.  I listened to a song–"I Cannot Hide From You" over and over, as I remembered He knows everything about me; every time fear would grip my heart, every moment that I would doubt, and every time that I just needed to sit down and rest a moment looking into His Face of Love that I might get up, go out to do His bidding once more and face the future He has planned without any fear or doubt-knowing He knows what is best, no matter what.    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyaS-vy-Hs I Cannot Hide From You

The phone call came and I believe went well.  Hope rose within me; yet, my hope was not in the phone call.  My hope lay in the Creator of this Universe, who loves me and cares about every intricate detail of my life.  When I am wounded, He is there to comfort.  He never promised that we would have everything or that we would never be falsely accused; but He did promise to be with us, to guide us, to comfort us and that He would work all things together for our good.   Even Paul underwent the pain of being accused by those in Corinth that he had led to Christ and has taught.  1 Corinthians 4: 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Then, while going through some mail that had been tossed into a corner–I found a royalty check from books sold.  Nothing big; just a token reminder of my Father saying, "All you do for me does matter, I see it, and I love you."  I continued my work late until my body ached; but with hope.  I listened to Truth for Life’s podcast and Leading the Ways podcast while I worked.  Of course, both had sermons on exactly what I needed to hear.  I awoke with God’s joy and hope overflowing once more.  As I studied in search of message this morning I wasn’t certain what I wanted to tell you.  After reading 1 Corinthians, praying, and listening for God to speak; I then started working on a very important passage of scripture in 2 Corinthians; then I realized I needed to spend much more time in it’s development in order to proclaim its truth with clarity.  Since I still wanted to give you something, I went to my word document in search of a previously written poem.  Then I saw this poem which I don’t even know when I wrote; but, I wanted to share it with you.  Maybe you are the one I am writing for today. My prayer is that you are encouraged no matter what are the mountains you face.

A Soldier Wounded

A Soldier wounded in the fight

Oh Lord I need your strength, Your might

I need to go, a place to hide

That draws me closer to Your side

This battle lord has knocked me down

Until it’s hard to glimpse Your crown

With evil pushing all around

I dearly need Your solace found

That I might rise again to fight

With vision of the brilliant light

Of your great glory in the end

Oh  that your love I might defend

Within this world, pain doth abound

I need your word my mind surround

Until I cannot hear their voice

So I might know what is your choice

Oh Lord, I lay my sword tonight

And pray for strength tomorrow’s light

That I might stand once more for you

With Christ’s dear love my only view

So hold me tight within your arms

And keep me safe from all that harm

My tears may fall against your chest

As I recall in You I rest.

Have you ever considered the importance  the Old Testament promises of God and His covenant with Abraham have upon your Christian life?  You may say, well, it is important because Christ came to this world as an heir of Abraham.  But if you stop there you are not fully understanding the importance of all the promises found in the Old Testament.  Note verse 4 below.  "thou shalt be a father of many nations".  Are we, gentiles who believe in Christ as our Savior also heirs of the covenant promise God made to Abraham?

Genesis 17:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.(blameless)

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Let’s look at Romans 4 to help us understand this.  Faith was the key.  Abraham’s faith counted to him for righteousness; because, it was the looking forward to Christ’s payment for His sin. 

Romans 4:  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Circumcision became the outward sign of what God had already done in the life of Abraham through faith; that is, the righteousness of Christ was imputed to Abraham because of faith and faith alone.  Therefore, God’s covenant promises to Abraham became  a covenant to all His heirs by faith.  Look at verse 11, "that he might be the father of all them that believe…that righteousness might be imputed unto them also."    The law could not justify mankind.  The law brings only condemnation; because, no one can fulfill the full letter of the law.  Perfect Righteousness is only found in God Himself.  So what do we do?  Do we not hopelessly fall short of that righteousness?  Certainly, I cannot stand before Perfect Righteousness without being justly judged as condemned.  Still, God sent forth Christ to take upon Himself the full wrath of God’s judgement against us; therefore, my only hope of righteousness can be found by faith in Christ.  Then, He removes my sin and cloaks me with His Righteousness.  This is by faith and faith alone.  This is true of Abraham and this is true for each of us.  Therefore the promises found in the Old Testament are promises to all of Abraham’s heirs through faith.  It becomes our birthright.  The birthright to all who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. 

Deuteronomy 30: 5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Our circumcision is a circumcision of the heart in which the flesh with all it’s selfish, self-centered desires are cut away by God so that you and I are able to "love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live".  That we may have eternal life in His presence, basking in His Glory and partakers of His fullness of love and Joy.  So, my question is do you know Christ as Your Savior, through faith?  If so, do you know what are the promises of God to you and do you see the importance of the Old Testament Promises as well?  Are you just a little more eager to read the Old Testament?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jO7xhU_Pw

Within this Christian walk there arises questions, questions regarding my own inadequacy to always "get this right" and questions regarding what is the right thing to do.  My heart is set upon Christ, my desire is to bring glory to His name; yet there are times that my best efforts fail.  Many a well meaning Christian would have us live once more under the old testament law.  So often in my own life my hope and joy further destroyed by such a Christian friend who would tell me that all my trials and sufferings are a result of my own sin.  Yet, my heart was seeking after Christ and I so desperately wanted to please Him; why, did I so miserably fail at times and could God still love me? Can there be any hope for you and for me?  Let’s look once more at what God has said. 

2 Corinthians 4:

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

The treasure of the gospel of Christ is given in earthen vessels which of their own right have no beauty and are fragile, breakable.  Just clay pots with nothing special except for the life giving water which they hold within them.  Sometimes we may be broken or chipped so that the life giving water is poured out upon someone else in our pathway.  Our salvation, thank God, is not dependent upon our ability to keep the law perfectly; but is dependent upon the finished work of Christ on the cross.  That is not a license to turn our backs on God, lay down the sword as it would be and stop battling against our own sin nature; because I daresay you don’t know Him if that were the case.  We, who know Him, seek Him, and love Him desire to honor Him in all that we say or do.  They are times; however, that as David–I would want to run and hide in silence because my foot slipped and I then feel that I could never tell you how to walk this Christian walk.  If indeed I slipped; how can I teach you anything? 

Psalm 94: 17 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Oh, but perhaps that is the answer and why I must keep writing and must keep speaking.  It has nothing to do with me.  God can use us broken vessels to proclaim His Glory and His might, if we surrender and allow Him to.  There is no Child so far astray; that God cannot use. That is, if you are His Child adopted through faith into His family because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.  Do you fall before Him in awe of His magnificent Grace, His Glory, His Righteousness, His Justice, and His love?  Do you seek Him with all your heart and your soul?  If so, keep speaking for Christ and keep putting on your armor to battle for the Joy that is only found in Him.  Cast aside all the counterfeit joy to follow after Him.  Then stop worrying and laying such guilt upon yourself. 

Psalm 103:  12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Isaiah 43:  But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour

Certainly, along this journey we will be washed by the waters and purified by fire as God continues His work within us; yet, He will never let go of His Child’s hand.  That is a promise you can be certain of.  As I look back over the years of my life, I see along the road the rubbish of my own failures; yet, amazingly I have run into people who knew me then and they say I changed their life and because of something I said or did they found Christ.  How amazing is that!!! I see failure; yet, God used my life to His Glory–that the excellency of the power may be His. 

Let me end this with a song I wrote in 1987.   All of the artwork is that of Ronald Barba, my son.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LbHd6eZrgk

As I come to the close of this series, it is my sincere hope that it has meant as much to each of you and that it has changed your life as much as it has mine.  Living in Christ is so much more than we could have ever imagined.  It begins with a human heart so bent on it’s on self centered, covetous nature and transforms us from who we are of our own volition to who we are in Christ.  It is not who I can become by pulling up my bootstraps and trying to do better.  It is not about my having anything within me that makes me worthy to be even noticed by the Creator.  So, it is this human heart becomes transformed by perfect Love into one who can see the greatest treasure as the most wondrous, glorious display of love which is God.  It is God reaching down to shine His glorious light into the darkness of our hearts.  Small glimpses of His Glory are displayed at first. The beauty of a sunset, a moment of kindness displayed, and the glimpse of love that one feels within their heart all are ways that God displays glimpses of His Glory, His Love.  All these lead us to seek after beauty, love, and joy.  Yet, God knows that the only true love, joy, hope, and beauty are found in Him. He who created man in His own image of body, soul, and spirit; knows that the only means of mankind reaching the fulfillment of these God given desires can only be found in a relationship with Himself.  For God is perfect love, perfect joy, and perfect beauty with our greatest experiences on earth being only glimpses of that joy that we will know when we stand before Him.  We cannot understand the magnitude of that unless we have felt the magnitude of despair which is ours without Him.  Knowing all this and knowing that from Adam’s first disobedience to perfect righteousness, man would reject Him, mock Him, misuse His name, and at times curse Him–He still created man.  He knew the horrific price that must be paid to redeem man from his sinful nature and His self centered, self exalting covetousness.  Christ, flesh of His flesh, equal with God and part of the trinity of God would have to bear the full wrath that justice would demand so that I might be saved from my own selfish, self exalting sin nature so that I might have the opportunity to enjoy the wonder and awe of having a relationship with my creator and to one day spend all of eternity basking in His Glory, His Beauty, His Love, and His Joy.   Why would He do all that?  His reason was His desire to pour out His boundless love and joy upon me.  I am less than a speck of sand in this Universe He created; yet, He loved me that much.  This is a gift, not because of anything that I have done or anything that I can do.  My positions in Christ are held by His Power and His love.  Because of all that Christ did in my stead:  I am His declared Saint, Blessed, Chosen, Child of God, Risen Redeemed, Enlightened, Beloved, New Creation, Heir of Royalty, Prisoner of Love, Servant of the most High God, and filled with His sustaining Faith.  All this is by Grace and not because of anything I have done.  Knowing this gives me liberty.  No more must I worry that He will stop loving me.  No more must I worry about every decision, wringing my hands and wondering if I am going to mess this up.  Knowing this truth, means I am sealed and delivered by His Grace.  Does that mean that I willfully ignore Him and live my life in my old self centered desires taking no notice of Him?  Never, for if I know all this, I am so awed and amazed that I never want to bring Him pain, sorrow or disgrace.  When I know all this, I see Him as my greatest treasure and seek His face.  When I know all this, I want Him above all else.  So each day, I place my armor and pick up my sword to battle hard that I might fight to hold onto the joy I know in Christ, despite the evil world which tries to steal that joy from me.  My desire becomes to tell everyone about how wonderful my Father is and to guide them to find Him as well. I have the greatest treasure; but my desire is to share that treasure with a world that is broken, sad and despairing.  Throughout my lifetime I will meet many people, some for a brief moment and some who will be in my life for longer.  Because of all that Christ did to love me and to seek me, my greatest desire is that somehow by how I live and by what I say; I present Him as being the most precious treasure of my life so that those who meet me might see Him and desire Him.  Because of all that He has given to me, His adopted child, my life should reflect in deed who I am in Christ and that is why Paul very careful describes in Ephesians 4-5 how that is displayed in our lives.  We are adopted into His family and should reflect our positions in all that we do because of His transforming work in our lives.  We are grounded, rooted deep within His love.  Our position held by His power and by His unconditional love sustaining us.  Isaiah 41: "9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Does all of this mean that we who believe in Christ as our Savior are free from pain, sorrow, and suffering on this earth.  Indeed not.  As Christians, in fact, we may suffer more than others.    Of all people we are called to be broken hearted, poor, suffering all things; as Christ did.  Sometimes we are falsely accused, beaten, trod down, ridiculed, and by worldly standards appear to be forsaken.  All the more, the importance of knowing who we are in Christ.  Romans 8 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  We who are in Christ know that this is not our final home.  We have His presence with us in the Holy Spirit and we know that our Joy is centered in His love and in knowing who He is.  He will never forsake us and He has a plan that will be for good, on that we can trust in the midst of any trial or storm.  For that reason, we have hope, joy, and love overflowing.  No longer can I be content with counterfeit joy, playing with mud pies when I have the vast ocean within my reach.

Regarding pain, C. S. Lewis wrote, "If the first and lowest operation of pain shatters the illusion that all is well, the second shatters the illusion that what we have, whether good or bad in itself, is our own and enough for us. Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us. We ‘have all we want’ is a terrible saying when ‘all’ does not include God. We find God an interruption. As St Augustine says somewhere, ‘God wants to give us something, but cannot, because our hands are full—there’s nowhere for Him to put it.’ Or as a friend of mine said, ‘We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it’s there for emergencies but he hopes he’ll never have to use it.’ Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness lies in Him. Yet we will not seek it in Him as long as he leaves us any other resort where it can even plausibly be looked for. While what we call ‘our own life’ remains agreeable we will not surrender it to Him. What then can God do in our interests but make ‘our own life’ less agreeable to us, and take away the plausible source of false happiness?"

From The Problem of Pain
Compiled in A Year with C.S. Lewis

The Problem of Pain. Copyright © 1940, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Copyright restored © 1996 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers. A Year With C.S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works. Copyright © 2003 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers

So my dear readers, do you know Him?  Have you ever seen Him as so glorious that you would desire Him to be in your heart? Have you grown tired of all the counterfeit joys, counterfeit loves and seek to know what is true joy and true love as can only be found in accepting freely the gift of salvation purchased by Christ for you?  For those of you who can answer yes, then do you really know who you are in Christ?  Do you know the power of His saving grace, His sustaining grace, and His future Grace which is ever present to guide each minute of your life?  Do you know what it is to abide in His love? 

 

Listen to this beautiful song, close your eyes and let the words sink deep into your heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL4fv7KyE4o