Defeating Discouragement and Doubt

How often it is that worldly concerns for us believers seem to overtake and consume us! I must confess I have struggled with this throughout my life. I am growing, however, in this area and find that it is grievous to God if I don't trust Him and His ability to provide for me; God desires that we trust/believe and not doubt, for it discredits His promises to us. He delights in our belief and trust! He would rather our thoughts be concerned with doing His will and reaching the lost. How much precious time we waste in our cares of this current life which lasts only as long as a flower -- here today, gone tomorrow. In light of eternity this helps put it in focus.

In Matt 16:6, Jesus said unto them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." The disciples were perplexed and thought Jesus was rebuking them for not bringing bread with them for the journey. But Jesus meant something entirely different - He rebuked them for not remembering that He had performed the miracles of the bread and fish for the multitudes that He had mercy on, thus reminding them that if He can feed thousands with only a few fish and loaves, how much more can he take care of them? Jesus was warning them of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. It had nothing to do with having no bread!

For further insight we find an excellent commentary on trusting the Lord in Matthew Henry's clear terms:

"O ye of little faith, why are ye disquieted for want of bread?’’ Note, To distrust Christ, and to disturb ourselves when we are in straits and difficulties, is an evidence of the weakness of our faith, which, if it were in exercise as it should be, would ease us of the burden of care, by casting it on the Lord, who careth for us."

"The aggravation of their distrust was the experience they had so lately had of the power and goodness of Christ in providing for them, v. 9, 10. Though they had no bread with them, they had him with them who could provide bread for them. If they had not the cistern, they had the Fountain. Do ye not yet understand, neither remember? Note, Christ’s disciples are often to be blamed for the shallowness of their understandings, and the slipperiness of their memories. "Have ye forgot those repeated instances of merciful and miraculous supplies; five thousand fed with five loaves, and four thousand with seven loaves, and yet they had enough and to spare? Remember how many baskets ye took up.’’

For more encouragement in trusting God for all of life, below is a wonderful message from none other than Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher from the 17th century:

"Only be thou strong and very courageous." — Joshua 1:7. Our God's tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonor his God. Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Savior, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, labor is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou strong, and very courageous."

In closing may I mention a verse out of John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Keep trusting our Lord! He loves you with an everlasting love!

Growing in Him,

Mountain Girl 

The Offense of the Gospel

We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer

Focus on the Family Misses it and More...

The Christian ministry, Focus on the Family, has been on a downgrade for years. I have decided to bring attention to this destructive trend in so-called Christianity in which they are a strong voice. Their programs air multiple times a day on the radio here in Colorado so it is hard to miss them.

A while back Jim Daly interviewed Bono and with raised eyebrow I listened as he said things like, Bono is not your conventional Christian or something to that effect and that he had colorful language. Colorful indeed!! Bono uses foul language and is a hardcore anti-Christian man who thinks anyone who adheres to historical, biblical Christianity is a Pharisee. He mocks us, in fact. But FotF is willing to overlook that because he does so much good in the world...but not in the name of the Christ of the Bible, so why did they even give him an interview? It should also be noted that FotF has been trending toward Catholicism for quite some time, which also includes Contemplative Spirituality, if they aren't already fully embracing the Catholic religion. That's another story for another time.

I think the final straw for me was the article on www.christianpost.com HERE where Jim Daly, the President of FotF, defended his ministry reviewing the filthy movie, 'Fifty Shades of Grey', by stating that it was necessary to warn the Christian public about it's evils...of course, to see for themselves just how evil it was, their reviewer, Paul Asay, of their "Plugged In" movie review SITE mentioned that it was his job to expose the dark by bringing a bit of light to this movie. As if the secular reviews weren't explicit enough he found it necessary to go see for himself. Huh?? I can remain silent no more!! What is further causing my blood to boil is his condescending response to someone who sent him an email that said, "....and I am troubled at the thought of sending one of your employees to go see it.” Asay responds, "I love this email. I so appreciate that he, and many other readers, worry about us over here. And pray for us, too. The sentiment and supplication both mean a lot." Uh-huh, I wonder if that would be his response to someone like me who says he is a hypocrite and how dare he present himself as being pious by watching the movie; a movie by the way, where if a Christian unknowingly (not likely) attended, within a very short amount of time, I'm guessing, would up and leave in protest, but not this fella, no, he was going to give a detailed account of the vile stuff. Shame, shame on him! At the end of his review he writes, "It’s not very bright, this little light of mine. But in the darkness, every little bit helps. And I hope that my tiny light of a movie review might lead others to a better, brighter one." I think the verse in Luke 11:35 fits nicely, "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

I wrote a response (some slight changes) to Paul Asay's defense on the Plugged In site..we'll see if my comment gets published, as well as on Christian Post in response to Jim Daly's article which was published. Here it is:

"My blood boils when a Christian ministry defends an action that is clearly outside the bounds of Christian duty. It is the duty of the Christian to avoid any semblance of evil and the fact that Jim Daly is making excuses as to why their ministry went to the movie is unconscionable!! You should be ashamed of yourself! You are a hypocrite."

But then this is the ministry that defended interviewing Bono who twists Scripture, scoffing at it. But to FotF it's defensible because this man does so much in the name of philanthropy. Focus, you are a legalistic organization which puts the actions of people over and above their belief system. You are not promoting the interests of Christ but the interests of people who want a watered down version of the Gospel. And the fact that you defend actually going to and seeing what should've been an X rated movie merely for review purposes implies voyeurism and titillation. How dare you defend this, but one thing is for sure...you have shown your true colors.

What Shall it Profit a Man if He Gain the Whole World....

An article written by an atheist:) If I firmly believed as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean everything to me. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay my hand or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would sow forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season and my text would be “what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

Lord, it is my prayer that you will help me to live like this....

The Incredible Christian by A.W. Tozer

Tozer speaks truth here. Worth the read....

INCREDIBLE CHRISTIAN!
by A.W. Tozer

The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy
runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that
Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them
that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between
the message of the cross and man's fallen reason is to try the
impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason,
a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity.

But let us bring the whole matter down from the uplands of theory
and simply observe the true Christian as he puts into practice the
teachings of Christ and His apostles. Note the contradictions:

The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more
alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on
earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth he finds
that after his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk,
which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the
ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best
in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the
very society into which he was born.

The Christian soon learns that if he would be victorious as a son
of heaven among men on earth he must not follow the common
pattern of mankind, but rather the contrary. That he may be safe
he puts himself in jeopardy; he loses his life to save it and is in
danger of losing it if he attempts to preserve it. He goes down to
get up. If he refuses to go down he is already down, but when he
starts down he is on his way up.

He is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is
strong. Though poor he has the power to make others rich, but
when he becomes rich his ability to enrich others vanishes. He
has most after he has given most away and has least when he
possesses most.

He may be and often is highest when he feels lowest and most
sinless when he is most conscious of sin. He is wisest when he
knows that he knows not and knows least when he has acquired
the greatest amount of knowledge. He sometimes does most by
doing nothing and goes furthest when standing still. In heaviness
he manages to rejoice and keeps his heart glad even in sorrow.

The paradoxical character of the Christian is revealed constantly.
For instance, he believes that he is saved now, nevertheless he
expects to be saved later and looks forward joyfully to future
salvation. He fears God but is not afraid of Him. In God's presence
he feels overwhelmed and undone, yet there is nowhere he would
rather be than in that presence. He knows that he has been
cleansed from his sin, yet he is painfully conscious that in his
flesh dwells no good thing.

He loves supremely One whom he has never seen, and though
himself poor and lowly he talks familiarly with One who is King of
all kings and Lord of all lords, and is aware of no incongruity in so
doing. He feels that he is in his own right altogether less than
nothing, yet he believes without question that he is the apple of
God's eye and that for him the Eternal Son became flesh and
died on the cross of shame.

The Christian is a citizen of heaven and to that sacred citizenship
he acknowledges first allegiance; yet he may love his earthly
country with that intensity of devotion that caused John Knox to
pray "O God, give me Scotland or I die."

He cheerfully expects before long to enter that bright world above,
but he is in no hurry to leave this world and is quite willing to await
the summons of his Heavenly Father. And he is unable to under-
stand why the critical unbeliever should condemn him for this; it
all seems so natural and right in the circumstances that he sees
nothing inconsistent about it.

The cross-carrying Christian, furthermore, is both a confirmed
pessimist and an optimist the like of which is to be found nowhere
else on earth.

When he looks at the cross he is a pessimist, for he knows that
the same judgment that fell on the Lord of glory condemns in that
one act all nature and all the world of men. He rejects every human
hope out of Christ because he knows that man's noblest effort is
only dust building on dust.

Yet he is calmly, restfully optimistic. If the cross condemns the
world the resurrection of Christ guarantees the ultimate triumph
of good throughout the universe. Through Christ all will be well
at last and the Christian waits the consummation. Incredible Christian!

It's Time to Come to Jesus

A Message From Charles Spurgeon --

Not saved! Dear reader, is this your mournful plight? Warned of the judgment to come, bidden to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it from the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and yet you neglect it, and therefore you are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall judge the quick and dead. The Holy Spirit has given more or less of blessing upon the word which has been preached in your hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are without Christ. All these hopeful seasons have come and gone—your summer and your harvest have past—and yet you are not saved. Years have followed one another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: youth has gone, manhood is going, and yet you are not saved. Let me ask you—will you ever be saved Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most propitious seasons have left you unsaved; will other occasions alter your condition? Means have failed with you—the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection—what more can be done for you? Affliction and prosperity have alike failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on your barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will abide as you are till death for ever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from the supposition? Yet it is a most reasonable one: he who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come, why should it ever come? It is logical to fear that it never will arrive, and that Felix like, you will find no convenient season till you are in hell. O bethink you of what that hell is, and of the dread probability that you will soon be cast into it!

Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, NOW, NOW believe, and live!

It's true dear reader, it is time to stop tarrying. It is time to say to Jesus Christ I want You, I repent of my sins, I want to be made new. When you are truly born-again this is what happens:

2 Corinthians 5:17 -- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

So may your new year begin with a new you!

Happy New Year,

Mtn Girl

Farewell Summer

Glimpses of Summer

Summer is slipping away so quickly. I must grasp its last glimmering days.

In its going I will be so lonely.

Sun beating down it's healing rays,

Striking my skin with its blaze.

Grass so tender and green,

Lilting song of birds,

Cool night breeze flowing through open windows, like a summer sigh.

Curtains gently waving in summer air, oh, my heavy heart.

Buzzing of bees and pine scented trees, scampering squirrels, thunderous heaven noise and pouring rain, fill my heart with wonder, may it never wane.

Daisy, yarrow, and harebell; whence will you come again to delight my heart and make it swell? Creek with its clean, clear scent, moving swiftly, smoothing rocks, life giving; on the trail next to you I walk.

Summer, I will miss you, summer, you are a gift from God, please come again soon and delight my heart.