How Unfair !

“’for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:11-16

By the world’s standards of political correctness and just basic rules of fairness, God seems to not care about His creation! If He did, some people think, then He would see that I am better than others. I do more than others. I give more than others. I go to church more often than others. I know His Word better than others....so it has to figure that I am better than others and more valuable to God.

But God confounds the wisdom of the wise...because it is His decision to reach out to all for His purposes...no matter how mysterious His thinking is to us! Most importantly, He doesn’t compare us to anyone...we are special to Him on our own!

“’For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’” John 3:16

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Poetry needs a heart. Michael and Diane for travelling mercies. Ongoing Requests: God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael, Adrian. New work projects for me.

On Thin Ice ?

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

The word “convinced” means to persuade or prevail upon or win over, bringing about a change of mind by influence of reason or moral consideration. Many think being a Christian is about suspending reason and objectivity in making the decision to follow Christ....like walking out onto thin ice. But Christ never wants us standing on thin ice; He wants us standing on His promises! The strength of our salvation depends on Him not on what others say about Him!

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [full and perfect payment] for our sins.” I John 4:10

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Poetry needs a heart. Ongoing Requests: God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael, Adrian, Poetry. New work projects for.

That Powerful !

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, of famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:35-37

“’My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.’” John 10:27-29

As children, many imagine their dad as the most powerful of people. That he can slay any dragon, climb any mountain, defeat any powerful enemy. Then as they grow up, they watch to realise that a dad is only human. However, many use the model of their earthly dad as their idea of God and think that because God does not save them from every difficulty that He must also be too weak or too uncaring to help us. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: Poetry needs a heart. Ongoing Requests: God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael, Adrian, Poetry. New work projects for me.

How Blessed I Am !

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the Gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all because I have you in my heart since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you are all partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-8

Well if you have noticed my absence this week it is because I was ill with a rather significant flu that I picked up on my trip to Melbourne. Today is the first day I have been up at my keyboard and I thank those of you who were praying for me and who have sent me emails. We are never alone in the Lord’s family! Thank you and pray for each other to be healthy and filled with His wisdom. I know He provided each of you to support me – how blessed I am to have you!

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Ongoing Requests: God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael, Adrian, Poetry. New work projects for.

Amazing !

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” Romans 8:29-32 (The New King James Version, thankfully still provided by the Gideons!)

He knew us before the beginning. He loved us enough to devise a plan to grow us up to realise how much we need Him. He called us intimately by name to live a life cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ -- so effective was this act that all who believe this stand just as if they had never sinned. The result is the promise of a perfect eternity as His child. But some wonder if they can trust such an amazing promise of pure grace...well they can when they “realise” and accept that Jesus choose to die rather than live without them.

[Jesus said:] “’For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’” John 3:16

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend’s beloved’s been hospitalised in the USA (he’s in the UK and now travelling to be with her) just after his mother has passed away. Audley, as he sees God’s answers. Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me and travel mercies while flying home to Sydney on Saturday. Answers: Marilu and her three month old son Evan Joseph Elisha are home and thankful for your prayers while she was three months in the hospital awaiting his birth.

You Knew It !

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

“’If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” Daniel 3:17-18

“And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’” Daniel 4:35

God is a mystery to us all. He rules all. He knows all. He has all the power. He is everywhere all the time. He knows no limits or bounds. Yet all that He is does not compare to the love He has for you. Everything in your life before you came to Him was orchestrated to bring you to Him. Every step after is ordered in such a way to bring you closer to Him so you can attract others to Him.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend’s beloved’s been hospitalised in the USA (he’s in the UK and now travelling to be with her) just after his mother has passed away. Audley, as he sees God’s answers. Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me and travel mercies while flying to Melbourne today. Answers: Marilu and her three month old son Evan Joseph Elisha are home and thankful for your prayers while she was three months in the hospital awaiting his birth.

Helpless?

“And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts know what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out [better translated cultivate] your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

It seems that a theme in some of the emails I am receiving in response to this Romans series has to do with assurance and securing salvation. I’ve written a full response to this and will see if I can put it onto the blog site (or you can ask for a copy), but in the meantime, this is a key paragraph in this response:

“From the first ‘No!’ mom says to us, to the education system, to our work places -- all geared to get our eyes OFF the reality of the promise that Salvation is not ours to work for or work through ... we are HELPLESS in our sin...COMPLETELY HELPLESS. Or Christ could have stayed home and eaten chocolates and had a massage!”

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;” Romans 3:23-24

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend’s beloved has been hospitalised in the USA (he is in the UK and is travelling there) just after his mother has passed away. Thank you all for praying for Marilu (in hospital awaiting birth of child for three months). Evan Joseph Elisha is now three months old and was born healthy. Both growing stronger! Pray for him and his family. Audley, as he sees God’s answers. Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Focus !

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one always hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” Romans 8:24-25

“’Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’” Matthew 6:19-20

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Where is your focus today? On your treasure here? On your family and friends or colleagues here? On your troubles and difficulties? They are easy to see and feel and it’s alright sometimes; but all pales in comparison when you think of the future we have with our Saviour.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Thank you all for praying for Marilu (in hospital awaiting birth of child for three months). Evan Joseph Elisha is now three months old and was born healthy. Both growing stronger! Legend’s mother has passed away. Pray for him and his family. Audley, as he sees God’s answers. Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new work God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

From the Start

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:20-23

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind’; and it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. -- And God saw all that He had made and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.’” Genesis 1: 24-26, 31

We see the world around us decaying; animals and plants being made extinct, destruction of our atmosphere through a variety of man-clever ways, economies suffering, war and atrocities. It is easy to focus on these things rather than on the truth of God’s promised plan from the start.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Thank you all for praying for Marilu (in hospital awaiting birth of child for three months). Evan Joseph Elisha is now three months old and was born healthy and they are both growing stronger! Legend’s mother has passed away. Pray for him and his family. Audley, as he sees God’s answers. Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Suffering Grace

“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear AGAIN, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:15-17

Do you realise how you suffer with Him? You suffer with Him when you can see others who need His saving power in their life. That is one of the best indicators...a new sensitivity to those around you. Then there is the recognition of your own need to depend on the grace Jesus has so freely offered to you.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

“Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” James 2:17

We can confuse “work” with our own efforts, when the only effort that the Father recognises is that of the One sinless Sacrifice. That is ALL He requires of us. Then the Holy Spirit can do His work through us in ways we will never imagine and that we cannot produce through our own efforts. So lean on the Father...it is the only way.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Who to Believe?

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.” Romans 8:9-11

Some have doubts about whether they’re saved. These thoughts come not just from the world or Satan or the pre-saved but from Christians who have their own “traditions” and beliefs about how you should act or feel IF you are a Christian. Yet, God’s Word is crystal clear: a Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in their hearts. This is NOT a feeling you get or automatic speaking or falling over; actually, as much as we don’t like to think about it, knowing you are a Christian is a hard, cold fact. God promised if you would admit your sin and receive the gift His Son, Jesus will pay for your sins and He will send the Holy Spirit to indwell you, no matter what.

“For God said, ‘Honour your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death,’ But you say, ‘Whoever shall say to his father or mother, ‘Anything of mine you might have been helped by has been given to God,’ he is not to honour his father or his mother.’ And thus you invalidate the Word of God for the sake of your tradition.’” Matthew 15:4-6

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Practical and Effective

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:2-4

The law provokes sin and produces death, yet the Law itself is holy. The law makes demands; and condemns when those demands are not met, BUT the law cannot overcome sin, only the personal sacrifice God made of offering His Son sent in the likeness of sinful man can accomplish our salvation from sin. And only Christ can deal with sin in a practical and effective way for us, because He remained pure and holy.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Friday - Thank God !!

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 7:24-8:1

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20

And what was His key command to us?

“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 22:37-40

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

Help me!

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24

“And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:28-31

“And Jesus said to him, ‘If You can!’ All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief.’” Mark 9:23-24

“And He said to them, ‘Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.’” Matthew 17:20

Yet, for all we believe, we still do not have victory over sin. That victory belongs to Jesus Christ. God knew we were helpless in the face of sin. Why else would He sacrifice His only Son to save us for Him? That is the lesson of true love.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.

One More Thud

“But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” Romans 7:20-23

“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does? Declares the Lord. ‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so you are in My hand,’” Jeremiah 18:3-6a

Our thoughts and heart and flesh are set on earthly needs, wants and desires. No amount of “looking up” changes that. The Law shows us how helpless we are against the seduction of all things within and without us. We give our lives to Christ and think it will be all better. But giving our lives to Christ doesn’t change the pull of sin. The Law exists to remind us every day of one more thud on the nail that held our Saviour to the Cross to save us from our struggle.

Know His Word. Take care. Your servant & friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New: Legend (father is dying with cancer, mother is near death and he now awaits tests for his own cancer). Ongoing Requests: Australians and support workers still dealing with aftermath of natural disasters (fire and floods). God’s hand on USA. Barb to find the new WORK God has for her; Billy and Michelle for recovery; wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Bill, Denny, Gary, Michael & Adrian. New work projects for me.