Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Remember Surrender

Remember surrender?
Remember the rest?
Remember the weight lifting off of your chest,
and realizing that it's not up to you and never was?

Remember surrender?
Remember relief?
Remember how tears rolled down both of your cheeks
as the warmth of a heavenly Father came closing in?
I want to do that again.
Why can't I live there and make my home
in sweet surrender?

I want to do so much more than remember.
Remember surrender?
Remember peace?
Remember how soundly you fell fast asleep?
In the face of your troubles your future
still shone like the morning sun.

Remember surrender?
Remember that sound
of all of those voices dying down?
But One who speaks clearly of helping
and healing you deep within.
I want to do that again.
Why can't I live there
and make my home
in sweet surrender?
I want to do so much more than remember.
Remember.
Oh, surrender.

by Sara Groves

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Calling out His name and depending on Him!

“God is not the author of evil, of the horrible acts we hear about on the evening news. Yet God allows our way of life to be threatened so that we will wake up and focus our energies on sharing the hope of eternal life. Jesus allows His sheep to smell the breath of the wolf so that they will bleat out the name of their shepherd and depend on Him.”  Tom White, Voice of the Martyrs, page 2, March 2010

After I learned about the character of sheep in real life, I finally began to understand why we are referred to as sheep so many times in God’s word. We certainly are like sheep! We follow so easily what ever sounds good or looks good. If you draw near to Him and learn His voice then you will follow the true Shepherd.

“When he puts all forth his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:4

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Grieving~~~~~just grieving……….

I have been grieving this morning after reading an article on the Midwest Christian Outreach weekly e-mail concerning Christians who are following cult-like leaders Mike and Debi Pearl (as in To Train Up A Child). See http://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/2010/03/to-train-up-child-follow-up.html

Sadly, they are not the only aberrant Christian group, nor are all these aberrant groups well known. We personally know an aberrant group who would probably abhor the Pearls’ methods, but they are just as arrogant, legalistic, and controlling with their followers.

I still remember this leader’s cutting remarks when referring to another Christian family, which he felt were less holy than his group. He said, “They want what WE have!” And then he would point out his group’s women and their legalistic way of dressing, saying, “That’s the way women should look.”

The LORD must be greatly grieving also……..as our freedom in Christ was bought with a price! Let us be fervent in our pursuit of the LORD, but let us do it in loving truth and not in cruel legalistic control.

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” Acts 21:28-31