In Christ Alone

A blogger friend of mine posted this quote on her facebook wall several weeks ago:

‎"The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul." - Johann Sebastian Bach

This song, "In Christ Alone" is one of my favorites!
I love hearing my husband play it on piano and sing the beautiful, theologically-sound lyrics.
The Lord refreshes my tired and world-wearied soul with the reminder,...it is in Christ alone!

Christ's "Unmerited Favor"

Christ's Unmerited Favor!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
~ John 3:16 ~

We can't earn it!
We don't deserve it!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
~  Ephesians 2:8-10 ~

A fellow blogger and friend, Sally, at Diamonds in the Rough, recently posted an interesting entry at her blog that caused me to think about the term "unmerited favor" and its being used in a rather disturbing way.
"Someone was shown unmerited favor because their house sold."
Another, "...was shown unmerited favor because they were healed from an illness."
And I've heard other examples.
But really it causes me to want to ask these people...What about Stephen, who was martyred (stoned to death) before many because of his being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51-60) and preaching the truth of Christ crucified before the Jewish leaders. And what about the thousands that were hung on crosses in the Collesium or even torn apart by wild animals for the cause of Christ. Were they shown "unmerited favor?"
What about Nate Saint and Jim Elliot???
We know personally of a group of missionaries that live in Mongolia on next to nothing and are seeing God do wonderful and merciful things with this people group spiritually! It has nothing to do with physical prosperity or gain, but soul changing and eternal life-giving change through the power of the Holy Spirit!!! None of this can be attributed to man...none of it! 

 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death.
~  Revelation 12:11 ~

Sally's post refers to the words of the great theologian Charles Spurgeon on the Sufficiency of Christ.
I went ahead and googled Spurgeon and did some reading.

The Sufficiency of Christ
Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee–it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee–it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that is the instrument–it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou doest that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down…There is one thing which we all of us too much becloud in our preaching, though I believe we do it very unintentionally–namely, the great truth that it is not prayer, it is not faith, it is not our doings, it is not our feelings upon which we must rest, but upon Christ, and on Christ alone.  We are apt to think that we are not in a right state, that we do not feel enough, instead of remembering that our business is not with self, but Christ.  Let me beseech thee, look only to Christ; never expect delieverance from self, from ministers, or from any means of any kind apart from Christ; keep thine eye simply on Him; let his death, His agonies, His groans, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look for Him; when thou liest down at night look for Him.           ~ Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892 ~ 


This quote so eloquently proclaims that it is in Christ alone that we give all glory and honor! He truly is our all in all...we can add nothing or do anything without Him. His grace is sufficient!

And to all other teachings that instruct the convert that they can have "unmerited favor" with God by working up their faith or praying harder or memorizing more of the Word of God...I say to that fellow Christian, "Run!"
This soul-stirring video says so much more than I ever could:



In Christ Alone,
my All,
prayerfully, Julie

Workin' Some Calves

The kids got out and helped Tim put eartags in the calves this morning.



Oh and they were a big help! They helped Tim get the calves cornered into a couple of panels. Middle child assisted in loading the tagging gun. She has serious dreams of following in her dad's footsteps to be a veterinarian someday.



Ta-da! "Look Ma, I got my ear pierced!"
(Momma bawling in the background)
"I always knew he was the black sheep...errrr, I mean rebel in the family!"



Tim had to play cowboy to catch our smallest and newest calf, Bingo.



Catching her was pretty easy, but keepin Mama at a safe distance was another thing altogether!



"Watch out Tim!"

 

And finally, Bingo is tagged.



"Momma, that was a bit brutal."



"Yes, I know Honey, there are plenty of hoops to jump through in life, just wait...I heard the man say that he would be castrating calves next month."

And Bandito watched the whole thing while enjoying the Oklahoma early morning sunshine!



Our week has started off productively, I hope yours has too!
Blessings, Julie

Grrr, I Morphed...Again!

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,  because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.     
 ~ James 1:19-20 ~

Remember last year, right before Christmas, this post (I deleted part of the post but the comments are still there), when I lost my cool, calm composure and tore the face off of an unsuspecting Christian brother...well, I've been at it again. And interestingly, it had to do with the children...again.
In this particular case, I know that many of you would side with me as far as my being disturbed about what happened and that it shouldn't have happened, just as in the case last year.
Confused???
Well, what I mean is that while I had every right to be concerned, upset, and every right to say something, it was HOW I said it that caused me to sin. I wasn't nice,...there was absolutely no gentle-spiritedness involved on my part, and I left her wondering "Who let the pit bull in?"
Soooo...
I'm all about humbling myself now and seeking to apologize as soon as I get the chance.
I could write a book on the art of a sincere apology...(sigh)...although it would be horribly lacking in good grammar...and that's another subject altogether.
I'm a serious work in progress...(sigh).

And so, I conclude this post with this verse, I think it's rather fitting:

Confess your trespasses[a] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
 ~ James 5:16 ~

Humbly and in need of more self-control...and a muzzle...the pit bull,
Julie

I think this may be a much more pleasant picture than the first one.

And About That Wolf

For the past several weeks I've been looking back at some of the past entries that I've posted here over this last year. It was last year, January a year ago, that I posted this video:



It still pains me to watch this.
Because of the truth that is so plainly spoken and yet so plainly ignored by too many.

This morning my husband and I were once again discussing this subject.

And I'm still left with these questions:
Why do those in church leadership continue to allow someone in their pulpit that they know to be dishonest, deceptive, and divisive concerning the flock?
Why do they allow that particular man to continue on in wounding and scattering the sheep?
And why, please tell me, do they choose the one who is so heaped up with sin, rebellion, and has an unrepentant heart over those that are serving their King in the lowly/humble positions given to them?

Could it be pride, arrogance, self-preservation, or even apathy???

Interesting, not one of those words has anything to do with being a child of the King Most High.
My prayer is that our Mighty God would open the eyes of His people, increase their faith, and make them bold so that they would rebuke the devourer.

Fervently praying for those in bondage and deception to be delivered and return to their fist love! Julie

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
~ II Chronicles 7:14

Just A Few Things...

Here are just a few things the girls and I have been working on for our next craft fair:

This is an 8X10 mixed media art on canvas entitled "Grow."



This 11X14 mixed media art on canvas is really one of my favorites. It's simple and pretty.



And this particular piece is one that I toiled over, LOL. I began painting it this past week and knew it was going to be a bit offbeat and that's probably why I call it, "Abstract Blue Horse."
It's 16X20 and this is the first time I've worked on a canvas that large.



Anyway, that's just a little sampling of what we're doing here.
Blessings! Julie

A Bird Poem in Free Verse

A small girl walks outside.
It is time to feed the birds.
It is cold and she shivers,
but she trudges on.


Icicles hang down from branches of trees nearby.


She smiles watching a bluejay land on the ice.
She shivers again and begins pouring the feed.
A chickadee watches with interest.
The bluejay also stops to gaze at the small intruder.


She smiles at the birds.
They are her friends.
More birds fly down to lower branches,
watching the girl.


The chickadee peeps impatiently.
The girl smiles again,
backing away from the feeder.


She watches as the birds enjoy their meal.
     
        ~~~  Written 1/4/12 by my oldest daughter.

I Love This!

I took this New Year's Eve evening.
And I haven't played with it at all...really.
Oklahoma sunsets are unique, addictive, and inspirational...and....
I'm so glad I've got them right out my back door!
Blessings, Julie

Hope For A New Year

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.  ~ I Corinthians 13:12
This past year was a tough one for our family. Though we didn't understand much of what happened and why it happened, the Lord led us through guiding and comforting the whole time.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  ~ Romans 15:13

I am hopeful for this year. Our Lord's grace is sufficient in all things!
So although there were quite a few thorns in 2011, I'm refusing to be discouraged and seeing the bigger picture!



Be encouraged, Julie

A Video: Greedy, Racist, Fascist Evil Republicans