I've been reading this excellent book by John Macarthur called "Twelve Extraordinary Women". It takes Eve, Mary, Rahab, and others and tells their defining characteristics and how us women should learn from them . . . The reason I'm bringing this up (lol!) is the chapter on Rahab I read today. Near the end of the chapter there's the following:
(the previous paragraph delt with how Bible scholars have sometimes tried to say that Rahab wasn't really a prostitute...to somehow "sanitize" her history...)
"The scandal motif in Christ's lineage was no accident . . . Rahab was redeemed not because of any meritorious works she did. ...But she is not given to us as an example of the power of human works. She is not a lesson in how to better ourselves through self-improvement. She is a reminder that God by His grace can redeem even the most horrible life. (Spurgeon: 'I am persuaded that nothing but a spirit of distaste for free grace would ever have led any commentator to deny her sin.') He was exactly right of course. Remove the stigma of sin, and you remove the need for grace. Rahab is extraordinary precisely because she received extraordinary grace. There's no need to reinvent her past to try to make her seem less of a sinner. The disturbing fact about what she once was simply magnifies the glory of divine grace, which is what made her the extraordinary woman she became."
How encouraging/convicting is that? How many times have i sought to deny, minimize, or excuse away my sin, when what I'm really doing is doubting the cross' power and denying free grace! If I can't face my sin, it's because I'm denying that Christ's work was enough or that God has had unmerited mercy on me. That really hit me.
On the flip side, look at the work God has done!! My past shortcomings have led to God's incredible grace. God uses degraded sinners such as me to bring Himself glory. (why???)
Be encouraged in your own battles against sin, because it's all God my friends!!!
wow. this made me cry... seriously. It's by rap artist/actor Nick Cannon. It's a true story about his mom, Beck, when she was 17 in 1979 and about to get an abortion.
(read the lyrics below)
Can I Live I’m talking, mom, I know the situation is personal But it’s something that has to be told As I was making this beat You was all I could think about You heard my voice
Just think, just think… What if you could just, just blink yourself away? Just, just wait, just pause for a second Let me plead my case
It’s the late seventies, you seventeen And having me, that will ruin everything It’s a lot of angels waiting on their wings You see me in your sleep, so you can’t kill your dreams
Three hundred dollars, that’s the price of living? Mommy, I don’t like this clinic Hopefully you’ll make the right decision And don’t go though with the knife decision
But it’s hard to make the right move when you in high school Now you gotta work all day and take night school Hopping on the bus and the rain is pouring What you want, morning sickness or the sickness of mourning? Can I live?
I’ll always be a part of you Trust your soul, know it’s always true If I could talk I’d say to you Can I live? Can I live?
I’ll always be a part of you Trust your soul, know it’s always true If I could talk I’d say to you Can I live? Can I live?
I’m a child of the King, ain’t no need to go fear me And I see the flowing tears, so I know that you hear me When I move in your womb that’s me being scary ‘Cuz who knows what my future holds?
The truth be told you ain’t told a soul You ain’t even showing, I’m just two months old Through your clothes try to hide me, deny me Went up three sizes
Your pride got you lying, saying ain’t nothing but a migraine It ain’t surprising you not trying to be in WIC food lines Your friends look at you funny, but look at you mommy That’s a life inside, take a look at your tummy
What is becoming, Ma? I’m Oprah bound You can tell he’s a star from the ultrasound Our spirits connected, doors open now, Nothing but love and respect, thanks for holding it down She let me live
I’ll always be a part of you Trust your soul, know it’s always true If I could talk I’d say to you Can I live? Can I live?
I’ll always be a part of you Trust your soul, know it’s always true If I could talk I’d say to you Can I live? Can I live?
It’s uplifing for real, y’all I ain’t passing no judgement Ain’t making no decisions I’m just telling y’all my story
I love life, I love my mother for giving me life We all need to appreciate life And a strong woman who had to make a sacrifice
Thanks for listening… Thanks for listening… Momma, thanks for listening
----- in other news. . . Psalm 22. It's sooo good!! Read it.
Here's a preview: [edit: okay maybe like almost the whole thing] It's called "Why Have You Forsaken Me?" mmhmm. Ring any bells? here's more. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? . . . But I am . . . scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; . . .'He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!' . . .For a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-- I can count all my bones-- ...they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." Goodness . . . major foreshadowing going on.
Later: "From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, . . . it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it."
So the modesty survey's finally ready... go to The Rebelution home page to do it. Guys, it would serve us g i r ls if you took a few minutes to complete it!! And gi r ls, let's take advantage of this opportunity to hear from Christian guys our age =)
If weakness is a wound That no one wants to speak of Then ‘kool’ is just how far we have to fall
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing
And I am not amused: I only want to be loved But I feel safe behind the firewall
Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength Can I lose my need to impress? If you want the truth, I need to confess
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick
I'm not alright I’m broken inside, broken inside And all I go through, it leads me to You It leads me to You
A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary
Burn away the pride Bring me to my weakness Till everything to hide behind is gone
Therefore I will beast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong
And when I’m open wide, with nothing left to cling to Only You are there to lead me on I have set the Lord always before me;
Cause honestly, I’m not that strong
because He is at my right hand I shall not be shaken
I’m not alright I’m broken inside, broken inside And all I go through, it leads me to You It leads me to You
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge
And now I’m moved, and now I’m moved, and now I’m moved ...closer to you...
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes
And all I go through, it leads me to You It leads me to You
Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; give him glorious praise! You have tried us as silver is tried…you laid a crushing burden on our backs. Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for my soul
...I’m not alright...
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand
There's few things in this life when you are tired--semi exhausted--that beat curling up in a huge chair with a fuzzy blanket, reading a new book with the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack in the background, and drinking a huge steaming mug of Chai Apple Spice Green Tea on a cold day in the Fall. Mmmm...
I drag myself away from Ghosts of Onyx (yes, that is what I'm reading and while some of you might think it doesn't really fit with Pride and Prejudice, I don't really care. It's a great book so far =, ) long enough to put this up, which I tried to do about a week ago but blogger has issues. Here it is. Grace to you, Stephanie
In 2 Corinthians 10 Paul stresses the fact that we are Christ’s, and that we should classify ourselves with that in mind. Later in chapter 11 he says, “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I.” I paused there, like I always do whenever Paul talks about being Jewish. For some reason, I can’t seem to remember that he was from Israel, a former Pharisee in fact. When I’m reading about his conversion from ‘Saul’ it’s easy enough, but in his letters as ‘Paul’ I always forget. And I couldn’t figure out; Why?
I was thinking about that and I realized—the reason I can never remember his association with the Jews is because I immediately associate him with Christ. When I read about Paul I see Jesus through him, and I see him as a citizen of Heaven. He was tenaciously Christ’s. It really struck me. I’ve never seen it this clearly. He was so linked to the ministry of his Lord and to Heaven that it actually catches me off guard when I remember that he was a Jew.
Is this how others see you? I mean, I know that’s been said so many times, but just because it is often repeated doesn’t mean we have this down. When people look at me and my life do they see some American white from Damascus who’s finishing high school and comes to their class at MC… or do they see a citizen of Heaven, and an agent for Christ? Basically…
Are people surprised by my relationship with Heaven, because they view me as linked to the world? Or, do I catch people off guard when they see my relationship with the world,because they are so used to associating me with Heaven?
The hill of comfort is the hill of Calvary; the house of consolation is built with the wood of the cross; the temple of heavenly blessing is founded upon the riven rock--riven by the spear which pierced His side. No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like Calvary's tragedy.
"Is it not strange, the darkest hour That ever dawned on sinful earth, Should touch the heart with softer power, For comfort, than an angel's mirth? That to the Cross the mourner's eye should turn, Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem burn?"
Light springs from the midday-midnight of Golgotha, and every herb of the field blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of the once accursed tree. In that place of thirst, grace hath dug a fountain which ever gusheth with waters pure as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind. You who have had your seasons of conflict, will confess that it was not at Olivet that you ever found comfort, not on the hill of Sinai, nor on Tabor; but Gethsemane, Gabbatha, and Golgotha have been a means of comfort to you. The bitter herbs of Gethsemane have often taken away the bitters of your life; the scourge of Gabbatha has often scourged away your cares, and the groans of Calvary yields us comfort rare and rich.We never should have known Christ's love in all its heights and depths if He had not died; nor could we guess the Father's deep affection if He had not given His Son to die. The common mercies we enjoy all sing of love, just as the sea-shell, when we put it to our ears, whispers of the deep sea whence it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not look at every-day blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion. He who would know love, let him retire to Calvary and see the Man of sorrows die.
1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
9Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? 13Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? 14Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? 15Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. 16Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
18To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? 19An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. 20He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.
21Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 23who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
25...To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.
27Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard?The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
2 Corinthians 4:7 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So is at work in us, but life in you.
13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 'I believed, and so I spoke,' we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
5:1 For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling... 4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
