Once Guilty...Now Holy

I love the contrasting picture these words give...the "before and after" of salvation. Without Christ, even my best efforts are worse than nothing. But with Christ, I am presentable. I am clean and whole. I am holy and righteous because of Christ's holiness and righteousness.

{The actual song is "Not What My Hands Have Done" by H. Bonar, but this chorus part I believe was written by Aaron Keyes.}

These guilty hands are raised,

filthy rags are all I bring
And I have come to hide beneath your wings.

These holy hands are raised,

Washed in the fountain of your grace
And now I wear your righteousness.

Post-dated...

...because sometimes my Saturdays get busy, too. :)

Randomness from the last few weeks...

Sometimes there's this thing called fun and games.
Only sometimes.

*Enjoying a beautiful, early Spring.

*A paper discussing a philosophy of ministry.
*A paper on suffering in the New Testament.

*Unearthing joy-robbers and being amazed at what God does without those distractions in my life

*Floating through a "finals week" busy, a tad sleepless, and yet at peace...feeling the prayers of many who have said they'd pray for me.



During my all-nighter, this butterfly randomly
spent the night in my basement with me ;)

*Resting in Jesus and learning to die to self.

"Indeed, on the other side of each layer
of dying lie experiences of a life with God
that are far richer, far higher,
and far more intimate than anything
I would have otherwise known."

{Milton Vincent

A Gospel Primer}

"Understand that

the gospel

is not something

we believe when

we first

become Christians

and then

outgrow;

it is something

we need

every moment

of every day."

{Philip Graham Ryken

City on a Hill}

March: The Gospel Throughout Life

"The Gospel isn't one class among many

that you'll attend during your life as a Christian--

the Gospel is the whole building

that all the classes take place in!

Rightly approached,

all the topics you'll study and focus on as a believer

will be offered to you 'within the walls'

of the glorious Gospel."

{CJ Mahaney,

The Cross-Centered Life}

God: My Portion

God is my portion.

I have been meditating on that lately...I knew it was somewhere in the Psalms, but was surprised at what a quick word-search revealed!

Many times it mentioned the "portion" of the wicked and ungodly--that is eternal punishment. I praise God that I am saved from that, and therefore, God is my portion.

Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)

{Deuteronomy 10:9}

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

{Psalm 16:5}

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

{Psalm 73:26}

The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

{Psalm 119:57}

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

{Psalm 142:5}

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."

{Lamantations 3:22-24}

Jesus: "but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

{Luke 10:42}

Is God your portion? Do you let that change your life? God is all I need.

When life hurts, is hard, or whatever,

God is my portion!

This and That

I think it's been almost 10 days since my last post...definitely not normal without a good reason!

But maybe I have had a reason...

*12 pages of papers and 6 more to go in one class

*a 10-page paper in another class I should be working on harder than I am...

*once a week I help out a mom who has a 4-year-old, a 21/2-year-old, a 9-month old, and one due in August :)

*learning not to focus on my situations, whether they be work or school or whatever

*my weakness...homemake breakfasts that aren't very good for you ;)

*enjoying friendships and God's love

*camera upgrade--still a point-and-shoot but much better quality!!

*looking forward to spring...my sister's started decorating and maybe soon my part of the room and this blog with get with it :)

I'm glad for the work that God has been doing in my heart and life. I would have loved to post some quality or attribute of God every day this month, but even though that is not possible (and I haven't posted even as often as usual), I've still loved to have it on my mind. Do you often meditate on how great God is? His words and His ways are wonderful! :)

God: Lord Over All

Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the LORD and

against His Anointed, saying,
"Let us burst Their bonds apart

and cast away Their cords from us."
He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

{Psalm 2:1-4}