Christ: The True Treasure

Over the past few weeks, I have steered clear of blogging. Maybe I should articulate my worry with you:

The Lord has really been impressing upon my heart the superficiality of media outlets. When you come to this portal, you only see "one side of the story." I can chose what I want to share. I can chose what I want to hide. My fear is that those who visit this blog may see me as someone I am not ...

You don't see the real "me."

My hope is that somehow, in some way, you may encounter Christ as you read this journal.
My hope is to encourage others who are "running the race" by sharing the ways He is graciously carrying me in His arms by His strength, not mine.
My hope is that everything typed on this page may reflect Him, point to Him, focus on Him.

Please don't look at me. Look at Him. Look at Him who is the true "author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews).

May Christ be our treasure even MORE.

My prayer is that you would see Him here.

The Lord: Our Present Help

"Which is harder, to do or to endure? I think to endure is much the harder, and our Father loves us too much to let us pass through life without learning to endure. So I want you to welcome the little difficult things, the tiny pricks and ruffles that are sure to come almost every day. For they give you a chance to say 'No' to yourself, and by doing so you will become strong not only to do but also to endure.

"Whatever happens, don't be sorry for yourselves. You know how our Lord met the tempting 'Pity thyself' (Matt. 16:22). After all, what is anything we have to bear in comparison with what our Lord bore for us?

"I know that each one of you is in need of continual help [yes!] if you are continually to conquer. I have splendid words to give you. They are from the first verse of Psalm 46--a very present help.

"Our loving Lord is not just present, but nearer than thought can imagine, so near that a whisper can reach Him . . .

" . . . For Thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek Thee."

~ Amy Carmichael
Candles in the Dark

"I Am With Thee" : This is Enough.

The past few days, I have been reading through a compilation of Amy Carmichael's notes entitled, Candles in the Dark. I find it encouraging to see how words reflecting the Lord's work and growth in another's life--though distant in history--can encourage and minister to my soul today.

[Commenting on Judges 6:12-16; the story of Gideon] "'And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might . . . Surely I am with thee'

"The 'why?' and the 'where?' are not answered. Perhaps they never will be answered on this side of eternity. But it was enough that He looked upon [Gideon] and was surely with him. So I will trust in that the greatest of all miracles will be wrought once more. The humanly impossible will become the divinely possible, to the greater praise of His glory. The exceeding greatness of His Power to you who believe will be made manifest." ~A.C.

"God, Keep Us Standing . . ."

An exerpt from Amy Carmichael's writings:

". . . but thank God for victory too, and we are nearer the Crowning Day this morning than ever we were before. 'And having done all, to stand.' God keep us standing. 'When I said, 'My foot slippeth,' Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.'

"And now as we look forward we see great stones, and many of them. 'Who will roll away the stone?' More and more I delight in the word that says, 'The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it.' We shall see the angel of the Lord sitting upon many a stone during the coming year. And think of it, we may see the Lord Himself, Christ risen, Christ CROWNED, this year. Oh, what will it be to see Him? To be forever with Him, holy forever, strong forever, never, never, to grieve Him again."

Be Still.

"Be still, my soul!
Thy God doth undertake
To Guide the future as He has the past
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul:
the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below."




Be still.

:: :: ::

On The Tablet of My Heart

A TABLET Lord, .................Thy servant holds,

Down Soul’s deep depths ......Only your eye beholds.

It flows like a stream of water, channeled by your guiding Hand

A plot of SOIL for sweet seed of Word to season, grow, and stand.

The heart alone, easily drifting with the mold of worldly push and pull,

Is a master deceiver, twisting mind and shameful thoughts in full;

Stone dead, a pillar of salt, cold, unbelieving, unyielding,

So I withered away in sin’s death cry and decaying.

But in scarlet stream you gave with no measure,

Bathing the heart in heaven’s cleanser.

Now etched with your name,

And never the same;

Only For Thee

Will I Be.

"I thank God for all the strokes with which I was driven from darkness unto
light. It is better that we arrive beaten and bleeding at our glorious goal than
that we decay happily and contented in darkness. As long as things were right
with us, we did not know anything of God and the salvation of our souls."

- Abraham Poljak
A Jew who survived and escaped the brutality of Nazi Germany