TRY / "By The Grace Of God I Am What I Am"

Encouraged by an Utmost I almost didn't read I thought I'd rhyme a poem; hope you're encouraged too. Merry Christmas!

TRY

If I can encourage you with just a word
That word would be TRY
Try and do the thing you think will help
Someone else give life a try

Try with all your might
Try and make a difference
You might never know how much your life
May have shown someone the love of Jesus

God gave us life for living
For as long as He decides
But you won't enjoy the time you're given
If you don't give life a try

JEFFREE
DEC2009

Please note: forwarded message attached

"By The Grace Of God I Am What I Am"

Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009

BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM

    His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.

    1 Corinthians 15:10
    http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1co+15:10&sr=1

The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to
the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander
against God for having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining
in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you
will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are. "Oh, I
shouldn't like to say I am sanctified; I'm not a saint." Say that
before God; and it means - "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to
save and sanctify me; there are chances I have not had; so many
imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn't possible."
That may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an
attitude of defiance.

Again, the things that sound humble before God 'may sound the
opposite before men. To say Thank God, I know I am saved and
sanctified is in the sight of God the acme of humility, it means you
have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is
true. Never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble
before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be
all in all.

There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your
personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything
else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfil His
purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless
value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life.

PEACE

 The name of this poem is simply

       PEACE

       In this and every Christmas season
       With rumors of wars swirling 'round in our heads
       As we stop to give thanks to the Lord
       The reason for the season
       We are drawn to just how wonderful God is
       In the heart of every human is a light
       Brightly burning or barely shining in the night
       As we humble ourselves before the Lord
       The maker of our souls
       We are drawn to proclaim how He does all things right
       In the midst of my grief there is perfect peace
       Beckoning me - come closer and believe
       As I come into God's heart I now see
       Evelyn is singing and dancing and laughing with Jesus!
       Peace, perfect peace, there's no pain in heaven
       Peace, wonderful peace, no crying is allowed
       So as Christmas comes again with all its earthly baggage
       Turn your sights toward helping others
       And turn up the Christmas music really loud
       In this world you will have much trouble
       But be of good cheer, Christ has overcome the world

       JEFFREE
         DEC2009

       Turn it up!

HUMBUG!

Found this in one of my old wallets while cleaning through our old
house; I thought it definitely had a Christmas ring to it, but just to be
sure I added a Humbug to the end of it for you to click on.  Enjoy!
_____________________________________________

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

BORN AGAIN

Behold the Babe

Born in a feeding trough

God - come to us the human way

Cradled by a mother's love

Behold the Boy

Listening at the temple

And with authoritative voice

Reveals wisdom to the simple

Behold the Man

Baptized in the Jordan

Witness God's unfolding plan

To give Hope and Victory to man

Behold the Teacher

Living to showing us the Way

Our Shepherd and Healer

First must die -- to be raised

Behold our Savior and Lord

Alive through the Holy Spirit

He's the Bright and Morning Star

Born again in my heart!

JEFFREE!

DEC2003

HUMBUG!

Matthew 18:12 If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? MY SHEPHERD'S LOVE In the arms of Jesus God's eternal peace Carries me to safety In the gentle embrace of His grace In the strength of Jesus God's eternal power Protects my soul from every danger Behind the shield of His righteousness In the worship of Jesus God's eternal presence Directs me out of darkness Into the glorious praise of His holiness In the tender heart of Jesus God's eternal pulse Reminds me of my Shepherd's love As He carries me home again J. E. Pollock NOV 3, 2009 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. Isaiah 40:11a NLT Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Ps 23:4 Dark Valleys Life in general is filled with highs and lows, but it can especially be apparent for those in Christian ministry leadership positions. Just look at how many pastors, youth ministers, and worship directors eventually leave ministry. The work wears on a person. The constant complaints of doing too little of this or too much of that can drain anyone. As a leader, you are expected to be there for everyone at every moment of the day. No one is able to be there at all times. Still, guilt fills the mind and causes you to doubt your ministry and your effectiveness. Yet, we are not left alone in this world. Through the darkest valleys of life, through the most difficult times of ministry, God is with us. As we lead his people, we can rest knowing that God leads us. When things get tight, the problems don't seem to go away, and we struggle with guilt—the false guilt of not being able to be there for everyone—God will comfort us. He shields us even during the assaults of bitter people and harsh words. He will always lead us in a path meant to protect us and keep us strong. When the road is dark and tough, God will guide and protect you. When you feel overwhelmed with loneliness, the Lord is close beside you. When your heart is asking hard questions and you feel beaten down, God will sustain you. We don't need to live in fear, for God is always with you. He is willing to comfort and protect you. He guides you through every mountain and valley of life. He is your true Leader/Shepherd. And the more you trust him as Lord, the more you will experience the wonder of having a Shepherd. The Oneplace.com Team http://www.oneplace.com Listen for Life

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:14-15 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Thanks be to God,
For all of life and hope;
Peace to calm our restless souls,
And joy that lifts us to the heights again.

Thanks be to God,
For all of heaven and the earth;
Faith to conceive the Miracle of New Birth,
And love that binds new hearts to true friends.

Thanks be to God,
For all of truth and light;
Freedom to choose to fight the good fight,
And strength that endures to the end.

Thanks be to God,
For all of Jesus and the Way;
Contentment to carry our cross as we pray,
And grace upon grace in Christ our forgiveness. Amen!

--------------------------

Jeffrey E. Pollock
November 1, 2009

--------------------------

¹¹ You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
¹² that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Psalm 30:11-12 (NLT)

"Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of His grace..."

Matthew 5:48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." PERFECT IN JESUS Perfect in Jesus Christ - I am Perfected in Jesus my Savior, Perfect in Jesus Christ - I am Made perfect in Christ my Lord. Perfect in my Lord Jesus - I am Perfected in His Righteousness, Perfect in Jesus Christ - I am Made perfect in Christ my King. Perfect in King Jesus - I am Perfected in His Holiness, Perfect in Jesus Christ - I am Made perfect in His Promise. Perfect in His Word - I am Perfected through The Truth; Perfect in Our Father I AM, I am safe in His perfect refuge. Perfected through Christ's finished work, Made perfect in His Cross-borne love; Perfect through His Resurrection - I am Perfected through His precious Blood. J7 October 6, 2009 When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . —Galatians 1:15-16 If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair. But if Jesus Christ is truly a regenerator, someone who can put His own heredity of holiness into me, then I can begin to see what He means when He says that I have to be holy. Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us. The proper action on my part is simply to agree with God's verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ. The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God— ". . . until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19 ). The moral miracle of redemption is that God can put a new nature into me through which I can live a totally new life. When I finally reach the edge of my need and know my own limitations, then Jesus says, "Blessed are you . . ." ( Matthew 5:11 ). But I must get to that point. God cannot put into me, the responsible moral person that I am, the nature that was in Jesus Christ unless I am aware of my need for it. Just as the nature of sin entered into the human race through one man, the Holy Spirit entered into the human race through another Man (see Romans 5:12-19 ). And redemption means that I can be delivered from the heredity of sin, and that through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit. ______________________________

Morning Verse (January 31)

"The Lord our Righteousness." Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross He said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in Him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought-- "Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them." If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.

—Morning and Evening

HIS STORY: HISTORY

I think this little poem can best be summed up in the first line of the piece written by Stuart McAllister which follows: "I must confess to a certain curiosity with why things turn out as they do." which also affords me the opportunity to share a web-link to the talk Stuart McAllister presented here in El Paso two days ago, 2 splendid messages with downloadable outlines: 

http://www.horizonelp.org/virtual_service.asp?P_ID=114&SL=99 

HIS STORY: HISTORY

Promises, Promises,
From beginning to end;
The Salvation of God
Began with First Light, 
And finished as a Friend. 

 

AMEN 

J7 

 

   The Struggle with Perspective

 

I must confess to a certain curiosity with why things turn out as they do.  I read a lot of history, biographies, and stories of human successes and failures.  Being a child of a particular age, I was raised with a certain degree of optimism.  The bad times—World War II, the Korean War—were behind us, and once again we could get back to the normal business of pursuing happiness and success, which I was led to believe were easily within my reach.

Optimism is not hope, yet it is a recurring feature of life in good times.  It is also a feature that all too quickly vanishes and reveals itself for what it is when bad times return.  As a European, I lived through one of history's great turning points, a turning point powerfully demonstrated in the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.  The wall was not simply a physical reality, which had divided families, a nation, and a continent for decades; it was a symbol of the clash of visions and worldviews that

 battled for a se ason, not only for Europe, but for global dominance.

I can well remember the astonished newscasters as Germans embraced each other on top of the despised symbol of separation.  Europe and the world seethed with the euphoria of change.  The brave new world was being born, and optimism was the mood of the day (1989-1991).  I heard breathless gurus of the age proclaim the dawn of unfettered freedom, and one, even wrote shortly thereafter about "the end of history and the last man" in the sincere belief of the triumph of free market capitalism and liberal democracy.

Yet wisdom bids us to stop, look, and listen.  In the first decade of the twenty-first century, we have witnessed 9/11, bombings in Spain, Bali, and London.  We have seen the debacles of Enron, WorldCom, and the fiascos of "Bear Stearns" (USA) and "Northern Rock" (UK).  Optimism has met its match.  Perhaps for some, they are seeing the collapse of hopes and the fulfillment of fears.  The movie scene is
 reflectively filled with apocalyptic and nihilistic visions.

When hope fades, cynicism is often waiting in the wings.  And this is indeed one of the great challenges of our time.  Skepticism (there is nothing good and I know it) and cynicism (I can't trust anybody or anything and I know this) seem reasonable choices.  But is this a necessary outcome or orientation for us?  I think not.  Yet, if we have bought into a rationalist vision, if we have embraced the vision and values of our age uncritically, if the Christian faith is merely a part-time investment in an over cluttered life, then we don't have the necessary orientation or resolve to face the issues and challenges of our time.

The Scriptures open up for us a view of the world that is very different.  There is a God.  This God is the creator, and He is personal, loving, willful, and particular.  We see that despite being a good creation, a disruption and disorder has occurred and the drama of redemption unfolds.  But
 the central character here is God!  It is what God does, whom God appoints, and what God decides that makes the difference.  Now please don't go rushing to theological dictionaries or well-entrenched beliefs to determine "whose" side I'm on in terms of God's purpose and human will.  I'll tell you.  I believe in both.

I have seen too much, experienced too much, read too much, and pondered too much to believe that my choices are determined, socially conditioned, or illusory.  I believe they are real.  However, I have also seen too much, experienced too much, read too much, and pondered too much to believe that they are, as Lewis would say, "the whole show."  History is not a fatalist's game.  Humans do act, and often with serious and sad outcomes.  The good news is that we are not alone!  Writing to the Romans, the apostle Paul reminded them that hope is real because it is anchored in one who is able to carr y it, sustain it, and fulfill it (Romans 8:24-25; 28-30).  History is moving to an end, and the Bible offers a good end.  Thus, the difference between optimism (short term and easily overcome) and hope (eternal and anchored) is where they are rooted.  One leans on human effort; the other rests in God and God's promises.

Stuart McAllister is vice president of training and special projects at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years. -- Charles H. Spurgeon

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http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php