Counting The Cost

Random thoughts on walking with Jesus in this turvy-topsy world

Looking for love like a peasant

"A peasant dates to find a lifelong companion who will make them feel profoundly worthwhile, even if the rest of the world dismisses them as unimportant. Whereas the aristocrat dates and marries for many small things, the peasant dates and marries for one big thing: someone who takes away the pain and makes life a celebration. In choosing a soul mate rather than a partner, the peasant is given the greatest gift of all."

-Shmuley Boteach

posted by: Jrobbins at 00:53 | link | comments |
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True freedom

"We find freedom when we find God;

we lose it when we lose Him."

      -- Paul E. Scherer

posted by: Jrobbins at 14:45 | link | comments (2) |
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Celebrate freedom!

Happy Independence Day, guys! I love this holiday. I am so blessed to live in America, and I love celebrating that fact with my family and friends. I know that I post about Boundless Webzine at least once a week, but they just have such a talented team of writers working for them. Every week, it seems, I run across an article that touches on something so personal to me. This week, Brenna Kate Simonds has an article on freedom in Christ and how that looks in a day-to-day kind of way. I've posted a tiny excerpt below and added the link. Enjoy your freedom today, and don't go too crazy with those fireworks ( I already have a friend named Stumpy - it would get too confusing if there were two of you.)

-Joy

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. I'd probably read that in my Bible a hundred times, but on one particularly difficult day, I found myself wondering how on earth it could be true. If Jesus had already set me free, then why did I feel so bound up? Why did I still struggle with the same issues that I struggled with before I came to know Him? And if the Church is supposed to live in freedom, why did so many others, not just me, still seem to be in slavery? Why does freedom seem so unattainable? And so began my journey to find out what freedom really is, and how can I walk in that reality...."

Excerpt from "The Gift of Freedom"

by Brenna Kate Simonds

 

 

 

posted by: Jrobbins at 17:12 | link | comments |

The wonderful work of God for us

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

- 2 Corinthians 5:21

"The believer is not 'the righteousness of God' because of some perfecting or purifying work upon his character that makes him like God and without sin, but he is considered righteous before God through the work of Christ on his behalf. In the same way, Christ was not made sin by having His character marred or soiled, thus actually becoming depraved, but as a result of imputation by which He was considered guilty before the judgement seat of God on our behalf. This truth, however, must not cause us to think any less of Paul's declaration that Christ was "made sin." Although it was an imputed guilt, it was real guilt, bringing unspeakable anguish to His soul. He took our guilt as His own, stood in our place, and died forsaken of God. "

-Paul Washer, Heartcry Missionary Society

"Him God raised up on the third day and showed Him openly...To Him all the prophets witness that, through His Name, whoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."

-Acts 10:40a, 43

posted by: Jrobbins at 02:52 | link | comments (2) |
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The power to be content

Yesterday morning on his radio program, The Journey, Tom Dooley was wrapping up a series on walking with God. I was especially interested in yesterday's program because he talked so much about contentment in the Christian life. This made me think of one of my favorite "Say What?!" verses in the Bible: "For I have learned to be content in whatever state I find myself: I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13.

Paul was sitting in prison when he wrote those words, and he probably still had the scars on his body from the many beatings he got at the hands of those who hated the Lord Jesus and His people. Yet, he was content! And here I am, with all the many blessings God has given me (including saving me from my sins and making me His child) - and I struggle many days with contentment. Say what?!

The reason I valued Tom's teaching so much yesterday was that he related contentment to the facts of God's character and goodness - not "feelings." It made me realize how much a slave I've become to those nasty, tricksy things called "feelings." When I am feeling good and not committing any outrageously evident sins, then I "feel" that my relationship with God is going all right. Then, usually the very next day, I wake up in a deep blue funk and sin all over the place. Suddenly, I don't "feel" that I've done enough to make God love me.

All of this roller coaster Christianity is completely opposite from what the Bible teaches. Once I've accepted the Lord Jesus' offer of salvation, my salvation is a FACT. Once I've asked Him for forgiveness for the sins I commit every day, His forgiveness is a FACT. If I can just learn to start trusting the FACTS of God, instead of my rotten, stinking, lying feelings, then I know I will be much more content in my walk with God. So thanks, Tom Dooley, for that reminder. And thank You, Lord Jesus, because with You in our lives a prison cell seems just like a palace.

-Joy

 

posted by: Jrobbins at 17:03 | link | comments |
faith and feelings

Superheroes rule!

I love superheroes. Anyone who knows me well knows I spend waaaay too much time and money to read about or watch Batman, Superman, or the X-Men (at least until that last movie. Blech.) In fact, Batman was my second biggest crush when I was little - second only to Luke Skywalker. So, needless to say, I was very excited when I clicked over to PluggedInOnline.com and saw their latest feature article, "A Super Look at Superheroes." This great article runs the gamut of gallant heroes from Batman to Iron Man and discusses the qualities that make them so unforgettable. I won't ruin the article for you, I promise, so click on over and check it out.

-Joy

posted by: Jrobbins at 02:20 | link | comments |

The saving gospel

"Are you ashamed of the simple message of the gospel? I hope you're not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because God's righteousness is revealed in it.

You see, we have our own sense of righteousness and our own sense of what is right and wrong. But God's righteousness is a lot different than ours. It is only at the cross that the righteous requirements of the law and of God are satisfied. It is impossible to fulfill them apart from the cross."

-Pastor Greg Laurie

posted by: Jrobbins at 02:53 | link | comments |
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