Day Two: All I Have Is Christ

This song is one that I continually listen to. I love this song! Verse one reminds of what I was before Christ. I was a legalistic, prideful, self-righteous, selfish, depraved, wicked sinner. I needed a Savior.

Verse two reminds me of the glorious doctrine of election. I did not choose Christ, He in fact chose me! Verse two makes me revel in the glories of Calvary.

Verse three and the chorus describe the prayer of my heart as I seek to follow and be obedient to Christ in all that I do.  I want Christ alone to be my boast! I want to say and truly believe: Hallelujah! All I have is Christ!

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin

Day One: Before the Throne of God Above

Gospel-centered music has been and continues to be one of the main things that the Lord often uses to soften my heart again towards Him. Sometimes I am so stuck in myself that I need to hear the gospel again and be encouraged by God’s faithfulness to me. When I have been discouraged, weary, hard-hearted , allowing my fears to control me, overwhelmed, and unable to see good in a situation, God has used music to allow my soul to rejoice once again in the gospel. Rejoice in the fact that I am not dealt with according to my sins, nor am I repaid according to my iniquities (Psalm 103:10) because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross in my place. I am seen as perfectly righteous in God’s eyes because Jesus lived the perfect life for me that I could never live. 

Over the next several weeks, I am going to be posting some of my favorite gospel-centered songs. These songs are not in any order, just ones that have truth so wonderful that my pride has been brought to my knees, tears of joy have been brought to my eyes, ones that have allowed me to taste and see once again that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), and ones that have allowed me to rejoice in the hope I have in heaven. In heaven, God will wipe away every tear from my eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away and all things will be made new again (Revelation 21:4-5).

Day One: Before the Throne of God Above.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God! (added bridge by Shane & Shane)

Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

–Steve and Vikki Cook (Sovereign Grace Music)

Up!

I was thinking about the Pixar movie, “Up!” today. I love this movie. I love the colors and the balloons… and I love Carl and Ellie’s adorably sweet romance and marriage.

Then I thought of the adorable engagement & wedding photos that I saw on the amazing Wildflower Photography‘s blog. take a few minutes to look at them. They really are amazing!

 

 

Up! Engagement Photos (Part One)

Up! Engagement Photos (Part Two)

Up! Wedding Photos

 

 

The Beginning of the End…

Today, I start classes again. No, this is not like ever other time I have started a semester because this time, there won’t be a next semester in high school. Graduation is at the end of this semester.

I can’t believe that I am senior! It doesn’t seem like I should be happening. School has been my life for the past 15+ years! I remember thinking how cool all the senior were when I was in 7th grade. Graduation seemed so far off. Now I am reaching the light at the end of the tunnel…

So, what does my future hold?

Well, it holds mostly uncertainty. I am not planning on attending college right away. This decision has been one I have contemplated for the last couple of years and feel God’s hand instead leading me towards jumping into a full-time job in May. This decision has definitely been hard. It it hard to think that I might be missing out, in a sense. I want to get married and this most certainty brings the most uncertainty about the future. I wonder if God will bless me with a husband in the next few years, or if it will be ten years, or thirty years, or never…

While my future brings (and will continue to bring) opportunities to doubt, I know that I can trust in the One who holds my future. He has plans to prosper and not harm me, to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He doesn’t withold any good from me (Psalm 84:11), and He gives me strength in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

I am excited to see what plans God has for me! Praise God that Jesus Christ came to die for my sin of anxiety. By His grace, I can choose to trust that He will always be with me, gives me wisdom regarding future decisions, and is always, ALWAYS for my good!

Delighting in the Word, Dwelling Secure

I began a new Bible reading plan today. I discovered the website YouVersion through Facebook and Twitter. This website features a wonderfully long list of all kinds of Bible reading plans. I decided with the Psalms & Proverbs plan, which will take me through Psalms twice and Proverbs twelve times in the course of just over a year.

I love both Psalms and Proverbs. There is so much to soak in, so it will be good to go through Proverbs twelves times and Psalms twice.

While reading Psalm 1 this morning, I was stuck once again by the promise of the man/woman who delights in the word.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree
planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” -Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV)

I wouldn’t say that reading God’s word is always a delight to me. I am thankful that Christ paid for my sins. My love for the word and commitment to the word does not affect my standing before God. With this being said, having my sins covered should certainly produce in my heart a desire to continually delight in the word more.

Following those verses comes the promise to the one who delights in the word: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season… In all that he does, he prospers.” That is a pretty amazing promise! I want to be like a tree that yields good fruit. I want to prosper.

I am thankful for a God that doesn’t just demand things of me. He gives me joy in doing what He says and grace to continue through when I continually struggle. By His grace, I pray that I desire the word more than I currently do.

After reading in Psalms, I read this verse at the end of Proverbs 1: “but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” -Proverbs 1:33 (ESV)

By delighting in the word, I will be like a tree that bears good fruit AND one that dwells secure, is at ease, and has no dread of disaster.

Praise God!

Always Good

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” ~Psalm 84:11

God is always working for our good. I often view my circumstances in the moment, but God has a bigger view; an eternal view. Everything that we go through and experience is ultimately for our good and God’s glory. As a believer, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, I can trust that the verse above is completely true. If you are a Christian, this verse is true for you as well.

Do you think that a pain-free day would be good for you? Well, by God allowing you to be in the pain you are in, He says that a complete pain-free day is not good for you, or He would not have withheld it from you.

Do you think that a bigger house would be good for you? If God has not provided it for you, then it is good you still live in your small house that is inconvenient for you and your family. He would given you a bigger house, if that’s what was truly best for you.

Do you think that a job that allows you to provide for your family is what is good for you? By God withholding a job from you, He is saying that is is best for you to be unemployed right now.

Do you think that marriage would be best for you right now? God says that if it would have been good for you, He would not have withheld it from you.

This verse applies to everything that we face in life. I know that this is hard to hear! Trust me, I have wrestled through this verse and fought it. “Really God? It is really best for me to experience this pain today?”

All of the things that I have mentioned are good things and things that God blesses us with. However, we quickly idolize them and think that all our happiness, joy, satisfaction and contentment is wrapped up in getting what we crave.

By God’s grace, I am slowly learning. I am reminded again and again, “Becca, God is for you, not against you. There is a reason that he is allowing you to experience this pain. He withholds absolutely no good thing from you!

Praise God that He is sovereign and in control. I am so thankful that He is good, loving, holy and pure. He is not ruled by fickle emotions like I am. His love is steady, and the fact that He is good will never change!

Swing Dancing

I went swing dancing for the 1st time last night. I went with a group of Grace’s friends from the plays that she has been in. Because I didn’t know anyone that well, I was kind of expecting to sit in the corner most of the night. However, I was able to be out on the floor for a majority of the night. I had way more fun than I was expecting!

I thoroughly enjoyed the night!

The Prodigal

You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent, I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life

Where now are the friends that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house

You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy’s robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child

–Sovereign Grace Ministries

Off of the Sons & Daughters CD

Fighting Anxiety

I am right in the middle of a battle against anxiety. A battle against myself. A battle against the lies of my thoughts.

I am so quick to worry and dwell on the “what-ifs” instead of reality. This afternoon you would have found me crying in faithlessness and self-pity. It is really pathetic. I am thankful that the Lord no longer counts my sinfulness against me even when I so quick to doubt his goodness. Still, I long to be rid of this anxiety that constantly weighs me down.

“Sometimes when we cry out in our pain, asking God to make himself known, we can’t find him. He seems faraway and distant, and we conclude that he just isn’t as good and kind and as powerful as we had thought. Our weak faith is shaken, and we wind up distancing ourselves from God, because our own means of comfort and the people who love us seem safer. When we go through that sort of experience, our foundation can be shaken to the core. ‘I obviously cannot depend on God,’ we think, ‘so somehow I have to fix everything. And if God could do this to be, what other painful thing might he do?’ What we don’t see at such times and in the swirl of such thoughts is the fact that we were resting on the wrong foundation in the first place. Our view of God has actually been wrong all along. We thought we had been relying on God, but the truth is, we’d actually been relying on our idea of God and on what we were hoping God would do for us to make our lives happier.”

–Lydia Brownback from her book, Trust: a godly woman’s adornment (pages 12-14)

This really put anxiety into a new light for me. By God’s grace, these words were the ones that I needed to hear. I was also encouraged by this quote:

“Disappointments do not come from the hand of a cruel God; they come to us from the God who longs to relate and is actually drawing us nearer.”

–Lydia Brownback

Throughout this battle, I have seen my soul quickly doubting God’s love and goodness in taking me through this trial. I am so thankful to be reminded that he is drawing me closer to him through every trial that I face. He is always working to sanctify me and draw me closer. Though it is painful, I am learning to be thankful. It is for my good!

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

–Matthew 6:34 (ESV)

Mortifying the Flesh with Fullness

As I daily fight for fullness in Christ instead of fullness in the things of this world and myself, I am encouraged that the answer is found in Christ; in the gospel. When you read the passage below, don’t be discouraged by sin but be encouraged by the goodness of God through the gospel.

Though saved, I am daily beset by a sinful flesh that always craves those things that are contrary to the Spirit. These fleshly lusts are vicious enemies, constantly waging war against the good of my soul. Yet they promise me fullness, and their promises are so deliciously sweet that I often find myself giving into them as if they were friends that have my best interests at heart.

On the most basic of levels, I desire fullness, and fleshly lusts seduce me by attaching themselves to this basic desire. They exploit the empty spaces in me, and they promise that fullness will be mine if I give in to their demands. When my soul sits empty and is aching for something to fill it, such deceptive promises are extremely difficult to resist.

Consequently, the key to mortifying fleshly lusts is to eliminate the emptiness within me and replace it with fullness; and I accomplish this by feasting on the gospel. Indeed, it is in the gospel that I experience a God who glorifies Himself by filling me with His fullness. He is the One, Paul says, “who fills all in all.”(Ephesians 1:22-23) He is the One who “fills all things” with the gifts He gives.(Ephesians 4:7-10) And He lavishes gospel blessings upon me with the goal that I “be filled up to all the fullness of God”. (Ephesians 3:14,16,19) This is the God of the gospel, a God who is satisfied with nothing less than my experience of fullness in Him! The first command God spoke in the Garden was, “eat freely.” And with similar insistence He says to me now, “be filled.” (Ephesians 5:18)

What happens to my appetites for sin when I am filled with the fullness of God in Christ? Jesus provides this answer: “He who continually comes to Me will never hunger or thirst again.” (John 6:25) Indeed, as I perpetually feast on Christ and all His blessings found in the gospel, I find that my hunger for sin diminishes and the lies of lust simply lose their appeal. Hence, to the degree that I am full, I am free. Eyes do not rove, nor do fleshly lusts rule, when the heart is fat with the love of Jesus!

Preaching the gospel to myself each day keeps before me the startling advocacy of God for my fullness… And nothing so mortifies fleshly lusts like satisfaction in Him.

–taken from the book, A Gospel Primer, by Milton Vincent (pages 45-47)