to be delighted in

“To please God...to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness...to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” C.S. Lewis

Mortification Prayers

"Lord, this [family, ministry, work etc] is a good thing, why have I made it to be so absolute? Why do I feel so pointless with out it? What is this compared to you? If I have you, I don't have to have this! This cannot bless me and love me and help me be like you! This is not my life- Jesus is my life! This is not my righteousness and worthiness. It cannot give me that. But you can and have!

"Lord, why am I giving this so much power over me? If I keep doing it, it will strangle me. I don't have to do so- I will not do so any longer. I will not let this jerk me around on a leash any longer. This will not be my Master- you are my only King.

"Lord, I see how repulsive this idol [is]. [I see] this idol for what it is- an idol. In yearning after this, I was trampling on your love for me. I realize now that the greatest sin in my life is a lack of thankfulness, a lack of grateful joy for what you have done for me."

Timothy Keller

Christ our Hope

Lord Jesus Christ, you are for me medicine when I am sick; you are my strength when I need help; you are life itself when I fear death; you are the way when I long for heaven; you are light when all is dark; you are my food when I need nourishment.   —Ambrose of Milan (340-397)

A refreshing ravishing food

“I had then, and at other times, the greatest delight in the holy Scriptures, of any book whatsoever. Oftentimes in reading it, every word seemed to touch my heart. I felt a harmony between something in my heart, and those sweet powerful words. I seemed often to see so much light, exhibited by every sentence, and such a refreshing ravishing food communicated, that I could not get along in reading. Used oftentimes to dwell long on one sentence, to see the wonders contained in it; and yet almost every sentence seemed to be full of wonders... I… found, from time to time, an inward sweetness, that used, as it were to carry me away in my contemplations, in… a calm, sweet abstraction of soul from all the concerns of this world, and… fixed ideas and imaginations, of being alone… sweetly conversing with Christ, and wrapped and swallowed up in God. The sense I had of divine things, would often of a sudden as it were, kindle up a sweet burning in my heart; an ardor of my soul, that I know not how to express…”  Jonathan Edwards

God is most glorified

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied with Him” John Piper

 

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Soldiers for Jesus

Here are the cutest kids in the world. Joshua enters 4th grade, Shane ~ 2nd, and Hosahna ~ 1st. All in elementary school. Wow! They really do grow up quickly.

The essence of worship...

"The essence of worship is an inner, Godward experience that shows itself externally in daily expressions of allegiance to God."  John Piper