Looking to Jesus

Thought you all would enjoy reading the blog of a dear sister in Christ who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Lizzie Metcalf is beautiful, vibrant, chic, and best of all is in love with our Savior, possessing a child-like faith and desiring His pleasure before her own.

I love her blog, because in it she lavishes praise upon our Savior whom she trusts so completely and encourages me to fix my eyes heavenward even as she seeks to do so herself.

I am jealous of the ways she has grown to cherish and know Jesus better throughout this trial. Which has caused me to realize two things:

1) I need to be pursuing and loving and knowing Jesus NOW, by begging Him for His grace and for faithfulness

2) Only when I am preparing in the easy times will I be prepared for the hard times...as many a person has quoted, "We are like sponges, who we really are comes out under pressure."

Oh to be prepared for the storms ahead like my sweet friend, Lizzie! Oh to be a beacon of light to a generation who has lost what hope is, replacing it with empty imitations. People are watching us, and how we respond to each trial the Lord sovereignly places upon our path either magnifies and validates the Gospel, or disgraces and detracts from it!

May we all strive to run hard like Lizzie, leaning on His everlasting arms...our God is so faithful!

Enjoy!

http://chemochronicles.tumblr.com/

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:1-2

Justice & Mercy

Bear with me as I think out loud....it'll be a bit messy....

Justice - getting what is obligated to you; getting what you deserve; getting something by merit. Reward and punishment can both be aspects of justice.

Mercy - not getting the just punishment you deserve for the evil you have done

Grace - getting what you don't deserve and have not justly merited


That's why mercy and grace can never be obliged, deserved or merit. As soon as they are obligated to you, deserving or merited, then you are no longer talking about mercy and grace...you are talking about justice.

Salvation is by the mercy and grace of God. Therefore, it is never right to speak of salvation as something that is merited, obligated or merited. Salvation would no longer be by mercy and grace, but by justice. And only Christ can satisfy the justice of God. Mercy and grace have to be voluntary for them to be such. And since we cannot satisfy the justice of God, either by merit or by punishment, then we must rely on another to satisfy His just demands. This is where Christ shines brightest and His gospel becomes good news. He alone satisfies God's justice in taking my punishment...He got what I deserve. And I get what He deserves...and that is mercy and grace in action.

It's freely given. Not merited. Not earned. Voluntary. And God gives it to whom He wills...whom He chooses. It has to be that way or else we are no longer talking about mercy and grace...but justice.

In light of this, the doctrine of election has to be what it is as taught from a reformed perspective.

Just thinking out loud here. Not trying to write eloquently. Just working some thoughts out from our Bible study tonight.

PAGE CXVI

Page CXVI's 3rd album.
You can listen to it in it's entirety.