Archived Notes

"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise...." - Romans 1:14

Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. The greatest inspiration in Paul’s life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that same sense of indebtedness to Christ regarding every unsaved soul? As a saint, my life’s spiritual honor and duty is to fulfill my debt to Christ in relation to these lost souls. Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His redemption into evident reality in the lives of others? I will only be able to do this as the Spirit of God works into me this sense of indebtedness.

Judge not, that ye be not judged —Matthew 7:1

Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.

There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God. By Oswald Chambers

CROSS

There is a cross we are given

To carry on our journey to Heaven

And the longer I live the more I see

Exactly what this cross is to me

I used to think of my cross one way

It was just all the struggles I face

This cross was just all the trials I go through

This cross was mine and what I needed to do

And, then I thought of the Cross of Christ

Yes, His Cross was the one on which He volunteered His life

Yes, He laid down His life to do God’s will

He faithfully stayed up there until He felt death’s chill

But the Cross of Christ was so much more

His Cross was of God’s grace to others to show

His Cross was for nothing He had done

His Cross was the price for all of my wrongs

So then I began to think of my own

Could it be that my focus was a bit wrong

Could it be that Christ paid for my pain

In addition for my sin so eternal life I’d gain

And, then as slow as my mind can be

The true meaning of “MY” cross was clear to me

This cross was for others God sent my way

My cross was to carry the need of others each day

Yes, I need to carry other people’s pain

I need to smile while holding their hand

I need to carry that load that they face

I need to sweat so they can continue on life’s way

And, I need to take all they throw my way

My cross may get heavy but I hear God say

“Your cross is the way I bless others in this life

“Your cross is the way others will see My light

“So carry your cross with the strength I provide

“Live for others and trust Me to be your guide

“You will see miracles with the people you know

“When you carry that heavy load, it’s My love you do show.”

And, now “MY” cross has a new meaning to me

It’s a cross that is totally made of other people’s needs

It’s a cross that I need to take up every day I live

It’s a cross that will show me how much better to give

So, Lord open my eyes to the burdens of others around me

Let me see their hurts, their pain and their needs

Let me see ways, I can help lighten their load each day

Let me be a giver, always helping others along life’s way

Let me learn to forgive and be understanding all the time

Let me enjoy life working in Your fields and in Your sight

Let me lift another’s burden and put a smile on their face

And the only reward I need is just living in Your grace

GRJ 6-7-2011

Spiritual Satisfaction. . . Never!!!

The Secret of the Lord by Oswald Chambers

What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.

“What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose. (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?”

SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN

Give them someone to believe in

Those the Lord has brought your way

He sent them to you for a blessing

Just love them and brighten up their day

Give them someone to believe in

Life can be so very tough at times

You be the one to grab onto their lives

Let them always see hope in your smile

Give them someone to believe in

Today may be the toughest day they face

You be the one to lift that load they carry

You be the one to help them keep the pace

Give them someone to believe in

Oh, just let them make mistakes now and then

But don’t every stop believing in their potential

And don’t let them stay down, pick them up again

Give them someone to believe in

Walk the second mile with them down life’s highway

Speak by faith of all the blessings of God

Always talk of His love, mercy and unending grace

Give them someone to believe in

You be all the Lord intended for you to be

Pay the price to walk close to God forever

Let your faith be the encouragement they may need

Give them someone to believe in

Let God’s Word fill your heart and soul

Let them see in you the light of His witness

Let them see you living in God’s overflow

Give them someone to believe in

The days are long, but the years are short to the end

When your final chapter down here is written

Let them smile, knowing you were always their True Friend

Give them someone to believe in

The same way you believe in Christ too

He didn’t go to the cross for no reason

And, He has never once given up on you

GRJ 5-26-2011

Always Choose Faith and remember Heaven’s silence does not necessarily mean God has said “no”.

Matthew 15: 23

A. Faith believes the promises of God, unbelief doubts the promises.

B. Faith believes His Word because it is true, unbelief doubts that it is true.

C. Faith sees more in the promise of God to help, than in all other forces to hinder. Unbelief looks at the problem and says: "It can't be done."
D. Faith will cause you to see the love in the heart of Christ even when He is reproving you. Unbelief will imagine that He is angry even when He is speaking words of love.
E. Faith will help the soul to wait even when God delays. Unbelief will throw it all away if there be any tarrying.

F. Faith will give comfort in the midst of fear. Unbelief will bring fear in the midst of comforts.

H. Faith will find sweetness in God's silence and/or staff. Unbelief will find no comfort even in the greatest mercies.

I. Faith makes heavy burdens light. Unbelief makes light burdens heavy.

J. Faith helps us when we are down. Unbelief brings us down when we are up.

K. Faith brings us near to God when we were far from Him. Unbelief puts us far from God when He is near.

L. Faith sets man free. Unbelief holds a man in.

M. Faith purifies our hearts. Unbelief pollutes our hearts.

N. Faith makes our most feeble works acceptable unto God through Christ. But unbelief makes our greatest works unacceptable for whatsoever is not of faith is sin, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.

O. Faith brings peace to the soul. Unbelief causes strife, tossings and trouble like the restless waves of the sea.

P. Faith causes us to see preciousness in Christ. Unbelief sees no beauty that we should desire Him.

Q. Through Faith we experience fullness in Christ. Unbelief leads to leaness of soul.

R. Faith gives us the victory. Unbelief brings us defeat.

S. Faith causes us to see the glory in the things of the unseen world. Unbelief sees only the misery in the things of the present material world.

T. Faith makes the things of God pleasant and joyful. Unbelief makes them heavy and intolerable.

U. By faith Abraham was given the land of promise. By unbelief Moses was not able to enter.

V. By faith the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, by unbelief they perished in the wilderness.

W. By faith Peter walked on the water. By unbelief he began to sink.

X. Through faith our cup runs over. Through unbelief it is always empty. Maybe it seems that the Lord has been silent. You have called but it is as though He is ignoring you. Maybe you have been troubled by some misunderstanding, I would encourage you to just keep trusting Him. He will answer your prayer, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” She didn’t give up until she received her answered prayer. Don’t you give up either. Never quit, just continue on in faith, believing!!

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I HEARD MOMMA'S VOICE ONE DAY

I heard Momma’s voice one day;
When I was given new life.

It had such a comforting way,

Of chasing away my little strife.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

When I fell and hurt my knee.

She came running to say it would be alright,

When she heard my fall and plea.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

As the preacher talked of Heaven.

She said I needed Christ as my Savior too,

And if I asked from my heart he would save me.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

When I failed my first science test.

She said everything would be okay,

Then she hugged me to herself.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

When I graduated from high school.

She was so proud of all I had done,

And she reminded me to stick to the Golden Rule.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

When from my first job I did call.

She could sense anxiety in my voice

And reminded me that God watched over us all.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

As the wedding bells did ring.

Tears flowed down my Momma’s face

As she reminded me God had planned everything

I heard Momma's voice one day;

As the doctors said it won’t be long.

Momma said everything was in God’s hands

And she could hear God calling her home.

I heard Momma's voice one day;

When I was daydreaming beside her grave.

She reminded me of Jesus Christ’s salvation

And of God’s love and wonderful care.

I wish I could hear Momma's voice today;
It has been so long since we sat and talked.

I know that I'll hear her voice again

When in Heaven together we shall walk.

Then I'll hear Momma's voice that day;

As through Heaven's gates I shall run.

For Jesus Christ is Momma's and my Saviour too

And in Heaven we'll live as family with God's Son.

GRJ May 2001

HE REMEMBERED ME

I took a walk along those Jerusalem streets

Where my Saviour lived and walked

I heard others tell stories of Him

And how He lived and of what He talked

I went to where I could see those olive trees

And how they never died but lived on and on

And I saw the place where He knelt and prayed

And begged for God’s will, not His own

I went to the Pool of Siloam that they found

Where the blind man washed and could see

And I walked beside the Pool of Bethesda

Where the lame man after 38 years was set free

I went to the place of the skull in the rock

And saw the hill where they crucified Him

And I stepped into the tomb that was new

Where the cold hand of death couldn’t stop His rising again

But of all the places that overwhelmed my heart

And of all the truths I was brought to recall

There is one thing that ignited me in the greatest way

And humbled my heart more than anything else at all

You see I never realized the distances Christ travelled

And how much of an evangelist He was

Until we rode for hours from place to place

And I realized all the many, many miles He walked

You see, Christ was truly an evangelist

That travelled on foot everywhere that He did go

He must have blessed so many people

But the total blessings, the book of John says we don’t know

But those blessings will never outdo the one blessing

That Christ made me realize while walking in Israel on my feet

That when He gave His disciples their Matthew 28 command

To take His message to the Gentiles, He did so because He remembered me!

GRJ 2-15-2011

MONDAY MORNING