Oh Dee, its the song by Francesca Battistelli. This song captured me the first time I heard it on the radio in my car a few years ago. I came home and wrote out the words and chords and have often sung it as my prayer (not just at Christmas).
Everything inside me cries for order. Everything inside me wants to hide. (Isn’t this how we often feel? And so we are driven and drawn to call out to our God.)
Be born in me, be born in me Trembling heart, somehow I believe that You chose me I’ll hold You in the beginning, You will hold me in the end Every moment in the middle, make my heart Your Bethlehem Be born in me
Be born in me again this morning, Lord. Fresh awareness of your presence, like oxygen to my soul.
What a beautiful song, Dee! I heard it before and cried the first time. Be born in me, Lord. May I catch a fresh wind of the Spirit and just like Nila here said, oxygen to my soul that is being depleted by the cares of this world. Make my heart Your Bethlehem, be born in me again, Lord.
This is the CRUX! LOVE this post. So, I just finished writing my post and my laptop erased it. 🙁 I am going to try to remember for it was short and sweet!
This is the CRUX! :))) yes, THE SECRET TO ENJOYING GOD, IS UNION AND COMMUNION WITH CHRIST.YES!
Communion with Him is oxygen to our soul for we are powerless to transform ourselves!! So good Nila.
I need Him to remove more scales and I need this truth to be CONTINUALLY REBORN IN my HEART for I have MANY distractions with my family-and we are under spiritual attack..and lately, the morning times I have set aside to spend with Him-emergencies keep coming up and I have been unable to..but The fox in the vineyard will not steal my joy for I can still spend time with Him even during the emergencies. And so I am taking my memory verses with me and reviewing them.Oh communion with Him quenches my thirst and He helps me to resist other things I can easily bend toward for satisfaction. Please pray for me-for my morning time with Him.
God had me read a post by Philip Yancey yesterday about a seeker who started paying attention to a street preacher (I thought-oh no!) but God had her hear, “Jesus is coming. start singing!” instead of Jesus is coming. Stop sinning!” Isn’t that like Him?! 🙂
Dee-I’m not sure if you have posted this song before..but it is from Audrey Assad: https://youtu.be/MFqR-UK_to0
This is SO how I feel in my current season. How painful it is submitting to these birth pangs bubbling inside my winter-yet it is in these times I experience Him most. “Steadying my heart on the ground of Your goodness. When I am bowed down with sorrow, I will lift up Your name..And the foxes in the vineyard will not steal my joy.”
“Good to me”
I put all my hope in the truth of Your promise And I steady my heart on the ground of Your goodness When I’m bowed down with sorrow I will lift up Your name And the foxes in the vineyard will not steal my joy Because You are good to me, good to me I lift up my eyes to the hills where my help is found Your voice fills the night – raise my head up to hear the sound Though fires burn all around me I will praise You, my God And the foxes in the vineyard will not steal my joy Because You are good to me, good to me Your goodness and mercy shall follow me All my life I will trust in Your promise.
Rebecca–so love you and your heart–praying for peace, for sweet times with His Word, oh you have been through so much–but GREATER is the One who live in you
OH my–this is just all so rich, such a blessing to me this morning! I feel such a stir in my heart,excitement- just reading. I loved the song, had not heard it before! “Did You wrap yourself inside the unexpected, So we might know that Love would go that far?”
I’m just finishing a book called “Humble Roots” by Hannah Anderson–about finding rest through submission to Christ, how pride keeps us from truly abiding in Him. So much of what I’m learning is echoed here and I can’t wait to go deeper! Part of the grafting into Him, requires a stripping down, “birth pangs”.This full life in Christ, only possible through His resurrection in us, only possible through submission, surrender.
Lizzy, this comment, incredible, “through His resurrection in us” I have never thought of it that way before, He must be resurrected in me! I do pray the life of the resurrected Christ will be manifest in me. What greater honor could there be?
Good morning from MN where it was minus 21 on the thermometer when I awoke. We’re already UP to -19 🙂
I haven’t had time to read the introduction yet, but wanted to answer a question from last week’s blog before I forget to do it.
this is for SUE MI SW The book I have, which was a gift to me by a friend, is ‘ADVENT in NARNIA’ by Heidi Haverkamp
It is basic, but good. Could be used with a family because it has appeal to children (of course) but has some thought provoking questions deep enough for adults too.
(About 30 years ago, I wrote some Sunday School lessons to go with the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and have taught that book in church settings 3 times. I regret never pursuing actually making them more ‘publisher’ ready….and giving it a shot but I was way too busy with three preschoolers (one with special needs) at the time and I know nothing about that process. But the content is all on an old ‘floppy disk’ ha! The parallels to scripture and character that Haverkamp draws is very much like the questions in my lessons. I’m feeling the urge to teach the book again….but it is a hard one to schedule. It takes a good 10 weeks and kids who are willing to read outside of class. One summer, I taught it in my home with a bunch of my daughters’ age girls from church. But that was the summer my mom got sick and I ended up having to rush it and didn’t get to finish well. It was the year the first Walden Media Narnia movie came out in December.)
And now to get ready to get out in the cold to go to church! It is so still and beautiful outside though.
I was complaining to Lizzy about our single digit lows this week but , wow -21!! Good O’le MN!!! 😀 I’m sure Diane from Canada (and others as well) can relate. Lived in MN one a little over a year and I prayed it would be the mildest Winter in the history of the state, and it was!! 😀 The weather reporters were going nuts talking about it and how no one could ice fish, etc…. (probably would have made some enemies had I confessed to the locals that I had prayed for such a Winter.)
I love that you made lessons out of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe! I bet they are wonderful. Wanda.
Tried to comment earlier but could not even type in the box, then logged off and back on and now is works! 🙂 Technology! 1. What stands out? I loved that sweet song of Mary. Never heard that one before. I have thought so much about Mary and how scary it must have been to be pregnant and unmarried in that time. On the one hand, she must have had so much excitement at the thought of God, Himself, choosing to dwell in her (hmmm…just like He chooses to dwell in us if we invite Him!) but on the other hand, oh the fears that must of popped up in her heart and mind.
2. 2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. I feel like I’m experiencing a bitter sweetness this season. But most definitely all wrapped up in His presence. Today my friend, Rick (the man at my church who is now dying of metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer) came to church for what I am guessing will be the last time. My heart has been so heavy with this. Last night (actually at 1a.m. this morning) I emailed him and said, “I hope and pray that He is showing up for you in a BIG way. I just want to know that. I know He has for me when I’ve been on a path of suffering and pain. I believe He will in the future, if I find myself where you currently are in a few more months or years.” So when I briefly spoke with him today he said, “Mary, I want you to know I am at total peace. I’m okay, and I want you to be okay. I’m at peace.” I said, “So He is showing up in a BIG way?” He nodded and his face said PEACE as well. So my heart feels a bit quieted now but I have been struggling these past few weeks. Vacillating between anxiety and then doing what you have mentioned before, Dee, “speaking to my soul, rather than listening.” It has surely helped.
Mary..….this friendship and ministry you have with Rick is so blessed by the Lord. There is nothing harder….or sweeter than what you are doing. I pray you will be comforted and encouraged.
I have to say, sometimes I really feel it is the opposite, Rick is comforting me! He is further down this road of stage 4 than I am and I see him remaining faithful and thankful to the Lord for little things and I see the Lord showing Himself faithful to provide Rick with peace and comfort in the midst of this and that gives me courage and comfort.
Mary e., your interaction with Rick brings tears. Lovely. It fills me with awe that Rick is at “total peace” during his difficult labour from this “body of death” to life everlasting; and that you both are sharing the “communion of suffering” with each other. My prayer for you is that Jesus will “show up in a BIG WAY” for you this Christmas!
Oh, what a lovely song by Francesca Battistelli, Dee. It is my prayer, too, for always. I’ve never heard it before. I am also interested in the book you recommend. I too long for union with Christ and communion with Him. I am anxious to hear more.
We had a smaller group at church today because we were experiencing some freezing rain and then rain making our lanes and driveways slick. We already have quite a bit of snow and it is beautiful here too.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? The need for both union and communion. I’m not sure that I understand the distinction, but I got the book on my kindle this morning and I am looking forward to diving in.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
I believe that I am. Like I said last week, I am enjoying a period of peace in both my mind and spirit and while I know not to put my trust in my feelings, still it feels good.
Dawn — so thankful for this time of peace for you. So glad you got Union and Communion with Christ on your kindle. We’ll be diving into the topic in 2017!
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
Yes, though it is hard to put into words. I feel the joy of His presence differently than I ever have before. I think I used to sense Him most in times of desperate need, when I ran to Him—or in times of great worship…but lately it is different, somehow—I just sense a continual conversation. Life does not feel “so hard” and yet, nothing has gotten easier, really, and a few relationships are worse…but still, there is a peace I can’t explain–and it’s not denial (I was raised in that and I run from it!) Yesterday, while discussing this next adoption, my husband said–“you know, this is not going to make anything easier..”, but that reality doesn’t scare me we away. I just have assurance that He holds all of it.
I also feel a desire to follow that is richer, more based in love, than before. I feel a willingness to risk, that I’ve never had before, trusting He will catch me. My vision feels expanded beyond my little world–finally! This all sounds cliche, and maybe even cheesy—and I can’t put the right words it…but yes, I feel His joy in me, His joy is my strength.
Lizzy I think the Lord has lead you to this wonderful place of rest…just resting in Him in all circumstances. It’s a wonderful place to be, like the song In Christ Alone says, “What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.”
LIzzy-wow wow wow!! This delighted me so so much to hear. 🙂 🙂 I feel a willingness to risk, that I’ve never had before, trusting He will catch me. My vision feels expanded beyond my little world–finally! This all sounds cliche, and maybe even cheesy—and I can’t put the right words it…but yes, I feel His joy in me, His joy is my strength.
i wrote my comments for 1 and 2 before reading anyone’s comments. They are all so rich. I especially resonate with Lizzie. This is a season for experiencing Him differently than ever before.
1. Dee wrote “The Almighty submitted to a woman’s birth pangs. And the woman surrendered to the crush and cry of birth. And that is the secret to real life, fulfilling the reason He came.” Wow! That opens up whole new worlds of thought. When I am ‘laboring’ with something, He, within me, is also feeling the birth pangs. He has subjected Himself to be within ME! And that is the reason He came. To help me, and you, to make it through the laloring process and produce with His help, a life that looks like Jesus. Birth is messy, painful and unpredictable. Yet new life brings tremendous joy. Not only to the one who bears it, but to all in the sphere of influence. Everyone loves a baby, even those who don’t want to get too close. As we birth Jesus in our lives, it is tremendously attractive to others. And worth whatever pain God decrees for us to go through in the process. Oh, I don’t want to be an unproductive vineyard! I don’t want the pain of affliction to keep me from forsaking evil and clinging to Him (Job 36:24)
2. His presence. He is so very, very sweet and pleasurable. “You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words. Too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. So I stand, I stand in awe of You. I stand, I stand in awe of You. Holy God, to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You”. Nothing is impossible, even enduring the pains of birth. The part of Francesca’s song, help me see with heaven’s eyes…. Oh, yes, Lord. Give me those kind of eyes, so that I will more eagerly accept the valleys You send me through. The song is written from Mary’s perspective, but it is true in my life as well. He chose me to have me “birth” Him in my life, and to be transformed by it. “I hold You in the beginning; You will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle make my heart Your Bethlehem … The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy”. The vacancy is God shaped. So that it is only in His presence I experience wholeness, as well as holiness. It would be really easy to camp out for the week on your intro, Dee. Thank you for it! Yes, I am experiencing His presence, and my spirit rises up to praise Jesus, as He is born in me today and in this season.
Mary B–this is all so beautiful, I feel your joy: “Yes, I am experiencing His presence, and my spirit rises up to praise Jesus, as He is born in me today and in this season.”
Mary B, I love your first paragraph….yes, Dee’s intro does open up whole new worlds of thought! I really like how you phrased your thoughts, “When I am ‘laboring’ with something, He, within me, is also feeling the birth pangs. He has subjected Himself to be within ME! And that is the reason He came. To help me, and you, to make it through the laboring process and produce with His help, a life that looks like Jesus.” Yes, “Be born in me”.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
Yes; several ways…through dance at church, where a teen who joined us now wishes to be part of our group, and our beautiful cantata yesterday where singing the carols touched my heart; through one of my jobs where a young man lost his 51 yr. old mother this past week to cancer; through the music of the season where I sang “O Holy Night” as I decorated the Christmas tree, and when I turned Pandora on to listen to hymns it was the first song to play!
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
Come to me weary sinner, and I, the mighty one, will set you free.
I’ve never heard the song before, and it is beautiful. I am intrigued by your book selection as your book-of-the-year. I also want to have more of union and communion with Jesus. The cares, worries, responsibilities, and distractions of this world often make me feel so fragmented inside….things that block that union/communion with Him. Rebecca said it so well in Idol Lies as she described the rocks in the stream that get in the way. I haven’t learned the secret of having an uninterrupted “flow” of union with Him. Often I feel the tug of wanting to get away to go spend time with Him. I like how Rebecca said above that He is with her IN her emergencies.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
I had the joy of fellowship yesterday at church with my Sunday school class. Honestly, surviving this time of year in my home with a husband who could care less about Jesus is hard, yet it’s my fault for letting it steal my joy. I most sense His nearness when I am in His Word. What I need to improve upon is to turn first to Him in my loneliness, instead of running to surf the internet or FB.
I’m pondering this from the intro: “If we are not enjoying God….” If I am honest, I think what keeps me from really enjoying God is focusing more on my being “dark”, like the Shulammite was ashamed she had not kept her own vineyard. I liked the imagery of Jesus being a “banner” from last week….I need to remember that “His banner over me is love”.
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
Though your sins are like scarlet, red as blood, God invites you to come to Him, and He will make them whiter than snow, because there is One who came who was pierced through for our sins, and crushed for our iniquities….Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace….but also the Man of Sorrows who was acquainted with grief.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
I see here that a lack of holiness is caused by not repenting of known sin in my life. David writes, “When I kept silent about my sin”. I suppose it could be deliberately hiding it or just not wanting to deal with it because I want to avoid the hard work or pain. It can lead to real physical ailments. David writes, “….my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.” It can lead to an un-enjoyable relationship with God. Instead of enjoying His presence, I will instead feel the heaviness of separation from Him. David writes, “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me.” This could also be unpleasant consequences as God applies pressure to turn me around. It can lead to feeling depressed and listless, not fully alive. David writes, “My vitality was drained away….”
Mary E had trouble leaving a comment. If any of the rest of you are having trouble, could you let us know at comments@deebrestin.com
Let us know too what server you are using. Thanks so much — and sorry for trouble — I have the best web guys who will figure it out.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? As always, a lot of it stands out…..all the weaving of the vineyard analogies is so well done.
But this: 165 mentions of being ‘in Christ’ vs. just 3 mentions of the title ‘christian’. That is a deep thought just at face value. We wrestle so often with what the behavior of ‘christians’ betray. But being truly ‘in Christ’ may bear much different fruit. I think it would be an amazing study to look at and categorize all 165!
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. Yes. Very much so. I can only say it all because of His great love. Every year, the old carols have so much to teach me. Yesterday, we sang ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’ in church and so many words stirred my heart: ” Oh ye beneath life’s crushing load Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow… Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. Oh, rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.
For lo the days are hastening on by prophets seen of old When with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold. When the new heaven and earth shall own The prince of peace, their King. And the whole world give back the song which now, the angels sing.
Lyrics vary a bit after centuries of singing these old treasures, but the birth and the hope of His return just fill me with a sense of joy because of the great mystery and truth of His Incarnation. Knowing that He laid aside His glory to take on flesh and enter our sufferings does give me peace.
Not all the worries in my life are solved and answered, but it does buoy me to remember that when He came to earth, He came to live among us and when He left earth physically, His Spirit came to live within us. I have had sadness this Advent, but I have not ever felt all alone.
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah. Really tried, but couldn’t do one sentence! So here’s 3 long, run-on sentences instead 😉
God is holy, all powerful, and just, and yet man does not revere God, and we go back again and again to our idols, to trying to be god in our lives. Yet, God is patient, gracious, His love is inexhaustible–so He sent the Messiah, who would be despised and beaten, endure the suffering and death we deserve, as full payment for the penalty of our sin. All who repent of their sin, turn to and trust in Christ, will be freed from the power of sin, grafted in and given a new heritage, to become children of God and inherit the Kingdom.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
When I do not confess my sin, when I do not ask the Lord to search my heart and show me my offensive ways, I am cut off from my only Source of growth, of life. My guilt becomes like a heavy, filthy, stinky garment. I feel the weight of guilt, shame…and the longer we go without confession, without experiencing His forgiveness—the easier it seems to stay, hidden under that heavy garment. And as the psalmist says “blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven” (v.1), a lack of holiness is a absence of His blessing.
God has been comforting me with His presence in many ways this Advent season. One of them is with a song. Here is a link to a soulful, worshipful version of the old classic “Down from His Glory”. There are many operatic versions on the Internet, but this version touched my heart.
Oh Diane, I’m so glad you shared this. I have not heard this song in years and never thought of it as a Christmas song before, but it truly is the story of advent! “the Great Creator became my Savior, and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.”
Beautiful hymn and moving words. I have never heard this hymn before. Or, I should say, I’ve never heard these words sung to this tune. As I listened, I recognized the tune as the same from Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never”. That got me exploring the internet for more information. Both songs are adaptations of “Oh Sole Mio”, an old Italian song. That’s just interesting to me, not important really. But, one site I found had some really great info about the hymn and the writer of it. I thought some of you gals may like to read about him. https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/82
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah. Holy, Righteous God, Whom we could never have a relationship with due to our sinfulness, loved us so that He entered the world in human flesh, lived a holy, righteous life, and then died a death that bore the full penalty of our sin, in order to make us holy and righteous in His sight. Now, through communion with Him, we can find the power to walk in holiness. (two sentences, one fairly long!)
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to? Physical vitality being drained away, due to the heaviness of God’s hand on us, convicting of sin.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
Lack of holiness leads to bones of powder, and I groan. Life literally dries up ?. Here is the message version…
“When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.”
Psalm 32:3-4 MSG http://bible.com/97/psa.32.3-4.msg
5. According to the following, what follows holiness: A. John 14:21
Love from the Lord….”…I will manifest myself to him.” I love that.
B. John 15:10-11
Again, love will prevail in us, and joy will take over our lives.
3. In a sentence explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
The people have turned away from their God, opting for sin; the Lord provides their way “home” to Him and life as He designed it.
4. Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
Pretension…trying to appear as something we are not and maybe even convincing ourselves of the facade; not acknowledging our need for the Lord and His redemption.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21- Knowing what God commands, and living it. Loving Him, and letting His love for me transform me.
B. John 15:10-11- Keeping God’s commandments, abiding in Him—spending time in His Word, in prayer, confession and repentance, surrendering to Him.
The more I abide in Him, the more He shapes my thoughts, my desires—so that I hate what He hates, and love what He loves.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
I think holiness means being “set apart”, pure, undefiled. For me, I think it means fixing my mind on what Christ has done for me and the responsibility I have to live worthy of the calling I have received. It is fighting against being conformed to the world, and my fleshly desires, and a pursuing of Jesus.
I do have a deep hunger to be pleasing to Him, to honor Him, and pour out my life as an offering to Him. I trust Him and I want to be fully surrendered, all for Him. He has given me resources—time, energy, abilities…and I do not want to be the servant who buried the talents—these resources do not belong to me, my life is not my own. I think the hymn “Take My Life and Let it Be” says what holiness means to me: “Take my life, and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise, Let them flow in ceaseless praise…”
Hmm…I was also just reminded of when Dee had us read Chalmers’ Expulsive Power of a New Affection (and thank You Lord for all You have taught me through Dee—You knew only she could get me to read things like that!), but I am thinking that holiness means repenting of the idols I have left fill the throne of my heart, and replacing them with the One fit for the Throne, deserving of all my attention, strength, and affections.
So wonderful to read the depth of these comments & heart felt longings! It challenges me! My family are home today & leaving for Mexico tomorrow, & then I will have some time to get caught up on blogging!! I will be working (home health nurse) over Christmas pretty much every day, but I pray that I will choose to spend some quaulity time with the Lord, & not just watch good old movie classics……tho I plan on doing some of that too 🙂 Blessings on u all
4. Lack of holiness leads to wasting away spiritually. I get a picture in my mind of people who are physically starving to death, and know that is what my spirit starts to look like when I don’t spend time with God. I need to take Him in for health, and then ‘work out’ my salvation to be fit and strong, not flabby.
6. What does holiness mean to me? It means being totally set apart for God and His purposes, so that everything I do in life is from Him, through Him, and for Him. It means keeping short accounts when I start to wander, and desiring to be in constant close communion with him. Do I desire it? I think I do. I say I do. I even panic if I haven’t talked to or felt Him in awhile. But I also give in to my flesh way too much. I guess what I am saying is that if I really desired Him as much as I say I do, I think my life would look different. So I strive with His Spirit to be more inclined to be holy.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness: A. John 14:21 Communion with Jesus, He will “disclose” Himself to us. (NASB) B. John 15:10-11 His joy will be in us and our joy will be made full.
6. What does holiness mean to you? To me it means being altogether pure. Do you desire it? So much that sometimes I want to die to get it. One of the biggest reasons I long for heaven is because I long to finally be freed from self and my own deceptive heart. I used to pray all the time, “Father, please give me a pure heart, as pure as a human heart can be, this side of heaven.” I began to pray that because, no matter how “holy” my actions may appear, my heart so often reveals such impurities. I’m always questioning my motives, are they entirely pure? Often I discover they are not. But if, rather than dying (physically) I could just continue to die and die to self, everyday, more and more and live more in Him (abide) hopefully my heart would be less clouded with self, and therefore more pure (holy.) I think this is a great study to pursue on the blog.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Perfect, pure, no scarring. I am quite the perfectionist (with some things) and it drives me crazy. It’s hard to be that way. I suppose being holy means I wouldn’t have to work at the perfect part; it would come naturally. I would love that!
I love this, Laura ” I suppose being holy means I wouldn’t have to work at the perfect part; it would come naturally. I would love that!”
ME TOO! When I used to pray for a pure heart, I then began to work so hard to get one, rather than just focusing on my relationship with HIM and trusting that a pure heart would follow. That is no way to live!!! Abide and REST!
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21
Love follows holiness. Having the desire to be holy (to keep His commands) is showing love for God. In return, God loves us and reveals more of Himself.
B. John 15:10-11
Remaining in God’s love (abiding). Also fullness of joy.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
In His Word, God says to “be holy, for I am holy”. But my first thought is, that’s impossible for me to do! There is so much that is un-holy in me. A picture given in the Bible by Jesus is what I think of to be holy….two men came in to pray. One, a Pharisee, was thanking God that he wasn’t like that awful tax collector over there. He thought he was holy, but he was a Mrs. Oelson. The tax collector simply lowered his eyes and pleaded for God to have mercy on him, a sinner. I can’t even begin to think about being holy, or set-apart in the way I live, speak, think, without first realizing that I am powerless to do it by myself, without first understanding my true condition before a holy God. If I make even one right choice to choose the right way over the wrong way, it is by His power, not mine. I do desire it. I beat myself up so much of the time because I see my wrong motives, attitudes, thinking. It is so easy to be a Mrs. Oelson, controlling the outward behavior but my heart and attitudes are not right.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
a big rock in the stream of intimacy with God-we back up from Him which leads to inward destruction-strength gone- even extending even into physical issues.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness: A. John 14:21
Jesus will manifest Himself to us..We will experience His presence! B. John 15:10-11
His Joy will be in us and our joy will be full.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it? It is a process of Him pruning, the Gospel melting us, us turning and running to Him and we are made more beautiful as His fruit flows out of us. I think Holiness to me isn’t obeying a set of rules, or in a dutiful manner, and looking like you have it all together. It means instead of backing away from Him in these temptations from our idols we turn from them and draw near to Him, and He strengthens us to obey and turn and we become more kind, meek, humble and exude His love toward others rather than cruel judgment because of His grace and mercy lavished on us for He is tearing off our scales!
Yes, I have union with Jesus but HE deeply desires deeper communion with me, and I Him..So when I run to His gifts, or my idols to satisfy me or to find my deepest joy in-even for a day or a season or a moment more than Him, it is sin and it puts a block in the stream of intimacy for it pulls me away from communion with Him and into communion with it. So I guard my heart and turn because He is better and experiencing His presence-walking close to Him, trusting and listening to Him with each encounter is a joy indescribable.
Holiness isn’t about doing everything right or obedience out of duty, but obedience out of Love and my eyes won’t be on me but on Him therefore it will be real hard to look down on others..rather Holiness extends grace and mercy to others because of the daily mercies God extends to me as He makes me Holy.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Holiness to me means being in sync with the Lord. Being “in sync” can vary, it can be when I’m sitting all alone in the early morning and I sense His presence while reading (e.g., devotional, Bible, blog comments) or praying or contemplating, when He brings thoughts/ideas to my mind (e.g., compassionate, creative, forgiving) that are clearly not “of” my mind, when I am still and aware of His beauty in my surroundings (e.g., nature, persons, music, silence). “In sync” is when I am fully aware of the Lord’s presence enveloping me, His goodness, His love for me, His grace. Do I desire it?…oh yes…very much so.
Nanci — your description of holiness as being “in sync” with the Lord made me think of the derivation of sync — I suspect it is the Green word Paul coined — syn — which means together with — we are crucified together with, we are raised together with Christ… this is from Union with Christ.
Oh my! The sermon is SO GOOD! I especially liked when he spoke of his child’s book where the animals are all gathered at the end and they comment, “The one who made us came to live with us.” Made me CRY. How sweet.
this scripture means so much to me, as my dance partner and I spent an entire year choreographing it intertwined with Proverbs 8. I can try to find the video and re-post it on our Facebook page if anyone wants to view it? It’s not a very good quality, but I think the sentiment is there ?. Merry Christmas everyone!
Rebecca posted it to the FB page one year ago today ?. If you go to the “info” choice and then “videos,” its there. It really is special to me and I think others will be blessed. I think she posted on the blog at some point also. Since I don’t “own” the video, as I recall, she had to use her phone and video and then post here ?.
I loved the sermon! And I’m looking at his Church’s site–there are so many that look excellent! I have long notes, but I’ll just share maybe my favorite part (so much better the way he says it though): The question is not do you believe, perhaps the better question is will you believe, will you believe, will we believe, the words that John has written, that God has given? God desires to make His home with you. Will you believe that today?…We’re afraid (to take this seriously) and naturally we shrink back. So John’s closing assures us that the only son of the father is full of grace and truth. John is assuring us that we need not fear to draw near to God because He is full of mercy and He is full of grace.** He’s like a father you never had receiving you, His child, and He is full of grace. You can rely on this- you can rely on that the one who made us has come to live with us.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? Sometimes I am oblivious! I read this question, but did not see question #2 yet (how?) What stood out to me was:
BUT IF WE ARE NOT ABIDING, IF WE ARE NOT ENJOYING GOD, THIS SECRET NEEDS QUICKENING OR RE-QUICKENING IN OUR HEARTS.
Because I tend to go in “spells.” Sometimes I am enjoying His presence and feel the joy, but sometimes I tend to “fall off the wagon,” I let the world get to me too much, and I am far from the joy.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
It is mixed. I fear I am consistently inconsistent! I have felt His presence and joy as I have been about “giving” in this season. I enjoyed working at the Feed Your Neighbor distribution center, and I have enjoyed helping with the adopted Christmas Families at church, and other charitable projects. I have enjoyed Christmas music, and have experienced some carols “coming alive” for me for the first time. BUT, I have also been upset with the actions (or more correctly, the lack of actions) of the extended family, and I have allowed that to steal my joy at times. I shouldn’t have allowed that to happen.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
A starving or withering of the spirit, incrementally losing contact with God, letting our focus drift from Him, and self-obsession.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21 Loving Jesus and obeying his commands out of that love.
B. John 15:10-11 Following His commands with love and feeling complete joy.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Being pure in spirit, being Christ-like, as close to His presence as possible. Do I desire it? Yes! However, I think it was Susan who said it so well “But my first thought is, that’s impossible for me to do! There is so much that is un-holy in me.” Exactly my response!
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
I can so easily relate to these verses, because there is nothing that saps me of physical strength, energy and motivation more than the heat of summer. (I am never tempted to go south in the winter but sometimes, I long to go ‘north’ in summer! …and I live in Minnesota. 😉 )
These verses show the strength; the ‘engine’ as Dee wrote in the introduction…..that drives us when we live holy lives ~ when we acknowledge sin and are forgiven, quickly confessing and seeking restoration, living in God’s grace. Without that repentance and restoration, there is only ‘striving’ and outward show which is not only exhausting but it leaves one perpetually unsatisfied and with a feeling of a ‘heavy hand’. The burden of that heavy hand is only lifted when we give up the striving and let God take it from us.
Dee.….I hadn’t looked ahead to the rest of the lesson at all this week, until now. I love the photo of your snow laden dock…..so amazing. And seeing the rendition you shared of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ made me grin. Just yesterday (winter solstice) I shared the lyrics and a couple thoughts about this song on my facebook page and a friend immediately posted this very same rendition. i did not know you had posted it here! I listened to several others yesterday. I love this song sung by a choir but I also really enjoyed Susan Boyle’s solo rendition as well as many others. One of my very favorite Christmas hymns.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness: A. John 14:21
Obedience. Desiring to do His commands because of our love for Him. B. John 15:10-11 We continue day by day~’remaining’ in His love~ under the umbrella of His care and leadership, we experience His joy….not a partial joy but a complete joy that can only be found in following and obeying Him. 6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it? Holiness is when someone lives day to day in such closeness to Jesus, that there is no pretenseabout their life. They remain in Him so completely that there isn’t a visible striving to do what He desires. Their desires mirror God’s heart and His words. The description of remaining in Him (as written in the previous answer)sounds really ‘churchy’ and not something we talk about in other settings, but when someone truly is remaining in Him…..it doesn’t look ‘churchy’.…it looks like peace and love and joy and their very life is attractive to people outside the church.
Yes. I desire this. I know when I see it in others and I know when I feel it in my own life…feeling it sometimes, makes it desirable to want it always.
7. Share your notes or thoughts. Wonderful sermon. Not as meaty as the typical Keller message, but great in it’s own right! Like Lizzy, I think I was most touched by his point that Christ is FULL of mercy and grace, as well as truth. When we see the truth about who He is and who we are, we surely need the grace and mercy! Makes us able to come to Him, to approach Him and abide in Him, knowing He is FULL of grace and mercy for us.
7. Share your notes or thoughts. I was very captivated by the sermon; especially the first half or so. I like his slow, deliberate speech and how he so clearly set up what a phenomenal writing the first chapter of John is.
*John, just an ordinary man, in one brief sentence, brought together both the Hebrew and the Greek worlds. Hebrews would instantly recognize ‘in the beginning’ as it is how Genesis begins. Greeks would instantly recognize ‘was the Word-the LOGOS- because that is the most important word in Greek or Stoic philosophy. It is the organizing principle about which everything else revolves. The seen and unseen principle.
*John brought both worlds together. And then surpassed them both.
* John used great care and subtlety of words. With-alongside. WAS- from the beginning. Eternal.
*There is no ‘God of the OT’ that is vengeful and wrathful and a ‘God of the NT’ who is loving and kind. God has always been this God. He is in the beginning with God.
*There is no such thing as a godless person.
He is the origin of every person.
He is the destiny of an entire world.
He is the answer to every anguished search for meaning.
He is an afront for every person’s pretense to set the parameters of his own life.
*You shall set up for yourselves no image of God. EXCEPT for the one that God Himself made. THE WORD.
….who took on flesh. THE WORD.
….immensity in a womb. THE WORD.
….God’s self expression. THE WORD.
*The One who has made us has come to live with us.
Our celebration will be on Christmas Eve, when we’ll go to church with 2 of our children and our 4 grandchildren. (our other kids are with their spouses’ families) followed by dinner and gifts. We’ll have brunch together in the morning and a Christmas devotional/family activity provided by our church since we aren’t having service on Christmas morning. Then my son, his wife and the grands leave for their other grandparent’s home. So the rest of the day will be quiet here.
it will just be myself, husband and youngest daughter, who just returned from England, here. I think we will listen to this sermon sometime during the day.
TAKEAWAY: The immensity of the WORD of God. Rankin called it ‘immensity in a womb’. Certainly true of Jesus Himself. ‘The God who made us has come to live with us’. But also true of his spoken word and his written word. I am still thinking on and blown away by John’s writing and he ways he brought Hebrew and Greek thought together inspired by the Holy Spirit of course. The ways the whole of scripture weaves the incarnation, redemption, salvation throughout its entire text.
I’m so glad you will be continuing in Isaiah during Lent, Dee.
THANK YOU once again. I am so very grateful for your shepherding of us here. MERRY CHRISTMASTO ALL!!!
Your Christmas plans sound wonderful, Wanda. Blessings and peace to you and your family. I so wish that I could go to church with my husband and children. I have been thinking about even going by myself to a Catholic church for midnight Mass by myself tonight….there is one church that I could walk to, it’s so close.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Wanda!
What a lovely sermon! So comforting, so inspiring! It is so nice to stop and focus on the “Word” become flesh! I am grateful for Dee who encouraged us to study and memorize this passage in John 1 a few years ago. It is one I frequently recite and pray through as I lie awake in bed in the early mornings. Reciting and praying Scripture so helps me to focus on God rather than my worries and fears! I was taken by his mentioning about the beauty of this passage – combining Hebrew and Greek cultural words in such a profound way – only God could do that!
Thanks, Wanda, for the notes – helpful in following along without having to type! (I did add a bit at the end.)
It has taken me a little while to get to this point. Aren’t the rest of you busy at Christmas time? I don’t know how you do it all!! Here are my notes from sermon “Light and Life” by Rankin Wilbourne
Based on John 1: 1-5, 14.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “
“In the beginning” was instantly recognizable to any Jewish reader. The first words of the Hebrew Bible – verse 1.
– before creation, because creation comes in verse 3.
– the logos. Logos would have been instantly recognizable to any Greek or Gentile.
Logos was the organizing principle around which everything exists.
In one brief sentence John has brought together these two worlds.
Wilbourne had a philosophy professor, a brilliant man, a Rhodes scholar, who said this was one of two passages in the Bible that convinced him that the Bible was not the product of human invention. Only God could have composed something so beautiful and profound, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. Alongside but distinct from.
There is no God of the Old Testament, angry and wrathful, and God of the New Testament, loving and kind. God has always been this God from the beginning.
All things were created through Christ, all things were created by Christ, all things were created for Christ. There is no such thing as a godless person. Christ is the origin of every person. He is the purpose of each life. He is the destiny of the entire world. He is the answer to every anguished search for meaning, and He is an affront to every person’s pretense to set the parameters of his own life.
In Him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. There are times it will see that darkness is winning, expecially so at Christmas when this year chairs are absent for the firs time, or you wonder if chairs will be absent next year. Even when darkness will cover the whole land from noon to three on a certain Friday afternoon. Nothing can thwart the purposes of God in Christ. Jesus will win.
In that one day we celebrate this day (Christmas), really the only day that really mattered, the only day that ever was, the Word became flesh. Jesus was the man God became when God became a man. He could represent anyone – man or woman from every time and every place. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Literally pitched his tent and came to live. “The one who made us has come to live with us.”
John writes we want you to know this. We have seen it and know it and testify to it, and proclaim it to you, so you may have communion with us, so we may have communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit.
The whole of Christ’s life– his birth and death – were but one continual passion. His Christmas Day and His Good Friday are but the evening and morning of one and the same day. From creche to cross, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter. Christmas has no meaning apart from that – where the Son of God displayed His glory by His Death – John Donne, Sermon on Christmas Day 1626.
Do you believe that God desires to dwell, to make His life with yours? Perhaps that is not the question, because there are some times, for myself and I’m afraid for most of us, that we don’t believe that. We may say it, but we live as if God tolerates us, as if we must be a disappointment to Him, if God even recognizes us. Perhaps the question is “Will we believe?”
In closing, John assures us that the only Son of the Father is full of grace and truth. Not as is sometimes taught – opposing sides of Jesus’ personality, as if He is full of grace, but watch out He is also full of truth! Jesus is full of grace and truth, but he is full of mercy.
The one who made us has come to live with us. So this Christmas morning, will you believe? In spite of the darkness, will you believe that the light shines. It will overcome, it has overcome, and it will overcome. Will you believe that God desires to make His home in you, and will walk with you, with us, into a new life? Today it is more blessed to receive than to give; so God asks all of us, “Will you accept this gift?”
Thank you Deanna for your careful notes, again! We’ve come to rely on you! That part about living as if God just tolerates us, as if we must be a disappointment to Him, really got to me.
First, thank you, Wands for the name and author of the Narnia Advent Devotional! Your lessons from Narnia study sound wonderful too! Hope it is warmer in MN now. We hit -12 during that time frame. So glad we are now in the 30’s!
So much from this week stands out to me. Thank you for doing this Advent study, Dee. What a great way to prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Loved the msg by Wilbur Rankin. Loved seeing how John brought the Greek and Hebrew worlds together with the use of the words “in the beginning” and Logos. I also loved his statement that Christ is the origin of each person and the Destiny of each person’s life. It really brought it hole again that all of life is about Jesus and not about me or gifts or food or any “stuff”. I Loved it too when he said, “You are made for Christ whether you believe in Him or not.” What a powerful thought. Praying with renewed fervor that my niece’s husband would come to know Jesus as Saviour during this Christmas season, specifically tonight at the Christmas Eve services.
I also loved the rendition of “In the bleak midwinter”. Simply beautiful!!! Merry Christmas everyone!
117 comments
1. What stood out and why?
Oh Dee, its the song by Francesca Battistelli. This song captured me the first time I heard it on the radio in my car a few years ago. I came home and wrote out the words and chords and have often sung it as my prayer (not just at Christmas).
Everything inside me cries for order.
Everything inside me wants to hide. (Isn’t this how we often feel? And so we are driven and drawn to call out to our God.)
Be born in me, be born in me
Trembling heart, somehow I believe that You chose me
I’ll hold You in the beginning, You will hold me in the end
Every moment in the middle, make my heart Your Bethlehem
Be born in me
Be born in me again this morning, Lord. Fresh awareness of your presence, like oxygen to my soul.
Oh Nila — yes. Remember the C. S. Lewis quote? “You see it too?” That’s friendship.
What a beautiful song, Dee! I heard it before and cried the first time. Be born in me, Lord. May I catch a fresh wind of the Spirit and just like Nila here said, oxygen to my soul that is being depleted by the cares of this world. Make my heart Your Bethlehem, be born in me again, Lord.
What a prayer… “make my heart Your Bethlehem”.
This is the CRUX! LOVE this post. So, I just finished writing my post and my laptop erased it. 🙁 I am going to try to remember for it was short and sweet!
This is the CRUX! :))) yes, THE SECRET TO ENJOYING GOD, IS UNION AND COMMUNION WITH CHRIST. YES!
Communion with Him is oxygen to our soul for we are powerless to transform ourselves!! So good Nila.
I need Him to remove more scales and I need this truth to be CONTINUALLY REBORN IN my HEART for I have MANY distractions with my family-and we are under spiritual attack..and lately, the morning times I have set aside to spend with Him-emergencies keep coming up and I have been unable to..but The fox in the vineyard will not steal my joy for I can still spend time with Him even during the emergencies. And so I am taking my memory verses with me and reviewing them.Oh communion with Him quenches my thirst and He helps me to resist other things I can easily bend toward for satisfaction. Please pray for me-for my morning time with Him.
God had me read a post by Philip Yancey yesterday about a seeker who started paying attention to a street preacher (I thought-oh no!) but God had her hear, “Jesus is coming. start singing!” instead of Jesus is coming. Stop sinning!” Isn’t that like Him?! 🙂
Love that, Rebecca! And you do sing!
Praying against those little foxes!
Dee-I’m not sure if you have posted this song before..but it is from Audrey Assad: https://youtu.be/MFqR-UK_to0
This is SO how I feel in my current season. How painful it is submitting to these birth pangs bubbling inside my winter-yet it is in these times I experience Him most. “Steadying my heart on the ground of Your goodness. When I am bowed down with sorrow, I will lift up Your name..And the foxes in the vineyard will not steal my joy.”
Rebecca,
Oh, Yes, this Audrey Assad song is foundational. “Steadying my heart on the ground of your goodness.” I know that our Jackie loves this song too.
Yesterday I was reading through my journal for 2016. I had recorded this quote from pastor Scotty Smith in his written prayer:
“Write stories of redemption and restoration with the ink of our hurt and your grace.”
Rebecca — love that song!
Rebecca–so love you and your heart–praying for peace, for sweet times with His Word, oh you have been through so much–but GREATER is the One who live in you
Rebecca, despite your many distractions, emergencies, and attacks, you keep pressing into Him. Love and prayers to you.
I will pray, Rebecca.
OH my–this is just all so rich, such a blessing to me this morning! I feel such a stir in my heart,excitement- just reading. I loved the song, had not heard it before! “Did You wrap yourself inside the unexpected, So we might know that Love would go that far?”
I’m just finishing a book called “Humble Roots” by Hannah Anderson–about finding rest through submission to Christ, how pride keeps us from truly abiding in Him. So much of what I’m learning is echoed here and I can’t wait to go deeper! Part of the grafting into Him, requires a stripping down, “birth pangs”.This full life in Christ, only possible through His resurrection in us, only possible through submission, surrender.
“make my heart Your Bethlehem, Be born in me”
Lizzy, this comment, incredible, “through His resurrection in us” I have never thought of it that way before, He must be resurrected in me! I do pray the life of the resurrected Christ will be manifest in me. What greater honor could there be?
Good morning from MN where it was minus 21 on the thermometer when I awoke. We’re already UP to -19 🙂
I haven’t had time to read the introduction yet, but wanted to answer a question from last week’s blog before I forget to do it.
this is for SUE MI SW The book I have, which was a gift to me by a friend, is ‘ADVENT in NARNIA’ by Heidi Haverkamp
It is basic, but good. Could be used with a family because it has appeal to children (of course) but has some thought provoking questions deep enough for adults too.
(About 30 years ago, I wrote some Sunday School lessons to go with the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and have taught that book in church settings 3 times. I regret never pursuing actually making them more ‘publisher’ ready….and giving it a shot but I was way too busy with three preschoolers (one with special needs) at the time and I know nothing about that process. But the content is all on an old ‘floppy disk’ ha! The parallels to scripture and character that Haverkamp draws is very much like the questions in my lessons. I’m feeling the urge to teach the book again….but it is a hard one to schedule. It takes a good 10 weeks and kids who are willing to read outside of class. One summer, I taught it in my home with a bunch of my daughters’ age girls from church. But that was the summer my mom got sick and I ended up having to rush it and didn’t get to finish well. It was the year the first Walden Media Narnia movie came out in December.)
And now to get ready to get out in the cold to go to church! It is so still and beautiful outside though.
Minus 21! Oh my.
I was complaining to Lizzy about our single digit lows this week but , wow -21!! Good O’le MN!!! 😀 I’m sure Diane from Canada (and others as well) can relate. Lived in MN one a little over a year and I prayed it would be the mildest Winter in the history of the state, and it was!! 😀 The weather reporters were going nuts talking about it and how no one could ice fish, etc…. (probably would have made some enemies had I confessed to the locals that I had prayed for such a Winter.)
I love that you made lessons out of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe! I bet they are wonderful. Wanda.
Tried to comment earlier but could not even type in the box, then logged off and back on and now is works! 🙂 Technology!
1. What stands out? I loved that sweet song of Mary. Never heard that one before. I have thought so much about Mary and how scary it must have been to be pregnant and unmarried in that time. On the one hand, she must have had so much excitement at the thought of God, Himself, choosing to dwell in her (hmmm…just like He chooses to dwell in us if we invite Him!) but on the other hand, oh the fears that must of popped up in her heart and mind.
2. 2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. I feel like I’m experiencing a bitter sweetness this season. But most definitely all wrapped up in His presence. Today my friend, Rick (the man at my church who is now dying of metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer) came to church for what I am guessing will be the last time. My heart has been so heavy with this. Last night (actually at 1a.m. this morning) I emailed him and said, “I hope and pray that He is showing up for you in a BIG way. I just want to know that. I know He has for me when I’ve been on a path of suffering and pain. I believe He will in the future, if I find myself where you currently are in a few more months or years.” So when I briefly spoke with him today he said, “Mary, I want you to know I am at total peace. I’m okay, and I want you to be okay. I’m at peace.” I said, “So He is showing up in a BIG way?” He nodded and his face said PEACE as well. So my heart feels a bit quieted now but I have been struggling these past few weeks. Vacillating between anxiety and then doing what you have mentioned before, Dee, “speaking to my soul, rather than listening.” It has surely helped.
Who better to minister to Rick than you, Mary — and you are. Hmmm.
Mary..….this friendship and ministry you have with Rick is so blessed by the Lord. There is nothing harder….or sweeter than what you are doing. I pray you will be comforted and encouraged.
I have to say, sometimes I really feel it is the opposite, Rick is comforting me! He is further down this road of stage 4 than I am and I see him remaining faithful and thankful to the Lord for little things and I see the Lord showing Himself faithful to provide Rick with peace and comfort in the midst of this and that gives me courage and comfort.
Oh Mary, what a blessing you are to Rick…and his presence a gift. Praise God for His peace that defies understanding. Thank you for sharing.
Mary e., your interaction with Rick brings tears. Lovely. It fills me with awe that Rick is at “total peace” during his difficult labour from this “body of death” to life everlasting; and that you both are sharing the “communion of suffering” with each other. My prayer for you is that Jesus will “show up in a BIG WAY” for you this Christmas!
Thank you. Diane.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why?
Oh, what a lovely song by Francesca Battistelli, Dee. It is my prayer, too, for always. I’ve never heard it before. I am also interested in the book you recommend. I too long for union with Christ and communion with Him. I am anxious to hear more.
We had a smaller group at church today because we were experiencing some freezing rain and then rain making our lanes and driveways slick. We already have quite a bit of snow and it is beautiful here too.
I’ve always loved your heart and your hunger, Diane.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? The need for both union and communion. I’m not sure that I understand the distinction, but I got the book on my kindle this morning and I am looking forward to diving in.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
I believe that I am. Like I said last week, I am enjoying a period of peace in both my mind and spirit and while I know not to put my trust in my feelings, still it feels good.
Dawn–so thankful for this time of peace He has granted you–praying it continues
Dawn — so thankful for this time of peace for you. So glad you got Union and Communion with Christ on your kindle. We’ll be diving into the topic in 2017!
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
Yes, though it is hard to put into words. I feel the joy of His presence differently than I ever have before. I think I used to sense Him most in times of desperate need, when I ran to Him—or in times of great worship…but lately it is different, somehow—I just sense a continual conversation. Life does not feel “so hard” and yet, nothing has gotten easier, really, and a few relationships are worse…but still, there is a peace I can’t explain–and it’s not denial (I was raised in that and I run from it!) Yesterday, while discussing this next adoption, my husband said–“you know, this is not going to make anything easier..”, but that reality doesn’t scare me we away. I just have assurance that He holds all of it.
I also feel a desire to follow that is richer, more based in love, than before. I feel a willingness to risk, that I’ve never had before, trusting He will catch me. My vision feels expanded beyond my little world–finally! This all sounds cliche, and maybe even cheesy—and I can’t put the right words it…but yes, I feel His joy in me, His joy is my strength.
Not cheesy, beautiful.
Lizzy I think the Lord has lead you to this wonderful place of rest…just resting in Him in all circumstances. It’s a wonderful place to be, like the song In Christ Alone says, “What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.”
LIzzy-wow wow wow!! This delighted me so so much to hear. 🙂 🙂 I feel a willingness to risk, that I’ve never had before, trusting He will catch me. My vision feels expanded beyond my little world–finally! This all sounds cliche, and maybe even cheesy—and I can’t put the right words it…but yes, I feel His joy in me, His joy is my strength.
i wrote my comments for 1 and 2 before reading anyone’s comments. They are all so rich. I especially resonate with Lizzie. This is a season for experiencing Him differently than ever before.
1. Dee wrote “The Almighty submitted to a woman’s birth pangs. And the woman surrendered to the crush and cry of birth. And that is the secret to real life, fulfilling the reason He came.” Wow! That opens up whole new worlds of thought. When I am ‘laboring’ with something, He, within me, is also feeling the birth pangs. He has subjected Himself to be within ME! And that is the reason He came. To help me, and you, to make it through the laloring process and produce with His help, a life that looks like Jesus. Birth is messy, painful and unpredictable. Yet new life brings tremendous joy. Not only to the one who bears it, but to all in the sphere of influence. Everyone loves a baby, even those who don’t want to get too close. As we birth Jesus in our lives, it is tremendously attractive to others. And worth whatever pain God decrees for us to go through in the process. Oh, I don’t want to be an unproductive vineyard! I don’t want the pain of affliction to keep me from forsaking evil and clinging to Him (Job 36:24)
2. His presence. He is so very, very sweet and pleasurable. “You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words. Too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. So I stand, I stand in awe of You. I stand, I stand in awe of You. Holy God, to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You”. Nothing is impossible, even enduring the pains of birth. The part of Francesca’s song, help me see with heaven’s eyes…. Oh, yes, Lord. Give me those kind of eyes, so that I will more eagerly accept the valleys You send me through. The song is written from Mary’s perspective, but it is true in my life as well. He chose me to have me “birth” Him in my life, and to be transformed by it. “I hold You in the beginning; You will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle make my heart Your Bethlehem … The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy”. The vacancy is God shaped. So that it is only in His presence I experience wholeness, as well as holiness. It would be really easy to camp out for the week on your intro, Dee. Thank you for it! Yes, I am experiencing His presence, and my spirit rises up to praise Jesus, as He is born in me today and in this season.
Mary B–this is all so beautiful, I feel your joy: “Yes, I am experiencing His presence, and my spirit rises up to praise Jesus, as He is born in me today and in this season.”
Mary B, I love your first paragraph….yes, Dee’s intro does open up whole new worlds of thought! I really like how you phrased your thoughts, “When I am ‘laboring’ with something, He, within me, is also feeling the birth pangs. He has subjected Himself to be within ME! And that is the reason He came. To help me, and you, to make it through the laboring process and produce with His help, a life that looks like Jesus.” Yes, “Be born in me”.
Mary B — you took the metaphor even further and brought new riches to it, Mary B.
Wonderful words and word pictures, Mary B. Your post is very, very rich.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why?
I want to know the secret!
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
Yes; several ways…through dance at church, where a teen who joined us now wishes to be part of our group, and our beautiful cantata yesterday where singing the carols touched my heart; through one of my jobs where a young man lost his 51 yr. old mother this past week to cancer; through the music of the season where I sang “O Holy Night” as I decorated the Christmas tree, and when I turned Pandora on to listen to hymns it was the first song to play!
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
Come to me weary sinner, and I, the mighty one, will set you free.
Lovely specific examples, Laura.
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
I’ve never heard the song before, and it is beautiful. I am intrigued by your book selection as your book-of-the-year. I also want to have more of union and communion with Jesus. The cares, worries, responsibilities, and distractions of this world often make me feel so fragmented inside….things that block that union/communion with Him. Rebecca said it so well in Idol Lies as she described the rocks in the stream that get in the way. I haven’t learned the secret of having an uninterrupted “flow” of union with Him. Often I feel the tug of wanting to get away to go spend time with Him. I like how Rebecca said above that He is with her IN her emergencies.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
I had the joy of fellowship yesterday at church with my Sunday school class. Honestly, surviving this time of year in my home with a husband who could care less about Jesus is hard, yet it’s my fault for letting it steal my joy. I most sense His nearness when I am in His Word. What I need to improve upon is to turn first to Him in my loneliness, instead of running to surf the internet or FB.
I’m pondering this from the intro: “If we are not enjoying God….” If I am honest, I think what keeps me from really enjoying God is focusing more on my being “dark”, like the Shulammite was ashamed she had not kept her own vineyard. I liked the imagery of Jesus being a “banner” from last week….I need to remember that “His banner over me is love”.
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
Though your sins are like scarlet, red as blood, God invites you to come to Him, and He will make them whiter than snow, because there is One who came who was pierced through for our sins, and crushed for our iniquities….Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace….but also the Man of Sorrows who was acquainted with grief.
Interesting how the banner image is in both Isaiah and the Song — two quite different books, yet, the same thread.
YES! Those kinds of threads make reading the Word so rich.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
I see here that a lack of holiness is caused by not repenting of known sin in my life. David writes, “When I kept silent about my sin”. I suppose it could be deliberately hiding it or just not wanting to deal with it because I want to avoid the hard work or pain. It can lead to real physical ailments. David writes, “….my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.” It can lead to an un-enjoyable relationship with God. Instead of enjoying His presence, I will instead feel the heaviness of separation from Him. David writes, “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me.” This could also be unpleasant consequences as God applies pressure to turn me around. It can lead to feeling depressed and listless, not fully alive. David writes, “My vitality was drained away….”
Mary E had trouble leaving a comment. If any of the rest of you are having trouble, could you let us know at comments@deebrestin.com
Let us know too what server you are using. Thanks so much — and sorry for trouble — I have the best web guys who will figure it out.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? As always, a lot of it stands out…..all the weaving of the vineyard analogies is so well done.
But this: 165 mentions of being ‘in Christ’ vs. just 3 mentions of the title ‘christian’. That is a deep thought just at face value. We wrestle so often with what the behavior of ‘christians’ betray. But being truly ‘in Christ’ may bear much different fruit. I think it would be an amazing study to look at and categorize all 165!
Yay — Wanda — so true.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. Yes. Very much so. I can only say it all because of His great love. Every year, the old carols have so much to teach me. Yesterday, we sang ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’ in church and so many words stirred my heart:
” Oh ye beneath life’s crushing load
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow…
Look now! For glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
Oh, rest beside the weary road
and hear the angels sing.
For lo the days are hastening on
by prophets seen of old
When with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold.
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The prince of peace, their King.
And the whole world give back the song
which now, the angels sing.
Lyrics vary a bit after centuries of singing these old treasures, but the birth and the hope of His return just fill me with a sense of joy because of the great mystery and truth of His Incarnation. Knowing that He laid aside His glory to take on flesh and enter our sufferings does give me peace.
Not all the worries in my life are solved and answered, but it does buoy me to remember that when He came to earth, He came to live among us and when He left earth physically, His Spirit came to live within us. I have had sadness this Advent, but I have not ever felt all alone.
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
Really tried, but couldn’t do one sentence! So here’s 3 long, run-on sentences instead 😉
God is holy, all powerful, and just, and yet man does not revere God, and we go back again and again to our idols, to trying to be god in our lives. Yet, God is patient, gracious, His love is inexhaustible–so He sent the Messiah, who would be despised and beaten, endure the suffering and death we deserve, as full payment for the penalty of our sin. All who repent of their sin, turn to and trust in Christ, will be freed from the power of sin, grafted in and given a new heritage, to become children of God and inherit the Kingdom.
Wonderful run on sentence. 🙂
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
When I do not confess my sin, when I do not ask the Lord to search my heart and show me my offensive ways, I am cut off from my only Source of growth, of life. My guilt becomes like a heavy, filthy, stinky garment. I feel the weight of guilt, shame…and the longer we go without confession, without experiencing His forgiveness—the easier it seems to stay, hidden under that heavy garment. And as the psalmist says “blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven” (v.1), a lack of holiness is a absence of His blessing.
God has been comforting me with His presence in many ways this Advent season. One of them is with a song. Here is a link to a soulful, worshipful version of the old classic “Down from His Glory”. There are many operatic versions on the Internet, but this version touched my heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbM8o3yw23U
Oh Diane, I’m so glad you shared this. I have not heard this song in years and never thought of it as a Christmas song before, but it truly is the story of advent! “the Great Creator became my Savior, and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.”
Diane — that was beautiful in its simplicity.
Beautiful hymn and moving words. I have never heard this hymn before. Or, I should say, I’ve never heard these words sung to this tune. As I listened, I recognized the tune as the same from Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never”. That got me exploring the internet for more information. Both songs are adaptations of “Oh Sole Mio”, an old Italian song. That’s just interesting to me, not important really. But, one site I found had some really great info about the hymn and the writer of it. I thought some of you gals may like to read about him.
https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/82
Jean, thanks so much for the added information on “Down from His Glory”. Yes, I should have recognized it as an Elvis tune as well. 🙂
3. In a sentence, explain the gospel according to Isaiah. Holy, Righteous God, Whom we could never have a relationship with due to our sinfulness, loved us so that He entered the world in human flesh, lived a holy, righteous life, and then died a death that bore the full penalty of our sin, in order to make us holy and righteous in His sight. Now, through communion with Him, we can find the power to walk in holiness. (two sentences, one fairly long!)
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to? Physical vitality being drained away, due to the heaviness of God’s hand on us, convicting of sin.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
Lack of holiness leads to bones of powder, and I groan. Life literally dries up ?. Here is the message version…
“When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.”
Psalm 32:3-4 MSG
http://bible.com/97/psa.32.3-4.msg
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21
Love from the Lord….”…I will manifest myself to him.” I love that.
B. John 15:10-11
Again, love will prevail in us, and joy will take over our lives.
3. In a sentence explain the gospel according to Isaiah.
The people have turned away from their God, opting for sin; the Lord provides their way “home” to Him and life as He designed it.
4. Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
Pretension…trying to appear as something we are not and maybe even convincing ourselves of the facade; not acknowledging our need for the Lord and His redemption.
Yes, I think the self denial is a big part!
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21- Knowing what God commands, and living it. Loving Him, and letting His love for me transform me.
B. John 15:10-11- Keeping God’s commandments, abiding in Him—spending time in His Word, in prayer, confession and repentance, surrendering to Him.
The more I abide in Him, the more He shapes my thoughts, my desires—so that I hate what He hates, and love what He loves.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
I think holiness means being “set apart”, pure, undefiled. For me, I think it means fixing my mind on what Christ has done for me and the responsibility I have to live worthy of the calling I have received. It is fighting against being conformed to the world, and my fleshly desires, and a pursuing of Jesus.
I do have a deep hunger to be pleasing to Him, to honor Him, and pour out my life as an offering to Him. I trust Him and I want to be fully surrendered, all for Him. He has given me resources—time, energy, abilities…and I do not want to be the servant who buried the talents—these resources do not belong to me, my life is not my own. I think the hymn “Take My Life and Let it Be” says what holiness means to me: “Take my life, and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise, Let them flow in ceaseless praise…”
Hmm…I was also just reminded of when Dee had us read Chalmers’ Expulsive Power of a New Affection (and thank You Lord for all You have taught me through Dee—You knew only she could get me to read things like that!), but I am thinking that holiness means repenting of the idols I have left fill the throne of my heart, and replacing them with the One fit for the Throne, deserving of all my attention, strength, and affections.
So wonderful to read the depth of these comments & heart felt longings! It challenges me! My family are home today & leaving for Mexico tomorrow, & then I will have some time to get caught up on blogging!! I will be working (home health nurse) over Christmas pretty much every day, but I pray that I will choose to spend some quaulity time with the Lord, & not just watch good old movie classics……tho I plan on doing some of that too 🙂 Blessings on u all
Safe travels, Jenny…enjoy a relaxing, renewing vacation time.
4. Lack of holiness leads to wasting away spiritually. I get a picture in my mind of people who are physically starving to death, and know that is what my spirit starts to look like when I don’t spend time with God. I need to take Him in for health, and then ‘work out’ my salvation to be fit and strong, not flabby.
6. What does holiness mean to me? It means being totally set apart for God and His purposes, so that everything I do in life is from Him, through Him, and for Him. It means keeping short accounts when I start to wander, and desiring to be in constant close communion with him. Do I desire it? I think I do. I say I do. I even panic if I haven’t talked to or felt Him in awhile. But I also give in to my flesh way too much. I guess what I am saying is that if I really desired Him as much as I say I do, I think my life would look different. So I strive with His Spirit to be more inclined to be holy.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21 Communion with Jesus, He will “disclose” Himself to us. (NASB)
B. John 15:10-11 His joy will be in us and our joy will be made full.
6. What does holiness mean to you? To me it means being altogether pure. Do you desire it? So much that sometimes I want to die to get it. One of the biggest reasons I long for heaven is because I long to finally be freed from self and my own deceptive heart. I used to pray all the time, “Father, please give me a pure heart, as pure as a human heart can be, this side of heaven.” I began to pray that because, no matter how “holy” my actions may appear, my heart so often reveals such impurities. I’m always questioning my motives, are they entirely pure? Often I discover they are not. But if, rather than dying (physically) I could just continue to die and die to self, everyday, more and more and live more in Him (abide) hopefully my heart would be less clouded with self, and therefore more pure (holy.) I think this is a great study to pursue on the blog.
Amen, Mary, amen!
I see all that in you, Mary!
Well said, Mary…agreed.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Perfect, pure, no scarring. I am quite the perfectionist (with some things) and it drives me crazy. It’s hard to be that way. I suppose being holy means I wouldn’t have to work at the perfect part; it would come naturally. I would love that!
I love this, Laura ” I suppose being holy means I wouldn’t have to work at the perfect part; it would come naturally. I would love that!”
ME TOO! When I used to pray for a pure heart, I then began to work so hard to get one, rather than just focusing on my relationship with HIM and trusting that a pure heart would follow. That is no way to live!!! Abide and REST!
I agree with Mary, Laura. So good. Focus on being with Him and glorifying Him and the rest will fall into place.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21
Love follows holiness. Having the desire to be holy (to keep His commands) is showing love for God. In return, God loves us and reveals more of Himself.
B. John 15:10-11
Remaining in God’s love (abiding). Also fullness of joy.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
In His Word, God says to “be holy, for I am holy”. But my first thought is, that’s impossible for me to do! There is so much that is un-holy in me. A picture given in the Bible by Jesus is what I think of to be holy….two men came in to pray. One, a Pharisee, was thanking God that he wasn’t like that awful tax collector over there. He thought he was holy, but he was a Mrs. Oelson. The tax collector simply lowered his eyes and pleaded for God to have mercy on him, a sinner. I can’t even begin to think about being holy, or set-apart in the way I live, speak, think, without first realizing that I am powerless to do it by myself, without first understanding my true condition before a holy God. If I make even one right choice to choose the right way over the wrong way, it is by His power, not mine. I do desire it. I beat myself up so much of the time because I see my wrong motives, attitudes, thinking. It is so easy to be a Mrs. Oelson, controlling the outward behavior but my heart and attitudes are not right.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
a big rock in the stream of intimacy with God-we back up from Him which leads to inward destruction-strength gone- even extending even into physical issues.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21
Jesus will manifest Himself to us..We will experience His presence!
B. John 15:10-11
His Joy will be in us and our joy will be full.
5.A. John 14:21
S/he who follows the Lord’s commands, the Lord will reveal Himself to.
B. John 15:10-11
Those who keep the Lord’s commands and obey His teaching will remain in His love and experience His joy and delight in them.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
It is a process of Him pruning, the Gospel melting us, us turning and running to Him and we are made more beautiful as His fruit flows out of us. I think Holiness to me isn’t obeying a set of rules, or in a dutiful manner, and looking like you have it all together. It means instead of backing away from Him in these temptations from our idols we turn from them and draw near to Him, and He strengthens us to obey and turn and we become more kind, meek, humble and exude His love toward others rather than cruel judgment because of His grace and mercy lavished on us for He is tearing off our scales!
Yes, I have union with Jesus but HE deeply desires deeper communion with me, and I Him..So when I run to His gifts, or my idols to satisfy me or to find my deepest joy in-even for a day or a season or a moment more than Him, it is sin and it puts a block in the stream of intimacy for it pulls me away from communion with Him and into communion with it. So I guard my heart and turn because He is better and experiencing His presence-walking close to Him, trusting and listening to Him with each encounter is a joy indescribable.
Holiness isn’t about doing everything right or obedience out of duty, but obedience out of Love and my eyes won’t be on me but on Him therefore it will be real hard to look down on others..rather Holiness extends grace and mercy to others because of the daily mercies God extends to me as He makes me Holy.
Love your last paragraph, Rebecca!
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Holiness to me means being in sync with the Lord. Being “in sync” can vary, it can be when I’m sitting all alone in the early morning and I sense His presence while reading (e.g., devotional, Bible, blog comments) or praying or contemplating, when He brings thoughts/ideas to my mind (e.g., compassionate, creative, forgiving) that are clearly not “of” my mind, when I am still and aware of His beauty in my surroundings (e.g., nature, persons, music, silence). “In sync” is when I am fully aware of the Lord’s presence enveloping me, His goodness, His love for me, His grace. Do I desire it?…oh yes…very much so.
Nanci — your description of holiness as being “in sync” with the Lord made me think of the derivation of sync — I suspect it is the Green word Paul coined — syn — which means together with — we are crucified together with, we are raised together with Christ… this is from Union with Christ.
I just read it…”syn”/with…thank you, Dee…it warms my ?. Christmas blessings!
7. Share your notes or thoughts.
Oh my! The sermon is SO GOOD! I especially liked when he spoke of his child’s book where the animals are all gathered at the end and they comment, “The one who made us came to live with us.” Made me CRY. How sweet.
this scripture means so much to me, as my dance partner and I spent an entire year choreographing it intertwined with Proverbs 8. I can try to find the video and re-post it on our Facebook page if anyone wants to view it? It’s not a very good quality, but I think the sentiment is there ?. Merry Christmas everyone!
oh Laura–you know we’d LOVE to see your dancing–please do re-post it!
I echo Lizzy…please re-post. There was a liturgical dance done at my granddaughter’s Christmas concert…I thought of you, Laura.
Laura — let us know when you post it here. I don’t get to the Facebook page daily and I might miss it!
Rebecca posted it to the FB page one year ago today ?. If you go to the “info” choice and then “videos,” its there. It really is special to me and I think others will be blessed. I think she posted on the blog at some point also. Since I don’t “own” the video, as I recall, she had to use her phone and video and then post here ?.
I loved the sermon! And I’m looking at his Church’s site–there are so many that look excellent! I have long notes, but I’ll just share maybe my favorite part (so much better the way he says it though):
The question is not do you believe, perhaps the better question is will you believe, will you believe, will we believe, the words that John has written, that God has given? God desires to make His home with you. Will you believe that today?…We’re afraid (to take this seriously) and naturally we shrink back. So John’s closing assures us that the only son of the father is full of grace and truth. John is assuring us that we need not fear to draw near to God because He is full of mercy and He is full of grace.** He’s like a father you never had receiving you, His child, and He is full of grace. You can rely on this- you can rely on that the one who made us has come to live with us.
1. What stood out to your from the above and why? Sometimes I am oblivious! I read this question, but did not see question #2 yet (how?) What stood out to me was:
BUT IF WE ARE NOT ABIDING, IF WE ARE NOT ENJOYING GOD,
THIS SECRET NEEDS QUICKENING OR RE-QUICKENING
IN OUR HEARTS.
Because I tend to go in “spells.” Sometimes I am enjoying His presence and feel the joy, but sometimes I tend to “fall off the wagon,” I let the world get to me too much, and I am far from the joy.
2. Are you experiencing His joy, His presence? If so, explain. If not, how I pray this week will be the spark that begins the fire!
It is mixed. I fear I am consistently inconsistent! I have felt His presence and joy as I have been about “giving” in this season. I enjoyed working at the Feed Your Neighbor distribution center, and I have enjoyed helping with the adopted Christmas Families at church, and other charitable projects. I have enjoyed Christmas music, and have experienced some carols “coming alive” for me for the first time. BUT, I have also been upset with the actions (or more correctly, the lack of actions) of the extended family, and I have allowed that to steal my joy at times. I shouldn’t have allowed that to happen.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
A starving or withering of the spirit, incrementally losing contact with God, letting our focus drift from Him, and self-obsession.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21 Loving Jesus and obeying his commands out of that love.
B. John 15:10-11 Following His commands with love and feeling complete joy.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it?
Being pure in spirit, being Christ-like, as close to His presence as possible. Do I desire it? Yes! However, I think it was Susan who said it so well “But my first thought is, that’s impossible for me to do! There is so much that is un-holy in me.” Exactly my response!
Yes, I understand — Deanna and Susan. Baby steps — and it is happening…a long obedience in the same direction, as Eugene Peterson put it.
4. According to Psalm 32:3-4, what does a lack of holiness lead to?
I can so easily relate to these verses, because there is nothing that saps me of physical strength, energy and motivation more than the heat of summer. (I am never tempted to go south in the winter but sometimes, I long to go ‘north’ in summer! …and I live in Minnesota. 😉 )
These verses show the strength; the ‘engine’ as Dee wrote in the introduction…..that drives us when we live holy lives ~ when we acknowledge sin and are forgiven, quickly confessing and seeking restoration, living in God’s grace. Without that repentance and restoration, there is only ‘striving’ and outward show which is not only exhausting but it leaves one perpetually unsatisfied and with a feeling of a ‘heavy hand’. The burden of that heavy hand is only lifted when we give up the striving and let God take it from us.
Dee.….I hadn’t looked ahead to the rest of the lesson at all this week, until now. I love the photo of your snow laden dock…..so amazing. And seeing the rendition you shared of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ made me grin. Just yesterday (winter solstice) I shared the lyrics and a couple thoughts about this song on my facebook page and a friend immediately posted this very same rendition. i did not know you had posted it here! I listened to several others yesterday. I love this song sung by a choir but I also really enjoyed Susan Boyle’s solo rendition as well as many others. One of my very favorite Christmas hymns.
5. According to the following, what follows holiness:
A. John 14:21
Obedience. Desiring to do His commands because of our love for Him.
B. John 15:10-11 We continue day by day~’remaining’ in His love~ under the umbrella of His care and leadership, we experience His joy….not a partial joy but a complete joy that can only be found in following and obeying Him.
6. What does holiness mean to you? Do you desire it? Holiness is when someone lives day to day in such closeness to Jesus, that there is no pretenseabout their life. They remain in Him so completely that there isn’t a visible striving to do what He desires. Their desires mirror God’s heart and His words. The description of remaining in Him (as written in the previous answer) sounds really ‘churchy’ and not something we talk about in other settings, but when someone truly is remaining in Him…..it doesn’t look ‘churchy’.…it looks like peace and love and joy and their very life is attractive to people outside the church.
Yes. I desire this. I know when I see it in others and I know when I feel it in my own life…feeling it sometimes, makes it desirable to want it always.
7. Share your notes or thoughts. Wonderful sermon. Not as meaty as the typical Keller message, but great in it’s own right! Like Lizzy, I think I was most touched by his point that Christ is FULL of mercy and grace, as well as truth. When we see the truth about who He is and who we are, we surely need the grace and mercy! Makes us able to come to Him, to approach Him and abide in Him, knowing He is FULL of grace and mercy for us.
7. Share your notes or thoughts. I was very captivated by the sermon; especially the first half or so. I like his slow, deliberate speech and how he so clearly set up what a phenomenal writing the first chapter of John is.
*John, just an ordinary man, in one brief sentence, brought together both the Hebrew and the Greek worlds. Hebrews would instantly recognize ‘in the beginning’ as it is how Genesis begins. Greeks would instantly recognize ‘was the Word-the LOGOS- because that is the most important word in Greek or Stoic philosophy. It is the organizing principle about which everything else revolves. The seen and unseen principle.
*John brought both worlds together. And then surpassed them both.
* John used great care and subtlety of words. With-alongside. WAS- from the beginning. Eternal.
*There is no ‘God of the OT’ that is vengeful and wrathful and a ‘God of the NT’ who is loving and kind. God has always been this God. He is in the beginning with God.
*There is no such thing as a godless person.
He is the origin of every person.
He is the destiny of an entire world.
He is the answer to every anguished search for meaning.
He is an afront for every person’s pretense to set the parameters of his own life.
*You shall set up for yourselves no image of God. EXCEPT for the one that God Himself made. THE WORD.
….who took on flesh. THE WORD.
….immensity in a womb. THE WORD.
….God’s self expression. THE WORD.
*The One who has made us has come to live with us.
Great notes, Wanda. I think your Christmas sounds quiet and lovely.
Our celebration will be on Christmas Eve, when we’ll go to church with 2 of our children and our 4 grandchildren. (our other kids are with their spouses’ families) followed by dinner and gifts. We’ll have brunch together in the morning and a Christmas devotional/family activity provided by our church since we aren’t having service on Christmas morning. Then my son, his wife and the grands leave for their other grandparent’s home. So the rest of the day will be quiet here.
it will just be myself, husband and youngest daughter, who just returned from England, here. I think we will listen to this sermon sometime during the day.
TAKEAWAY: The immensity of the WORD of God. Rankin called it ‘immensity in a womb’. Certainly true of Jesus Himself. ‘The God who made us has come to live with us’. But also true of his spoken word and his written word. I am still thinking on and blown away by John’s writing and he ways he brought Hebrew and Greek thought together inspired by the Holy Spirit of course. The ways the whole of scripture weaves the incarnation, redemption, salvation throughout its entire text.
I’m so glad you will be continuing in Isaiah during Lent, Dee.
THANK YOU once again. I am so very grateful for your shepherding of us here.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!
Your Christmas plans sound wonderful, Wanda. Blessings and peace to you and your family. I so wish that I could go to church with my husband and children. I have been thinking about even going by myself to a Catholic church for midnight Mass by myself tonight….there is one church that I could walk to, it’s so close.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Wanda!
What a lovely sermon! So comforting, so inspiring! It is so nice to stop and focus on the “Word” become flesh! I am grateful for Dee who encouraged us to study and memorize this passage in John 1 a few years ago. It is one I frequently recite and pray through as I lie awake in bed in the early mornings. Reciting and praying Scripture so helps me to focus on God rather than my worries and fears! I was taken by his mentioning about the beauty of this passage – combining Hebrew and Greek cultural words in such a profound way – only God could do that!
Thanks, Wanda, for the notes – helpful in following along without having to type! (I did add a bit at the end.)
Merry Christmas to all!
You’re welcome Diane…..I actually quit writing half way though and just listened to the rest….so my notes are really only on the first half. 🙂
It has taken me a little while to get to this point. Aren’t the rest of you busy at Christmas time? I don’t know how you do it all!! Here are my notes from sermon “Light and Life” by Rankin Wilbourne
Based on John 1: 1-5, 14.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “
“In the beginning” was instantly recognizable to any Jewish reader. The first words of the Hebrew Bible – verse 1.
– before creation, because creation comes in verse 3.
– the logos. Logos would have been instantly recognizable to any Greek or Gentile.
Logos was the organizing principle around which everything exists.
In one brief sentence John has brought together these two worlds.
Wilbourne had a philosophy professor, a brilliant man, a Rhodes scholar, who said this was one of two passages in the Bible that convinced him that the Bible was not the product of human invention. Only God could have composed something so beautiful and profound, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. Alongside but distinct from.
There is no God of the Old Testament, angry and wrathful, and God of the New Testament, loving and kind. God has always been this God from the beginning.
All things were created through Christ, all things were created by Christ, all things were created for Christ. There is no such thing as a godless person. Christ is the origin of every person. He is the purpose of each life. He is the destiny of the entire world. He is the answer to every anguished search for meaning, and He is an affront to every person’s pretense to set the parameters of his own life.
In Him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. There are times it will see that darkness is winning, expecially so at Christmas when this year chairs are absent for the firs time, or you wonder if chairs will be absent next year. Even when darkness will cover the whole land from noon to three on a certain Friday afternoon. Nothing can thwart the purposes of God in Christ. Jesus will win.
In that one day we celebrate this day (Christmas), really the only day that really mattered, the only day that ever was, the Word became flesh. Jesus was the man God became when God became a man. He could represent anyone – man or woman from every time and every place.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Literally pitched his tent and came to live. “The one who made us has come to live with us.”
John writes we want you to know this. We have seen it and know it and testify to it, and proclaim it to you, so you may have communion with us, so we may have communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit.
The whole of Christ’s life– his birth and death – were but one continual passion. His Christmas Day and His Good Friday are but the evening and morning of one and the same day. From creche to cross, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter. Christmas has no meaning apart from that – where the Son of God displayed His glory by His Death – John Donne, Sermon on Christmas Day 1626.
Do you believe that God desires to dwell, to make His life with yours? Perhaps that is not the question, because there are some times, for myself and I’m afraid for most of us, that we don’t believe that. We may say it, but we live as if God tolerates us, as if we must be a disappointment to Him, if God even recognizes us. Perhaps the question is “Will we believe?”
In closing, John assures us that the only Son of the Father is full of grace and truth. Not as is sometimes taught – opposing sides of Jesus’ personality, as if He is full of grace, but watch out He is also full of truth! Jesus is full of grace and truth, but he is full of mercy.
The one who made us has come to live with us. So this Christmas morning, will you believe? In spite of the darkness, will you believe that the light shines. It will overcome, it has overcome, and it will overcome. Will you believe that God desires to make His home in you, and will walk with you, with us, into a new life? Today it is more blessed to receive than to give; so God asks all of us, “Will you accept this gift?”
Deanna– this is wonderful!
Thank you Deanna for your careful notes, again! We’ve come to rely on you! That part about living as if God just tolerates us, as if we must be a disappointment to Him, really got to me.