I don't know about you saints, but when put under extreem pressure, and strain, at certain times..I don't like what I see in myself... I see a flawed vessel... I can clearly see that I am but dirt...my carnality shows...by my inability to put myself in check and control the emotions.. and even if it is just unloading on the husband...or sounding off on an unsaved daughter when she has pushed me over the limit.... it is not good!
Some may read this and rejoice,...saying..."See I told you she is not so good"...hey I have never been good, there is only one who is Good and that is God!
I don't know about you, but I am nothing but a wretch saved by the blessed Grace of the Most High God!!!
Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee, a man who was apt to keep all his religious tradition, and a common old publican who went to pray:
Luke 18:10
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
I often have to pray please Lord -"Please, remember I am but dust"... too often for my liking...
I sometimes wonder if I will ever get the victory over my flesh, and be able to rule my spirit with an iron hand...and be continuously pleasing to my God....Pray for me saints....it is my desire to be a vessel of honor unto the LORD.
8 comments:
It is interesting that I just posted this on my blog before coming to visit yours.. thought you might appreciate it.
I am of the same mind as you are... and will pray for you as well.
God bless you!
"O wretched man that I am!" Romans 7:24
Now, these feelings which the Apostle groaned under are experienced by all the quickened family. Blessed then be the name of God most High, that he inspired him to trace out and leave upon record his experience, that we might derive comfort and relief from it. What should we otherwise have thought? We should have reasoned thus: 'Here is an apostle perfectly holy, perpetually heavenly-minded, having nothing but the image of Christ in him, continually living to the Lord's glory, and unceasingly enjoying communion with him!' We should have viewed him as a perfect saint, if he had not told us what he was; and then, having viewed him as a perfect saint, we should have turned our desponding eyes into our own bosom, and seen such an awful contrast, that we should despair of ever being saved at all! But seeing the soul conflict which the Apostle passed through, and feeling a measure of the same in our own bosom, it encourages, supports, and leads the soul on to believe that this is the way in which the saints are called to travel, however rough, rugged, and perplexing it may be to them.
Be assured, then, if you have never cried out from the depths of your soul, "O wretched man that I am!" you are dead in sin, or dead in a profession. If internal guilt, misery, and condemnation never forced that cry from your bosom, depend upon it, the life and power of God is not in your soul. But if there has been, and still is, from time to time, this cry in your breast, forced out of it by the pressure of sin and guilt, you have a testimony that the same Lord who taught Paul is teaching you.
J.C. Philpot - 1802-1869
Oh thank you so very much Sarah, that was most kind of you, thank you for sharing, I really needed that!
Helen
Sister Helen, we are so blessed to have an Advocate with the Father; Christ Jesus our LORD! We are, as you say, but dust. But, God is the One who formed us from the womb. He says He holds our very breath in His hands.
We must not lose heart when doing good, and surely not lose heart when we falter or fall short! If we did not falter, why would we need our Advocate? Why would He have given us an Intercessor, a Comforter?
We can praise God through Jesus Christ our LORD! I have been out shoveling snow (10 inches already!) and as I was doing so a verse came to mind; Randy, though your sins have been like scarlet, they are now as white as snow! I almost jumped in joy and fell over my shovel!!
Praise God! As the elderly minister friend of mine like to say quite often, and you are in this group he speaks of, "Do not worry, our ticket is punched! We are soon going to be outta here!!"
Have a quiet peaceful Sabbath thinking upon the One who gave His all for us.
Oh dear sister, I understand. So many times I feel like such a failure. I have prayed this before "Lord, please cover my mistakes (with child rearing, as a wife,ect)with your grace and let your will be done even through my own mistakes, sin and shortcomings" Praise His Name
Diana
Thank you Brother Randy for sharing that word of encouragement.
Dear sister Diana, so nice to hear from you, and to hear that word of encouragement. Yes it gets tuff raising kids, I raised my two and now I am raising 3 of my grandchildren, and I can not do it without the LORD'S Help, I just wish I would quit failing Him in the task, by getting so frustrated and mad at times at the boys.... they know how to drive ya plumb crazy sometimes, I tell ya. Please keep me in your prayers, that I will be pleasing to the Lord and that the boys will be men of God in the end.
God bless you
Helen
Hi Helen, I see you got lots of good comments, and I would just say, I appreciate how you are "real" and not "religious"! Maybe you should not focus on how you are "failing the Lord", but just pray that it is giving Him room to prove Himself and glorify His Son in you. If you were not weak, no one would see His strength. I know how hard the enemy works on me when I fail and sin in the way I react to my mother when I feel she's driving me crazy. I pray you will be able to stay in His peace and hold on to His promise to manifest the fruit of self-control. We can't do it in our flesh, but He will by His Spirit.
Thank you for your word of exhortation dear sister Amy, it was just super to hear from you.
God bless you!
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