blessing # 4 - back off, enemies! I cling to Christ!

Even though our armor may have chinks in it, He still holds everything together (yay, Colossians) and is orchestrating things for His glory! I was able to take a biblical counseling class last fall that was led by Terry Burlingame, and ever since then my inbox has been attacked by truthbits. (well, Monday through Friday). Sometimes I don't read them because I don't feel like getting poked in the eye, but God has used these little message/reminders many, many times to bring my heart closer to His. and that is a blessing (yes, I just started a sentence with "and" ...)

So here is the blessing from this morning. God is good, and He IS good. no matter what we are going through emotionally, physically, spiritually. I cling to Christ,

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.Bought by such love, my life is not my own.My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!
(-Chris Anderson)

and now, the "morning desk" -

Romans 8.18-39

At times we may feel like all is against us, that nothing is going the way we had planned, and that the road ahead has far too many obstacles for us to travel. It can seem that we are being ambushed by the enemy from every angle and that we have no way of overcoming our current struggle. But, as believers we must not live on what we “feel” or what “seems.” Rather, we must firmly hold to what is true. “If God is for us, who can be against us. He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8.31-32). No obstacle is too great for God, no circumstance too difficult, no enemy too strong. None can stand against Him, and being in Christ none can successfully stand against us. We must remember that the enemy is not defeated by our feelings; he is not silenced by what “seems” right. Rather, he is stopped by the power of the Almighty Lord, he is halted by the Truth of God’s Word, he is silenced by the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Remembering what our Lord has done motivates us to trust and move forward. He “gave up” His own Son for us – who lived among sinful men, shed His blood on the Cross for us, and was placed in the tomb for us, for our redemption, for our salvation, for our deliverance, for our freedom, for our hope, for our eternity. He gave His all that we might know Him, escape rightful condemnation, and be freed from eternal separation. Knowing this to be true, we can have absolute confidence that now He will not leave us alone, leave us stranded, or forget about us, but will with Christ “graciously give us all things.” Whatever our troubles, struggles, difficulties, or need, our merciful Lord will lovingly provide everything we need to victoriously walk in this day. Our confidence in Him can be unwavering, for He has purchased us and designed to keep us; in Him alone we have hope, victory, and rest.

 Terry Burlingame

*let me know if you'd like to get his weekday thoughts sent to your email - he'd love to add you to his list :)