FULLNESS IN CHRIST!

IN CHRIST!

How does one receive fullness in Christ?

The answer is through salvation in Christ Jesus.

How do others know that answer is true?

They see it in your life.

When JoLynn changed the page on the desk calendar at church today---I saw the answer!

JOY! In the life of a believer.

The above wrapped up an earlier meditation from a Puritan's prayer, "Fullness in Christ" in Valley of Vision.

"Christ has all fulness"....."to give me fullness" 

"It is my duty, out of a sense of emptiness, to go to Christ, possess, enjoy his fullness as mine, as if I had it in myself, because it is for me in him; that when I do this I am full of the Spirit,"

FULLNESS IN CHRIST!!!!!

How about "going to school of meditation" on that---it is Meditation Monday after all!

VALLEY OF VISION!

Puritans strength of character came from their prayers and meditation.

Oh that such words could be used to describe all present day Christians! Recently, during Monday Prayer for Revival mornings, Carolyn Wynn read aloud one of the prayers, "Divine Promises" to us.

"All thy promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen, and all shall be fulfilled."

Oftentimes, I use their prayers to prompt me into prayers and ensuing meditation of my own. 

A gift from Martha Banks in 2011,continues to be a treasure of an oft-needed vision for me.

CHOOSE: TO CONTINUE

CHOOSE: TO CONTINUE.....in prayer that is!
Even when life seems to be suffocating you, PRAY!

It's important to "keep on keeping on" in prayer even if you feel as Elisabeth Eliott did (Twelve Basket of Crumbs, p.63) when she quoted the psalmist, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaw; thous doest lay me in the dust of the earth..." (Psalm 22:14-15) The prayer she uttered as she felt like shattered, broken pieces of pottery---"Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us."
Elliott expressively used the words of the psalmist in her prayer. Spurgeon called Psalm 22, the "Psalm of the Cross." How appropriate for this Holy Week of 2017 for the Lord to bring me back to the truth of the One who suffered great affliction for me and my miserable condition----when my spirit seems to have melted away and I feel devoid of energy in my prayer life.
Lately, I haven't even been able to find scripture to pray for a deep wound in my heart.
But God....turned me to the prayers of others. The prayers of the Puritans...

• May His comforts cheer me in my sorrows, 
• His strength sustain me in my trials, 
• His blessings revive me in my weariness, 
• His presence render me a fruitful tree of holiness, 
• His might establish me in peace and joy, 
• His incitements make me ceaseless in prayer, 
• His animation kindle in my undying devotion.

Send Him as the searcher of my heart, to show me more of my corruption and helplessness

that I may flee to Thee,

cling to Thee,

rest on Thee...(Valley of Vision, p.23)

---until the Lord leads me to His Words to pray.....I continue to pray Elliott's prayer, "Lord, have mercy."

PIP

10/3/11 PIP is my acronym for "Put Into Practice." Usually for me that means living out a meaningful verse of Scripture. Today was a "Day of Praise" for the radio station K-Love. They asked listeners to join them in praising God for who He is & thanking Him for what He's done. Praise and thanks. That seemed like a good thing to PIP. (By the way my acronyms are in no way connected to net lingo for chatting or texting---just my way of remembering, established long before one could even text on a phone.)

Today's MM (Monday Meditation) is a glimpse as I PIP this challenge. Meditating on scripture often serves as a springboard for prayer and praise. Psalm 67 was my international praise guide. Psalm 150 was my benediction.

1May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us
2that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! (ESV)

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. (Psalm 150:6)

As the Puritan's "Evening Praise" states, "My cup runs over. Suffer me not to be insensible (without feeling) to these daily mercies.Thy hand bestows blessings: Thy power averts evil. I bring my tribute of thanks for spiritual graces, the warmth of faith, the cheering presence of Thy Spirit...." (The Valley of Vision, p. 121)