Category Archives: Thoughts From Scripture

Thursday Thirteen: Favorite Bible Verses

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1. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13.

2. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6.

3. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6.

4. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10.

5. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3.

6. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

7. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephanoah 3:17.

8. And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee. II Chronicles 14:11.

9. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Psalm 37:7

10. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Psalm 36:7

11. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. Psalm 145:8.

12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:12-13.

13. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6.

(See what other Thursday Thirteeners are up to here.)

What we wanted all the time…

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The following was written by Amy Carmichael and included in Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur by Frank Houghton. It is a wonderful picture of our ultimate need and desire: our Father’s fellowship:

It was the hour between lights, and five little people under two years old were waiting for their food. Sometimes the cows belonging to the adjoining village from which part of our milk comes saunter home with more than their usual leisureliness, and then the milk is late. The babies, who do not understand the weary ways of cows, disapprove of having to wait, and that evening they were all very fractious. To add to their woes the boy whose duty it is to light the lamps had been detained, and the quickly gathering twilight fell upon us unawares as we sat together on the nursery veranda. The five fretful babies made discouraging remarks to each other and threw themselves in that exasperated fashion which tells the experienced that the limits of patience have been passed. And the more depressed began to whimper.

At this point a lamp was brought and set behind me so that its light fell upon their toys — a china head long since parted from its body, a tin with small stones in it which when shaken makes a charming noise, several rattles and other sundries. If anything will comfort them their toys will, I thought, as these illuminated treasures caught my attention. But the babies only looked disgusted. One of the most sweet-tempered seized the china head and flung it as far as ever she could. Not one of them would find consolation in toys.

Then a small child endowed with a vivid imagination and a timid disposition was sure she heard something dangerous moving in the bushes outside and she wailed a wail of most infectious misery and terror, and the quick panic which comes upon birds when they hear their own particular warning call, suddenly filled the babies’ hearts, and they howled.

Then I took the lamp and set it in front so that its light did not fall upon the toys but upon myself, and in a moment the whole five were tumbling over me cuddling and caressing — and content.

Are there not evenings in life when our toys have no power to please or soothe? There is not any rest in them or any comfort. Then the one Whom we love best takes the lamp and puts it so that the toys are in the shadow, but His face is in the light. And then we know that that is what we wanted all the time. And He makes His face to shine upon us and gives us peace.

What Is the Shape of Your Faith: Personality

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Some weeks ago Heather at Graced By Christ began a series called “What Is the Shape of You Faith?” I participated in the first installment regarding testimony, but haven’t yet in the subsequent ones about Personality, Abilities, Passion, and today’s about Life Experiences. The questions have been a bit more involved than I have had (or maybe made) time to deal with thoroughly, but they have been providing food for thought! I think I am finally ready to deal with the section on personality.

Before I do, though, I want to discuss a couple of inherent dangers in this type of study. Sometimes, when studying or discussing various personality types (or spiritual temperaments), people tend to pigeonhole others based on what they think everyone else’s personality type is and then listen to and react toward them through that filter. While this kind of study can help us understand and interact with others, we have to be careful about pigeonholing and over-simplifying.

One of the other major dangers in studying personality types is the tendency to then use our personalities as an excuse: what comes across to others as a flaw we excuse in ourselves with a “That’s just the way I am” mentality. A former pastor used to say, “With every strength there is an off-setting weakness.” Because we have a fallen nature, our personality traits can have their negative sides. We are all, as Christians, supposed to be continually conforming to Christ’s image. A study of personality can help us understand ourselves and how we relate to others, and we can rejoice in the way God has made us, but that shouldn’t be the end of it: we should be asking the Lord to help smooth the rough edges, to help us see the weakness as well as the strength of our traits so that we can best glorify Him and be used by Him and seek His help and strength to grow and act and react as He wants us to rather than as what comes naturally. For instance, someone who is naturally introverted can understand that that probably means she may not be likely to have a job or ministry that involves dealing with a multitude of people. But she shouldn’t let that introverted tendency cause her to not reach out to others, to not extend herself, to stay within her own four walls (I am introverted, and I know these are my tendencies). By God’s grace, she can reach out. Conversely, some personality types can run roughshod over people and have trouble seeing things any other way but the way they see them, or someone who is very direct and straightforward can come across as lacking in grace and be totally unaware that he or she is coming across that way. With these or any other traits, we can know what our tendencies are and see ways the Lord can use them, but we need to also see those traits are not an end in themselves and ask the Lord to refine us and conform us to His likeness. Any way in which we’re not conformed to His likeness can be a stumblingblock to other people.

On the positive side, years ago my pastor at the time was telling about how some of the different prophets in the Bible were contemporaries of each other. Some of them lived and prophesied around the same time and in the same places, or very close, and had similar messages. One reason for that, he said, was that each one had a different personality or style and could be used by God to reach different people. Some folks would be drawn to the one prophet; some to another. That was eye-opening for me, not just in understanding the Biblical prophets, but in understanding one of the reasons God made different personalities and how He could use them.

One other positive note about studying different personalities is the realization that all the different personality types are needed to balance each other out and accomplish different things.

Now….as to my own personality…I tend to get frustrated with these tests. I tend to be too analytical and often, as I am looking over the choices to answers to specific questions, think that none of them are exactly what my answer would be. 🙂 And the personality tests that result in all the initials have frustrated me because I haven’t quite understood the results, and the explanation of the results went on for pages and pages and only confused me more. But the test Heather recommended had links to explanations of the test results that were fairly easy to digest. I have taken these kinds of tests before and may have come up with some different initials (I thought I had kept the previous results somewhere, but couldn’t find them to compare my current results). But my results for this test were ISTJ: Introverted, Sensing. Thinking, Judging, the one called the Inspector, or in another place, the Guardian, the Duty Fulfiller. As I read through the description, I recognized myself in a lot of it, but disagreed with some of it. I saw and took another personality test on another site, and the result there was ISFJ; Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging, the Nurturer, the Protector Guardian. So the difference seems to be between the thinking and feeling areas. That may be due to those questions on the test where my answer wasn’t clear-cut one way or the other, or, as Heather pointed out in her post, the result of Christ working in me to balance me over the years.

Heather asks:

So now we have our basic temperaments figured out how do we apply them to our faith?

How does your specific personality affect how you relate to those around you?

How does it affect how you relate to other Christians?

Non-Christians?

How does it affect your ministry?

Did you recognize anyone else’s personality when looking over the types?

How might this affect how you relate to them?

How does you personality affect your relationship to the Lord?

This post is already long, so I won’t go through a step-by step analysis: instead I’ll just mention a few things.

I do tend to be more practical than emotional, though I am not unemotional, and there are times in my life I have to fight being ruled by emotion. I agree that I am not effusive and probably can be seen sometimes as aloof. One set of college roommates once told me well into the school year that when they first met me, they thought I was a stuck-up rich kid. 😦 I knew I wasn’t rich and hoped I wasn’t stuck-up! I guess the fact that they felt free to tell me that indicated that they decided I wasn’t after all. That did grieve me, though, that I came across like that, but I often hear that charge being laid against others who are quiet and shy.

My pastor once said that some people are idea people and some people are – I forget what exact word he used, but the type of practical person who works out the ideas. I’m the latter. As such I can get very frustrated with the enthusiastic dreamers and the idea people, when they come up with something that either just won’t work or would be a pain to work out. It’s especially hard when the “dreamer” is the authority over the “doer” – the dreamer/authority comes up with the shadowy but enthusiastic idea which causes the doer to think, “What…?” “Do you have any idea what that would take?” One can feel dumped on in such situations or feel that the dreamer seems to be impractical or just dreaming and not caring about what he is requiring the doer to do, or that the dreamer is just dreaming while the doer has to do all the work. It’s hard to be patient and longsuffering – they probably think it is hard to be patient and longsuffering with the person like me who they might think is a “stick in the mud” or who “doesn’t like to try new things” (not entirely true) or who seems to keep shooting down their great and wonderful ideas. 🙂 It’s just one of those areas where we need to maintain balance, to realize that the world needs both dreamers and doers, and to try to be gracious with each other and find common ground.

One of the differences between the ISTJ and the ISFJ was that the “ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don’t keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don’t mince words. Truth wins out over tact.” I agree with the frustration part, but I don’t usually express myself by not mincing words. I don’t usually express myself at all when it comes to frustrations with others – at least not to that person. My poor dear husband hears a lot of my frustrations with others. I do see a tremendous need for tact, and though I am sure I fail sometimes, I usually try not to directly say, “You should do….” But rather, “You might try…” or “Well, this worked for me…” I think in this I am more like the ISFJ than the ISTJ.

“The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in officiation of sports events, judiciary functions, or another situation which requires making tough calls and sticking to them.” Grim determination? 🙂 I can’t see myself in any of those occupations – I am too indecisive, too prone to look at all the possible angles.

Words like faithful, dependable, hard-working come up on both profiles. I want to be and try to be – I am acutely aware that I fail in those areas. What progress has been made has mainly been due to growth in Christian character over the years.

“The ISTJ will work for long periods of time and put tremendous amounts of energy into doing any task which they see as important to fulfilling a goal. However, they will resist putting energy into things which don’t make sense to them, or for which they can’t see a practical application. They prefer to work alone, but work well in teams when the situation demands it…The ISTJ has little use for theory or abstract thinking, unless the practical application is clear.” Yep.

“Under stress, ISTJs may fall into ‘catastrophe mode’, where they see nothing but all of the possibilities of what could go wrong. They will berate themselves for things which they should have done differently, or duties which they failed to perform. They will lose their ability to see things calmly and reasonably, and will depress themselves with their visions of doom.” I can be like that – I think I’ve mellowed in this area over the years.

“ISFJs are often unappreciated, at work, home, and play. Ironically, because they prove over and over that they can be relied on for their loyalty and unstinting, high-quality work, those around them often take them for granted–even take advantage of them. Admittedly, the problem is sometimes aggravated by the ISFJs themselves; for instance, they are notoriously bad at delegating (‘If you want it done right, do it yourself’). And although they’re hurt by being treated like doormats, they are often unwilling to toot their own horns about their accomplishments because they feel that although they deserve more credit than they’re getting, it’s somehow wrong to want any sort of reward for doing work (which is supposed to be a virtue in itself). (And as low-profile Is, their actions don’t call attention to themselves as with charismatic Es.) Because of all of this, ISFJs are often overworked, and as a result may suffer from psychosomatic illnesses.” Boy, does that paragraph hit the nail on the head!! Especially the last two or three sentences. I don’t really think I am unappreciated, but I can feel that way when I’m overworked and stressed.

“Like most Is, ISFJs have a few, close friends. They are extremely loyal to these, and are ready to provide emotional and practical support at a moment’s notice. (However, like most Fs they hate confrontation; if you get into a fight, don’t expect them to jump in after you. You can count on them, however, run and get the nearest authority figure.)” Yep!

“One ISFJ trait that is easily misunderstood by those who haven’t known them long is that they are often unable to either hide or articulate any distress they may be feeling. For instance, an ISFJ child may be reproved for ‘sulking,’ the actual cause of which is a combination of physical illness plus misguided “good manners.” An adult ISFJ may drive a (later ashamed) friend or SO into a fit of temper over the ISFJ’s unexplained moodiness, only afterwards to explain about a death in the family they ‘didn’t want to burden anyone with.'” This was one of those paragraphs that was very helpful to me – I recognized myself perfectly but couldn’t have told you beforehand that that was what was going on – trying to balance that something is wrong that I can’t hide but can’t articulate either.

The “I” for Introverted is one thing that has remained constant in any personality test. Introversion and shyness aren’t exactly the same things, but they do go together, I think. I was painfully shy growing up. After I became a Christian, because I tended to be pretty quiet in groups, people would comment on my “meek and quiet spirit.” I can testify that a closed mouth does not necessarily indicate a quiet spirit. One can have a raging spirit and still be quiet on the outside (which is not very healthy, by the way!) I usually let other people initiate conversations and friendships (because I usually didn’t know what to do or say or was too timid), usually had one close friend rather than a multitude of friends, was a homebody rather than a person who constantly had to be out doing things with other people. The Lord has helped me with these tendencies a lot through the years. One thing He did was to allow me to go to a small Christian school my last two years of high school, and I got involved in things there, like yearbook and student council, that I never would have dreamed of trying in the larger public high school I had been in, plus being in a smaller school, there is less opportunity to “hide” in the crowd. Then He allowed me to go to a Christian university and be in a dorm room with four other girls at a time. That forces one to interact with other people and come out of oneself a bit. Then He led me to a man to marry who is very easy-going and had no problems talking with or interacting with people. Plus all along the way He helped me to grow in Him and see the need to get beyond myself and reach out to and interact with others. After I was married and began to get involved in my local church, one of the first “jobs” I was asked to do was to go to the visitors at our ladies’ group, speak to them, introduce myself, and ask them to fill out a visitor’s card. That doesn’t sound too hard, does it? Well, it was a big step for me, and many times I would have to find a quiet spot, take a deep breath, and then go on. People who know me now probably would have trouble believing I was ever so shy, but I was. Nowadays I can start a conversation with other people fairly easily (especially if I don’t think about it too much beforehand), but it is still my tendency not to, to let someone else greet a visitor or take the first step. I’m still a homebody and can get very frustrated and depleted when there are a lot of activities going on that take us away from home. With the connection to the “outside world” with the Internet now, it would be all too easy for me to keep within my own four walls, yet thankfully the Lord has shown me the importance over the years of reaching out and interacting with others.

As far as ministry goes, for most of my life I have preferred to be the quiet one behind the scenes doing whatever needed to be done. You wouldn’t think an introverted person would be a leader. Yet God has put me in some positions that I knew I had to take or else be out of His will. I have seen Him stretch me in ways I never would have thought possible. I still feel awkward about the “in front of people” part of those ministries, but He helps me with that.

I don’t know that this post is very coherent: I’ve been thinking about it for weeks and composing it in spurts over days while reading the various profiles and having all of that swirling around in my head. J In some ways it might be better to let this sit for a while and then come back to it and refine it, as far as the writing goes. But since this is already so far behind the other posts on this subject, I want to go ahead and get it out there.

ISFJ Profile

ISTJ Profile

“What he wanteth of time…”

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As I was thinking yesterday about four-year-old Canon’s home-going and the loss his family feels, something came to mind from one of my most often read books, Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur by Frank Houghton. There is a section quoting Amy’s writing about the death of one of their little ones at Dohnavur and a passage from a letter of Samuel Rutherford’s to a grieving mother over 200 years before which was a comfort then to Amy:

You have lost a child. Nay, she is not lost to you who is found to Christ; she is not sent away but only sent before, like unto a star which going out of our sight doth not die and vanish, but shineth in another hemisphere: you see her not, yet she doth shine in another country.

If her glass was but a short hour, what she wanteth of time that hath she gotten in Eternity; and you have to rejoice that you have now some treasure laid up in heaven…Your daughter was a part of yourself, and you, being as it were cut and halved, will indeed be grieved; but you have to rejoice that when a part of you is on earth, a great part of you is glorified in heaven…There is less of you out of heaven that the child is there.

I also thought of Jesus’s prayer, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

We rejoice that Canon is with Him where He is, beholding His glory, free from pain and any more surgeries. We could not wish him back. That was one thought that came to me often after my mom passed away, and I missed her sorely and so wanted to talk to her again and give her a hug…but though I could wish her here for my sake, I really couldn’t wish she were here when I have some small inkling of what she is experiencing there.

Yet we are “indeed grieved” by the loss of our loved ones’ presence and fellowship. I know Canon’s family will feel this intensely both now and for many days to come. A verse that someone shared with me that was a great help (I am including the preceding and following verses as well) was from Psalm 119: 75-77: “I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.”

The ladies at Faith Builders asked if anyone would like to, to post a prayer for the family and link it back to a post there. I am not one to write out my prayers generally (even in Bible study books that tell me to…I’d rather just pray them), yet, during one of my mom’s serious illnesses when I asked many people to pray, many of them sent back prayers they had written out for her. I sent those to her, and it touched and ministered to her heart to know that people she didn’t even know would pray for her. So I pray that these specific prayers will be a comfort to Canon’s family.

“Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for Canon’s family during this time of grief. I pray that your merciful kindness would be for their comfort, that they would take refuge in You and know your everlasting arms underneath them, both now and in the days ahead. I pray that the funeral would honor and glorify you and bring comfort to those attending. I pray that you would help Canon’s mom with the many details she has to take care of. I pray that You would bring people across her path who would be able and willing to help both spiritually and practically. I pray for Canon’s siblings, that You would just help them especially during this time: help them not to be confused and hurt and disappointed, but draw them close to Thyself. Help them not to think that You didn’t answer prayer, but to realize that You did answer it, though in a different way. I pray that this would not be used by the evil one to cause bitterness in anyone’s heart that the outcome wasn’t different. I pray that if there are any who do not know You as Lord and Savior, that these events and the funeral would draw them to faith in You. I pray for Your continuing grace for everyone involved in the weeks and months ahead. Thank You for loving us and ministering to us. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for preparing a place in heaven for Your children. Amen.”

Before the Throne of God Above

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This is another old hymn that is fairly new to me. I first heard it on the Soundforth CD Freedom Through Christ, then later on the CD A Quiet Heart. I wish it were still in our hymnbooks. I looked up and printed out the words soon after I heard it and listened to it over and over again. I can’t tell you how it has ministered to my heart.

 

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

— Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863

 

What we have in the Lord

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chbiblegrouping.gifOne of the passages from today’s selection in Daily Light on the Daily Path was from Isaiah 45:24: “In the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.” That gave me a lot to meditate on during the rest of my morning routine.

When I buy new t-shirts and put them in the drawers next to the old ones, I’m appalled at how grey the old ones look — the ones that looked white before. That’s just a paltry comparison of what our righteousness would look like next to God’s. Even what might look like righteousness to ourselves and others is only filthy rags. I am so glad the Lord is my righteousness! I certainly don’t have any of my own. I’m so thankful He made a way that we could be made righteous through Christ.

And then I also have strength in Him! I couldn’t get by a day without it.

“All that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.” Though in some ways I am looking forward to the day when the mockers and scorners of the world are set right, my hope is that as many as possible will see Him aright before it’s too late.

A short while after I read these verses, I was a reminded of a study I did some years ago about what we have in Christ. I’d recommend that study to you: it’s enriching in many ways. I looked up in my Online Bible program (you could use BibleGateway as well — it’s helpful to put the words you are looking for in quotation marks when you are looking for an exact phrase) phrases like “in Christ,” “in Jesus,” “in the Lord,” “in him” (though with the last one you would have to sort through to find the ones specifically about the Lord) and then listed them and underlined what we have in Him. Here are a few:

Romans 3:24: ” Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

I Corinthians 1:30: ” But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”

Acts 17:28: ” For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

I John 1:5: ” This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

Colossians 2:9: ” For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

This study not only rejoices our hearts and strengthens us as we’re reminded of all that we have in Christ, but we can’t help but overflow with praise to Him for all that He is!

(Graphic courtesy of Creative Ladies Ministries.)

I am not skilled to understand

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I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned;
I only know that at His right hand
Is One Who is my Savior!

I take Him at His word indeed;
“Christ died for sinners”—this I read;
For in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Savior!

That He should leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die,
You count it strange? So once did I,
Before I knew my Savior!

And oh, that He fulfilled may see
The travail of His soul in me,
And with His work contented be,
As I with my dear Savior!

Yea, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this Spring;
That He Who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior!

— Dorothy Greenwell, 1873

Blessed Assurance

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Blessed Assurance

 

I mentioned in my testimony of how the Lord brought me to Himself that I had struggled for long years with the assurance that I was really saved. One person mentioned wanting to hear more about that, so for her and for anyone else who might be wrestling with this or who knows someone who is, I wanted to share how the Lord helped me over the years.

I didn’t think I had lost my salvation. Scripture is pretty clear that once you’re “born again” you don’t get unborn. My trouble was with my end of things.

I think there were a number of reasons for that. I had made a profession when I was 8 or 9 and then wasn’t in church or reading my Bible regularly. Therefore I wasn’t taught or grounded very well. When I did get back into church and began reading my Bible and began to examine whether I was truly saved, I couldn’t remember very well what had actually happened or what I was thinking or feeling or understanding at that time back when I was 8 or 9. Even some who are spiritually well-grounded and taught struggle over that. Then, I tend to be overly analytical.

The devil can use a lack of assurance to trip people up and almost cripple them spiritually, both from a loss of confidence (“How can I tell anyone else how to be saved if I’m not sure if I am?”) and from a preoccupation with these issues instead of going on in the Lord. But it is such an important issue, I didn’t want to brush off doubts as just coming from the devil.

It‘s possible for a well-meaning person to make a false profession for any number of reasons (trusting in something outward like a walk down the aisle or raising the hand or even praying a prayer rather than in the Lord Himself, responding to “positive peer pressure” instead of the Lord’s conviction, not being instructed very well by the person telling them about the Lord, and so on). I’ve heard testimonies of people who thought they were saved for years but then realized they were not. Testimonies like that shook me up and caused me to re-examine my faith and fear that I had missed it somehow. Many aggressive sermons did the same thing. I know the experience of coming home to an empty house or waking up to find my husband not in bed or hearing the Christian radio station unexpectedly go off the air and wondering if the rapture had occurred and I hadn’t gone to heaven. It’s a miserable way to live, let me tell you.

I did seek counsel several times, and it was all very helpful and made me feel settled for a time. But before long the old doubts or some new ones would creep in.

It helped me to learn that others struggled with this, even prominent Christians whose salvation no one else would doubt. Somewhere along the way I discovered John Bunyan’s Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. I read somewhere that some pastors didn’t want their people reading that book, because if they hadn’t doubted their salvation before, they might after reading it. It’s been so long since I read it that I don’t remember the details, but I was encouraged that someone such as Bunyan struggled with some of the same things.

Here, then, are some of the particular issues I struggled with and how the Lord graciously helped me with them.

1) The “Right” words

If you think of it, we express salvation in many ways: being born again, having our sins forgiven, having our sins put under the blood, being on the straight and narrow road, etc., etc. Sometimes I’d hear a particular phrase and think, “Oh, no! I don’t know if I thought of that when I prayed.” Then I’d pray that particular phrase (i.e., “Dear Lord, please put my sins under the blood”). 

What I had to come to realize is that salvation is not a “magic formula” of certain words. The “sinner’s prayer” is a fine thing, but one can be saved without praying those exact lines (look at the thief on the cross beside Christ for one example).

There was one incident that helped me most with this particular issue. To help you fully appreciate it, I need to give you a little bit of background, though it will make a long post even longer. There was a certain program on the local Christian radio station that I enjoyed listening to. Right after that program came a radio preacher that I thought of as “ranting and raving.” When his intro music came on, I’d disgustedly turn the radio off as fast as I could get to it. One day I got convicted that that attitude of disgust was not right toward any Christian, especially a man of God. He was a good man, preached the truth, and had been used by the Lord to bring many to Himself. It was just a matter of not liking his style. But I realized that that style might appeal to someone else who might not be reached by the style of preaching that appealed to me. So, one day when this man’s program came on, I left it on. This preacher was sharing his own testimony, and at some point he said something like, “I told the Lord I didn’t even know what or how to pray….” and then went on to express his desire to be saved, though I can’t remember now how he put it. But that one phrase “clicked” with me and reinforced to me that it is not certain words that save us, it is faith in Christ.

2) “Enough” repentance

Repentance is vital in salvation and many are rightly concerned that in this day of “easy believism” that it’s a forgotten element. I’ve heard repentance defined many times as a change of mind that leads to a change of action. I felt that I had done that, changed from depending on my works to Christ’s finished work on the cross, changed from wanting my way to wanting God’s way. But maybe because as believers we still have a sin nature residing in us, and I still struggled in some areas, I often wondered if I had really repented “enough” to be saved.

My mother-in-law is as much or more of a book lover than I am, and when we visit each other we peruse each other’s shelves for books to read while we’re there. Once when we were visiting my husband’s folks, I found the book Full Assurance by H. A. Ironside on her shelf and picked it up. The whole book was very helpful, but the one part that I felt was the written just for me was in the second part of the book, “Difficulties Which Hinder Full Assurance.” The very first question dealt with was “How may I be sure that I have repented enough?” Here is Ironside’s answer:

Very often the real difficulty arises from a misapprehension of the meaning of repentance. There is no salvation without repentance, but it is important to see exactly what is meant by this term. It should not be confused with penitence, which is sorrow for sin; nor with penance, which is an effort to make some satisfaction for sin; nor yet with reformation, which is turning from sin. Repentance is a change of attitude toward sin, toward self, and toward God. The original word (in the Greek Testament) literally means “a change of mind.” This is not a mere intellectual change of viewpoint, however. but a complete reversal of attitude.

Now test yourself in this way. You once lived in sin and loved it. Do you now desire deliverance from it? You were once self-confident and trusting in your own fancied goodness. Do you now judge yourself as a sinner before God? You once sought to hide from God and rebelled against His authority. Do you now look up to Him, desiring to know Him, and to yield yourself to Him? If you can honestly answer yes to these questions, you have repented. Your attitude is altogether different to what it once was.

You confess you are a sinner, unable to cleanse your own soul, and you are willing to be saved in God’s way. This is repentance. And remember, it is not the amount of repentance that counts: it is the fact that you turn from self to God that puts you in the place where His grace avails through Jesus Christ.

Strictly speaking, not one of us has ever repented enough. None of us has realized the enormity of our guilt as God sees it. But when we judge ourselves and trust the Saviour whom He has provided, we are saved through His merits. As recipients of His lovingkindness, repentance will be deepened and will continue day by day, as we learn more of His infinite worth and our own unworthiness.

3) “Saving” faith

You may be aware of James 2:19, ” Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Even the devils believe that there is a God, but they are certainly not saved, so something more than a general belief that there is a God is necessary for salvation. At least one difference from the devils’ kind of faith and saving faith is a willingness to turn from our own way and to submit to God. Romans 10:9-10 say, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” It is more than just saying the words “Jesus is Lord,” but it does involve the acknowledgement that He is indeed Lord. I don’t want to get this confused with “Lordship salvation,” and, like repentance, it is something in which we will grow in our awareness of what it means and how it affects out lives. There will be times even after we’re saved that we struggle with wanting our own way. But that initial realization and submission must be there.

I also used to get frightened by these verses from Matthew 7:

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It was sobering to realize that there were some who would be surprised at the judgment at God’s rejection of them. I certainly didn’t want to be in that number! But once, when talking to my pastor about these verses, he pointed out that none of these people said, “I realized that I was a sinner and I trusted in Christ and what He did on the cross to pay for my sins.” They all pointed to their own good works, which cannot save anyone. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

4) “Enough” faith

In a similar vein to the issue of “enough” repentance, I wondered if I had “enough” faith. There were many factors that helped me here, from preaching and Bible reading and counseling. But there was one moment when this issue was essentially solved.

I think this illustration was in one of C. H. Spurgeon’s books. In a journey you come to a place where there is a deep chasm. It’s too far across to jump and too deep and treacherous to crawl down into it and over to the other side. The only way across is a plank that someone laid across the chasm. You can go across in full confidence of the plank’s support, or you an go across haltingly and fearfully. It’s not the largeness or smallness of your faith that got you across — it was the plank. That you had enough faith to trust in it and walk across it was all the faith you needed. So with our salvation, it’s not how great or small our faith is: what matters is Who we are trusting in.

5) 1 John

1 John was “written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (I John 5:13). Within the book are several evidences that one is a child of God. None of us is perfect in any of these ways. But a child of God will have some degree of these evidences in his or her life. One time I went through and put a star beside all of these in my Bible:

I John 2:3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

I John 2:15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

I John 2:29: If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

I John 3:6-9: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

(This can be confusing because it sounds like it is saying that a Christian will never sin, but it can’t mean that because in chapter 1:9 we’re promised that if we confess our sin we’ll be forgiven. I am told that these verses are speaking of a continual practice or lifestyle of sin. A true Christian cannot continue on in sin without experiencing God’s chastisement [Hebrews 12:5-8]. See also I John 5:17-18: “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”)

I John 3:14: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

I John 3:18-19: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

I John 3:24: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

I John 4:13: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

I John 4:15: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

I John 5:1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

I John 5:12: He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

6) Not remembering my salvation experience

This is probably most common in those who profess Christ as children, but it’s hard for many people to remember exactly what they said, what they were thinking and understanding, etc., when they were saved. My former pastor, Dr. Mark Minnick, helped me with this by telling me that what is important is what am I trusting in now. He is the first one I heard ask the question, “If you were to stand before God right now and He were to ask you why He should let you into His heaven, what would you say?” It’s not that that is how it will happen, but our response, the first thing that springs to our minds without thinking about it much, reveals what we’re trusting in. If our minds immediately think of good things we’ve done, we’re trusting in our own works which cannot save. But if our answer is that we’re trusting in Christ and what He did on the cross to provide for our salvation, we’re on the right track.

7) Taking the Bible at its word

Many times during these struggles I would have to get out my Bible and go over and over salvation verses like the following and reaffirm my trust and just simply take them at their word:

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 10:9-10, 13: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

I hope this is helpful to anyone else struggling with whether or not they are truly saved, and I invite anyone reading this who is not saved, or isn’t sure, to read more about it here.

When no one understands

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No, I am not feeling particularly misunderstood just now. 🙂 But I was reading this morning about Hannah in I Samuel 1. Not only was she longing for a child, but her husband had another wife who did have children and who “provoked her sore” and “made her fret.”

(Aren’t you glad we don’t have polygamy these days?! Years ago our pastor said that people sometimes asked him why God didn’t say anything about the patriarchs having more than one wife. He replied, “Does He have to spell it out? Isn’t it obvious from the stories we have recorded that it doesn’t work well?” But I digress….)

Hannah’s husband, instead of understanding and empathizing, said, “Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?”

She was even misunderstood at first by the man of God, who mistook her fervent prayers for drunkenness.

When not only our nearest and dearest but those who are supposed to shepherd us and give us counsel fail us, what can we do?

We can do what Hannah did: pour out our hearts to the only One who can truly understand our heart’s longings and our deepest needs. He understands thoroughly; He cares intimately; He alone has the power and the wisdom and the grace to meet our needs in the best possible time and way.

Though He often does give us human helpers to counsel, encourage, uplift, and empathize, sometimes they fail us. We need not hold it against them: they’re only human, and we even fail others sometimes, so we shouldn’t be surprised when others fail us. And sometimes He takes them away so that we may draw closer to Him.

Some years ago a friend on furlough from the mission field was telling about how her family and their co-workers were not quite on the same wave length. They could work together but just didn’t quite mesh. One morning as she was taking a walk and praying, she was explaining something to God so He could understand where she was coming from, because she was so used to her co-workers not understanding. Suddenly it dawned on her that she didn’t have to do that with Him. It was such a blessed relief and a joy to be fully understood.

It makes me think of the song “No One Understands Like Jesus.”

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,
thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:2

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:15-16

The Claims of Christ

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Some years back I read that someone said that Jesus Christ never claimed to be God. I was astounded that anyone would say or think that. Sure, He never stood on a mountaintop and said, “I am God” in those exact words. But He did proclaim His Deity. The next time I read through the New Testament, I put a “C” (for “claim” next to every verse I found where Christ claimed something about Himself. Here’s what I found:

1) When the devil tempted Him to throw Himself off the pinacle of the temple if He was the Son of God, Jesus answered, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” I think He was referring not only to the situation of doing something foolish and expecting God to intervene, but I think He was also referring to Himself as God who should not be tempted. (Matthew 4:5-7)

2) He claimed the authority and the ability to forgive sins.

Matthew 9:6: But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

3) He claimed to be greater than the temple.

Matthew 12:6: But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

4) He claimed to be greater than Jonah.

Matthew 12:41: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

5) He claimed to be greater than Solomon.

Matthew 12:42: The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

6) He confirmed that Peter’s proclamation of Him as the Christ, the Son of God, was revealed to Peter by the Father.

Matthew 16:15: He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

7) He claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath (in response to the Pharisees fussing about his activities on the Sabbath).

Mark 2:29: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

8 ) He proclaimed His purpose in coming was to give Himself a ransom.

Mark 10:45: For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

9) He claimed to be the Christ.*

Mark 14: 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

10) He claimed to be the One whom Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms foretold and the One in whose name repentance and remission of sins should be preached.

Luke 24: 44-47: And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

11) He claimed to be in heaven even while He was speaking to someone on earth, indicating omnipresence.

John 3:13: And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

12) He claimed that whoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:14-16: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(Also John 6:47; 10:28-29)

13) He claimed to give “living water.”

John 4:10, 13-14: Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water….Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:37-39: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

14) He claimed to be the Messiah.*

John 4: 25-26: The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

15) He claimed to be the Son of God many times over: here are two examples:

John 5: 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

(The reaction He got indicates they understood what He meant in claiming to be the Son of God.)

John 9: 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

(See also John 10:36)

16) He claimed that whoever heard His word and believed on Him that sent Him would not come into condemnation, but would pass from death unto life.

John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

17) He claimed that the Scriptures testified of Him.

John 5:39: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

18 ) He claimed to be the bread of life.

John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:48: I am that bread of life.

John 6:51: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

19) He claimed He would raise up those who believe on Him at the last day.

John 6:39-40: And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

20) He claimed to be the light of the world.

John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

(Also John 9:5)

21) He claimed to be from above and not of this world.

John 8:23: And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

22) He claimed that if whoever does not believe in Him would die in their sins.

John 8: 24: I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

23) He claimed to be not only before Abraham but to be the “I am” who spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:13-14):

John 8:58: Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

(The reaction to this statement shows they knew exactly what He meant [though they did not accept it] and to me this statement is one of the strongest proofs of Christ’s deity.)

24) He claimed to be the door of the sheep.

John 10: 7-9: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

25) He claimed He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

John 10:10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

26) He claimed He is the good shepherd.

John 10: 11, 14: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

27) He claimed to be one with the Father.

John 10:30: I and my Father are one.

28 ) He foretold His betrayal so that when it happened they would know who He was.

John 13:18-19: I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

29) He claimed to be the true vine without Whom we can do nothing.

John 15: 1, 5-6: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

30) He claimed that we have peace in Him and that He had overcome the world.

John 16: 33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

31) He claimed that eternal life is knowing the Father and Himself.

John 17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

*For an explanation of what is meant by the terms “Messiah” or “Christ,” please read this and put the word “Messiah” in the search box. I couldn’t get the link to work that went straight to the definition.

Well, I think that adds up, don’t you? If I have overlooked any, please let me know in your comments. Some of these make more sense and have greater meaning in context. There are other things that attest to Christ’s Deity: the fulfillment of prophecy (something I did at the same time as this study was to also put a “P” in the margin beside every verse in the gospels and the first few chapters of Acts which spoke of some prophecy being fulfilled), His works, the testimony of others, the testimony of the Father (“This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well-pleased.” )

I hope and pray that any of you who have not recognized Him as Lord and Saviour would believe on Him even today, and I hope that this helps to strengthen the faith of believers.