Monday, February 25, 2008

On guidance...

" But the true way to honour the Holy Spirit as our guide is to honour the Holy Scriptures through which He guides us. The fundamental guidance which God gives to shape our lives - the instilling, that is, of the basic convictions, attitudes, ideals and value-judgements, in terms of which we are to live - is not a matter of inward promptings apart from the Word but of the pressure on our consciences of the portrayal of God's character and will in the Word, which the Spirit enlightens us to understand and apply to ourselves.

The basic form of divine guidance, therefore, is the presentation to us of positive ideals as guidelines for all our living...

..... Only within the limits of this guidance does God prompt us inwardly in matters of 'vocational' decision... The Spirit leads within the limits which the Word sets, not beyond them. 'He guides me in paths of righteousness' - but not anywhere else. "


Taken from "Knowing God", JI Packer.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

"An idol can be anything. It may even be a good thing. But if we want it so badly that we sin if we don't get it or sin to attain it, then we are worshipping an idol rather than Christ. Each of us is worshipping something or someone within our heart every waking moment of each day....
We worship what we "serve, speak about, sacrifice for, seek after, spend time and money on, and trust in".
In other words, who or what you worship is:
'what's on your mind,'
'what you long for - wish for,'
'what is really important to you,' and
'what you have your heart set on.'"

-The Excellent Wife, Martha Peace'

Thursday, February 14, 2008

"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
O Lord, you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is Your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
You give them drink from Your river of delights.
For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light we see light.
Continue Your love to those who know You,
Your righteousness to the upright in heart."

-Psalms 36:5-10

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

"My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
I do not choose the colours, He worketh steadily,
Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent, and shuttles cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why
The dark threads are as needful in the skilful Weaver's hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."