Holiness
I mentioned before that I've been reading Jerry Bridges' book Pursuit of Holiness. In the past 2 chapters there are some awesome truths that have really stuck out to me. God is really using that book to teach me to pursue Him and his purity and goodness.

Mr. Bridges quotes a saint that once said,

Even our tears of repentance need to be washed in the blood of the lamb. pg. 44

He also makes some pretty hard core statements about lack of desire to be holy. He states,

If there is not, then, at least a yearning in our hearts to live a holy life pleasing to God, we need to seriously question whether our faith in Christ is genuine. pg. 46

It's a pursuit I desire, but I often fail, which is discouraging. I know that is where Christ's redemption comes in, but it's still hard. The chapter I just finished is called The Holiness of Christ and speaks a lot of crusifying our old nature and putting on Christ's righteousness (it's not of ourselves).

Holiness has to do with more than mere acts. Our motivation must be holy, that is, arising from a desire to do something simply b/c it is the will of God. pg. 58

The more we grown in holiness, the more we need assurance that the perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to us. This is true because a part of growing in holiness is the Holy Spirit's making us aware of our need of holiness. pg. 59

I had not heard the song Just as I Am in almost a year and a half, but last week, I got a new CD in the mail and there was a new arrangement of that song. It hit me at a time that I really needed that very message, so I put my CD player on repeat and listened to it over and over. Today when I was reading about The Holiness of Christ the author speaks of that hymn. It again was an encouragement to me.

Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come.
-Charlotte Elliott, 1835

Are You Strong Enough to be Weak?
A few years ago, I started asking God to give me songs/poems to express some of the things He teaches me. I've been hesitant to post any that I write for everyone to read (it's intimidating to have your stuff out there for critique), but I realize that if i want to grow in this and if I ever want God to use it, I am going to have to put it out there for others to read. Yesterday I heard someone say, Are you strong enough to be weak? The context was, are you willing to let God use your weaknesses? He wants to, but you have to submit to that. Anyway, as I said in yesterday's post, I've been going back through old journals and coming across poetry/songs I had written in the past. Some of the things that I will post will be from that, some will be more recent things that God has been teaching me. The stuff I post may or may not be complete and it's all up for improvement tips. If you have any comments, ideas, or ways that my writing can improve, I welcome it. Here's something I wrote from I Corinthians 13.

The Greatest of All
My words fail
But I have something to tell
How do I express this love so great

How can I give
Like you give
It's Your love that I want to imitate

So change my impure heart
Change my selfish thoughts
Even if you have to tear me apart
I want to have Your love (Your love)
You're pure and holy love

Patient and Kind
It's not emotion inside
Love endures through all

Jealousy and Pride
Has no place to hide
In this true love call

So change my impure heart
Change my selfish thoughts
Even if you have to tear me apart
I want to have Your love (Your love)
You're pure and holy love

Hanging Rock Pics
Here are some PICTURES of the camping trip that True Life from a few weeks ago. These were taken from Jen and Josh's digital. If you want to read the Recap of the trip, it is under the October 19th post. I need to scan in the pics from Faith and post those too. She got some good ones also.

Looking Back
I keep a written journal as well as this online blog. I often look back through my journals and read past things. Today I was going back through and came across this hymn that became a New Year's declaration/prayer for me back at the turn of 2001. I first heard it on the Ginny Owens CD Without Condition (Great Cd btw!) It came to mean so much to me b/c Ginny is blind and singing "Be Thou My Vision" and I realized, I'm not physically blind but without Christ, I am spiritually blind. Since then, it has become one of my favorite hymns. (Along with GREAT lyrics, I love the Irish roots and potential arrangements of the song.) It was that next year that I was at a Nickel Creek concert in Greenville, South Carolina when they performed a BEAUTIFUL rendition of this very song! What a testimony and again the song was an encouragement to me. Today when I was reading through the following journal entry in my written journal, it was again an encouragement to me:

Be Thou My Vision
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
(Lord, I am blind to what you have for my life! Lead me in the steps I need to take)
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom,
(for I am not wise. With out You, I have no wisdom.)
and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward,
(Keep my thoughts heavenward and not on temporal, earthly things.)
O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
( I don't want anything to move into the position that only YOU deserve, Lord)
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys,
( Give me everlasting joy in every thing I do. That can only come from YOU, Lord.) O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

I found Nemo!
At Kmart this morning! I had to stop before school to pick something up and I saw the display for the new Finding Nemo DVD that just came out! I bought it as my first 'official' Christmas present for my neice Maliah. (Shhhhh! Nobody tell her!)

It's Snowed in Colorado
Friend IM-ed me this morning and told me that THERE IS SNOW in Colorado! I Checked and there is more a-comin'! Slopes are starting to open! Yaaahhooo! 2 weeks 2 days before I leave!

In Light of Yesterday's Post
I was driving to school this morning and was listening to a music and the following lyrics struck me:

Were the nails and the spear in my side
Not quite enough to provide
The victory you need in your life
Come to me
-Jill Paquette

New Book
Bought and started reading Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges this past weekend. Just into the first chapter but it looks like it is going to be spiritually challenging and convicting (as if anything on holiness wouldn't be!) I don't know if this is true of all his books, but one thing that I appreciate about THIS book is that he gives so much scripture.

God continually reveals places in me that need changed (that are less than holy). I'm thankful for that, I ask Him for it, I want it, I need it, but at the same time the feeling of defeat sometimes overwhelms. I know that defeat is not TRUTH. I do know and believe the grace of God. So why so often do I let myself be fooled by the lie? God calls us to live a holy life, and has made the way through Jesus Christ. Praise be to him alone! Psalm 51

Just as I Am
Just as I am without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Jerry Bridges is an author and Bible teacher. His most popular title, The Pursuit of Holiness (NavPress), has sold over one million copies. He has authored several other books including The Discipline of Grace and Trusting God (also NavPress). Jerry is currently a part of the Navigator collegiate ministry group where he is involved in staff training and serves as a resource to campus ministries.