The Comforter

"But next he is a faithful Comforter. Love sometimes proven unfaithful. 'Oh! Sharper than a serpent's tooth' is an unfaithful friend! Oh! far more bitter than the gall of bitterness, to have a friend to turn from me in my distress! Oh! woe of woes, to have one who loves me in my prosperity forsake me in the dark day of my trouble. Sad indeed: but such is not God's Spirit. He ever loves, and loves even to the end--a faithful Comforter. Child of God, you are in trouble. A little while ago you found him a sweet and loving Comforter, you obtained relief from him when others were but broken cisterns; He sheltered you in his bosom and carried you in his arms. Oh, wherefore dost thou distrust him now? Away with thy fears! for he is a faithful Comforter.
'Ah! but' thou sayest, 'I fear I shall be sick and shall be deprived of his ordinances.' Nevertheless, he shall visit thee on thy sick bed, and sit by thy side to give the consolation. 'Ah! but I have distresses greater than you can conceive of; wave upon wave rolleth over me; deep calleth unto deep at the noise of the Eternal's waterspouts.' Nevertheless, he will be faithful to his promise. 'Ah! but I have sinned.' So thou hast, but sin cannot sever thee from his love; he loves thee still. Think not, O poor downcast child of God, because the scars of thine old sins have marred thy beauty, that he loves thee less becuase of that blemish. Oh, no! He loves thee when he foreknew thy sin; he loved thee with the knowledge of what the aggregate of thy wickedness would be; and he does not love the less now. Come to him in all boldness of faith; tell him thou hast grieved him, and he will forget thy wandering, and will receive thee again, the kisses of his love shall be bestowed upon thee, and the arms of his grace shall embrace thee. He is faithful: trust him; he will never deceive you; trust him, he will never leave you."

--C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon: The Comforter

These words spoke to my heart this week, cut to my core. So true, so comforting to know I have someone, even when everyone leaves me in my distress. Praise God for His Grace!

A World of your Own

It is very sad for me to see people who are caught up in their own little world.
I know a couple of know-it-all Christians, who have all of their theology down, and, or course, all of their theology is right. Just like that. Everyone else is wrong.
There are the people who state what they believe, and even when they are dead wrong, will not admit it. Because they can't see that they are wrong. Their pride has blinded them.
We can tell them all day that they are wrong, and give them Scriptures that refute their thinking, but in the end they'll keep talking and preaching what they believe.
They are slaves to their own traditions. They are so caught up in their own world, that they can't even hear you.
I'm sure you can think of people in your mind right now just like that.
It's sad, isn't it?
You've debated with those kinds of people, right? And how does it end? They shut down with telling you that you are the one who is wrong. They shut down and ignore you.

As Christians, we must understand that none of us have perfect theology. And as Christians we must be teachable and trainable. And we cannot do that if we are prideful. Of course, we all struggle with pride to an extant. Some more than others. But it takes humility to consider what others say to us, even if we do not think it's right.

It is hard to see someone caught up in his own world. We could debate all day with that person. If we are debating to prove that person wrong, it's pointless, it's foolish.
Because in the end, I think more Christians need to realize, it is only the Holy Spirit that can open someone's eyes. And sometimes we need to stop arguing if that person is so unteachable that they shut down on you.
But don't ever stop praying for them. Just because God doesn't open their eyes right away doesn't mean that He is saying 'no'. Sometimes He is saying, 'not yet'.
It's hard to let some just go, and leave their soul and beliefs in God's Hands.
Nothing in our power can open their eyes, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that can open their eyes.
It is the Holy Spirit who breaks their shackles. It is only the Holy Spirit that can open their eyes. That can free them from their world.

But at times God can use you, just as a tool in their life to show them the truth. It might have looked from mans' eye that we have been successful in a debate or a discussion. We must realize again and again. That we are powerless. And it is only the Holy Spirit who can open someone's eyes.

God Bless,
  A.W.