Nothing Between my soul and the Savior!

some thoughts from Nancy Leigh DeMoss

“Revival” may be pictured as that state in which our lives, our homes, and our churches are aligned with the Lord Jesus in such a way that nothing stands between us and Him. Only then are we able to reflect His light to our world. As the hymnwriter put it:

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,

So that His blessed face may be seen;

Nothing preventing the least of His favor,

Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the World. We have no light of our own—any light that shines from our lives is merely that which we reflect from Him.

However, when the things of this Earth come between us and the Lord Jesus, our view of Him is obscured and our light is diminished. And whereas a lunar eclipse happens only infrequently, it seems that our lives are prone to “spiritual eclipses.” Therefore, we must continually be alert to anything that might come between our soul and the Savior.

1. An exalted view of “self” will cause us to have a diminished view of Jesus. It is true that when we “turn our eyes upon Jesus, the things of earth will grow strangely dim.” It is equally true that when we fix our eyes upon ourselves, our vision of Jesus will become “strangely dim” by comparison.

When He fills all our vision, the result is a humble heart that knows its own nothingness apart from Him. That is the heart God revives. But He is forced to resist the proud heart that causes us to live as if we were the center of our own world.

Pride manifests itself in so many subtle but lethal ways. In my own life, pride can sometimes be seen in a hidden desire for the praise and admiration of men, an insistence on being “right,” the desire to be noticed and appreciated, fear of rejection, or just preoccupation with myself—my feelings, my needs, my circumstances, my burdens, my desires, my successes, my failures. These are all fruits of that deadly root of pride.

A heart filled with itself will be unable to behold the loveliness of Jesus and will cease to reflect His light.

2. Indulging our flesh, even in what others might consider insignificant ways, will quench the free flow of God’s Spirit through us and erect barriers in our relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Less than 24 hours ago, in the privacy of my home, weary from days of intense labor, I found myself justifying a “small compromise.” From the initial moment of temptation, in spite of my internal rationalizing, I knew that what I wanted to do would defile my spirit and grieve the Holy Spirit, who lives within me and whose possession I am. But at that moment, I wanted “my way” more than I wanted to be right with God.

In saying yes to my flesh and no to God, I allowed an obstruction to come between my soul and the Savior. I rejected the light of His countenance and embraced the darkness—all for a few moments of earthly enjoyment. How grateful I am for the persevering grace of God that quickly engineered circumstances to turn my face back toward His light, granting the gift of repentance and restoring in my heart a fresh love and longing for holiness.

3. Breaches in our relationships with others inevitably create an “eclipse” in our relationship with God. It is not possible for us to be right with God and not be right with others. How can we walk in the light of His forgiveness and mercy if we are unwilling to extend forgiveness and mercy toward those who have wronged us? And how can we walk in harmony with a holy God if we have sinned against others and refuse to humble ourselves and make it right?

This morning as I was in the Lord’s presence, the Holy Spirit brought to mind an issue that had been minuscule to me but, from His perspective, had come between my soul and the Savior. Recently, in the process of handling a business matter over the phone, I had been impatient with a clerk whose answer didn’t satisfy me. Before I could continue seeking His face, I had to pick up the phone, call the company, and make the matter right with the woman with whom I had been annoyed. My conscience cleared with both God and man, the light of His presence could once more shine in and through my heart.

4. “Cares, riches, and pleasures of this life,” like thorns in a garden, tend to choke out the life of God within us. In the course of everyday living, we are bombarded incessantly with “duties, delights, and diversions” that seek to consume our time and control our hearts. These things, while not inherently sinful, have an enormous capacity to steal our affection for the Lord Jesus.

Sheer busyness, even in Christian work, can so fill our vision that we have no time or place for Christ, and we find our light “eclipsed.” The Shulammite bride in the Song of Songs laments having tended the vineyards of others, while neglecting her own vineyard and allowing it to fall into a state of disrepair. Only through concentrated, extended time alone in the presence and embrace of her Beloved is her soul restored, enabling her to go back out into the vineyards, this time in union and communion with Him.

5. Contentment with the status quo is one of the most subtle hindrances to revival. Comparing ourselves or our ministries with others tends to breed a sense of complacency in our hearts. It is much easier to rest on our laurels and enjoy the victories God has already given us than to keep pressing on to know Him in deeper ways.

We have settled for activity and results that make for impressive press releases, when God wants to shatter the darkness and overcome the strongholds of our world and establish His glorious kingdom in the hearts of men and nations. And on a more personal level, we have settled for living busy, productive, moral lives, when God longs to reveal His greatness and glory through us in ways that cannot be explained apart from Him.

How is it between your soul and the Savior today? Has any obstacle “eclipsed” your view of Him? Is there any hindrance that is keeping His light from being reflected in your life? If so, do not delay to deal with the issue, no matter how trifling or overwhelming it may appear to be. Pray with the psalmist that God will be merciful unto you and cause His face to shine upon You, “that [His] ways may be known on earth, [His] salvation among all nations” (Ps. 67:1-2, NIV).

~Nancy Leigh DeMoss

He Loves Me!!

October Girls Really Living was such a blessing! Gina came and shared "a modern day love story" - how the Lord brought her and Woody together as husband and wife. Here are some of our notes from our time together:

Happy endings are God-planned!

LIFE is now. My story is right now! If we're not living, then we're just wishing. Wherever you are, be all there (Jim Elliot).

1 Peter 2:9, 11-12, 15

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul.Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock]. For it is God's will and intention that by doing right [your good and honest lives] should silence (muzzle, gag) the ignorant charges and ill-informed criticisms of foolish persons.

Courtship defined ~ Lordship/purposing to seek Christ first in all areas of life (God's will, God's timing, God's methods, God's person).

Revelation 2:4 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].

Guard your heart! Remain free from emotional entanglements. Life is about knowing Christ and making Him known.

I Corinthians 7:34 And the unmarried woman or girl is concerned and anxious about the matters of the Lord, how to be wholly separated and set apart in body and spirit... I have freedom to care about the things of the Lord!

He Loves Me!! You can't pluck the flowers off a daisy to know if someone really loves you or not... just like you can't go by your present circumstances to know if God really loves you or not. He loves you all the time. Believe it! Ephesians 1:4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

to read some of Gina's thoughts on singleness, visit her website here.

so, what's the purpose of your life?

Who are you?

Where are you going?

How are you going to get there?

Most girls want to accomplish something more with their life, something meaningful, something great... but they don't know what that something is, nor do they know how to get there.

Life Purpose Planning is something every girl and her parents should do together!

We encourage you to visit the site and get your own Life Purpose Workbook. God has great things in store for you!

Now You've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of Your face. Ever since You took my hand, I'm on the right way. ~Psalm 16:11

September Bible study!

1 John 5:13, I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life.

The real you is a spirit in a body with a soul!

We are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and God is a Spirit (John 4:24). 1 Thess. 5:23

Who can be saved?

2 Peter 3:9, He’s not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance. examples: Rahab (a harlot... the lowest! saved and even part of the line of Christ). Abraham (friend of God, highest example of faith and trust in God.... yet still saved in the same way). Paul, chief of sinners.

When are you saved?

When you act on the grace and faith that God gives - Ephesians 2:8. It’s free to us, but was very costly to God. If it’s free, what is required of us? Accept. Believe. Our spirits are reborn when we stop trying to earn our own salvation with good works. We’re saved when we realize that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sin and receive Him into our lives as our personal Redeemer. “To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10 (-note, no one can make this decision for you!) Trust is always evidenced in some form of action. Even the demons believe and yet they are not saved. Three kinds of attitudes are needed for salvation: humility in that I am a sinner; belief that God loves me and gave His Son for me; a turning from self and sin to God. examples: the thief on the cross next to Jesus - Luke 23:42-43; the jailer, Acts16:25-34

Can you lose your salvation?

Our spirits are eternal -our spirits are saved when we are born again, not our soul or our body. Our spirits are in an eternal blood covenant with God’s Spirit. The only salvation you can lose is that of your soul and body: the salvation of our soul by giving our mind, our will and emotions to Satan and worldly influences, and of our bodies by sowing to the flesh (Gal. 6:8, 1 Cor. 3:17).

You might find this version of John 10:25-30 helpful: Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."

According to the Bible, there is only one person who can fall from grace- the unbeliever who is attempting to work his way to heaven (one who refuses to be saved by grace). Galatians 5:4, You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Before you are saved, you are the keeper of your own soul, and you cannot do anything but fail in its keeping. But when you get saved, you turn your soul over to the protection of another--God. In 2 Timothy 1:12, Paul says: For the which cause I also suffer these things: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise

Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

John 1:12-13: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

If sin separates me from Christ - how much sin?? How far do you have to sin to break the security that you have in God? This is making your salvation depend on your personal faithfulness. Romans 8:35-39: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Evidence that you are saved (fruit, sanctification)

Sanctification is work (empowered by the Holy Spirit); it’s like peeling a potato: one layer at a time, a process, peeling away the desire to sin, fleeing temptation, pursuing holiness. Any part of your potato that has not been peeled is like areas of your life that have not been yielded to God. It is the salvation of your soul (James 1:21) - an ongoing salvation. There’s a continual battle between our spirit and our soul (1 Peter 2:11, Romans 8:6. Renew your mind, Romans 12:1-2. 2 Corinthians 2:4-5, taking your thoughts captive. Psalm 19:7 - the law of the Lord converts the soul. A greater awareness of right and wrong John 8:31 - a growing hunger and thirst for the Lord. note, much of James is speaking about sanctification (works, faith - being a doer, not just a hearer). Not one ounce of our obedience adds to our justification!! All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, Romans 8:14- another evidence, that you are being led in the direction of His will by the Holy Spirit.

What about those who said they were saved, but they show no fruit?

If someone’s life is not showing fruit it may be true that they are not genuinely saved. Remember that God sees the heart. It’s not our place to judge (to be like a Pharisee and haughtily look down on others who are not living according to God’s Word). If they’re still breathing, God still has a purpose for them! Don’t lose hope! Keep praying for them, and be a loving, kind, sincere example. For a plant to grow, it needs to have good soil, sunlight, rain, pruning, etc. So, it may also be true that they are not receiving the proper nourishment needed to grow and bear fruit. What helps a believer to grow? Being in God’s Word (read, study, memorize), spending time with Jesus (prayer), sitting under Godly teaching (church and other forms of Bible study help such as books, radio, internet), fellowship among other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), listening to the Holy Spirit’s convictions, etc. Someone who is truly saved and yet is walking in a way that is not honoring the Lord will face consequences for their life choices - lack of joy, a poor influence, chastening for their sin. The evidence of your faith is works (James, faith without works is dead)

What is the “unpardonable sin”?

Always remember that if you confess your sin, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse you from ALL unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The unpardonable sin is blaspheming the Holy Spirit by continually rejecting His conviction.The Pharisees saw Jesus’ works, heard His teaching... but their spirits were in opposition to Him. If you never repent and receive Christ, you will be eternally lost.

What about you?

Two pictures of an unsaved person: one who breaks all the laws and is bad (the younger brother in Jesus’ parable, Luke 15). The other who keeps all the rules and is good (the perfect, elder brother in Jesus’ parable - obeying to get things from God -God owes me). Both are lost. Both are alienated from their Father. Even if you obey all the rules and act like a “good girl”, it doesn’t mean you’re saved. what is the controlling passion of your heart? What is “God” to you? Who do you love?

False Religions

They all say that if you search hard enough and work hard enough, you will find God. But God came into the world to seek and to save us. Salvation is by His grace, not by our achievement. Because He accepts and loves us, we obey and love and serve Him.

Man has Sinned

Romans 3:23, all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.

James 2:10, whoever keeps the Law as a whole but stumbles and offends in one single instance has become guilty of breaking all of it.

Sin Has Punishment

Romans 5:12, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.

Romans 6:23, for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus is the Only Way of Salvation

John 3:16, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Romans 5:8, God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Salvation - Believe in the heart, confess with the mouth

Romans 10:9, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

John 1:12, to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.

Be the Girl

Take a minute to read this great article - important stuff and good thoughts!

Be the Girl

A Baby Shower in May

Our dear friend Lauren (and her husband Colin) are expecting their first baby in June. We were happy to bless her with a baby shower at our last meeting. Here is Lauren and her mother.

We had a special cake and some other little treats.

Decorations for a baby girl!!

Opening gifts for the baby!

playing some fun games 

We love you, sweet girls! 

Thank you for blessing Lauren with your meaningful verses of Scripture at the shower.

Pray with us for a safe and smooth delivery for this precious new life!

notes from our April gathering

Hearing God's voice in your journey of life! 

This was the topic of our April meeting. How do we hear God's voice? Through the Holy Spirit. God is a Spirit! He speaks to our spirits through His Spirit. John 4:23-24, "a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears...” Romans 8:16, “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Even though you have three parts (1 Thess. 5:23), the real "you" is your spirit! You are a spirit in a body with a soul. When you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, He places His Spirit within you. Every day, we should ask that God fill us afresh with His Spirit and give us ears to hear Him. Luke 11:13 - “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Romans 12:11 tells us to be fervent in spirit. The word fervent means enthusiastic (en - in and theo- God). Since you are in Christ, you should be enthusiastic! Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant (The Message). Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord (Amplified). Pray that others are drawn to Jesus Christ Who is in you!

FAITH is essential to hearing God’s voice! - Hebrews 11:6. What is faith? You may not be able to fully understand or reason with your mind. Faith is something that your spirit does - believing! When God talks to us, He expects action. "Faith without works is dead... for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also," James 2:20, 26.

Pray Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” Look for verses that stand out to you with special significance (does it convict you, challenge, warn, encourage? this is a rhema!). This is hearing the voice of God! Write it down, engraft it into your soul (pray it, memorize it, etc), and it becomes a part of your heart’s belief system. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God. Ask God for a daily rhema!

Write down GodStops!

Savoring the Observable Presence
It is explained in the introduction of the 'Believing God' Bible study Beth Moore wrote. Here is an excerpt:
"... In essence, God's glory is any way in which He makes Himself recognizable. When I see a brilliant sunset I know no artist could paint, I recognize God through His masterpiece. Likewise, when something happens in my day that I know is more than a coincidence, I am learning to recognize God in it. Part of our faith-walk experience will be learning to recognize God in our midst by noticing visible prints of His invisible hands. We don't want to miss God when He makes Himself observable! I am convinced that the more we learn to recognize and appreciate His interventions and revelations, the more we are likely to receive them!... The stop in GodStop comes from the acronym God gave me: Savoring the Observable Presence. When God makes Himself observable, we want to stop and take notice. I want to learn to say to myself, That's God! Stop and savor the moment! A GodStop is any means by which God seems to go out of His way during your day to make Himself known to you........ I even consider a GodStop a time when God suddenly catches me in a sin of action or attitude that I didn't know anyone noticed. One way I know I am cherished is because God loves whom He disciplines (see Heb. 12:6). A sudden disciplinary action is a GodStop reminding me that He is ever present and loves me too much to let me get away with something that is displeasing to Him......" - Beth Moore, Excerpt from "Believing God"

Ask God for a hearing heart. This is what King Solomon did. Listen for Him to speak to you through His Word, His Spirit, through your parents, through circumstances. Remove the things that distract you from hearing (have that prayer closet! Matthew 13:22 - don't let the cares of this world choke out the growth that God wants to do in you).

Regularly and diligently feed yourself the Word of God. It’s daily fellowship with our loving heavenly Father. When we develop good communication with God, He promises to bless us in unimaginable ways! 1 Corinthians 2:9

Practical Application
Ask Questions: (about the truths that God has written)
Who, What, Where, When, Why, How

How can I delight myself in the Lord? (Psalm 37:4)
Pray Scripture. God speaks through His Word. It is alive and living!

Read Psalm 119 (one or two sections). Write down one rhema for each morning. What questions did you ask? How can you apply it?