Archive for Taste and See

« Older Entries

Sunday’s Psalm

Posted in Bible, The Lord's Day with tags , , on Sunday, May 30, 2010 by Becky

P salm 103: 17-18 says,

“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.”


What a precious promise! What a joy to read this and know that is God’s inspired Word speaking to us.

I love what John Calvin (1) has to say regarding these verses;

“By taking our children’s children into His care, He shows how precious to Him is our Salvation”

He is the God of the Covenant and  He wisely rules over us, making us able, through Christ’s Saving Grace, to “respond to His calling with faith and prayer to the Covenant of Grace”.

But we must remember, He expects us to remember. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy and remember to do His commandments. Calvin says, “Many are quick to talk about God’s laws, but their feet are slow and their hands are heavy when it comes to the reality of spiritual service”

So, today, I found myself pondering about this, it seems so simple…remember…and even to do so, I need Him, I cannot do it myself. I forget; and being forgetful will not lead me to a godly life under the covenant.

Let us remember this day His commandments.

Let us rejoice in them.

Let us rejoice in the Lord of the Covenant, who delights to take care of our children’s children!

(1) Commentary on The Psalms John Calvin.Abridged by David C. Searle.
Psalm's Book image from here.

2 Comments »

Doctrines in the Kitchen

Posted in Friends, My Thoughts, Pondering with tags , , , on Friday, May 21, 2010 by Becky

As we were drinking another cup of coffee, I said ” I cannot explain you how much being a Reformed Christian has changed my whole life”

I grew up in a Christian environment, the type which never mentions words like, “religion, sin or hell, sacrament or Lord’s Day” However, it included many phrases like, “give and you will be blessed”, “You can do all things through Christ” – the context did not matter -, “You are more than conqueror”, “You are the child of the King” -i.e live like a princess!- Now I see behind and lower my head, and bless my Redeemer.

Yes my life has changed dramatically; doctrines reached me in the kitchen, in the dining room, in my bedroom, in my backyard. The Teachings (Doctrines) of the Word have changed my worldview.

“Sovereignty, for example, has changed me tremendously.” I kept saying to my friend, “Believing that God has chosen His own, and has called them to be His own changes more than my view of how God saves his people, it changes my attitude towards every single event that happens around me”

God is Sovereign. He is Sovereign when I do not understand why winters last so much, or when I see pretty and beauty all around me. God is Sovereign when I sit or when I walk. He is Sovereign.

Doctrines should change us, the body of teachings in the Bible must change us and make us more godly; if not we are in danger, we are only puffing up.

Grace meets me every day, and what I believe I must live.

The “T” in T.U.L.I.P changed me; Total Depravity still changes me; I am the daughter of a King, yes indeed! but I am much more than that, I am His. I am hidden in Him, I do not deserve being where I am, I need a Saviour but I also need a Sanctifier. I am lost without Him. Sin is real, my fights are real, but I am His!

The Five points of Calvinism, the Five Solas of the Reformation, words like Monergism or Theology would not avail much if they would not reach me in the kitchen, in how and why I cook for my family, in my marriage bed, in my conversation with my friends, in my daily life.

14 Comments »

Day by Day

Posted in Prayer with tags , , on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 by Becky

Day by day I walk in our daily tasks, I live and I long to live according to your will.

Holiness is a spark from thy love

kindled to a flame in my heart by thy Spirit,

and so it ever turns to the place from which it comes.

Let me see thy love everywhere, not only in the cross,

but in the fellowship of believers and in the world around me

When I feel the warmth of the sun may I praise Thee

who art the Sun of Righteousness with healing power.

When I feel the tender rain

May I think of the gospel showers that water my soul.

And transform my dryness into green pastures.

May I never forget to see your Powerful Hand working miracles around me

Purple and lilac, yellow and orange

Why so many colors?

Let me see thy love everywhere.

When I walk in the rooms of my house let me see thy love,

in the precious gifts you have bestowed upon us.

Thy infinite love is a mystery of mysteries,

and my eternal rest lies in the eternal enjoyment of it.

My salvation is the point where perfected created love

and the most perfect uncreated love meet together;

For Thou dost welcome me, loving and rejoicing.

I adapted this prayer from The Valley of Vision (Love)

More on Talking of Dragons...listen to the author here.

********************************************************

I have a question for you....
How do you do a collage of pretty pictures to post in your blog?

3 Comments »

Marriage and Wine

Posted in A Song to Sing, Just Us with tags , , , on Saturday, May 1, 2010 by Becky

Marriage is a gift from God, and so is wine. Both are symbols of God’s blessing throughout the Bible.

Marriage and wine, both are costly, and both should get better over time.

We have learned to invest in our marriage, we travel together and leave the kids behind, because we know that we need to invest in our vineyard. There are times when you need to go away with your spouse and work hard in your land, you need to pull together weeds and after a long day of work, sit and drink from the fruit of your labor, from the richness of your marriage. From the fruit of your vineyard…

Keep on reading here

I am posting this from my iPhone!
I am sorry is not pretty.

Have a joyous weekend!

Becky

2 Comments »

The Tomb is Empty

Posted in Easter, Lenten Season, The Lord's Day with tags , on Sunday, April 4, 2010 by Becky

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” I Corinthians 15: 3- 4

The cross is empty, the tomb is empty…Jesus is alive, alive forevermore.

Alive and reigning victoriously.

Our hope has a strong foundation, our faith is not futile.

Let us rejoice, let us proclaim: OUR SAVIOR REIGNS!

“We must remember that the cross is just as empty as the tomb, and Christ is now glorified, having completed his work. The truth is, we cannot be truly cross-centered without also being empty-grave-centered! Jesus was not just our Prophet and our Priest – He is our reigning King.

At the cross we learn true humility, our hopeless sinfulness, and our need of God. At the empty tomb we fully appreciate what Christ has achieved for us and receive power to live for Him. A deeper, fuller insight into the truth of Jesus’ resurrection will cause our lives to be radically transformed“

Warnock, Raised With Christ, p. 62

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”        John 11: 25- 26

May our days be filled with the joy and hope that an empty cross and an empty tomb mean, may we believe this and live, and never die!

Artist: Barbara Adams, The Empty Tomb. Thank you, Barbara for giving me permission to use this beautiful image.

Please, visit Jael's Tent, Diane did an incredible job
putting together a great list of quotes from trustable theologians about
"So, Where Exactly Did Christ Go Between his Crucifixion and Resurrection?"

And read over at Heavenly Springs about the true meaning
of the Gospel message.

2 Comments »

A Cross where the Christmas Tree was

Posted in Lenten Season with tags , , on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 by Becky

In the same place where we had our Christmas Tree, we now have the cross with art images . Jesus was born to die. He was born as a baby to grow and die; to atone for the sins of many.

Reminders, places to stop and look at. Times to set apart and meditate and think of what the cross really means.

Where I am today has to do with the cross;  if I have been saved by God’s grace, then it is because of God’s Son on the cross bearing my guilt, my death; if I am still living in sin, it is in the cross where I see clearly what God thinks of sin, and how He punishes it with a fierce wrath.

The cross should make us think of the glorious life that we now have and at the same time of the horrors of sin.

Sin, a word, not so used lately, even among Evangelicals, (I hear them only talk about the “promises they must claim”, and the “joy of the Lord”), was  nailed on the cross, because of Jesus’ sacrifice  now I am free from the bondage of sin, but I am also in a daily battle… What am I doing to fight against that sin that still wants to have dominion over me?

I must fix my eyes upon Jesus, and not forget the cross.

A beautiful lesson of repentance by Elise.

Dianne, shared this beautiful images.

This coming Friday, my dear friend Eileen, will be sharing with us, The Love of Reading…join us, and share your thoughts with us.

9 Comments »

Grace, Gratitude, Loyalty

Posted in A Song to Sing, Endless Gifts with tags , , , on Monday, March 22, 2010 by Becky

Douglas Wilson, in his book My Life for Yours, says:

“The task confronting parents is not to get children to conform to the standard the parents believe to be Biblical. The task is to bring the children to love that biblical standard. At the very center of childrearing, therefore, is the question of inculcating loyalty. A covenant family cannot stay together without loyalty. But loyalty is a function of deep gratitude, and gratitude is a function of grace.”   p.107

I thank the Lord this week, for a loyal and grateful family.

For a Son, that comes efter a long day and reaches my forehead with a kiss and the words: “Thank you, Mom”

For my sister’s words of encouragment to her sons, and my sons.

For a van filled with children, all saying “Thank you, Dad for this day”

For all the phone calls I received from my precious daughter.

A great friend visiting us. What a great joy.

Caves that remind us of the deepest mysteries, the unexplored and hidden parts of our hearts; and the Light of the Word shining in the darkness of our souls.

Roots, strong roots, visible roots. Roots of big trees that bear much fruit.

Beautiful seeds, miracles of God’s perfect creation.

Thank you, Lord, for a beautiful garden, the sound of a water-fountain, ears to hear, eyes to contemplate, and a heart to long for a fountain of sweet water coming out from my heart.

Finding old friends in this beautiful place.

Friends chatting in the pool.

May your week be full of gratitude moments, may you have a song in your heart.

 

Protestants and Lent Season by Greg Wilbur (King’s Medow)

6 Comments »

« Older Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.