Atonement Q & A

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8

My Master has riches beyond the count of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable! You may look, and study, and weigh, but Jesus is a greater Saviour than you think Him to be when your thoughts are at the greatest. My Lord is more ready to pardon than you to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress. My Master is more willing to supply your wants than you are to confess them. Never tolerate low thoughts of my Lord Jesus. When you put the crown on His head, you will only crown Him with silver when He deserves gold. My Master has riches of happiness to bestow upon you now. He can make you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside still waters. There is no music like the music of His pipe, when He is the Shepherd and you are the sheep, and you lie down at His feet. There is no love like His, neither earth nor heaven can match it. To know Christ and to be found in Him—oh! this is life, this is joy, this is marrow and fatness, wine on the lees well refined. My Master does not treat His servants churlishly; He gives to them as a king giveth to a king; He gives them two heavens—a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him for ever. His unsearchable riches will be best known in eternity. He will give you on the way to heaven all you need; your place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks, your bread shall be given you, and your waters shall be sure; but it is there, THERE, where you shall hear the song of them that triumph, the shout of them that feast, and shall have a face-to-face view of the glorious and beloved One. The unsearchable riches of Christ! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth, and the song for the harpers of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will tell out the good news to others.

-Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon.

Filled With Awe

A friend shared this devotion with me and I wanted to pass it along to you:

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After Jesus had risen from the dead and "was taken up into Heaven" (Luke 24:51), those who believed in Him "joined together constantly in prayer" (Acts 1:14), "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching" (Acts 2:42), and "ate together with glad and sincere hearts" (Acts 2:46). The first believers did naturally what we try to implement in our churches today - they prayed, studied, and fellowshipped. But they had an additional characteristic of their gathering that no amount of programming will ever be able to produce.

Acts 2:43
"Everyone was filled with awe..."

Being "filled with awe" means to have an overwhelming sense of reverent fear, wonder and amazement. This is the same meaning used by Solomon when he wrote: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). Our understanding of God begins with a reverent fear - an amazed and holy awe - which compels us to our knees in worship.

The early believers knew they were in the midst of God's Hand and were amazed; but today we often become complacent with His wonders. We forget the miracle of, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1); the marvel of, "So God created man in His own image...male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27), and the incredible wonder of His love: "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

These verses alone should inspire a lifetime of praise - but God has given us much more. He has given His Spirit to guide and comfort; and the entirety of His Word to reveal the fullness of His character and the grandness of His majesty. About sixty years after Jesus returned to Heaven, the Apostle John was given a vision of God's throne room in order to encourage us about the future glory we will one day see.

Revelation 4:2-8
"And there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it... A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.... Around the throne, were four living creatures.... Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'"

Understanding the wondrous glory of Heaven can make our daily trials seem much less of a burden!
Let's reflect on the miracles of God's creation, His plan of redemption through Jesus, and the true majesty of His Kingdom. We will begin to experience all God has planned for our life, and the life of our local church, when we return to a true reverence and wonder of our Lord. Our lives can be made whole and our worship complete only as we approach our Heavenly Father with hearts filled with awe.

-God's Daily Word Ministries

Ironman 2010 by Paul Buff

Editor's note: Paul Buff was a member of a volunteer team that traveled about 1100 miles from Kennesaw, GA to Lake Placid, NY to serve in Ironman Lake Placid 2010 and other ministries. He wrote a poem about his experience and I'd like to share it with you.

IRONMAN 2010

Seeking Your will as each day we pray

We’re leaving tomorrow to go Your way.

Everything’s packed and ready to go

Help us to others, Your love to show

Get to the church, then our plane we’ll meet,

Head to Boston first and leave the heat.

Grab our bags and run for the bus,

Our orange shirts let all see us.

Our next flight took us on to New York,

We can’t wait to do Your work.

Met with Brothers and Sisters at Lake Placid Church,

To challenge us as Your Word we search.

On to our “home” for a week to come,

Where it sure will be “cozy” for some.

Breakfast came early, our lunches were packed,

On the road to Lake Placid our vans were packed.

Got our assignments to various places

Where we’ll meet up with many faces.

Registration, hiking, face painting, moved chairs,

Balloons, snow cones, and lead others in prayers.

Ended the day with devotions and sharing,

How all were blessed by loving and caring.

Another day to serve, You whom we praise,

Our hands to heaven, we will raise.

Our duties brought us to meet again,

Some of those we now call friend.

Shared on the beach, the Oval, and set up a meal,

Prayed for some their injuries would heal.

The work day was long ,we’re tired and hot too,

But it was great to know that others saw You.

The suns coming up and we get to begin

Serving pancakes and breakfast and Your Word again.

Our day was filled with duties to each meet a need,

But our goal is the Gospel they’ll heed.

Many came to the church to be a part of “Iron Prayer”,

And left so much different than when they came there.

Lives were touched, changed, and never the same,

As into their hearts You surely came.

Race day is here and off to our stations,

To be part of Your work to various nations.

Such an honor and thrill to be able to meet,

All these athletes as they come to compete.

Passing out water and a word of cheer,

Seeing them try harder as they leave here.

Some come by tired, hurting, others seem fine,

Their goal being just the Finish Line.

Our purpose has been to be here for them,

But mainly through us they have seen Him.

Set up the tent for awards, for winning a place,

A meal, a prize, and applause for their race.

Much skill, dedication, practice, and care,

Was what drove them on and placed them there.

Our prayer has been that somehow we’ve told,

With lives and actions on Jesus we hold.

They too, can find the greatest emotion,

Is knowing God with true devotion.

Went to training sites where they learn to fly,

Through the air on their skis from up so high.

Had supper with some of North Country’s team,

Their love makes our family “at home” it seems.

Saw places where athletes train and play,

Enjoyed Your nature for part of the day.

Went to athletes tent for volunteers service,

Awards and prizes made some people nervous.

It’s great to see how much work , effort, and love,

Can be done if we’re driven from up above.

You’ve used our talents, time, and prayers,

To show others You’re the one who cares.

Our “works” all done this time but yet,

Your marvelous blessings we cannot forget.

By Paul Buff

God-Given Goals

"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

Psalm 84:11

God will not lead you into unrealistic thinking. . . .

I didn't say the Lord wouldn't challenge you to do what seems impossible to you. I said He wouldn't lead you into something that was unrealistic.

The "impossible goals" that the Lord lays before us are goals that are in keeping with the talents and abilities He has given us. They are things that we cannot achieve apart from the use of our faith. There is a dimension to these goals that is God's realm. Only He can cause all the pieces to fall into place. Only He can cause the seeds of time, effort, and skill associated with the goal to come to full fruition.

Source: "God's Way Day by Day"