And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." -John 8:23-24
Because the very heart of the Christian life is confessing faith in a person, Jesus Christ the Lord, it has been quite easy for some to push this truth out of all proportion and teach that faith in the Person of Christ is all that matters. John 3:16 is just the beginning not the whole of our Christian life. Yet so often we hear it on the radio, television and even car tags “Just believe & receive”. Who Jesus is matters not, who His Father was, whether Jesus is God or man or both, whether or not He accepted the superstitions and errors of His time as true, whether He actually rose again after or was only thought to have done so by His devoted followers, these things are not important, say the no creed believer. What is essential is that we believe on Him and try to follow His teachings.
What we read that is overlooked here is that the argument of Jesus with the Pharisees was over the question of who He was. His claim to be God spurred the Pharisees to fury. He could have cooled the fire of their anger by backing away from His claim to equality with God, but He refused to do it. And He further taught that faith in Him embraced a belief that He is very God, and that apart from this there could be no salvation for anyone.
To believe on Christ Jesus for our salvation means to believe the right things about Christ and His teachings. This is an essential and there is no escaping this.
Thank You, Lord, that You are Who You claim to be and that our salvation does indeed rest on a solid foundation. Don't let me ever back down from this essential truth of Who You are. Amen.
In His service,
As always, womswf&t
Sandy Perry
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
What Cave are you hiding in?
1 Kings 19: 8-13 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
How so many times are we like Elijah? The almighty God defeats our enemies whoever and whatever they may be and we take off and hide in our self made caves when God is telling us to go stand on the mountain and wait for Him. I know I’m guilty of this because I would be looking for Him in all the wrong places. God will not be found in the windy words we might use to hurt others, nor will he be found in the violence we do to others by being loud and obnoxious like a clanging gong with our fiery tempers.
After the wind and the fire Elijah heard God in the silence after the storm. Even though God is there through all the storms with us we hear Him only in the gentle breeze stirring in the silence of the human heart. Once we have heard Him, God will ask as He did Elijah “what are you doing here?” in what way are you called in the world to do God’s will daily. We all struggle with this question at some point in our life and I pray you find the answer in the silence that will lead you to a deeper love of God, His holy Word and creation.
Lord guide me to the silence in all the noise of the world that I hear You more clearly and love You more dearly nd can share Jesus love more sincerely. It is in His sweet name I pray. Amen.
In Christ
Sandy Perry
09/09/09
How so many times are we like Elijah? The almighty God defeats our enemies whoever and whatever they may be and we take off and hide in our self made caves when God is telling us to go stand on the mountain and wait for Him. I know I’m guilty of this because I would be looking for Him in all the wrong places. God will not be found in the windy words we might use to hurt others, nor will he be found in the violence we do to others by being loud and obnoxious like a clanging gong with our fiery tempers.
After the wind and the fire Elijah heard God in the silence after the storm. Even though God is there through all the storms with us we hear Him only in the gentle breeze stirring in the silence of the human heart. Once we have heard Him, God will ask as He did Elijah “what are you doing here?” in what way are you called in the world to do God’s will daily. We all struggle with this question at some point in our life and I pray you find the answer in the silence that will lead you to a deeper love of God, His holy Word and creation.
Lord guide me to the silence in all the noise of the world that I hear You more clearly and love You more dearly nd can share Jesus love more sincerely. It is in His sweet name I pray. Amen.
In Christ
Sandy Perry
09/09/09
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Can I get a Witness?
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness and handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. -2 Corinthians 4:2
Here again this week we have seen the glaring discrepancy between Biblical Christianity and that of present day evangelicals, right here at home in the United States and in our Church body.
To bring people to Christ here we are forced to play down the difficulties and play up the peace of mind and worldly success through sinful lifestyles enjoyed by those who accept Christ. Excuse me! We must assure our hearers that Christianity is now a proper and respectable thing and that Christ has become quite popular with the gay movement, well-to-do business tycoons and the Hollywood jet set. We can now rest assured, hell deserving sinners are coming in droves to accept Christ for what they can get out of Him; and though one every now and again may shed a tear as proof of his sincerity, it is hard to escape the conclusion that most of them are stooping to patronize Jesus, our Lord of glory in such a way as a drug addict might suck up to a dealer on the street in order to be have him give them a better fix tomorrow. Like the unrepentant sinner hanging on the cross beside Jesus just wanted Jesus to save him and get him down to go about his sinful life so are the day’s of our lives eh!
Lord, don't let us fall into the trap of offering a cheap salvation. Remind us often that redemption that cost the life of Your Son should never be so cheapened and your precious Word so callously brought down to sinful interpretation. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
08/21/09
Here again this week we have seen the glaring discrepancy between Biblical Christianity and that of present day evangelicals, right here at home in the United States and in our Church body.
To bring people to Christ here we are forced to play down the difficulties and play up the peace of mind and worldly success through sinful lifestyles enjoyed by those who accept Christ. Excuse me! We must assure our hearers that Christianity is now a proper and respectable thing and that Christ has become quite popular with the gay movement, well-to-do business tycoons and the Hollywood jet set. We can now rest assured, hell deserving sinners are coming in droves to accept Christ for what they can get out of Him; and though one every now and again may shed a tear as proof of his sincerity, it is hard to escape the conclusion that most of them are stooping to patronize Jesus, our Lord of glory in such a way as a drug addict might suck up to a dealer on the street in order to be have him give them a better fix tomorrow. Like the unrepentant sinner hanging on the cross beside Jesus just wanted Jesus to save him and get him down to go about his sinful life so are the day’s of our lives eh!
Lord, don't let us fall into the trap of offering a cheap salvation. Remind us often that redemption that cost the life of Your Son should never be so cheapened and your precious Word so callously brought down to sinful interpretation. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
08/21/09
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
“The Master Physician”
“And he touched her hand, and the fever left her;
and she arose and ministered unto them.” Matthew 8:15
Jesus touched her hand as only He can
With the wondrous skill of the Master Physician
With the sweet, tender touch of the Son of Man
And the feverish pain in her throbbing temples
Died out along with the flush on brow and cheek
And the lips that had been so parched and burning
Quivered with thanks that she could not speak
And her eyes, where the fevers light had faded
Looked up and by her grateful tears made dim
And she rose and ministered to her household
As she ministered also to Him
He touched her hand, and the fever left her
Oh blessed, healing touch of the Man Divine
So beautiful it is then to rise and serve Him
When the fever is gone from your life and mine
It may be the fever of restless serving
With our heart all thirsty for love and praise
And eyes all aching and strained with yearning
Toward self serving goals in our old age
Or it may be a fever of sinful craving
Some storm of sorrow that does not die down
Until the cross has at last our meekness found
And our head stoops low for our thorny crown
Or it may be a fever of pain and anger
When the wounded heart is hard to bear
And only the Lord can draw forth the arrows
Left carelessly, cruelly bothersome there
Whatever the fever, His touch can heal it
Whatever the storm, His voice can still
There is only joy as we seek His glory
There is only a rest as we seek His will
And some day after this life’s fitful fever
I think we shall say in our mansion on high
If the hands that He touched but did His bidding
How little it matters what else passed us by
Sweet Lord Jesus! You know us through and through
Each heart’s hurt and sickness, whatever it may be
Only You Lord can Touch our hands and let the fever leave us
And we shall also minister unto You our Savior sweet Jesus
Only He can put out the fevers fire and set our captive souls free
Sandy Perry
07/21/09
and she arose and ministered unto them.” Matthew 8:15
Jesus touched her hand as only He can
With the wondrous skill of the Master Physician
With the sweet, tender touch of the Son of Man
And the feverish pain in her throbbing temples
Died out along with the flush on brow and cheek
And the lips that had been so parched and burning
Quivered with thanks that she could not speak
And her eyes, where the fevers light had faded
Looked up and by her grateful tears made dim
And she rose and ministered to her household
As she ministered also to Him
He touched her hand, and the fever left her
Oh blessed, healing touch of the Man Divine
So beautiful it is then to rise and serve Him
When the fever is gone from your life and mine
It may be the fever of restless serving
With our heart all thirsty for love and praise
And eyes all aching and strained with yearning
Toward self serving goals in our old age
Or it may be a fever of sinful craving
Some storm of sorrow that does not die down
Until the cross has at last our meekness found
And our head stoops low for our thorny crown
Or it may be a fever of pain and anger
When the wounded heart is hard to bear
And only the Lord can draw forth the arrows
Left carelessly, cruelly bothersome there
Whatever the fever, His touch can heal it
Whatever the storm, His voice can still
There is only joy as we seek His glory
There is only a rest as we seek His will
And some day after this life’s fitful fever
I think we shall say in our mansion on high
If the hands that He touched but did His bidding
How little it matters what else passed us by
Sweet Lord Jesus! You know us through and through
Each heart’s hurt and sickness, whatever it may be
Only You Lord can Touch our hands and let the fever leave us
And we shall also minister unto You our Savior sweet Jesus
Only He can put out the fevers fire and set our captive souls free
Sandy Perry
07/21/09
Sunday, July 12, 2009
He Gives His Beloved Sleep
Psalm 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Trouble and worry will sometimes meet
The storm clouds hover ever lower
The course of sin will surely beat
Upon earth’s troubled shore
God does His own safely keep
He gives His beloved sleep
The noise of war across the sky may roll
with all her horrors and violent flight
Pain and grief may oppress the soul
Throughout the long weary night
God does His own safely keep
He gives His beloved sleep
In childhood’s sweet and charming page
In manhood’s sowing in joyous bloom
In weak of mind and old age
In death’s dark gathering gloom
God will His own in safety keep
He gives us all His beloved sleep
Sandy Perry
07/11/09
Psalm 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Trouble and worry will sometimes meet
The storm clouds hover ever lower
The course of sin will surely beat
Upon earth’s troubled shore
God does His own safely keep
He gives His beloved sleep
The noise of war across the sky may roll
with all her horrors and violent flight
Pain and grief may oppress the soul
Throughout the long weary night
God does His own safely keep
He gives His beloved sleep
In childhood’s sweet and charming page
In manhood’s sowing in joyous bloom
In weak of mind and old age
In death’s dark gathering gloom
God will His own in safety keep
He gives us all His beloved sleep
Sandy Perry
07/11/09
Psalm 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Remnants & Leftovers
Remnants are what we save for our King
When He should receive the best of everything
Why do we wait until the end of the day
Before our knees hit the floor to pray
We thank Him for the day gone by
If it went badly we want to know why
Never thinking how good it might have been
if upon awakening we had called on Jesus our freind
We have given Him what’s left not what’s first
So is there any wonder why sometimes we thirst
Leftovers are what we’ve given God’s only Son
Although He shed His blood for our Salvation
Are not leftovers they are such humble things
Most of us would not serve to a guest
And yet we serve them to our Lord
who should get our first and very best.
We give to Him our leftover time
A few minutes here and there
Leftover cash we give to Him
Such few coins as we can spare
We give our youthful days unto the world
To hatred, pleasure’s, lust and strife
Then in our remaining years we give
To Him the remnant of our life
Sandy Perry
07/09/09
When He should receive the best of everything
Why do we wait until the end of the day
Before our knees hit the floor to pray
We thank Him for the day gone by
If it went badly we want to know why
Never thinking how good it might have been
if upon awakening we had called on Jesus our freind
We have given Him what’s left not what’s first
So is there any wonder why sometimes we thirst
Leftovers are what we’ve given God’s only Son
Although He shed His blood for our Salvation
Are not leftovers they are such humble things
Most of us would not serve to a guest
And yet we serve them to our Lord
who should get our first and very best.
We give to Him our leftover time
A few minutes here and there
Leftover cash we give to Him
Such few coins as we can spare
We give our youthful days unto the world
To hatred, pleasure’s, lust and strife
Then in our remaining years we give
To Him the remnant of our life
Sandy Perry
07/09/09
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sweet Jesus, He is mine
Do you ever wonder what we'd do
if we could never pray
If we could not talk to God
And depend on His guidance every day
Oh how dark our every night would be
if His light did not shine
I know I could not sleep because such fear
would fill this heart of mine
Our hearts would never sing a new song
we’d feel so lost and all alone
if we could never talk to God
and claim Jesus’ love for our own.
But all these things we should not fear
because our burdens He does share
we only have to whisper low sweet Jesus
and know He hears our every prayer.
Jesus walks beside us in this barren land
always there to lift us up when we fall
He gently takes us by the hand
our love sweet Jesus, Lord of all
And though the night can be dark sometimes
His light in us forever shines
we can sleep in peace and should not fear
For Jesus voice we can hear
And all the people say
Sweet Lord Jesus
The King,
He is mine
Sandy Perry
07/05/09
if we could never pray
If we could not talk to God
And depend on His guidance every day
Oh how dark our every night would be
if His light did not shine
I know I could not sleep because such fear
would fill this heart of mine
Our hearts would never sing a new song
we’d feel so lost and all alone
if we could never talk to God
and claim Jesus’ love for our own.
But all these things we should not fear
because our burdens He does share
we only have to whisper low sweet Jesus
and know He hears our every prayer.
Jesus walks beside us in this barren land
always there to lift us up when we fall
He gently takes us by the hand
our love sweet Jesus, Lord of all
And though the night can be dark sometimes
His light in us forever shines
we can sleep in peace and should not fear
For Jesus voice we can hear
And all the people say
Sweet Lord Jesus
The King,
He is mine
Sandy Perry
07/05/09
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