November 9, 2011
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If I be not given spiritual sight ~ "with unveiled face" (letter 127 on assurance & joy)
II Corinthians 3:16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.Ii Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not... 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
If I be not given spiritual sight,
If I cannot see through Your light,
I will grow weary, give up the fight
If I be not given eternal sight,
If not strengthened with all Your might,
I will tire and faint, give up faith's fightIf I did not hear Your sovereign call:
"Of all My sheep, not one will irretrievably fall!"If I did not hear Your true announcement:
"All My sheep will return, all the remnant!"If I did not see Your promise beaming:
"All My sheep from all nations will come streaming!"If I did not see Your eternal pleading:
"For you and all My sheep, I am ever interceding!"If I did not feel Your comfort conveyed:
"I did not say to you and all My sheep, 'Seek Me in vain!'"If I were not given spiritual sight,
If I could not see through Your light,
I would grow weary, give up the fight
If I were not given eternal sight,
If not strengthened with all Your might,
I would tire and faint, give up faith's fightImmortal till my days are done at last
Through fierce tempest and enemies' blast
The Gospel net I will strive to castThe Kingdom of God is like leaven
God's wisdom to worldly eyes hidden
To the elect, the aroma of heav'nFor Your sheep, by Your Spirit sustained
Through suffering, temptation and pain
Rejoicing as Jesus Christ is proclaimedIn heavenly places sufficient grace is stored
In every trial and tribulation, mercy pours
Importunate cries are always heard, never ignoredTasting and seeing Your goodness, glory and grace
Lightening my darkness, lifting Your countenance
Nourished by You, my portion, living sustenanceJesus, here in Your yoke, peace found, I sweetly rest
Yet ever laboring, my eye on the harvest:
Worship to the slain Lamb, the joy of the electIf I were not given spiritual sight,
If I did not see through Your light,
I would grow weary, give up the fight
If I were not given eternal sight
If not strengthened with all Your might,
I would tire and faint, give up faith's fightMy God, Your goings forth have been from of old
With unveiled face, Your glory I behold
Manifold mercies and graces untold
Through the lattice, a whisper and a glimpse
Confirming Your weary inheritance
Bless the Lord, who loads me daily with benefitsNo longer consumed by the earthly
Looking beyond the seen to eternity
Glory to glory! I have received mercy!From strength to strength, to Zion I ascend
On Christ alone I seek to depend
With You I sup, my exceeding joy, my friendPsalm 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. 6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Colossians 1
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light...
Related:My other letters on assurance and fighting for joy, including:
Letter 13 on assurance and fighting for joy (strengthened for endurance and patience with joy)
Letter 26 on assurance and fighting for joy (laughing/rejoicing at the days to come)
Nehemiah's Song ~ "even here, even in the night seasons, even in the ruins" | letter 106 on joy
you are Mine, not of the world (ministry's temptation, sorrow & joy) | letter 122 on assurance & joy
"Who wants candles when he has the sun?" ~ Edward Payson | letter 124 on assurance & joy
By the Rivers, a Spark of Grace | Psalm 137:1-6 ~ Letter 125 on assurance & fighting for joyIn darkest place
Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)
Hudson Taylor: a man who found rest in the yoke of Christ
but not too hard with Me (calling, doubt & assurance)
ML-J on depression in the ministry
Though beyond all measure I be pressed ~ "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials"Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Photo credit: http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/Yr2006/dec25/dec25_eagle_pic.html
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Comments (4)
Psalm 27:13-14: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
Thank you for a wonderful, uplifting post for the children of God! I am so grateful!
@quest4god@revelife - You're welcome. And thanks for adding those verses from Psalm 27; that whole Psalm is wonderful.
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
2nd Corinthians 3:16 is very powerful.
Amen!
@FearofGodandPerfectLove - Amen. Rather than merely reading that verse, may we continue to contemplate and appreciate the high privilege we have as children of God, our REAL position in heavenly places, so we might approach the mercy seat with boldness and confidence and sup with Christ and He with us!