November 22, 2012
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"the treasure you can never find in a mall" ~ Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift!
You trying to figure what to do with your life
You make a lot of money, hope you doing it right
because the money is God's, you better steward it right
Stay focused! You ain't got no ride?
Your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive,
the clothes you wear, the job you work,
the color your skin – naw you Christian first.
People living life for a job,
Make a lil money, start living for a car,
get em a house, a wife, kids, and a dog
When they retire, they living high on the hog –
but guess what? – they didn't ever really live at all:
To live is Christ and that's Paul I recall,
To die is gain, so for Christ we give it all!
He's the treasure you can never find in a mall!
... I refuse to waste my life
He's too true ta chase that ice
Here's my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
If He's truly raised to life,
then this news should change your life
And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights.Don't wanna waste my life, life, life...
Don't wanna waste my life, life, life...
Don't wanna waste my...
Don't wanna waste my...
Don't wanna waste my...(Lyrics from Lecrae's "Don't Waste Your Life," emphasis mine)
http://youtu.be/9N01-mNO0us ~ Features an excerpt form John Piper's sermon "Boasting Only in the Cross"
* * *Isaiah 32:9-10
Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.
Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.From Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Isaiah 32:9-10 (boldface mine):
In these verses we have God rising up to judgment against the vile persons, to punish them for their villainy; but at length returning in mercy to the liberal, to reward them for their liberality.
When there was so great a corruption of manners, and so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might well be expected, and here is a warning given of such times coming. The alarm is sounded to the women that were at ease (9) and the careless daughters, to feed whose pride, vanity, and luxury, their husbands and fathers were tempted to starve the poor. Let them hear what the prophet has to say to them in God's name: "Rise up, and hear with reverence and attention."
Let them know that God was about to bring wasting desolating judgments upon the land in which they lived in pleasure and were wanton. This seems to refer primarily to the desolations made by Sennacherib's army when he seized all the fenced cities of Judah: but then those words, many days and years, must be rendered (as the margin reads them) days above a year, that is, something above a year shall this havock be in the making: so long it was from the first entrance of that army into the land of Judah to the overthrow of it. But it is applicable to the wretched disappointment which those will certainly meet with, first or last, that set their hearts upon the world and place their happiness in it: You shall be troubled, you careless women. It will not secure us from trouble to cast away care when we are at ease; nay, to those who affect to live carelessly even little troubles will be great vexations and press hard upon them. They were careless and at ease because they had money enough and mirth enough; but the prophet here tells them, (1.) That the country whence they had their tents and dainties should shortly be laid waste: "The vintage shall fail; and then what will you do for wine to make merry with? The gathering of fruit shall not come, for there shall be none to be gathered, and you will find the want of them, 10.
"Rise up... hear ... give ear..."I Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example,
but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (ESV)"Prayer Answered by Crosses"
by John Newton1 I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.2 'Twas He who taught me thus to pray;
And He, I trust, has answered prayer:
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.3 I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He'd grant me my request;
And, by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.4 Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.5 Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.6 Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
'Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.7 These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free,
To break thy schemes of worldly joy,
That thou mayst seek thy all in Me.* * *
Holy God,Humble us,
Crumble us,Break our schemes of worldly joy,
Blast our gourds, every vain toy,So we might have no other gods before Thee,
To no other bow or bend the knee,The trembling, broken, contrite soul
The only soul made fully wholeSet free to seek our all in Thee,
And find our all in all in TheeOnly the single-eyed
Can be fully satisfiedCast aside the night
For unswerving DelightTo the Bridegroom I cleave and cling
In Christ I boast! To Christ I sing!For You, O Christ, are the True Vine, the vintage that never fails to supply,
For You, O Christ, are the Living Water, the wellspring that never runs dryFor You, O Christ, are Everlasting Light, Who never fails to brighten,
For You, O Christ, are Exceeding Joy, the thirsty soul to gladdenRight hand embrace,
Fruit sweet to my tasteAll-surpassing Excellence,
Refreshing RadianceEternal Treasure,
Unbridled PleasureNever a disappointment
O! Bountiful Ointment!J.A. Alexander's rendering of Isaiah 29:19:
And the humble shall add joy (i.e. shall rejoice more and more) in Jehovah,
and the poor among men in the Holy One of Israel shall rejoice.II Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Thanks be unto God for his inexpressible gift. (ESV)
Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift. (NKJV)What are you doing with God's unspeakable, inexpressible, indescribable Gift, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Do Isaiah's words describe you? Are you being careless? Do you prefer worldly, earthly gifts over and above Him?
Do you draw near with your mouth, giving thanks to God with your lips only, while your heart is set upon the world and far from Him?
Isaiah 29:13 And the Lord said:...
this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men...Mark 7:6 And he [Jesus] said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’"Luke 11:35
Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.
Related:- My posts on Thanksgiving
- What is a nominal Christian?
- Are you wasting your life living like all the other nations? Ezekiel 25:8
- don't waste your Christmas | exchange this world's madness for Heaven's gladness (letter 95 on joy)
- Are you sitting in the midst of the ephah? ~ Zechariah 5
- You speak as one of the foolish women would speak ~ Job 2:9-10
- As the Visible Disappoints
- Lenten Reflections: When he broke all supply of bread (My breaking is for your blessing)
- Letter 16 on assurance and fighting for joy (our prayers, His wise denials and joy)
- Dearest idol, how can I find rest
- Rejoicing here on the Potter's Wheel (Psalm 66) | Letter 96 on assurance & joy
- disappointment ~ appointment | letter 119 on assurance & fighting for joy
- Resurrection Day: Don't Waste Your Life (Lecrae) | Whose Life is it anyhow?
- Profitable Preaching ~ Kenneth Stewart: "And your soul will be a damp squib..."
- adopting God's purpose for the nations is for your joy & His glory (Letter 76 on joy)
- 200 years ago ... Adoniram & Ann Judson ~ Don't waste YOUR marriage
Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Lyrics are subject to US Copyright Laws and are the property of their respective authors, artists and labels. Commercial use prohibited.
"Prayer Answered by Crosses" accessed from http://www.hymnary.org/text/i_asked_the_lord_that_i_might_grow / Public Domain. I capitalized the references to the Godhead.
Photo credit: Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queensgate_Shopping_Centre_-_geograph.org.uk_-_528123.jpg / CC BY-SA 2.0 - Attribution: Tony Atkin.
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