UPDATE and EDITED August 2, 2013: Please note my new WordPress address. As I wrote in my post changing my WordPress address to deerlifetrumpet, I realized I needed to change my wordpress address from deerlifexanga, since using the Xanga name would be illegal, so I’ve chosen instead:

http://deerlifetrumpet.wordpress.com

As I mentioned in my previous post here, I’m not planning to keep this blog open even if there is a Xanga 2.0, but rather to incorporate it into my other blogs. I’ll probably try to do that sometime along the line, but in the meantime I decided to export my whole deerlife blog to WordPress to be sure there’s a public archive of it.

I’m not expecting to be blogging at that site, but I do want to direct those of you who may reach this site to make note of the new address since this Xanga site will eventually be closed down. You’re also welcome to check out my other Xanga blogs –– as well as my other WordPress site in case of Xanga shutdown:

http://naphtali_deer.xanga.com

http://tent_of_meeting.xanga.com

http://naphtalideer.wordpress.com

May our God strengthen each of His people for all endurance and perseverance with joy, so we might serve Him with joyfulness and gladness, as we seek to serve Him as directs, and plead with Him to rend the heavens and pour out of His Holy Spirit to revive His Church once again, that all the nations might praise Him –– for the Lord Jesus Christ alone is worthy of all glory and honor and power and blessing!

Yours in Christ, seeking your joy, for the reviving of Christ’s Church, for the joy of the nations, for the joy and glory and renown of God Himself,

Karen

 
“I want you always to believe that God is faithful. However dark and mysterious any of his dispensations may appear, still confide in him. He can make you happy when every thing else is taken from you.”

“David had purposed to build God a house, and, in requital, God promises to build him a house, 11. Whatever we do for God, or sincerely design to do though Providence prevents our doing it, we shall in no wise lose our reward.”

Sharing some of my journey from last month . . .

Yesterday afternoon I felt a great confusion and consternation and darkness. I have continued to feel the door not opening, even closing, regarding my hope of a study at our church, and this has been a terrible strain to me… Of course, to my flesh, not pressing on to pursue such a thing makes no sense, and it grated on me, but I knew I had to submit to the will of the Lord in it. To trust HE would make me happy – even if this thing might be taken away from me. I knew for me to press on in the flesh would have been no different than Abram and Sarai making their plans with Hagar! My desire to have a group of women gathered is a good one. My desire to study the Bible and pray with them and speak of the Lord’s work is a good one ~ Malachi 3:16ff. All that said, if it is not God’s time for that, then it is NOT a good thing.  It greatly distressed me and I felt under a cloud, as it were. But one thing I kept holding onto was that God is not the author of confusion, but a God of peace and I knew His ways were perfect and just, but I didn’t FEEL that.

I read some more of Payson last night and was once again reminded (not that I should have needed to be reminded, since I do know better, but I DID need to be reminded! – the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!) that GOD’s ways are perfect, and that there would be NONE of that perfect peace and NO Sabbath rest – unless I was willing to be all He had for me, that all including my being nothing at all, if that were His will for me.

Edward Payson wrote this about six weeks before his passing:

Of course, I have known this, and once more I was cut to the heart. I had been wondering and been impatient at His leading. And yet, I had no absolutely NO reason to be act that way for I have seen time and again that God’s ways are always best and I have NO cause whatsoever to distrust His love for even a moment.

Anyhow, this morning, I awakened with the chorus to “Trust and Obey” in my mind.

O, I have to tell you that it was KILLING me to put aside my desire for such a group and such a study, but I knew I had to. Though it makes no sense to ME, all I can say in response to the question: “Why do that?” I can only say this:  “I don’t know why. But this I know: the Lord has need of me to do so… Only trust Him… Only trust HIM…”

And then immediately the word came to me, a word that had eluded me, but it came swiftly, without my trying to think of a Scriptural example, but the recollection of Acts 16: it SEEMED GOOD to the disciples to go into Asia, BUT they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

Well, I can tell you that right then and there I KNEW I had no choice. It grieved me, but I knew what I had to do. I got my folder with all my papers and notes for the study, and I pulled out some papers that were not just for that study that had gotten mingled in with them, and then I placed the entire folder in the back of the closet. I had no other choice. I laid Isaac on the altar.

Then I pulled out a hymnal and turned to “Trust and Obey” and found this in verse 3:

And then I reread that portion of Acts 16.

I wrote this is my journal:

And then this from Payson:

I wrote: “HE supplies ALL my wants. HE IS MY SUPPLY.”

And then I went back and found these words of Payson and was wholly melted down at it, well, at God’s never failing goodnesses to me in spite of myself!

“He has done NOTHING but heap favors.”

And that became my song! … Well, HE became my song!

O to be nothing, nothing but He wants of me… that is the greatest enjoyment. Why do I fight Him at every turn? To be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey. To trust and obey is to be happy in Jesus. The confusion and clouds are gone. HE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT HEAP FAVORS. How foolish and brutish and vile we are to ever, ever doubt Him, even for a moment!

And then, this from Payson from several years prior (emphasis, mine):

EVERY burden, sorrow, toil, grief, loss, frown, cross – in and through them ALL, He KEEPS scattering blessings to us! How can He refrain from doing so? We are HIS! He is for us!

Can ANYTHING separate us from God’s love for us in Jesus Christ? Can burden or sorrow or toil? Can grief or loss? Can frown or cross? No! Certainly not. HE KEEPS SCATTERING BLESSINGS TO US! HE DOES NOTHING BUT HEAP FAVORS!

“God can sweeten the bitterest cup.”

I began reflecting on this blessing of Jesus, and can we not possibly consider that at least a part of that blessing was the Levitical blessing from Numbers 6, but now imparted to the children of Israel (we are all Israel through Abraham’s seed!) by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself – the God-man, the all-superior great high priest appointed by His Father, the only begotten Son of God, a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, the priest who ever lives to make intercession, whose priesthood is unchangeable, our Advocate and Mediator!

But yet, we also have such a High Priest who has come to dwell in our hearts by faith so we might know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God!

And all the while, in even the hardest and hardest and most blustery and rainy providence, even when all is dark, even when He hides His face, HE DOES NOTHING BUT HEAP FAVORS ON THE ELECT!

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable Gift!

I walked in darkness, but I have seen a great light. I dwelt in the shadow of death, and upon me a light has shined!

For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light I have seen light.

His mercies are new every morning! Great is His faithfulness! He is faithful when we are not!

Hallelujah! What a Savior! What a Friend for sinners! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with us to the end!

I’m a child of the King! I’m a child of the King! With Jesus, my Savior, I’m a child of the King!

Oswald Chambers wrote:

As God closed this door, yet another seems to be opened, one which had already been opened, but only due to my stubbornness and blinding pride, I was unable and unwilling to see… I would appreciate your prayers, that I would be made willing clay in our Father’s hands (Isaiah 64:8) and He would make me willing in the day of His power (Psalm 110:3).

Throughout the year ahead and all the days of our lives, may our God give us souls as weaned children, the grace to be trusting, obedient and happy wherever HE places us, to truly know Him and enjoy Him and the favors He continues to heap upon us! We can trust that God always leads us in triumph in Christ WHEREVER He places us! His thoughts and His ways are always higher, always sweeter, always lovelier, always happier, and always fuller than ours! Ephesians 3:20-21.

~ your sister Karen

“if I would but cease struggling … I might be happy” (Edward Payson)
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest (Hebrews 3:7-4:13) ~ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion
Lent II.-God’s calling: “As my Father hath sent Me, so send I you.” | Oswald Chambers

All the references from Payson are from the Memoir, Select Thoughts and Sermons of the Late Rev. Edward Payson by Edward Payson (1783-1827) and Asa Cummings with the page numbers in parentheses.

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champaigne_shepherd.jpg | {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

In a similar vein to my last post, through all hazards and difficulties … Forward! Be Our Watchword, I’m bringing further encouragements for us to persevere by faith and trust in the power of God to empower and sustain us in the work He has for us, no matter our circumstances.

I’m starting off here with an excerpt from the “Memoir, Select Thoughts and Sermons of the Late Rev. Edward Payson, Volume 1″ by Edward Payson (1783-1827) and Asa Cummings, 329-330 (emphasis mine). Though Payson’s words are written to a man called to the ministry of Gospel preaching, they are applicable to any believer who is struggling with pressing on in obedience to the will of God in the face of great temptations and difficulties.

To a brother, who shrunk from his duty, through depression of mind, and an erroneous opinion of his own qualifications for the ministry.  Lest any should use the authority of Dr. Payson’s name to urge men to assume the sacred office without the requisite qualifications, it ought to be stated, that the person addressed in the following letter, besides possessing decided piety, had passed through a regular course of preparatory studies at a theological seminary:

“My dear brother:  Your letter found me more than ordinarily hurried; but I feel it to be so important that you should be licensed this fall, that I must snatch a moment to answer it.  Your feelings, as you describe them, are just like mine, only less aggravated by long continuance.  I mention this that you may pay more regard to my advice.  I am as certain that it is best for you to take license immediately, as I can be of any thing.   Rely upon it, that, if you delay, your difficulties will increase, and you will feel more and more as if it as impossible to preach.  Your only safety lies in placing yourself in circumstances which will make exertion necessary, and which will secure divine assistance.  Never mind your infirmities.  You have nothing to do with them.  Your business is to trust, and go forward.  If you wait till the sea becomes land, you will never walk on it.  You must leave the ship, and, like Peter, set your feet upon the waves, and you will find them marble.  Christ is a good Master.  He won’t suffer you to sink; and you will, at length, glory in your infirmities.  I would not give up the precious proofs which I have received, in consequence of my weakness, of his power, faithfulness, and love, for all the comforts of good health.  But be assured, that, if you remain as you are, Satan will weave a net round you, which you will never break.  Every mental and religious effort will become more difficult and painful; your mind will be like the body of a rickety child; you will live a burden to yourself and friend, and die without the consolation of having been made useful.  This would infallibly have been my fate, had I not been thrust into the ministry before I well knew what I was about.  Yet you see I have, somehow or other, been carried along, and so will you be.  Do not then, my dear, dear brother, stand hesitating.  A feeble, nervous man must not deliberate, but act; for his deliberation will not be worth a straw, but his activity may be, and probably will be, useful both to himself and others.

“When Christ told his disciples to feed the multitude with five loaves, they did not hesitate, and say, Lord, let us first see the bread multiplied; if we begin and have not enough, we shall be put to shame; but they distributed what they had, and it increased with the distribution. So you will find it.  You just, therefore, go forward.  There is no reason why you should not.  If you delay, indolence will steal upon you, and bind you in chains, which you will never break.

“I charge you, then, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to be up and doing. There are fifty places in this State [Maine], where the most unconnected things, which your lips could utter, would do good, and be well received.  You have no conception by what apparently feeble means God often works wonders.  Let the next tidings I hear from you be, that you have crossed the Rubicon; or, rather, let me see you here forthwith, in the character of a preacher.”