~Abide In Christ~ day 3

Okay folks, I am most definitely not the brightest crayon in the box. LOL


As I was reading my book today, I realized at the top that it said . . . Day Three, it clicked!!! This just isn't a book, duh, it's a 1 month devotional. How slow, I mean really.



Anyway . . . . . . this book (devotional) is really good. I'm enjoying it tremendously, although I will need to read it over and over to get out of it what all the Lord would have for me, but nonetheless, I like it.


Day Three:


". . . I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." --Phil. 3:12

More than one admits that it is a sacred duty and a blessed privilege to abide in Christ, but shrinks back continually before the question: Is it possible, a life of unbroken fellowship with the Saviour? . . . . .The more they hear of this life, the deeper their sense of its glory and blessedness, and there is nothing they would not sacrifice to be made partakers of it. But they are too weak, too unfaithful -- they never can attain to it.

Dear souls! how little they know that the abiding in Christ is just meant for the weak, and so beautifully suited to their feebleness. It is not the doing of some great thing, and does not demand that we first lead a very holy and devoted life. No, it is simply weakness entrusting itself to a Mighty One to be kept -- the unfaithful one casting itself on One Who is altogether trustworthy and true. Abiding in Him is not a work that we have to do as the condition for enjoying His salvation, but a consenting to let Him do all for us, and in us, and through us. It is a work He does for us -- the fruit and the power of His redeeming love. Our part is simply to yield, to trust and to wait for what He has engaged to perform.

And if ever doubts again arise, or the bitter experience of failure tempt you to despair, just remember where Paul found His strength: "I am apprehended of Christ Jesus". In that assurance you have a fountain of strength. From that you can look up to the whereunto on which He has set His confidence that the good work He hath begun He will also perform. And in that confidence you will gather courage, day by day, afresh to say, " ' . . .I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus'. It is because Jesus has taken hold of me, and because Jesus keeps me, that I dare to say: Saviour, I abide in Thee".

Taken from 'Abide in Christ" ~Andrew Murray

Until the Shout,
Sis. Tammy

~Started a Book~

I just started a new book today. It is called "Abide in Me" by Andrew Murray.

It is a powerful book. I've only read the first 2 chapters (which are only a few pages long) so far. You know how them old fashioned preachers are, they write very deeply and I like to be able to take my time and read; many times reading and rereading certain parts until I have comprehended them and taken them in. I find it helpful to read them out loud also.

I thought I'd leave you with just a nibble of what the Lord has blessed me to read. I will most definitely find it hard to condense, as there are soooo many wonderful truths written in these pages to help along life's journey.

Day 1:
"Come unto me ..." -- Matt. 11:28
"Abide in me ..." -- John 15:4

And it may please Thee, blessed Saviour, indeed, to speak to us; let each of us hear Thy blessed Voice. May the feeling of our deep need, and the faith of Thy wondrous love, combined with sight of the wonderfully blessed life Thou art waiting to bestow upon us, constrain us to listen and to obey, as often as Thou speakest: "Abide in me". Let day by day the answer from our heart be clearer and fuller: "Blessed Saviour, I do abide in Thee".


Day 2:
"Come unto me ... and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls" -- Matt. 11:28,29

Entire surrender to Jesus is the secret of perfect rest.
Giving up one's whole life to Him, for Him alone to rule and order it; taking up His yoke, and submitting to be led and taught, to learn of Him; abiding in Him, to be and do only what He wills--these are the conditions of discipleship without which there can be no thought of maintaining the rest that was bestowed on first coming to Christ. The rest is in Christ, and not something He gives apart from Himself, and so it is only in having Him that the rest can really be kept and enjoyed.

Blessed rest! The fruit and the foretaste and the fellowship of God's own rest! Found of them who thus come to Jesus to abide in Him. It is the peace of God, the great calm of the eternal world, that passeth all understanding, and that keeps the heart and mind. With this grace secured, we have strength for every duty, courage for every struggle, a blessing in every cross, and the joy of life eternal in death itself.

O my Saviour! if ever my heart should doubt or fear again, as if the blessing were too great to expect, or too high to attain, let me hear Thy voice to quicken my faith and obedience: "Abide in me"; "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me ... ye shall find rest unto your souls".

Until the Shout,
Sis. Tammy

Home Again!

We made it back home on Saturday. Not to bad a trip, and we even got and extra hours sleep that night as we had time change on this side of the pond already. That was lovely and we surely needed with church the next day.

I have been very busy this week. I was trying to catch up on laundry, keep the house tidied up and do some sewing. I know next week it will be a lot more difficult as we will be back to our normal schedule. I didn't schedule school for this week as I knew we would all be exhausted. Our time clocks have not fully adjusted yet but we are working on that, too.

My sewing skills have drastically improved (it must have been all the curtains that I made for church :) . Anyway so far I've made 2 Bibles bags, 3 skirts, a hair scrunchy and a little purse to match one of Rebekah's skirts. Not too bad for a sewing illiterate!!!!! Whoooohoooo!!!! Go Me!
Although in saying that, I must give honour where honour is due. The Lord put His hands on mine and did a lot of guiding I know and then my mother is very skilled with a sewing machine (thanks mama!).

Anyway, I still have about 4-5 left to make. PRAY!!!!! I get nervous when things are going so well. LOL LOL

You all have a nice evening and God bless,
Sis. Tammy

Psalms 103 v. 1 "Bless the LORD, oh my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name."

State-side

I know that I've not written in a while, sorry about that. Just thought I'd update a little bit about what we've been up to.

We are here in the States for just over 3 weeks. We had a church buy us tickets to come to their missions meeting. What a blessing. We are staying right now with the founder of our mission board. They are a real blessing, we appreciate them opening their home to us and all the help they have been. Their experience is most valuable in the ministry and we are grateful to be able to glean from them.

The children did great on the long flight, from Gatwick to Charlotte was about 8 1/2 to 9 hours. When we originally booked the flight we had a 2 hour lay over in Charlotte, then they changed it to where we only had 50 minutes to change planes. NOT a lot of time. We were afraid we couldn't make it so they changed it to go out on the 8:00 flight instead of the 2:50 one. I didn't fancy a 5-6 hour lay-over.

We had to change our luggage over in Charlotte because it was our first entrance into the U.S. and immigrations didn't open until 2:00. NOT GOOD. They let us off the plane at about 10 past 2 we got through immigrations by about 15 past and was ready to change our luggage over. We asked if we could make the 2:50 flight (did not even want to sit in the airport for 5 1/2 LONG hours with 2 restless children). They said if we hurried. We had 20 minutes to get to the next plane.

WE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!! With very few minutes to spare, and I mean VERY FEW!

The only problem was they got 3 out of 5 suitcases on the plane. Go figure!! I had to wait until Tuesday for my things to get here so I wasn't well pleased, but Praise the Lord it is here and I have clean clothes and all my toiletries. Amen.

The children have been enjoying the freedom of being in Mississippi. So different to where we live. I constantly have my eye on them outside and they DO NOT go far from the house. Here, Bro. Jenkins has 3 acres and 4 dogs and they are having a blast. I've rarely seen them since we got here, but they have been so good and mannerly. Yes, I'm a bit amazed. As you know, children will be children and that oftentimes means unpredictable! LOL

I pray you all are well and the Lord is blessing. I shall endeavour to write more frequently.

Until the Shout,
Sis. Tammy

"He Leads to Joy"

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

Psalms 23:2

George Young, a carpenter, and his wife dedicated themselves to serving the Lord wherever He would lead. "he often does the leading," they said, "And we do the following." Their finances were tight but they never went hungry. They finally saved enough money to buy a small piece of property on which George built a cottage. It was a fulfillment of a life's dream. They dedicated the house to God and sang the Doxology. Some time later, while George was on a ministry trip, a disgruntled thug, who was offended at a message George had preached, burned down their dream home. God began to impress George with the words to , "God Leads Us Along." In a few days he wrote the song we cherish and sing. The chorus says, "God leads His dear children along, some through the fire, but all through the blood..."

Years later, Dr. Harold Lillenas, the famous song writer seeking to track down George's widow drove to Kansas and was shocked to find Mrs. Young in the County Poor House. When he found her she commented, "I sure miss my husband, but God lead me here! I'm so glad He did, for you know about every month someone comes into this place to spend the rest of their days, and Mr. Lillenas, so many of them don't know my Jesus. I'm having the time of my life introducing them to Him! Isn't it wonderful how God leads?

What a testimony of joy. In poverty, yet happy with God's leading. Are you following His leading?

In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet,

God leads His dear children along;

Where water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet,

God leads His dear children along.

Chorus:

Some thro' the water, some thro' the flood,

Some thro' the fire, but all thro' the blood;

Some thro' great sorrow, but God gives a song;

In the night season and all the day long.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,

God leads His dear children along;

Sometimes in the valley in the darkest of night,

God leads His dear children along.

Tho' sorrows befall us, and Satan oppose,

God leads His dear children along.

Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,

God leads His dear children along.

Away from the mire, and away from the clay,

God leads His dear children along;

Away up in glory, eternity's day,

God leads His dear children along.

Following Him,

Sis. Tammy