Tried With Fire

I'm thankful for sisters in Christ and kindred spirits near and far. I'm thrilled beyond words for the opportunity to fellowship face to face with Becky , Jessica , Kim , Melissa , Norma , and Stephanie . God willing, we're heading off to the Outer Banks this week-end. I promise to take lots of pictures.

Christina Langella is guest blogging at Out of the Ordinary today with a review of Renee of France , a new biography by Simonetta Carr. Read the review and enter the giveaway for a copy of the book.

Science and God by Scott Petty, Matthias Media, 2011, 108 pages. Science and God is one of six books written by Scott Petty for Matthias Media. Each book in this series addresses typical questions asked by the 14-20 age group. The author begins by addressing the false dichotomy between science and Christianity. He advocates a multiple-layered approach where science answers questions from observing the physical universe and Christianity answers metaphysical questions such as the existence of God and the purpose and meaning of life.  Petty cites examples of well-known modern scientists who profess Christ as well as ones throughout history to illustrate that science and Christianity are friends. He then goes on to cover the Big Bang theory with its evidence that points to a beginning of the universe, not unlike the creation account in Genesis 1. The book then  looks at the universe's fine tuning which also seems to indicate a Designer rather ...

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3 As we walk with our God we desire his strength, comfort, power and peace. The realization of these, and thus the joy of our spiritual life, depends greatly upon the mortification of sin. The immediate cause of these privileges is our adoption at the hand of the Spirit. However, in our ordinary walking with God, the vigour and comfort of our spiritual lives depend much on our mortification. Mortification bears a cause and effect relationship to our joy. The vigour of our spiritual lives is not possible apart from mortification. Mortification keeps sin from depriving us of our healthy spiritual life. Every unmortified sin will certainly do two things: (1.) It will weaken the soul, and deprive it of its vigour. When David had for a while harboured lust in his heart, it broke all his bones, and left him no spiritual strength  An unmortiified lust will drin...

The kindness of God should allure us to ponder and love his goodness; but since such is our malignity, that we are invariably corrupted by his indulgence, it is more than necessary for us to be restrained by discipline from breaking forth into such petulance. Thus, lest we become emboldened by an over-abundance of wealth; lest elated with honour, we grow proud; lest inflated with other advantages of body, or mind, or fortune, we grow insolent, the Lord himself interferes as he sees to be expedient by means of the cross, subduing and curbing the arrogance of our flesh, and that in various ways, as the advantage of each requires. For as we do not all equally labour under the same disease, so we do not all need the same difficult cure. Hence we see that all are not exercised with the same kind of cross. While the heavenly Physician treats some more gently, in the case of others he employs harsher remedies, his purpose being to provide a cure for all. Still none is left free and untouche...

More flowering quince I'm finally able to stop and catch my breath. The day has been busier than usual, but I'm thankful for physical and mental strength. I'm thankful for daily work and answered prayer. In these uncertain times, a job is nothing to take for granted however ordinary it may be. I'm thankful for my parents. I'm grateful God has kept their health and mental faculties. I'm thankful for their love for Him and their love for me. I'm thankful God doesn't take His eye off His children but is actively working in every circumstance to make us more like Christ. If I am unsure of His favor towards me, I only have to look at the cross.