On a positive note

I don't blog often. I don't have time. I don't have wisdom. But in posting this morning I was a little dismayed to see how Puddleglumish I am revealed to be in the titles of my posts. Really it must be a great sin to focus on our petty problems when we are really standing on the Sea of Glass. A dear pastor once exhorted us to begin doing now what we shall be doing eternally. Those things I have posted, all doing with suffering and affliction and trials, were really meant by way of encouragement.

I left the computer with just a few minutes before the sick children and I were going to listen to a live sermon online from Emmanuel Baptist Church. I thought to wait until after the sermon to try and rectify my negative preponderance of posts. Perhaps, after all, Pastor Fisher would encourage us in our True State. Oh the irony of the sermon. He is preaching from 1 John. Today's text was verse four. John wrote the epistle that our joy might be full. In Pastor Fisher's second point he reminded us that joy is not incompatible with sorrow, but comes from a sense of being actually loved and accepted by God, a delight in the Lord Jesus Christ, a pleasure in Christian interests, hope in God's providence, purpose, and provisions, and a regular, deliberate, conscious, experimental communion with God. The obstacles to joy are those things which keep us from communion with God; i.e. sin, selfishness, worldliness, and doubt. For sin, we have an advocate with the Father, the Lord Himself. And to know our sin we must walk in the light. For selfishness and worldliness, we must simply quit those things. For doubt we have three tests that help us to overcome our doubts: Doctrinal, do we believe God's Word?; Love of the brethren; and Love of God, do we keep His commandments?

I pray that I (and my family) can listen to many of the sermons on 1 John by Pastor Fisher. These are timely to me personally and I hope to thank him.

I read the following words to the kids while we were waiting for the service to resume (they cut out the hymn singing; but this was one of the hymns they sang. We heard it announced):

Before the throne of God above I have a strong, a perfect plea, a great High Priest whose name is "Love," who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on His hands. My name is written on His heart. I know that while in heaven He stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart. When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free; for God, the Just, is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me. Behold Him there! The risen Lamb, my perfect, spotless Righteousness, the great, unchangeable I Am, the King of glory and of grace! One with Himself, I cannot die. My soul is purchased with His blood. My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ, my Savior and my God.