r L n -- really LOVE now! : March 2020

Sunday, March 29, 2020

There was GREAT JOY in that city!

"TRUE JOY is the BY-PRODUCT of BELIEVING The TRUTH." (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

'There was GREAT JOY in THAT city' (Acts 8:8). YET -- there was NO CHANGE in the CIRCUMSTANCES in THAT city (San Diego, Castillejos, Matei, Tijuana, Naselesele, San Ysidro, Naqara, Cotabato, Hillcrest, Manila, North Park, Nadi, Labasa, La Jolla, New York City, etc).

There was NO CHANGE in the people's finances, NO CHANGE in their health, NO CHANGE in their housing situation, NO CHANGE in climate and environment, NO CHANGE in the government, NO CHANGE in politics -- there was NO CHANGE in that city's OUTward circumstances.

THAT city's JOY was from each individual's INward CHANGE wrought by his/her BELIEF INto The TRUTH -- CHRIST JESUS Himself. "It is CHRISTianity ALONE that can give us REAL JOY!" Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones makes this EXCLUSIVE claim --and i myself PROclaim this REALITY.

The system of the world canNOT give anyone JOY -- TRUE, LASTING JOY -- though it tries by offering its version of "joy" (fleeting happiness) by temporarily alleviating a person's misery through giving the STUFF of the world -- i.e., the government legislating TRILLIONS of dollars of financial boost to corporations and individuals, SELF-deluded politicians promising free health care and education, humanistic man-made religions (belief systems of endless reincarnations, ultimate Nirvana, Muhammed), drugs, psychology, humanism (SELF-help/psychoanalysis, SELF-effort, SELF-esteem).

The world's "joy" doesn't last -- and "there's ALWAYS a fly in the ointment." The STUFF of the world gets old -- and wars, pestilences, pandemics, aging and certain death are the plain REALITIES of Life. ESCAPEism (the pleasure mania, alcohol, drugs, SELF-deception) for a while brings "joy" -- but sooner or later REALITY sets in. There is NO REAL CHANGE in the OUTward CIRCUMSTANCES that is the NORM in THAT city... THAT individual.

SO HOW was it that "THERE WAS GREAT JOY IN THAT CITY" of Samaria, 2000+ years ago? THAT city's (the persons') JOY was INward -- it was by GOD-given FAITH, in BELIEVING the TRUTH, in TRUSTING INto The TRUTH Himself -- CHRIST JESUS, The LORD over ALL Creation, even LORD over Death and the Grave!

TRUE JOY, JOYous abandon, JOYful exultation in simply being ALIVE is the REALITY of TRUE CHRISTian JOY. It is DEEP, INward JOY that canNOT be erased or suppressed by the OUTward daily circumstances that beset each person.

TRUE JOY is from GOD -- not from man, not from man's philosophies. TRUE JOY is INternal and therefore IMMUNE to EXternal CIRCUMSTANCES. 'The JOY OF The LORD is my Strength' (Nehemiah 8:10), 'for the JOY that was set before Him, JESUS ENDURED The Cross' (Hebrews 12:2), 'there was GREAT JOY in that city (Acts 8:8).

There was GREAT JOY in THAT city of Samaria because the people BELIEVED Philip's preaching of TRUTH -- the TRUTH of The GOOD News (NOT the kind of FAKE NEWS proliferated by TOday's media), the HIStorical FACT of JESUS, GOD IN CHRIST, Who left HIS GLORY to come into THIS miserable world 2000+ years ago, to bring into REALITY the ONLY way of SALVATION OUT of THIS miserable world -- and INto EVERlasting GLORY with the TRIune GOD in the Heavenly Realms.

CHRIST JESUS Himself IS THE Way and THE Truth and THE Life to/with The FATHER in Heaven. The LORD JESUS is The CHRIST sent of GOD to SAVE sinners from SIN, Satan and SELF. CHRIST JESUS IS LORD -- indeed HE IS LORD even over Death and the Grave. The LORD JESUS IS The WAY to EVERlasting TRUE JOY! \o/

(The above are my personal notes from Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones sermon on Acts 8:8 -- "GREAT JOY In That City" -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/acts-8-8/great-joy-in-that-city/. This particular sermon explains WHY i have this INward JOY that manifests itself despite the OUTward circumstances of daily Life. When my zumba friends at Border View YMCA ask me from where i get such JOYful energy, i simply answer "THE JOY OF The LORD IS MY STRENGTH." When the folks at Ocean View Church or Westview Bible Church see the JOYful OUTward EXpression of my INward JOYfulness -- they know it's but the INward LIFE of The Risen LORD JESUS manifesting OUTwardly by the OUTworkings of the INdwelling Holy SPIRIT. That's WHY (as painted on my OUTer wear) i can JOYfully and TRULY PROclaim my INward FAITH -- 'TO LIVE IS CHRIST, TO DIE IS GAIN' (Philippians 1:21) -- read https://rl-n.blogspot.com/2010/04/rlns-last-expression-her-last-gazillion.html. My purpose in THIS lifetime, in THIS city, in THIS body -- is to GLORIFY GOD and to enJOY HIM forEVER, so that whether i LIVE or DIE tomorrow -- in ALL things, in WHATever i do, in WHATever the circumstance, my HEART's deepest desire is to please The TRIune GOD alone with the ALL that HE has gifted me by and through the INfinite RICHES of His Amazing GRACE and the INfinite WISDOM of His INfallible TRUTH -- The LORD JESUS CHRIST Himself, FULL of GRACE and TRUTH! \o/

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my Prayer For You

When i think of the wisdom and scope of GOD's plan, i fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. i pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy SPIRIT. i pray that CHRIST will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of GOD's marvelous love.

And may you have the power to understand, as all GOD's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by CHRIST JESUS to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN!

(Ephesians 3:14-21)

The Great I AM

I AM the Bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)

I AM the Light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.
(John 8:12)

I AM the Door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
(John 10:7, 9)

I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
(John 10:11, 14)

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I AM the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:1, 5)

I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
(John 11:25)

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6)

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" JESUS answered, You say rightly that I AM a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice.
(John 18:37)

LOVE is...

Though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, i have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though i have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though i have all faith, so that i could remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing.

And though i bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though i give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now i know in part, but then i shall know just as i also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

(I Corinthians 13)

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the LORD always. i will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. And the peace of GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in CHRIST JESUS.

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

(Philippians 4:4-8)

How Great Thou Art!

O LORD, my GOD! When i in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made.
i see the stars, i hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

And when i think that GOD, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, i scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When CHRIST shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then i shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my GOD, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! i once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now i see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour i first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, i have already come; 'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, i shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun refuse to shine; but GOD, who called me here below, shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing GOD's praise than when we'd first begun.

The Holy BIBLE -- The Word of GOD

The BIBLE contains the mind of GOD, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the CHRISTian's charter. Here is Paradise restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of GOD its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

(Foreword from The Gideons International)