Just had to share!

Where to begin? I am currently trying to read several books right now in my quiet time and I ran across several things today as I read that I wanted to share with you. First, in Desiring God, John Piper is talking about the form of worship..he says that forms of worship should provide 2 things, channels for the mind to apprehend the truth of God's reality and channels for the heart to respond to the beauty of that truth-that is, forms to ignite the affections with biblical truth and forms to express the affections with biblical passion. Later, he goes on to say, "But in the end, form is not the issue. The issue is whether the excellency of Christ is seen. Worship will happen when the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness" shines in our hearts to give us "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor 4:6) He closes with this, and I mean, it was so good to me this morning....it is an exhortation.. "Don't let your worship decline to the performance of mere duty. Don't let the childlike awe and wonder be choked out by unbiblical views of virtue. Don't let the scenery and poetry and music of your relationship with God shrivel up and die. You have capacities for joy that you can scarcely imagine. They were made for the enjoyment of God. He can awaken them no matter how long they have lain asleep. Pray for His quickening power. Open your eyes to His glory. It is all around you: The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork" (ps19:1)

The other thing -out of Captured by Grace-The chapter is called The Clear Perspective of Grace

David Jeremiah says : " Salvation is the ultimate version of the "new you"..Having been told that you are a new creation, you expect to rise and walk in newness of life. Why, then, do we have this creeping suspicion that nothing has changed? Why do we still struggle with so many challenges in life: hasty words, compulsive habits, seductive temptations? Why don't we feel the moment-by-moment desire to be all the wonderful things Christ has promised us we can be? Take Heart! Every single one of us who answers to the name christian, is a fellow struggler in this regard. There is no "microwave" serving of spiritual maturity. We all have to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (phil 2:12)...later as he talking about John Newton, he quotes Newton as saying," I hope it will always be a subject of humiliating reflection to me that I was once an active instrument in a business at which my heart now shudders". But, I remember two things, That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a Great Savior." (this is relating to his past as a slave trader) I know this is long, but I LOVED my morning looking at these things.... I walked away so enriched... but I will dwell on this last quote..." I am a great sinner but Christ is MY great Savior! Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to read all this! :)