I've Moved

A couple of weeks ago I decided to grab a web address with my blog name, which is what I really wish I had done in the beginning. When I started this blog, joythruChrist was my user name, and Toby's Thoughts was the name of my blog. Over time things changed around, and I thought that joythruChrist was a much better name for the blog. So I'm taking the plunge and hoping I don't lose any readers (friends) with this move. The new location is http://joythruchrist.blogspot.com so if you would please update your bookmarks, links, and feeds, I would really appreciate it. This will likely be my last post here.

I'm kicking off my second year of blogging (a week or two early) with a series on the book I'm studying by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones called The Life of Joy and Peace. I do hope you'll join me at my new online home!

There's a thief afoot...

...or maybe it's just a borrower.

Confession time. I have a serious pet peeve. The work that I do requires me to use various tools. Seamripper, yardstick, square, flathead screwdriver, short ruler, sharp scissors... Anyway, I like these where I can get to them easily, so I keep them in certain places. Unfortunately, the men in my house like to take my implements and make off with them for various work/hobby related projects. But they rarely remember to return them. Then when I want to work, I have to spend an inordinate amount of time hunting down my tools! ARGH!

So the other day, I was getting geared up to work, and I couldn't find my short ruler. It's about 7 inches long, and I use it to measure the hems of the slings I'm sewing. So the search was on. Everyone in the house was working. Denny and Nik in the garage, and Zack and I upstairs. So I'm wandering and muttering, and Zack has no idea what happened to the ruler. Then he informs me that Nik (my almost 18 year old) was using it to draw. We go to Nik's room, and --walah!-- there it is.

I grabbed it and ran out to the garage to berate him with Zack at my heels anxious to see the show. I said, "If I have to go looking for this one more time and find it on your dresser... (at this point he's looking a little apprehensive) ... I'm gonna spank you with it!" At this point he explodes with laughter.

Denny says, "That's telling him!"

Well, what can you do when they're almost 18? :)

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

This stirring hymn was written by Robert Robinson in 1758.

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

She's Still Around Here Somewhere

Updated below -- 3/30/07:
I just wanted to write a quick one to let my bloggy friends know I'm still here. I'm in the middle of some spring-cleaning before I'm overwhelmed with more slings to do. It's that time of year again -- the better the weather the more people realize they need their furniture done. Good in one way, time-consuming in another.

I've decided to study through the book of Philippians with The Life of Joy and Peace by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Here's a passage that has meant a lot to me in recent days:

Philippians 1:27-30
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

I may update this later if I find some time to add my thoughts...

Update -- 3/30/07:
The chapter in which Lloyd-Jones deals with these verses is called "Standing for the Truth". This should hit home with each of us, because as believers we are called to stand for the truth in one way or another each day. And as believers who are called not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, we should be ready to bear the same conflicts that Paul endured.

There are those who will challenge your faith everywhere you go. Maybe it's a neighbor, a co-worker, or a family member. Because we are His, His name should be on our lips often. And this will get noticed -- and will potentially cause conflicts. But these are worthy conflicts in which to be engaged.

Jesus promised that in this world, we would have troubles.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

So we know the end of the story. He has overcome the world. And these things are doing something in us...
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

And don't forget this one:
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

I hang on so tightly to these promises. It's the only comfort we can have in life's conflicts. I hope you're hanging on tightly too.

*All scripture references are from the NASB.

It Is Well With My Soul

This hymn --born out of great sadness and tragedy-- is another favourite, and is often quite a comfort to me. We need to remember that whatever comes our way, our joy is in the Lord. It's not about the circumstances, it's about having joy through Christ.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain