http://blog.sloppyedwards.com/there-but-for-the-grace-of-god-go-i/ Steve Long's Blog Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:51:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://blog.sloppyedwards.com/there-but-for-the-grace-of-god-go-i/comment-page-1/#comment-483 pshdsa Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:04:26 +0000 http://blog.sloppyedwards.com/there-but-for-the-grace-of-god-go-i/#comment-483 Enter in at the narrow gate, the way is difficult and narrow. It is the way of Faith. Living by faith, with the flesh pulling on us, with the world pulling on us, with the devil and his cohorts pulling on us, and God's long absences of His manifest presence adding to the difficulty, and God's grace being barely adequate so that we can struggle and know our very weakness. Who does not get discouraged the longer you walk on this narrow way? It is hard, extemely hard. Too hard. Yet for all that, the love of God that has been shed in our hearts, well, yes Lord, we carry our cross and follow you. Die, you say? Yes Lord, by your grace. Oh by the way, thanks for saving a worm like me. Go out in the streets and preach your Word, you say? Yes Lord, by your grace. But Lord I feel no power. Good, my strength is made perfect in weakness. Step out in faith with nothing but Me. I am the Power, not you. Without ME you can do nothing. Yes Lord, crush that proneness within to live for self in some fashion or other. Make us clean; make us pure. Wash our feet every day. That we might go without the camp bearing Your reproach and not be ashamed, nor bring reproach on your name like we have done before. Enter in at the narrow gate, the way is difficult and narrow. It is the way of Faith. Living by faith, with the flesh pulling on us, with the world pulling on us, with the devil and his cohorts pulling on us, and God’s long absences of His manifest presence adding to the difficulty, and God’s grace being barely adequate so that we can struggle and know our very weakness. Who does not get discouraged the longer you walk on this narrow way? It is hard, extemely hard. Too hard. Yet for all that, the love of God that has been shed in our hearts, well, yes Lord, we carry our cross and follow you. Die, you say? Yes Lord, by your grace. Oh by the way, thanks for saving a worm like me. Go out in the streets and preach your Word, you say? Yes Lord, by your grace. But Lord I feel no power. Good, my strength is made perfect in weakness. Step out in faith with nothing but Me. I am the Power, not you. Without ME you can do nothing. Yes Lord, crush that proneness within to live for self in some fashion or other. Make us clean; make us pure. Wash our feet every day. That we might go without the camp bearing Your reproach and not be ashamed, nor bring reproach on your name like we have done before.

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