Christian Photographers Community

'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.'

Romans 8:1

Is there any sweeter word for the child of God than this? All to often we are found condemning ourselves and bringing our souls once more into unnecessary bondage when the truth declares that we are free.

I am sure that if we were to ask someone sitting on 'Death Row' if they would accept a free pardon they would not hesitate in accepting the offer. We have been plucked from 'Death Row!' If we are in Christ, if we are true believers then neither Christ nor the Father, nor the law condemns us any longer.

Christ is the end of the law for all who believe. Christ is our surety. He fulfilled the law on our behalf perfectly.

Remember as Christians we no longer reckon our own lives to be anything. We accept the life that Christ lived to be reckoned to our account.

He is our perfection, He is our life. He is our salvation and He is our righteousness. Our lives are hid with God in Christ Jesus. In other words our whole being is covered. Christ is the propitiation for our sins. Our sins are covered through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

Justice has been satisfied. A Righteous Man has been condemned and put to death in our place. We deserved to die, but Jesus took our punishment instead of us. He bore the wrath of God due to us for our sins.

His blood cleanses us from ALL sin.

If therefore Another has taken our place, the life that we now live is a spiritual life. We are found complete in Christ Jesus. We walk in the spirit. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new. We now walk in newness of life as a NEW CREATION in Christ Jesus.

Who made this new creation? Who brought this new creation into being? Who made it possible? God did! Is there anything lacking or falling short in God's plan?
If the Lord of Glory is not condemning us, why oh why do we listen so often to the evil whispers of Satan? He does all he can to bring us down and into despair. Away with him this day! Listen to the words of God addressed to your soul and to mine today.

'There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.'

Is that statement meant for the perfected church in glory? Is this Word meant for poor, unworthy sinners like you and me? Does this mean that the law that so often holds us to ransom can condemn us no longer?

It does! Jesus –our surety – has fulfilled that same law on our behalf. He did what we could not do. He honoured the law.  

The life that Jesus led –honouring the law – is now reckoned to our account! It is as if we had kept the law with a perfect life. We are no longer under condemnation. We are hid with God in Christ.

We could not be in a safer place! This is where God would have us be. This is our rest, our salvation, our refuge and our strength. Rejoice this day then in the truth that has set us free.

If the law is not condemning us, and God is not condemning us then why should our hearts? God is greater. It is God's Will for us to believe. Everything else has been done for us.

Are you concerned about what others may think of you? 'What is that to thee, follow thou me!'

LOL

Your brother in Christ

Iain

8.15 a.m. here in U.K.

Thankyou dear brother Iain,

"There is now no condemnation, no adjudging guilty of wrong for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh but after the dictates of the Spirit". Rom 8:1.

Today's devotional reminds me of the times I allow myself to feel guilty for the past mistakes of my life.  The things I did before I knew Jesus as Saviour.....I have a problem forgiving myself and I know it's wrong because if Jesus has forgiven me I must do so too. or He shed His precious blood in vain.   I am sorry Lord Jesus and I will try harder with myself...Amen!

This heat is dreadful here.  I wish I was on Lewis.  I bet it's lovely there today Iain!  Surely a nice breeze off the sea and water lapping at my feet would be a sheer joy.......I am glad for you because I know how you must dread Winter......(shush I mustn't say that word.....).

We still have no hosepipe ban, plenty of water reserves but the news on B.B.C. radio reported a shortage of lager (light beer)!!!!!..........Oh well "all things work for good", p'raps it's time for teatotallers to speak out.

I send my love and prayers to all of you and wishes for a joyous and peacefilled Lord's day tomorrow.

Love Jenny.











                                                                                                                                                     

Are you concerned about what others may think of you? 'What is that to thee, follow thou me!'

Mr. Iain again these are wonderful words you share. I do at times have a great shame that I am not so good as others in so many things. I do often have a worry what other will think of me. It is most often my fear that I will shame them.

God is not condemning us then why should our hearts? God is greater. It is God's Will for us to believe. Everything else has been done for us.

I do know God does love me. I see this in every sunrise. I see his love in every flower and in every wonderful creature. But love it is so hard to find at times in the hearts of the ones that do not know you. I often find I am all alone, even when there are many people around me. God has made me very different than others. Every day it is my wonder why. What am I to learn from this. And how can I do what is His wish as well as others if I am not as good as others in so many ways.

It is a great honor to me to help to teach small children many new words in the sign language. But every day it is my wonder why God did not make these children perfect. Why must they have a shame and pain that they are not so good as so many others around them? Why must these children also live all alone when there are so many people around them. How can they learn to follow Jesus if there is not anyone to teach them. I have SO much to learn before I can be a help to them.

Hello Ms Jenny, it is very nice to see you today.

Well, Good Morning Everyone!

Here I am, sitting waiting for Judy to pick me up.  Jen is standing beside me half asleep!  

I'll miss you all.

Thanks so much for those wonderful words this morning, Iain.  

Hello Mieka!

I have no time this morning to chat but I'll try to get online somewhere along the line.

Bye Everyone!!!

OH Ms PAT how wonderful.
Please Please be safe on this trip. and I do hope it is SO much fun.

Oh MY it is SO late, Why ever are you awake?
Please have fun ok.
I do miss you already.

Good morning your all it is 11.oo o'clock 9 aug Dutch time i think you all are sleeping at this time in Canada it is earlyer. And when we are going to bed late in the
evening then you are in the beginning of the evening.
Ruth i would that i coule say to you ik hou van je Ruth=
i love you Ruth but there is an big ocean the Pacific between us. Jenny you ask me how are getting all the
flowers water. Normaly there is falling in Holland rain
enough. But now we have the heat wave we must water sprinkle out the water tape. But when the heat
wave is holding on the coming week then we in Holland are getting problems with the water. Jenny you have an aunt named Corri ten Boom? I know there was in Holland an Corrie ten Boom born 1892
she did a lot of work good work in the second world war and she has been in an concentration camp in Germany. She was a very christian woman. Later she is going to Canada or America she has writen books
and from 0ne book is maked in America a filmm named
The Hiding Place. She was a very christian and brave woman. WAS SHE YOUR AUNT? But a lot ten Booms are
in Holland.
Ruthie i hope my father also may live years i pray for that.
Iain what is staying under your picture what language is that i can not read that can you tell me what there is staying.
I wish your all a very good weekend God bless your all
greetings an a kiss from Ria

Hi all

Iain great stuff, good to have you back. Jenny I agree with you about the heat!! We brits are not used to it. I long for the cool weather. I'm reminded of that passage in Genesis "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day". It would appear that even the Lord aprreciated it.  I was told it was 35 degrees in London.

I'm going to Whitby Monday so may have more pictures!

Love to all

Ken

Good morning/afternoon to you!  Here in Kansas it is just past 8:30 A.M. and the grandkids are still sleeping, so I have a little quiet time to read the devotional and your posts.

Iain, that is a great devotional!  My pastor used to tell us often, "You don't have a past!" when he was teaching on this and similar passages.  If God has forgiven you, He has wiped your slate clean, your past is gone!  He also said that if you started thinking on the wrong things you did in the past, and confessed them to God (again) saying "God, do you remember such and such?"  that God would answer "NO, I don't remember!"  Because He had already forgiven that, cleansed you from it, and put it as far away as the East is from the West!  And if He doesn't remember it, then we shouldn't waste time thinking on it, either!

I certainly agree though, that it is easier to forgive others most times than to forgive ourselves.  That is tough, but Pastor Bill's teaching was so helpful to me.

Larry, you asked if I have glitter all over the house after the kids painting each other's faces------no, the glitter was in the face paint.  But I do have it all over my studio after Abby's projects for the fair!  And it's the really fine stuff that is nearly impossible to clean up!  But it's worth it to make her happy!  It will eventually all get cleaned up, I guess!

I only have two kids today, until I go to Hugoton to pick up my paintings from the fair there.  They are being released this morning.  Justin spent the night with Mark in Hugoton last night, and Abby stayed home, so I have Tim and Addison now.  Yes, it does take energy to keep up with them, but I get the ones from Salina so seldom and again, it's worth it!  I praise God every day that I am in exellent health, that my strength is renewed like the eagle's, that I can walk and not grow weary, and run and not faint!  (And you do have to run to keep up with these kids! )

I still wish I could have gone to the SN bash with Pat, but it was not to be, this time.  I know she, Etta Sue, Norm and Judy, and all the others going will have a great time!  And come back with lots of stories and photos for us.

Meika, you may be a little bit different from others, but that does NOT mean you are not as good!  God made you, and he loves you just as you are, and so do we!  And I know He has something so special for you to do in your life, and He will show you what that is.    I think it is wonderful that you are teaching the children sign language.  I love to watch people sign, it is so graceful and poetic.

This is getting too long!  Talk to you all later!

Hi, Janice!  Hugs to you!  Hello, dear Ria!

Good Morning everyone.  Thank you Iain for another thoughtful devotional.  
Pat, I hope that you have a wonderful time in my 'home town' of Calgary.  

It is hard to put negative thoughts out of the mind and trust that God has forgiven all the sins we have and do commit.  

Everything seems to have both a positive and a negative side.  God wants us to believe in the best in the worst of times...

"you know in your heart and in your soul that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke."  Joshua 23:14

Ria, my bother-in-law had prostrate cancer many years ago and is alive and well today.  So we will pray and believe positive things will happen.

Dear Mieka, God tells us in Galations 6:9

"Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart".

Don't lose heart!  God is watching over you and  you are a definite blessing in the lives of all who come to this site.

Good Morning to my American friends it is 7:10 in the morning in California. Good Evening to  Iain, Jenny, Ken, Chris and Margit, and Alan.

Iain your devotional really hit home with me this morning. It is definitely a lot harder to forgive oneself than to forgive others. Just this week That liar, satan, was condemning me for the care of my little dog. That's who it always is bringing those thoughts of the past into our minds,trying to  lay guilt on us or tell us that we are no good.

Praise the Lord that we  have been renewed in Christ Jesus (our minds), that we are a new creature, and that Jesus took all our sins, sickness, disease, burdens and sorrow to calvary with Him. I personally am so glad that I am NOT that old person anymore.

Mieka, I would love to know how to sign fluently, I can only remember a few of the signs and all of the fingerspelling. It has been a long time. If you don't use then you lose it.

Hi Janet. You are certainly busy lately. What are you going to do when all the g-kids go back to school and your house is back to just you and Darrell.

Hello Ria. Glad to see you here this morning.

Today is housecleaning and laundry day for me. Tomorrow I am going to Al's church to hear him preach.

be back later

Mieka - think for a minute.  Jesus Christ was crucified for His people.  They deserved to be crucified, but He endured it in their place.  God the Father gave His Son for that purpose!
How valuable is God the Son to God the Father?  There is no way to measure that value - it is infinite.  So then - THAT is the value He places upon you, because He did it for you!  If God would send His Son to the Cross for you, then THAT'S how much He cared for you!  You are of infinite value to Him!

Jenny, Pat has asked Iain and I to be sure there is a devotional posted each day.  Iain plans to do it six days a week and I will put in the devotional on Sunday that Pat has left with me.  We are hearing a lot about the heat in your country.  Do you have air conditioning?

Janet, your piece about being positive when those around you are negative is so true.  We need to let our light shine.  Janet, in your posting today you make a great point about God not remembering our past sins.  I had never thought of it in those terms.  Janet, even if you never get all the glitter cleaned up from your studio I expect you will look upon with joy and happy memories of the time spent with Abby in doing the projects.  That is far more important than not having a little glitter showing, in my opinion.

Marilyn, was glad to read yesterday of your time with your son and granddaughter and that you were feeling better.  

Mieka, in reading your post today the thought occurs that it is only man who says persons without hearing or sight or with some affliction are not perfect.  God doesn't love us any less or want us to know Jesus Christ as our personal savior any less because of these things.  The chapter I was reading a few minutes ago in the book "A Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren was talking about how God uses our weaknesses for his purposes and that God loves to use weak people.  I don't know about you but to me that is very good news because I am a weak person and certainly must depend on God for my strength.  Mieka, please be assured that my comments here are not met to be critical of what you wrote.  

Pat, we will be looking forward to you checking in with us along the way if you have the opportunity.

Ria, good to see you posting.  It sounds like you all are experiencing the terrible heat wave as well.  I live in Georgia, in the USA, and we have had a very wet and mild summer with most days in the mid-80's and most days having some rain, including yesterday evening when we had close to an inch more of rain.

Ken, hope you have a good trip on Monday and manage to stay cool.

Iain, it is amazing to me that each day you can write such powerful and personally meaningful devotional thoughts.  God is sending us wonderful blessings through your writing.  

I hope everyone has a good day.  I see that Al, Marilyn and Elizabeth were posting as I was reading and writing this morning.  I plan a pretty quiet one.  Didn't get up very early and seem to be running on slow today but that is fine as don't have any pressing commitments.  

Good Morning, friends!
So many of you have already greeted us today.  How good to see all the posts, and Iain, thank you again for the devotional.  What a great subject!

Ria, it is good to see you posting regularly now.  You learned how to do this quite well.  I wanted to comment on your mentioning your father having prostate cancer.  I will pray for him and you as well, that he is granted many more years of life with his family.  My father also had prostate cancer, and after the initial round of treatment, he was in remission for a lot of years (I can't remember how long) before it came back again.  So I hope your dad does as well as he did.

Hi, Mieka! It is always delightful to hear from you!

Also Larry.  I sure wish you could share some of that rainfall with us, Larry.  We have had many days of 100 and more degrees lately, and not a drop of rain since the end of June.  The earth actually is cracking and pulling away from the foundation of our house.  I have tried to keep Earl's garden alive but gave up on parts of it.  I chopped down the green beans – they made beautiful vines and bloomed like crazy.  After all this time there were maybe half a dozen beans on them.  Water is just too expensive to waste like that, especially after the city asked the residents to conserve water, because our supply was critical.  

Hi Janet!  Hi Marilyn! Ken and Jenny too.
Hello, Elizabeth, my first name is also Elizabeth and I go by my middle name.  
Al, wish I could hear you preach sometime too, but it is too far to CA to ever hope to do that.  

I must get busy, and get off this phone line.  You all have a great day in the Lord.  
Tomorrow is His day, and it reminds me of the scripture "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."  How I love to go there.  

Greetings to all who come in later today!
Love in Jesus,
Janice

Good morning to everybody! Iain, your devotional today is fantastic! There is a fairly new song out by a man named Morgan Cryar called "What Sin?" The person is saying they just can't forget their past sins,even though they have confessed them to our Lord. The chorus says, "What sin? What sin? It was gone the very minute that you confessed, buried in the sea of forgetfulness." It is always easier to forgive the others in our life than ourselves! We have to remember that we are now a new creature, and I need to remember that more. Thanks for a great motivator! Love, Cami

Good afternoon from the sunny state of Tennessee.

Iain, thank you for the lesson this morning.  This is a wonderful assurance Christians have.  I guess all of us have a hard time forgetting things we may have done in the past.  But then we are reminded of God's grace and we can have a clear conscience, not because we have not sinned, but because we know God has forgiven and we are made new in Christ.

2 Cor 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (KJV)

Good to see everyone today.

Mieka, both Al and Larry have given such good thoughts for you today that I have nothing to add except to repeat that God loves you.  The question "Why?" is often very hard for us to fathom.  We cannot doubt God's love for us even though we may not understand.  We have to accept who we are and know that God can use us in his service.

--- Papa John              <)))><<

 

Thank you Iain, for taking over the devotionals while Pat is away, and thanks, Larry, for picking up the slack on Sundays when Iain stays away from the computer.  We, at least I, have come to depend on a devotional each day.  

I don't know how much I'll be on line tonight - there are thunderstorms coming...  maybe.  

Yup!  There it goes - thunder rolling just to the south.  See you all later.  

Oooohhhh  meeeee!    No one left me a key to get in here today,    and I just now figured that out!  

I can't possibly respond to everyone today, but just know that I've (finally) read all your messages and I love y'all!  (Especially MIEKA! )  

Take care of yourselves and have an awesome weekend--wherever you are!  Enjoy time with the Lord.  

Oh, I think I saw a question from Janice 'way back there some place.    JANICE, Bev is doing very well.  She has completed two chemo treatments and is feeling the effects but her spirit is riding high!  I usually post updates in the prayer room, if you care to check in there periodically.  

Janice, we have rain in abundance and just a little while ago had another storm with more rain.  It has passed on now but the forecast through next Friday is for shower each day.  

For the last several days every afternoon we have the electricity go off for just a second.  This afternoon during the storm it went on and off several times.  I didn't have our big TV in the family room on but when I went to turn it on to hear the news this evening there is no power to it.  The VCR and DVD player and other electronics using the same power strip are fine so am a bit perplexed.  We have whole house surge protection and there were no close strikes of lightning.  Our son will probably come over to tomorrow and take a look.  He said a fuse may have blown in the set.  One of the lesser problems in life but something we get used to having work.  

It will be morning before I put up the devotional for tomorrow and close this thread.  See you all tomorrow.

I wish the Calgary travelers a wonderful, relaxing good time. And for those of us who remain, it's so good to see everyone.

Ruth Ann

Sunday
9.30 a.m.

Just to say Hello and I won't be able to join you today.

My son is very poorly and has to go to the hospital.  It is this throat thing....probably ton silitis but he has a temperature and cannot drink at all.

My grandson Phillip is coming to stay at 1.00p.m....His family are off to France.


Prayers please brothers and sisters.

I will catch up with you all later tonight.

Love in Jesus' Name,
Jenny.

Suday 10 aug.  11.20 am Dutch time
Thanks Iain for your words yesterday i would i can write so but that i can not. You are a blessed man.
Mieka the words you have writen it could be my words
i am thinking just like you but i know an i believe God will forgiveme everything but i can not forgive my self
My ouw reverent or minister i don't no what you are saying you are uncertain that is the problem.
Al good words what you have saying to Mieka that you
also can say to me Thank you Al
God bless you all
Your sister in Christ  Ria