There is a voice of one I hear calling. The voice of one who holds me ever so gently as a new born babe freshly placed in it's mother's arms. The one calling says, "come close". "come close little one, and drink from the springs of life; more life than ever imagined, more love than one can hold." "The joy found there is the joy of freedom in waving fields of silken being."
You fill me up, oh Holy Spirit. Where once the Ravens pecked and gnawed at my existence, rain now flows with the effervescence of peace and utter worth. The once lonely road now greets me with encounters of purpose and gifts of new beginnings. All these undefinable glories were purposed and arranged by you in advance of notice or thought.
Oh yes, there are strongholds of mountain steeps and iron bars, but as my heart draws nearer to you so does my trust for the totality of my being. I find the rocky paths smoothed and gates of resistance tossed aside for acceptance and belonging. There is no fear or wanting when I greet the morning with your presence and acquiesce to your everlasting faithfulness.
Isaiah 30:15 first part
Isaiah 45:2,3
Isaiah 55:1,2
copyright Jan. 31, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
MY RIGHT TO FIGHT
Jesus conveyed many hard to swallow teachings, both to His disciples and to you and me; but perhaps none so difficult as the one found in Matthew 20:26,27. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave."
Why do you do that, Father? Why do you ask us, your followers, we who believe in you and have dedicated our lives to you, to demean ourselves? Do you want us to grovel, to sink to the lowest estate possible?
When I think of a servant, I imagine being hired by someone rich and powerful; a person of influence who owns a mansion with winding stairways and crystal chandeliers. I could almost endure being that type of servant. In fact, it might be kind of fun. But a slave? Not so much. When I think of a slave, the picture quickly changes. I see creaking slave boats crowded with chained-together sweating human beings in rags for clothes, torn from family and motherland against their will; being forced into hard labor and to minister to their master's every whim. Stripped of any rights of their own, they are no longer an individual but a possession. The very thought incites rebellion within. Surely a good and loving God would not ask us to be a slave.
America was built on protecting the rights of it's people. Masses spent their fortunes and risk their lives to come to the "land of opportunity," the "land of the free" and if anyone dare attempt to take that freedom away in the past, we have risen up as a nation to fight. But what is it that Jesus is really saying? What is it that Jesus wants? Does He want to take away my right to choose? No! Does He want to take away my right to speak freely? No! Does He want me to give up my individuality? Absolutely not! What He does want me to give up is my right to fight. He wants you and me to give that right to Him. When I give up my right to fight the devil, it is then and only then He can do it for me. Have you ever gotten tired of fighting the enemy? Have you ever come to the place where you have said, " I just can't beat this problem I'm struggling with in my life; I might just as well forget this christian stuff. I'm never going to make it anyway"! And you are right. You will never make it, but Jesus will make it for you. It is when we give up ourselves and turn our right to fight over to Him that true freedom comes. "but" you say, "How about fighting the good fight of faith" 1 Timothy 6;12? The "good" fight of faith is the fight to give up fighting. The "bad" fight of faith is to take up the fight ourselves. And giving up that fight isn't easy. We pray in our prayers for God help "us" overcome. Our Father doesn't want to help "us" overcome, He wants us to allow "Him" to do it for us. He has been there, done that. We, on the other hand.... yes we become a possession, a possession of the richest, most powerful One in the universe. Once we are willing to give ourselves over to Him, He then begins the adoption process whereby we then become heirs. Heirs to all of what our heavenly Father has, now becomes ours also. Being a slave is not about what we do; it's about whose we are---a possession Jesus fights for. Think about it---no more fighting! There is no greater peace, no greater rest than abiding under the shadow of His almighty wings.When He calls you to rest, what will you say? You wanna fight?
Here are a few text you might want use through the week as a means of giving you a more complete picture of what it mean to be a slave, a servant and a possession of Christ's
Ephesians 1:13,14 We are His possession
Philippians 2:5-11 Christ, an obedient servant
John 15:15-17 From servant to friend
1 John 3:1 From friend to child
Romans 8:14-17 Co-heirs with Christ
until then--
copyright Jan. 4, 2014
Why do you do that, Father? Why do you ask us, your followers, we who believe in you and have dedicated our lives to you, to demean ourselves? Do you want us to grovel, to sink to the lowest estate possible?
When I think of a servant, I imagine being hired by someone rich and powerful; a person of influence who owns a mansion with winding stairways and crystal chandeliers. I could almost endure being that type of servant. In fact, it might be kind of fun. But a slave? Not so much. When I think of a slave, the picture quickly changes. I see creaking slave boats crowded with chained-together sweating human beings in rags for clothes, torn from family and motherland against their will; being forced into hard labor and to minister to their master's every whim. Stripped of any rights of their own, they are no longer an individual but a possession. The very thought incites rebellion within. Surely a good and loving God would not ask us to be a slave.
America was built on protecting the rights of it's people. Masses spent their fortunes and risk their lives to come to the "land of opportunity," the "land of the free" and if anyone dare attempt to take that freedom away in the past, we have risen up as a nation to fight. But what is it that Jesus is really saying? What is it that Jesus wants? Does He want to take away my right to choose? No! Does He want to take away my right to speak freely? No! Does He want me to give up my individuality? Absolutely not! What He does want me to give up is my right to fight. He wants you and me to give that right to Him. When I give up my right to fight the devil, it is then and only then He can do it for me. Have you ever gotten tired of fighting the enemy? Have you ever come to the place where you have said, " I just can't beat this problem I'm struggling with in my life; I might just as well forget this christian stuff. I'm never going to make it anyway"! And you are right. You will never make it, but Jesus will make it for you. It is when we give up ourselves and turn our right to fight over to Him that true freedom comes. "but" you say, "How about fighting the good fight of faith" 1 Timothy 6;12? The "good" fight of faith is the fight to give up fighting. The "bad" fight of faith is to take up the fight ourselves. And giving up that fight isn't easy. We pray in our prayers for God help "us" overcome. Our Father doesn't want to help "us" overcome, He wants us to allow "Him" to do it for us. He has been there, done that. We, on the other hand.... yes we become a possession, a possession of the richest, most powerful One in the universe. Once we are willing to give ourselves over to Him, He then begins the adoption process whereby we then become heirs. Heirs to all of what our heavenly Father has, now becomes ours also. Being a slave is not about what we do; it's about whose we are---a possession Jesus fights for. Think about it---no more fighting! There is no greater peace, no greater rest than abiding under the shadow of His almighty wings.When He calls you to rest, what will you say? You wanna fight?
Here are a few text you might want use through the week as a means of giving you a more complete picture of what it mean to be a slave, a servant and a possession of Christ's
Ephesians 1:13,14 We are His possession
Philippians 2:5-11 Christ, an obedient servant
John 15:15-17 From servant to friend
1 John 3:1 From friend to child
Romans 8:14-17 Co-heirs with Christ
until then--
copyright Jan. 4, 2014
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