"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way." -Psalms 37:23
"...those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." -Hebrews 6:12
You told me not to give up, You said I am to get my hands on the plough and hold on, for I am to build a tabernacle in the wilderness.
Thanks Jon, what you said to me was in sync with what He has spoken to me. I almost walked out.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
By God's grace I am what I am
The bravery of God in trusting us! The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to the Creator. Yet many times I bemoan my own incompetence. Like Paul, who says he is the least worthy of the apostles, who am not fit or deserving to be called an apostle, I do have my pangs of insecurities and doubts.
Jesus Christ's life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God's. Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death; He led every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. But what seemed failure from man's standpoint was an emphatic triumph from God's, because God's purpose is never man's purpose.
"… And they understood none of these things."- Luke 18:34
Seems so for the baffling call of God in our lives too. The call of God is like the call of the sea; no one hears it but the one who has the nature of the sea in him. The test is really to trust and to believe that God knows what He is after. The things that happen do not happen by chance, they happen entirely in the decree of God. God is working out His purposes.
I believe in a divinity to shapes our end. But who can grasp this truth? As we go on in the Christian life, we are inclined to say,” Why did God allow this and that?" But the thing is when we recognize that He is taking us into His purposes; we shall no longer try to find out what His purposes are. A Christian is one who trusts the wits and the wisdom of God, and not his own wits.
"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." - Jeremiah 29:11
There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life. Amen.
"His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain." - 1 Cor 15:10
Jesus Christ's life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God's. Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death; He led every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. But what seemed failure from man's standpoint was an emphatic triumph from God's, because God's purpose is never man's purpose.
"… And they understood none of these things."- Luke 18:34
Seems so for the baffling call of God in our lives too. The call of God is like the call of the sea; no one hears it but the one who has the nature of the sea in him. The test is really to trust and to believe that God knows what He is after. The things that happen do not happen by chance, they happen entirely in the decree of God. God is working out His purposes.
I believe in a divinity to shapes our end. But who can grasp this truth? As we go on in the Christian life, we are inclined to say,” Why did God allow this and that?" But the thing is when we recognize that He is taking us into His purposes; we shall no longer try to find out what His purposes are. A Christian is one who trusts the wits and the wisdom of God, and not his own wits.
"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." - Jeremiah 29:11
There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life. Amen.
"His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain." - 1 Cor 15:10
Friday, July 21, 2006
He never insisted on having authority; He never says," Thou shalt..." He leaves us perfectly free; so free we can spit in His face, as men did; so free we can put him to death; as men did; and He will never say a word. Though Heir of all things, the Prince of the kings of the earth, He was despised and rejected of men,” a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief".
What a descent His love to us compelled him to make! O see how low He fell to lift us from our fall! God's own Son, heaven's darling and earth's Prince, and He was now a lowly man of Nazareth... sits there and wear the cruel chaplet which wounds both mind and body at once. For us He became a lamb, for us he laid aside His glory,
O head so full of bruises!
Brown that its lifeblood loses!
O great humility.
Upon His face are falling
Indignities most galling;
He bears them all for me.
Me...?
I...?
Ah, its one of those nights when cynical thoughts came...
When my confidence waver...
When doubts assailed...
When I seem to lost myself...
We say, He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value. The bravery of Him in trusting us! That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve. But if we allow Him to let us into the end of our suffiency, there and then He can bring with us to Jerusalem, and that would mean the fulfillment of the purpose He would not discuss with us.
I am always apt to say because a man has natural ability and talent, therefore he will make a good Christian. But contrary to that, it is our poverty and not our equipment; not of what we bring with us. but of what He puts in us; strength, knowledge and experience of our own is of no avail to this matter. He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not out for our own cause at all, we are out for the cause of God, which can never be our cause. We do not know what God is after, but we have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens.
" Then He took the twelve aside and said to them... but they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken." Luke 18:31-34
What is it You see in me
That makes You believe
No matter how far I stray
I will still find the way
Just when I think I'm not strong enough
You reach out to me and You lift me up
Time and time again
When I think I've reached the end
It's Your voice I hear
That draws me near
I don't know what makes You stay
When I act this way
No matter what we've been through
I can turn to You
Just when I think I'm not strong enough
You reach out to me and You lift me up
You find the beauty in my imperfections
The guiding light in all my misdirection
And when I think You've finally given up
You fill my heart with unconditional love
One thing You have asked me to look after, the relationship we have, I will not forget.
And I thank you.
What a descent His love to us compelled him to make! O see how low He fell to lift us from our fall! God's own Son, heaven's darling and earth's Prince, and He was now a lowly man of Nazareth... sits there and wear the cruel chaplet which wounds both mind and body at once. For us He became a lamb, for us he laid aside His glory,
O head so full of bruises!
Brown that its lifeblood loses!
O great humility.
Upon His face are falling
Indignities most galling;
He bears them all for me.
Me...?
I...?
Ah, its one of those nights when cynical thoughts came...
When my confidence waver...
When doubts assailed...
When I seem to lost myself...
We say, He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value. The bravery of Him in trusting us! That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve. But if we allow Him to let us into the end of our suffiency, there and then He can bring with us to Jerusalem, and that would mean the fulfillment of the purpose He would not discuss with us.
I am always apt to say because a man has natural ability and talent, therefore he will make a good Christian. But contrary to that, it is our poverty and not our equipment; not of what we bring with us. but of what He puts in us; strength, knowledge and experience of our own is of no avail to this matter. He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not out for our own cause at all, we are out for the cause of God, which can never be our cause. We do not know what God is after, but we have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens.
" Then He took the twelve aside and said to them... but they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken." Luke 18:31-34
What is it You see in me
That makes You believe
No matter how far I stray
I will still find the way
Just when I think I'm not strong enough
You reach out to me and You lift me up
Time and time again
When I think I've reached the end
It's Your voice I hear
That draws me near
I don't know what makes You stay
When I act this way
No matter what we've been through
I can turn to You
Just when I think I'm not strong enough
You reach out to me and You lift me up
You find the beauty in my imperfections
The guiding light in all my misdirection
And when I think You've finally given up
You fill my heart with unconditional love
One thing You have asked me to look after, the relationship we have, I will not forget.
And I thank you.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Purpose of Sorrow
"Happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort." -J. B. Phillips
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. The word "mourn" has more then just a reference to sorrowing over a loved one; it includes all those experiences in life where we may feel crushed, broken or sorrowful.
You ask," Has the Lord allowed me to go through deep waters?" "Why should people who are caught up in the throes of distressing and sorrowful experiences be happy? But indeed the joy of the Lord is our strength. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength. David knew who his God is and proclaimed,” Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" He came with the revelation of who God is, and there he ran towards Goliath from Gath, which speaks of oppression, and with a slingshot he felled the giant. If we want to get ahead in life, we need to fight some giants. God doesn't leave us alone to fight, He gave us His Word, the sword of the Spirit; just as David went against Goliath, he has the Word. He has to use the sword to cut Goliath head. God sent out His word to prepare us, to equip us.
When we are willing to experience sorrow and grief, then God is able to use these encounters to sensitise our spirits. Strength does not come from mountain peaking experiences but from every valley experience. I am, indeed, greatly fear this truth. I realised that they make me more concerned about myself than about others. However Scripture tells us that God permits pressure for a purpose, and that sorrow and grief will produce tremendous benefits in our lives. But provided we let them! They are worth much, much more than they cost.
Asaph says in the Psalms 81, with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you. We all know honey doesn't come from rock. For indeed out of the hardest place of our lives, that is where honey flows out. The joy comes from resisting come what may.
He is the rock of salvation, the stone of deliverance. Amen.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. The word "mourn" has more then just a reference to sorrowing over a loved one; it includes all those experiences in life where we may feel crushed, broken or sorrowful.
You ask," Has the Lord allowed me to go through deep waters?" "Why should people who are caught up in the throes of distressing and sorrowful experiences be happy? But indeed the joy of the Lord is our strength. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength. David knew who his God is and proclaimed,” Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" He came with the revelation of who God is, and there he ran towards Goliath from Gath, which speaks of oppression, and with a slingshot he felled the giant. If we want to get ahead in life, we need to fight some giants. God doesn't leave us alone to fight, He gave us His Word, the sword of the Spirit; just as David went against Goliath, he has the Word. He has to use the sword to cut Goliath head. God sent out His word to prepare us, to equip us.
When we are willing to experience sorrow and grief, then God is able to use these encounters to sensitise our spirits. Strength does not come from mountain peaking experiences but from every valley experience. I am, indeed, greatly fear this truth. I realised that they make me more concerned about myself than about others. However Scripture tells us that God permits pressure for a purpose, and that sorrow and grief will produce tremendous benefits in our lives. But provided we let them! They are worth much, much more than they cost.
Asaph says in the Psalms 81, with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you. We all know honey doesn't come from rock. For indeed out of the hardest place of our lives, that is where honey flows out. The joy comes from resisting come what may.
He is the rock of salvation, the stone of deliverance. Amen.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
The Experience Must Come
"And he saw him no more."-2 Kings 2:12
There will always be an Elijah in our lives. It is not wrong to depend upon Elijah as long as God gives him to you, but remember the time will come when he will have to go; when he stands no more to you as your guide and leader, because God does not intend he should.
You say, "I cannot go on without Elijah." God says you must.
Verse 14 speaks of Jordan, which is the type of separation where there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. You have to put to the test now what you learned when you were with your Elijah. You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come, and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.
Verse 15 speaks of Jericho, which is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things.
When you come to your Jericho you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God, you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.
Verse 23 speaks of Bethel where you will find yourself at your wits' end and at the beginning of God's wisdom. When you get to your wits' end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don't; stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament.
Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.
There will always be an Elijah in our lives. It is not wrong to depend upon Elijah as long as God gives him to you, but remember the time will come when he will have to go; when he stands no more to you as your guide and leader, because God does not intend he should.
You say, "I cannot go on without Elijah." God says you must.
Verse 14 speaks of Jordan, which is the type of separation where there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. You have to put to the test now what you learned when you were with your Elijah. You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come, and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.
Verse 15 speaks of Jericho, which is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things.
When you come to your Jericho you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God, you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.
Verse 23 speaks of Bethel where you will find yourself at your wits' end and at the beginning of God's wisdom. When you get to your wits' end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don't; stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament.
Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.
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