Here is a great album for download. Take time to really listen. Artist’s name is John Marr. He is solidly locked onto Christ.
Q: Why did God make Paul minister, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things?
A: So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
It’s not all “about us“all the time, ok?
Two days ago I set the alarm clock earlier because I’ve been wanting to have more time in the morning alone with God. Alarm went off, I jumped out of bed… and hit the “off” button, and snooooozed back to sleep.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives His beloved sleep (or: even in their sleep). (Psalms 127:2)
So I had this dream between then and when I got up for good…
I start getting that feeling.. that feeling which urges one to “take control” of the situation. You know: be the grown-up. The sensible and mature person. The one who brings order to the chaos.
So I intervene. ::Grab a plate from the closest kid’s hands:: Although he doesn’t seem alarmed by my intrusion, he also makes no effort to stop his taste-testing. I try this several times… but only succeed in spilling food all over the floor.
My good intentions bring only a big mess. I finally see this, and reluctantly restrain myself.
(I get the same feeling which sometimes comes over me when watching a kid play a board game using his own “custom” rules. The little voice whispers: “does it really matter what the rules are, just so we have fun???”)
In this case of the food, the thought comes, “I don’t have the gifting/authority to do (organize) this!”
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. (Matthew 18:1–5)
This morning I woke up and thought: “A new year… new mercy, new grace.”
But no, the same mercy, the same grace from my Father in Heaven! New years are a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. For me it marks the end of a year of incredible change: From knowing about God and His son, to actually Him. From striving in the flesh to be moral, to living my life obedient from the heart. From rejecting the the forgiveness paid by Jesus on the Cross, to openly embracing it.
I’ve been so blessed to be an adopted son of God… & Jesus calls me His Friend. “Who Me??” He desired and desires me for himself. God is a jealous God!
Can’t wait to see what this New Year holds.
love you all,
in Jesus,
sam
John preached a immersion of repentance/reformation/change-your-life/stop-sinning-and-live-right/ for the forgiveness of sin. Jesus said that “… repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
It takes both. Better is open rebuke than hidden love…
Go ahead and put away all filthiness and what remains of wickedness, and in humility receive the word (Jesus) that is able to save your soul, and lets prove ourselves to be doers, real, those who obey.
I just wanted to share my meditation the last week or so, from Philippians 2:1–11:
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
That is the Christmas story. JP and I read through the first several chapters of Matthew and Luke Sunday. Some amazing prophecies Joseph and Mary heard of their little baby boy.
From God’s heaven to a manger, From great riches to the poor, Came the Holy Son of God, a little Child; From the azure halls of heaven to a lowly manger stall Jesus came, and He gave His life for all.
Redeeming love, a love that knows no limit; Redeeming love, a love that never dies; My soul shall sing through-out the endless ages The adoration of this great love on high.
From a loving heavenly Father, To a world that knew him not, Came a Man of sorrows Jesus Christ, the Lord; In my wandering Jesus found me, Touched my life with His great love, And this Babe has grown to be my Sovereign Lord !!
Redeeming love, a love that knows no limit; Redeeming love, a love that never dies; My soul shall sing through-out the endless ages The adoration of this great love on high.
Redeeming love: This is the kind we need. The kind that radiates from a cross, which flows in Jesus’ blood. Not the kind that one finds at feel-good “Christmas services” (where organizations rake in the dough). I was listening to NPR the other day, and they advertised a upcoming news item about pastors adjusting their message for the holiday visitors. Tickling their ears? Have to, in order to pay the bills…
Come Lord Jesus! Have mercy on us!
The most recent Voice of the Martyrs News spoke of Iraqi Christians, and their plight (and many’s flight) from Baghdad. Although a horrible time (one pastor said most of the men of his parish have been killed), I think Jesus smiles at what is happening amidst his congregation, as the VOC contacts report:
“We are still in Baghdad. Nobody from our church group has left. We feel like we are called to continue. We will not leave. Danger is escalating. We are in a worse situation. Because of this, pastors are starting to get together to pray. They never met before. One brother visited almost all the churches in Baghdad and encouraged them to have a weekly morning prayer meeting for Iraq. Now, about five or six denominations are gathering together every Tuesday morning.
Do it. Now I’m starting to see how serious Jesus was about this:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:36–38
We need some workers. Call this my prayer request, ok? For myself to be dedicated/passionate (but patient as well) to do the things Jesus did. For others to be brothers and sisters in this. Pray for it. For those missionaries out in the boonies, and also for us in our neighborhoods.
Read Psalms 44. Read the whole thing… think.
The highlight in it:
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
17 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
This is about the Church, and what WILL happen to you IF you are obedient to Jesus throughout this lifetime. When praying in the Garden of Gethsemane to Father, he said, “As You sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world”.
God the Father sent Jesus into the world to (primarily) die on the cross, led as a sheep to slaughter. He says to us, “Look, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.” Are we ready for a similar fate as he received?
It’ll come: when we (a) repent of our sin and get cleansed and made HOLY & (b) faithfully take up our cross and DENY ourselves daily, obeying Jesus.
The Holy Spirit and His Gifts
I haven’t posted in a full month… “clearing my plate”
I know of life without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I can’t think of living without Him now. Without his presence, without his encouragement when I’m down on myself, when I feel insecure (The Great I AM has me in His hands, AMEN!), or his rebuke when I fall short and/or am pathetic.I love how he teaches me and reminds me of what Jesus says (John 14): a direct word, the scriptures (which make wise unto salvation), the occasional Oswald Chambers, speaking through the Body, dreams, revelations… some of what is miraculous, some what seems natural. He is real. He is speaking. He is Active!Joel 2:28,29: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Peter quotes the above at Pentecost, confirming what the Jews see happening: Men speaking in other tongues, as God gave speech.
It is prophesied of Jesus in several Gospels that he was the one that would baptism (immerse) in the Holy Spirit and Fire. It happens in Acts 2 (read it!). Power From-On-High comes down and indwells these ragamuffin group of disciples. We see them working miracles and great signs, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead… speaking in tongues, interpreting, prophesying, revealing the secret of men’s hearts… the Holy Spirit giving this one a word of wisdom, this one a word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the ability to distinguish spirits!
We see God filling positions in his body: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.We see God’s children coming around and worshiping Jesus: each one bringing something to the table that builds up the Church: each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, as a tongue, has an interpretation. As one is gifted, let him wisely and zealously make use of that gift in the body.
“The stuff” doesn’t just happen in Acts or overseas… it happens HERE as well.
Don’t despise prophetic utterance. Hold fast to what is good. 1Thess 5:20Chapters 3, 8 & 9 cover this topic pretty well.