"The core problem isn’t the fact that we’re lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians. The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God. We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way. We forget that God never had an identity crisis. He knows that He’s great and deserves to be the center of our lives."
— Francis Chan
So what is our view God? I think this is a huge and defining moment to all mankind.
Our view of Him will ultimately define what we do with Him.
So how is my life defining Him? Again, we are called to be His embassadors, we are to be "Christlike." So, if that is the case, what does Jesus look like through the eyes of those around me who know I am a follower of Jesus Christ,
In essence we are moment by moment representing the very Creator of all things, a bit overwhelming I would say. So if I am to represent Him, I better understand Him, and to better understand Him, I need to dig deep into the mysteries of a 3 in 1 God Head.
Sadly as this book points out we (the church) either over exploit the Holy Spirit, or give little or no attention to Him. My life since I began my walk as a saved and redeemed child of God has always thought that I included the Spirit in my life, and maybe I have with the whatever level of maturity I was at. But now, I want so much more of Him, I realize that left to myself I cannot get to where God is leading without Him. I have always known this truth, but it has become my passion to know Him, love Him, and include Him more in my walk with the Lord.
So in this journey, I pray we all are passionately asking Him the tough questions we have...inviting Him into our daily lives and stopping first to seek His will before jumping into a decision in our lives so that we can in fact represent Jesus as He should be revealed to this world...
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
"The Spirit of God "moved" upon the face....
And The Spirit Of God Moved Upon The Face Of The Waters
I found this commentary while studying about the Holy Spirit...so great! I hope it will encourage you in your quest to know the Spirit of God more intimately...
"I have often said that learning to read the Bible in Hebrew is like being able to read in three dimensions when you could only read in two dimensions before. Nothing
illustrates that more than the material in this article. For years I read the second verse of the book of Genesis in English without ever understanding the most remarkable subtlety hidden there. Oh, I noticed the language and I thought it was a little odd to
say:
And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Gen 1:2)
How strange it seemed to say God moved. How did he move? Did He walk, or swim?
Did He sort of float in the air? In what way did He move, and why is that significant?
Now, this wasn't what you would call a burning question - only a curiosity. I would pause and think about the distinctive choice of words, but I would quickly move on to more pressing issues. Only after I learned to read in Hebrew did the marvelous meaning of that word moved come through. I actually stumbled across the meaning in a commentary once, where it was rendered as brooded. But, It still did not register because for me to brood usually meant to worry or fret. That made no sense at all. Why would the Creator worry over the face of the waters.
Later, when I delved into the meaning of the Hebrew word for moved, m'rahaphet, I
learned that it means to flutter or shake. I discovered the word is also used in Deuteronomy 32:11 where the context is very clear.
As the eagle stirs up her nest, flutters (m'rahaphet) over her young, spreads
abroad her wings...
Suddenly the meaning became clear for me. It was as if a 1000 watt light bulb was being turned on in my head. I knew I had witnessed that very thing many times.
Many years ago we had a flock of ducks in our back yard. There was a pond and
we enjoyed having the ducks around. They were relaxing and entertaining to watch.
It was especially interesting in the spring when the hens started to nest.
She had a proclivity for sitting absolutely motionless on the nest, settled in and flattened out, with their head withdrawn and lying flat into their breast feathers so as not to present a typical duck profile.
You could absolutely look directly at her and not see her unless you were really paying close attention. Though normally shy and skittish and unwilling to get too close, during nesting season she seemed to have nerves of steel. She wouldn't twitch or budge even when in danger, for fear of giving away the location of the nest. Only when the threat was sure and imminent, or when she was being harassed for her eggs would she abandon her nest.
You could tell when the hens began nesting because while they were normally with the flock, they simply vanished from sight. We knew then it was time to go nest hunting.
When a hen began to set it was remarkable to see her on the nest, keeping her silent
vigil for days and weeks, not moving a muscle. Only rarely would you notice her
leave for a few minutes to eat or drink. She would masterfully cover the nest with leaves and grass to make it virtually invisible and to keep it warm in her brief absence.
But soon she would be back for the next shift.
Finally after days on end something seemed different. As I made the morning rounds, she no longer was snuggled down quietly in the nest.
Something was changed about her posture. She now seemed to be sitting higher in the nest, almost hovering over it. Her head, no more hidden, was raised erect with pride, her wings slightly spread to cover more of the nest than before. As I look more closely, I could begin to see tiny pairs of inquisitive coal black eyes peering out curiously at me from beneath her wings, punctuated here and there by a small yellow and black bill. It was clear that the eggs were beginning to hatch.
She stayed in that posture for the next few hours or perhaps into the next day, until all the eggs hatched and the whole troop marched ceremoniously for the nearest water like so many tin soldiers. She would strut with pride having successfully accomplished the very purpose of her existence, obviously now aware of her changing role as teacher and protector.
But during the time she waited patiently over the nest, waiting for all the eggs to be hatched,a careful observer would notice something - something very subtle. As she held her slightly outstretched wings over the new brood, she would tremble or flutter ever so slightly (m'rahaphet), just like that eagle in Deuteronomy. Bird experts say this careful motion is intended to stir the air and keep the temperature just right for the new ducklings. Those precision movements reflect the meticulous focus and care that she now lavishes on the tiny downy creatures.
It was exactly this scene that is described in the very first verse of Genesis, when the Spirit of God brooded or fluttered over the face of the waters. What a magnificent metaphor this is for the meticulous planning, the tireless effort, the care, and the love that was exhibited at that moment. In taking that very first step to prepare the earth as a sort of nest for His own children, He made it into the ideal place for man to begin the adventure of life, to live out his collective
human existence, to learn the lessons of history, and to grow into maturity and wisdom, until finally a time comes when has taken on the character of his Parent, and the whole earth can be united in peace and harmony in the messianic kingdom.
We have cause for optimism about the destiny of man. God will not let us fail. Though we may have many bitter lessons to learn, He has great things in mind for man in the future. With that kind of resource behind us, how can we fail?
(C) Copyright 1999 by Wayne Simpson
Biblical Research Foundation
629 Lexington Road
Sapulpa, Ok 74066
Reproduction and distribution is permitted provided this copyright notice is left intact on all copies.
9/19/2010
I found this commentary while studying about the Holy Spirit...so great! I hope it will encourage you in your quest to know the Spirit of God more intimately...
"I have often said that learning to read the Bible in Hebrew is like being able to read in three dimensions when you could only read in two dimensions before. Nothing
illustrates that more than the material in this article. For years I read the second verse of the book of Genesis in English without ever understanding the most remarkable subtlety hidden there. Oh, I noticed the language and I thought it was a little odd to
say:
And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Gen 1:2)
How strange it seemed to say God moved. How did he move? Did He walk, or swim?
Did He sort of float in the air? In what way did He move, and why is that significant?
Now, this wasn't what you would call a burning question - only a curiosity. I would pause and think about the distinctive choice of words, but I would quickly move on to more pressing issues. Only after I learned to read in Hebrew did the marvelous meaning of that word moved come through. I actually stumbled across the meaning in a commentary once, where it was rendered as brooded. But, It still did not register because for me to brood usually meant to worry or fret. That made no sense at all. Why would the Creator worry over the face of the waters.
Later, when I delved into the meaning of the Hebrew word for moved, m'rahaphet, I
learned that it means to flutter or shake. I discovered the word is also used in Deuteronomy 32:11 where the context is very clear.
As the eagle stirs up her nest, flutters (m'rahaphet) over her young, spreads
abroad her wings...
Suddenly the meaning became clear for me. It was as if a 1000 watt light bulb was being turned on in my head. I knew I had witnessed that very thing many times.
Many years ago we had a flock of ducks in our back yard. There was a pond and
we enjoyed having the ducks around. They were relaxing and entertaining to watch.
It was especially interesting in the spring when the hens started to nest.
She had a proclivity for sitting absolutely motionless on the nest, settled in and flattened out, with their head withdrawn and lying flat into their breast feathers so as not to present a typical duck profile.
You could absolutely look directly at her and not see her unless you were really paying close attention. Though normally shy and skittish and unwilling to get too close, during nesting season she seemed to have nerves of steel. She wouldn't twitch or budge even when in danger, for fear of giving away the location of the nest. Only when the threat was sure and imminent, or when she was being harassed for her eggs would she abandon her nest.
You could tell when the hens began nesting because while they were normally with the flock, they simply vanished from sight. We knew then it was time to go nest hunting.
When a hen began to set it was remarkable to see her on the nest, keeping her silent
vigil for days and weeks, not moving a muscle. Only rarely would you notice her
leave for a few minutes to eat or drink. She would masterfully cover the nest with leaves and grass to make it virtually invisible and to keep it warm in her brief absence.
But soon she would be back for the next shift.
Finally after days on end something seemed different. As I made the morning rounds, she no longer was snuggled down quietly in the nest.
Something was changed about her posture. She now seemed to be sitting higher in the nest, almost hovering over it. Her head, no more hidden, was raised erect with pride, her wings slightly spread to cover more of the nest than before. As I look more closely, I could begin to see tiny pairs of inquisitive coal black eyes peering out curiously at me from beneath her wings, punctuated here and there by a small yellow and black bill. It was clear that the eggs were beginning to hatch.
She stayed in that posture for the next few hours or perhaps into the next day, until all the eggs hatched and the whole troop marched ceremoniously for the nearest water like so many tin soldiers. She would strut with pride having successfully accomplished the very purpose of her existence, obviously now aware of her changing role as teacher and protector.
But during the time she waited patiently over the nest, waiting for all the eggs to be hatched,a careful observer would notice something - something very subtle. As she held her slightly outstretched wings over the new brood, she would tremble or flutter ever so slightly (m'rahaphet), just like that eagle in Deuteronomy. Bird experts say this careful motion is intended to stir the air and keep the temperature just right for the new ducklings. Those precision movements reflect the meticulous focus and care that she now lavishes on the tiny downy creatures.
It was exactly this scene that is described in the very first verse of Genesis, when the Spirit of God brooded or fluttered over the face of the waters. What a magnificent metaphor this is for the meticulous planning, the tireless effort, the care, and the love that was exhibited at that moment. In taking that very first step to prepare the earth as a sort of nest for His own children, He made it into the ideal place for man to begin the adventure of life, to live out his collective
human existence, to learn the lessons of history, and to grow into maturity and wisdom, until finally a time comes when has taken on the character of his Parent, and the whole earth can be united in peace and harmony in the messianic kingdom.
We have cause for optimism about the destiny of man. God will not let us fail. Though we may have many bitter lessons to learn, He has great things in mind for man in the future. With that kind of resource behind us, how can we fail?
(C) Copyright 1999 by Wayne Simpson
Biblical Research Foundation
629 Lexington Road
Sapulpa, Ok 74066
Reproduction and distribution is permitted provided this copyright notice is left intact on all copies.
9/19/2010
Monday, June 13, 2011
Oh the Vastness of my precious God!
Eph. 3:14-19
"14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
For God is not powerful, He is power. God does not have authority, He is authority. If I am in Him, in His presence, then I am moving and abiding in power and authority, it automatically comes with being in His presence.
In His presence I am changed, In His presence I have fullness of Joy, In His presence mysteries are revealed, In His presence I am healed, In His presence, offenses melt away like wax, In His presence I experience eternity, In His presence is the essence of Hope, In His presence I dwell in power, In His presence the crossed wires of my dysfunctional life are uncrossed. In His presence I forgive. In His presence I forget. In His presence I count my brother and sister in Christ higher than I count myself. And of course, in His presence there is fullness of Joy. And since I am still in the flesh, in His presence I abide under the shadow of His wings, and even that shadow is brighter than a thousand suns.
And when I come out of that presence because this world demands my attention...or my children need me...(oh that I would dwell there forever) then I take a small portion with me, a portion of change, a portion of joy, a sense of His mystery, a portion of healing, I love more than I am offended because I care less about myself,my hope is increased, my knowledge of eternity and the eternal destination of my soul is greater, and I am less dysfunctional and more like Him. Then I pass on a small part of that to those I encounter and God is glorified . And I am encouraged and I begin again to hunger and thirst for that place and attempt to do whatever to come into that place again. I am totally addicted to the presence of God and it is my one and only motivation to even live.
"14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
For God is not powerful, He is power. God does not have authority, He is authority. If I am in Him, in His presence, then I am moving and abiding in power and authority, it automatically comes with being in His presence.
In His presence I am changed, In His presence I have fullness of Joy, In His presence mysteries are revealed, In His presence I am healed, In His presence, offenses melt away like wax, In His presence I experience eternity, In His presence is the essence of Hope, In His presence I dwell in power, In His presence the crossed wires of my dysfunctional life are uncrossed. In His presence I forgive. In His presence I forget. In His presence I count my brother and sister in Christ higher than I count myself. And of course, in His presence there is fullness of Joy. And since I am still in the flesh, in His presence I abide under the shadow of His wings, and even that shadow is brighter than a thousand suns.
And when I come out of that presence because this world demands my attention...or my children need me...(oh that I would dwell there forever) then I take a small portion with me, a portion of change, a portion of joy, a sense of His mystery, a portion of healing, I love more than I am offended because I care less about myself,my hope is increased, my knowledge of eternity and the eternal destination of my soul is greater, and I am less dysfunctional and more like Him. Then I pass on a small part of that to those I encounter and God is glorified . And I am encouraged and I begin again to hunger and thirst for that place and attempt to do whatever to come into that place again. I am totally addicted to the presence of God and it is my one and only motivation to even live.
Monday, May 23, 2011
I cannot be all things to all people...
"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" Phil. 4:13
So, maybe it's just me...but since I was very young it has been my desire to make things good in people's lives. I was the happy one, the helpful one, the never have a bad day one so that you could cry on my shoulder and I could help you one....
Then High School came...and wow...Drama, guys and girl issues came...teen issues swelled all around me...and that cheerful dimeanor intensified...now I was a professing, born again Christian...so I HAD To be all things to all people...
For a while it worked...but then I would crash...tired, wasted, emotionally spent...becauase I had taken in everyone's pain, burden's, frustrations, etc...you name it, I took it to help them, to love them, to lighten their load...because that is what a Christian is supposed to do.....right?
Then College...CRASH! God brought into my life these "Christians" and just like I warn, caution, plead with my teen each year as I send them off to college...to watch and pray...because just because you think you are standing on solid ground in high school....does not mean college has the same ground...you are walking into sinking sand of all sorts...even in Christian college's...there is no safe place...
So, even though I didn't give into the "worlds" temptations that college life has to offer, partying etc...my spiritual life diffused...even though I went Cru...my heart was not in it...because sadly..I met these "christians" in Cru...and slowly drifted away...
My mindset became more and more like theirs...self absorbed...it was like I morphed into a different person...not a "bad" person...but someone I would look at and ask myself..."Who are you?" "Why are you becoming this?" "For who?" "For what?" My answer..."well they are Christians"
After a year...God woke me up...and set me free from that selfish mind set...
I have often told people that when I turned 30, it was the worst year and the best year of my life.
Worst...because God brought me to a place of complete and absolute dependance on Him and Him alone. He stripped everything I held dear to me...even my beloved husband could reach the pain I felt inside me...only my Jesus could...and after 4 long years of wrestling and struggling with Lord...His freedom gave way...and sent us on to a new mission in life...Cavalier...
I love it here...I love all the people I am able to engage with everyday...
Recently there has been much spiritual warfare I have been dealing with...I have been watchful and victorious...and I see things come my way...God has kept me alert and ready...
But as I settled into the victories...well...I settled in...and whenever we settle for anything...we begin to settle...and we begin to lose focus...
Which is what has happened to me these last 2 weeks...and today it all came to a head...
Oh Jesus...WHY!! WHY DO I DO THIS!!! Why do I let life take me away from your amazing place of safety and protection? What could possibly ever be as satisfying as You...I have allowed every kind of busyness to steal my joy...
Forgive me Father...forgive me...I am tired and weary...and I need Your refuge, Your peace, Your shelter...Your arms wrapped around me again...my love for you is so sweet and overwhelming...Oh God the ache of Your heart for the people that surround me here is too much at times...help me to know that is not me who can be all things for them...but that as I walk with you...not running ahead of you...but along side you...is when we can do the greatest things in others lives and in mine...
For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength if I follow your lead...and not try to be You...that...is....just too tiring for any human to carry...
Thank you Lord for listening and forgiving me...
So, maybe it's just me...but since I was very young it has been my desire to make things good in people's lives. I was the happy one, the helpful one, the never have a bad day one so that you could cry on my shoulder and I could help you one....
Then High School came...and wow...Drama, guys and girl issues came...teen issues swelled all around me...and that cheerful dimeanor intensified...now I was a professing, born again Christian...so I HAD To be all things to all people...
For a while it worked...but then I would crash...tired, wasted, emotionally spent...becauase I had taken in everyone's pain, burden's, frustrations, etc...you name it, I took it to help them, to love them, to lighten their load...because that is what a Christian is supposed to do.....right?
Then College...CRASH! God brought into my life these "Christians" and just like I warn, caution, plead with my teen each year as I send them off to college...to watch and pray...because just because you think you are standing on solid ground in high school....does not mean college has the same ground...you are walking into sinking sand of all sorts...even in Christian college's...there is no safe place...
So, even though I didn't give into the "worlds" temptations that college life has to offer, partying etc...my spiritual life diffused...even though I went Cru...my heart was not in it...because sadly..I met these "christians" in Cru...and slowly drifted away...
My mindset became more and more like theirs...self absorbed...it was like I morphed into a different person...not a "bad" person...but someone I would look at and ask myself..."Who are you?" "Why are you becoming this?" "For who?" "For what?" My answer..."well they are Christians"
After a year...God woke me up...and set me free from that selfish mind set...
I have often told people that when I turned 30, it was the worst year and the best year of my life.
Worst...because God brought me to a place of complete and absolute dependance on Him and Him alone. He stripped everything I held dear to me...even my beloved husband could reach the pain I felt inside me...only my Jesus could...and after 4 long years of wrestling and struggling with Lord...His freedom gave way...and sent us on to a new mission in life...Cavalier...
I love it here...I love all the people I am able to engage with everyday...
Recently there has been much spiritual warfare I have been dealing with...I have been watchful and victorious...and I see things come my way...God has kept me alert and ready...
But as I settled into the victories...well...I settled in...and whenever we settle for anything...we begin to settle...and we begin to lose focus...
Which is what has happened to me these last 2 weeks...and today it all came to a head...
Oh Jesus...WHY!! WHY DO I DO THIS!!! Why do I let life take me away from your amazing place of safety and protection? What could possibly ever be as satisfying as You...I have allowed every kind of busyness to steal my joy...
Forgive me Father...forgive me...I am tired and weary...and I need Your refuge, Your peace, Your shelter...Your arms wrapped around me again...my love for you is so sweet and overwhelming...Oh God the ache of Your heart for the people that surround me here is too much at times...help me to know that is not me who can be all things for them...but that as I walk with you...not running ahead of you...but along side you...is when we can do the greatest things in others lives and in mine...
For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength if I follow your lead...and not try to be You...that...is....just too tiring for any human to carry...
Thank you Lord for listening and forgiving me...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The hunger in our eyes...
"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."
— C.S. Lewis
Today, Troy and I had the privelege of haning out with a former youth. He has just finished his first year of college, and I got to see that look that I long to see in all the teens that either sit in the chairs on Wedbesday nights, the look I long to see when I have one on one time with a teen, the look I long to see in the teens that have graduated and moved on, the look I long to see in eyes of any believer I spend time with.
The look of, "I am so in love with Jesus that it hurts. I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot stop talking about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot learn enough about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that,
I need Him-period- He is my everything! So, the question now is, how do I deal with this life, a life of normal living, of everyday tasks, this world's pressures and demands...pleasures and distractions...when all I want is Jesus..."
This quote hits in right on the head...yet we live as though it is the other way around...that we are all about the body...and not about our souls. Yet it is our souls that will continue into the next and not our bodies.
This world SCREAMS--"LISTEN TO ME! WHAT I HAVE FAR OUTWAYS ANYTHING OR ANY OTHER"
Calendars, date books, cell phone scheduled appt. reminders, alarms, email notifications of reminders---
"OF WHAT MUST BE DONE!!!"
Our bodies ache of exhaustion as we toil and sweat and beat our mind, body and spirit to be "this worlds" human body...and all that comes with it. This award, this scholarship, this recommendation, this raise, this promotion, this...this...this...and our bodies simultaneously are dieing...yet this is all we can think of.
Our enjoyments!
Our successes!
Our desires!
Our feelings!
Our accomplishments!
Our....well...you can fill in the blank from here on out...
So, again the question being...how do we live passionately for Christ with all these demands and distractions? Do we throw off all cares and run like the wind and be completely carefree? No, even the Lord Himself cautions us not live like this. He has given us a call in this life, gifts to use, people to reach whatever our occupation may be.
And so He tells us this, "but in everything prayer..."
" 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Phil. 4
My heart feels the same as this young man...the struggle of just wanting to be with Jesus..to spend all my days surrounded by those who are passionate about the Lord, sharing, praying, worshipping, singing, serving along side them...just for Him...and nothing else...
That is the quest of our maturing...living this life that the Lord has called us to serve Him in...without messing it up with our own agenda's, without filling it up with "this world's stuff for the bodies enjoyment."
Rather filling our souls for eternity's everlasting joy's!
What are you filling your life with? Things that will make your "bodily form" happy...or...as Matt. 6 warns,
"19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Oh for the day that all Christians will actually take the bible seriously...
God Bless
— C.S. Lewis
Today, Troy and I had the privelege of haning out with a former youth. He has just finished his first year of college, and I got to see that look that I long to see in all the teens that either sit in the chairs on Wedbesday nights, the look I long to see when I have one on one time with a teen, the look I long to see in the teens that have graduated and moved on, the look I long to see in eyes of any believer I spend time with.
The look of, "I am so in love with Jesus that it hurts. I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot stop talking about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot learn enough about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that,
I need Him-period- He is my everything! So, the question now is, how do I deal with this life, a life of normal living, of everyday tasks, this world's pressures and demands...pleasures and distractions...when all I want is Jesus..."
This quote hits in right on the head...yet we live as though it is the other way around...that we are all about the body...and not about our souls. Yet it is our souls that will continue into the next and not our bodies.
This world SCREAMS--"LISTEN TO ME! WHAT I HAVE FAR OUTWAYS ANYTHING OR ANY OTHER"
Calendars, date books, cell phone scheduled appt. reminders, alarms, email notifications of reminders---
"OF WHAT MUST BE DONE!!!"
Our bodies ache of exhaustion as we toil and sweat and beat our mind, body and spirit to be "this worlds" human body...and all that comes with it. This award, this scholarship, this recommendation, this raise, this promotion, this...this...this...and our bodies simultaneously are dieing...yet this is all we can think of.
Our enjoyments!
Our successes!
Our desires!
Our feelings!
Our accomplishments!
Our....well...you can fill in the blank from here on out...
So, again the question being...how do we live passionately for Christ with all these demands and distractions? Do we throw off all cares and run like the wind and be completely carefree? No, even the Lord Himself cautions us not live like this. He has given us a call in this life, gifts to use, people to reach whatever our occupation may be.
And so He tells us this, "but in everything prayer..."
" 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Phil. 4
My heart feels the same as this young man...the struggle of just wanting to be with Jesus..to spend all my days surrounded by those who are passionate about the Lord, sharing, praying, worshipping, singing, serving along side them...just for Him...and nothing else...
That is the quest of our maturing...living this life that the Lord has called us to serve Him in...without messing it up with our own agenda's, without filling it up with "this world's stuff for the bodies enjoyment."
Rather filling our souls for eternity's everlasting joy's!
What are you filling your life with? Things that will make your "bodily form" happy...or...as Matt. 6 warns,
"19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Oh for the day that all Christians will actually take the bible seriously...
God Bless
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
"In The Garden"
“Once upon a time there was this exceptionally beautiful young girl. She lived in a home with only her father who dearly loved her. He was kind, attentive and caring, everything a girl could ask for. She was lovely in appearance both inside and out.
As this young girl’s days came and went she found herself growing into a very noticeable young lady. People would stop and take notice of her; young boys would find themselves staring at her. Her father had raised her to be humble and courteous, kind to everyone, but the temptation to play into the game of popularity began to draw her more and more away from the upbringing of her father’s wishes. Days would come and she would continue to move closer and closer to this juicy temptation…the temptation to just be who she wanted to be…free from her father’s wishes…to love whom she wanted and do what she wanted to do…”oh father…you just don’t understand…”
But how…how would she do this? Her father kept a very protective close eye on her…she had to think of a way to do this without her father ever noticing.
One day as she was alone in a beautiful park, enjoying all of its beauty…this very attractive young man tall, well built, with dark hair and an amazing smile came her way and of course took notice of her and decided to sit down next to her on the bench. After talking for a while this young man asked her if he could see her again…for lunch maybe…nothing serious…just lunch.
The young lady thought to herself… “lunch…nothing’s wrong with lunch…surely father won’t mind…I won’t even tell him…I mean it’s just lunch…right? I always go into the garden around lunch time…my father will never know.”
So the next day the beautiful young girl went off before speaking to her father into the garden to wait for the very attractive young man whom she was going to meet for lunch…but something just didn’t feel right in her stomach…she knew this was just not right…hiding things from her father…she had never done anything like this before…yet he was so attractive and seemed to be so nice and he said such complimentary things to her…he made her feel so alive so…special…so with not another passing thought she shrugged these feelings away and soon saw the young man coming towards her with flowers…and candy…
This went on day after day…meeting secretly in the garden for lunch…one day the young man decided he wanted more from her than just lunch…and began to make advances towards her…this made her very uncomfortable and she pushed him away…and ran for her father…as she ran the young man grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her back…and as he did another young man stepped in, a very tender and kind looking young man, a young man who worked with her father, he came out from the shrubs and struck the assailant down whom held this beautiful damsel in distress…
The small man took the girl from him bringing her to her father’s house making certain she was safe…as they approached the house the daughter noticed that her father was there at the door as if he had been waiting for her to come home…longing for her return home…hoping she come would back to him…
The young tender man looked into the father’s eyes as if to say all would be well…that he would take care of this dangerous young man with intentions that would certainly harm his daughter…and anyone’s else’s daughter for matter.
The young girl looked into this young man’s eye’s and saw a beauty she had never seen before…she had known him all her life…yet today…she saw him…really saw him…a hero…a true friend…a man who truly knew love…he had saved her…and then with that he was gone…disappearing through the over grown vined gates.
The pursuer of the young lady had now come to his feet and thought to himself, “How dare he intrude on him and his rightfully taken young girl, she belonged to him…no one will interfere with what he wants…because he always gets what he wants…and that was her…he would have her at any cost…
Just as these thoughts drifted in his mind, the tender garden keeper, the father’s helper, came into view…the dark brooding eyes of the strong man now glinted knowing this would be no challenge for him at all…and with one strike…took the gardener down… “there…finished…the girl would now be his…”
He would return to the garden each day…until she felt safe enough to return…and then when she returned…he would take her…and she would be his…for certain...
One day….no girl…
Two days…still no young beauty….
Three days...yet another day with no young maiden…but wait…was that her he heard in the distance? It was…he saw her…she was coming his way…so innocent and so naive to his looming presence…not knowing what awaited her at the end of the garden…
And just as the assailant sat awaiting her arrival…there stood before him a presence…a figure that seemed so familiar to him…he had seen this man before yet this time…something was different…there was a presence of power, of complete strength, a presence he knew he could not touch…fear over came him…he was terrified by this man’s eyes…he saw revenge in them and he knew revenge was his…and his alone…
With that the assailant fled…never to return to the garden…knowing he had indeed been defeated…now and forever…
As the young maiden approached the end of the garden, this man of strength, this man of power turned towards her…she stopped suddenly…stunned to silence…her heart beating and breath now shallow…who was this man? Surely this was not the gardener? Was it? She was drawn to his eyes…there was such a presence of peace, beauty, tenderness and love? Love? Did he love her? Why did he look at her this way…she had never had anyone look upon her this way before…so pure…so….perfect…a love that made her feel safe…a love like….her father’s love…
He reached for her hand…and slowly without thought…she reached out and took his…with a twinkle in his eye and a grin from ear to ear…he walked her home…enjoying a beautiful afternoon in his garden with this beautiful young girl.
The End.
1 John 3:1-3
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
John 14:1-21
1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
Ephesians 2
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Eph. 3:12
12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
As this young girl’s days came and went she found herself growing into a very noticeable young lady. People would stop and take notice of her; young boys would find themselves staring at her. Her father had raised her to be humble and courteous, kind to everyone, but the temptation to play into the game of popularity began to draw her more and more away from the upbringing of her father’s wishes. Days would come and she would continue to move closer and closer to this juicy temptation…the temptation to just be who she wanted to be…free from her father’s wishes…to love whom she wanted and do what she wanted to do…”oh father…you just don’t understand…”
But how…how would she do this? Her father kept a very protective close eye on her…she had to think of a way to do this without her father ever noticing.
One day as she was alone in a beautiful park, enjoying all of its beauty…this very attractive young man tall, well built, with dark hair and an amazing smile came her way and of course took notice of her and decided to sit down next to her on the bench. After talking for a while this young man asked her if he could see her again…for lunch maybe…nothing serious…just lunch.
The young lady thought to herself… “lunch…nothing’s wrong with lunch…surely father won’t mind…I won’t even tell him…I mean it’s just lunch…right? I always go into the garden around lunch time…my father will never know.”
So the next day the beautiful young girl went off before speaking to her father into the garden to wait for the very attractive young man whom she was going to meet for lunch…but something just didn’t feel right in her stomach…she knew this was just not right…hiding things from her father…she had never done anything like this before…yet he was so attractive and seemed to be so nice and he said such complimentary things to her…he made her feel so alive so…special…so with not another passing thought she shrugged these feelings away and soon saw the young man coming towards her with flowers…and candy…
This went on day after day…meeting secretly in the garden for lunch…one day the young man decided he wanted more from her than just lunch…and began to make advances towards her…this made her very uncomfortable and she pushed him away…and ran for her father…as she ran the young man grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her back…and as he did another young man stepped in, a very tender and kind looking young man, a young man who worked with her father, he came out from the shrubs and struck the assailant down whom held this beautiful damsel in distress…
The small man took the girl from him bringing her to her father’s house making certain she was safe…as they approached the house the daughter noticed that her father was there at the door as if he had been waiting for her to come home…longing for her return home…hoping she come would back to him…
The young tender man looked into the father’s eyes as if to say all would be well…that he would take care of this dangerous young man with intentions that would certainly harm his daughter…and anyone’s else’s daughter for matter.
The young girl looked into this young man’s eye’s and saw a beauty she had never seen before…she had known him all her life…yet today…she saw him…really saw him…a hero…a true friend…a man who truly knew love…he had saved her…and then with that he was gone…disappearing through the over grown vined gates.
The pursuer of the young lady had now come to his feet and thought to himself, “How dare he intrude on him and his rightfully taken young girl, she belonged to him…no one will interfere with what he wants…because he always gets what he wants…and that was her…he would have her at any cost…
Just as these thoughts drifted in his mind, the tender garden keeper, the father’s helper, came into view…the dark brooding eyes of the strong man now glinted knowing this would be no challenge for him at all…and with one strike…took the gardener down… “there…finished…the girl would now be his…”
He would return to the garden each day…until she felt safe enough to return…and then when she returned…he would take her…and she would be his…for certain...
One day….no girl…
Two days…still no young beauty….
Three days...yet another day with no young maiden…but wait…was that her he heard in the distance? It was…he saw her…she was coming his way…so innocent and so naive to his looming presence…not knowing what awaited her at the end of the garden…
And just as the assailant sat awaiting her arrival…there stood before him a presence…a figure that seemed so familiar to him…he had seen this man before yet this time…something was different…there was a presence of power, of complete strength, a presence he knew he could not touch…fear over came him…he was terrified by this man’s eyes…he saw revenge in them and he knew revenge was his…and his alone…
With that the assailant fled…never to return to the garden…knowing he had indeed been defeated…now and forever…
As the young maiden approached the end of the garden, this man of strength, this man of power turned towards her…she stopped suddenly…stunned to silence…her heart beating and breath now shallow…who was this man? Surely this was not the gardener? Was it? She was drawn to his eyes…there was such a presence of peace, beauty, tenderness and love? Love? Did he love her? Why did he look at her this way…she had never had anyone look upon her this way before…so pure…so….perfect…a love that made her feel safe…a love like….her father’s love…
He reached for her hand…and slowly without thought…she reached out and took his…with a twinkle in his eye and a grin from ear to ear…he walked her home…enjoying a beautiful afternoon in his garden with this beautiful young girl.
The End.
1 John 3:1-3
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
John 14:1-21
1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
Ephesians 2
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Eph. 3:12
12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Why Turn Back?
Empty My Hands
The Power of the Cross Part 2
“Why do I keep sinning”
(1) You have been set free-why go back- We have the choice to sin…whereas before, we just did…sin was our master…now Christ is…so when we sin…we are choosing to reject the power of the cross and what Christ did for us! Returning to sin, rather than resisting sin, is like “A DOG [THAT] RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT” or a pig that returns to “wallowing in the mire”
Proverbs 26:11.
(2) Sin Suffocates and Imprisons you! WHY GO BACK! Sin is like using crack cocaine: it only takes one dose, and you are hooked by it. I’m sorry, I don’t care how strong you think you are…you CANNOT master sin, control sin, or even hide it! It will eventually master you!
Rom. 6:16 “All men are the slaves of sin or of righteousness”
(3) The Power of the Cross is life-giving…WHY GO BACK! Just like the Romans, we were once enslaved by sin, but that all changed when we came to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Our bondage to sin was broken in Christ.
Rom. 6:17 “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.”
(4) The Power of the Cross is the beginning of an obedience. Our choosing to follow Christ is an act of obedience. This is the tough part of becoming a Chrsitian with many people…becoming obedient to Christ and to His Word. Being a Christian is often times "sold" as this amazing thing...which indeed it is...but many people don't like this part...the obedient part. The turning away from who and what we have been (and been doing, thinking, etc...) and turning to GOD is so difficult and can be painful at times...but to begin to live a life committed to obeying God means a life full of freedom and joy and holy living!!
What happens when we turn back to sin…when we give into sin…
-We suffer
-Others suffer
-Our testimony of being a follower of Christ suffers
-God’s identity because our actions can suffer—meaning if we continue to choose to live a life a sin after professing a relationship with Jesus, yet you continue to live a life of being selfish, or being unforgiving, or using a abusive language to others…people will think to themselves… “I sure don’t want to be a Christian if that’s what their God is like”
-EVERYTHING SUFFERS!
SO AGAIN I ASK---WHY GO BACK! Is this sin that so easily entangles us (pride, pornography, cheating, lust, gossip, etc..)
Is it worth the “fix” you get from it? Really…when you consider what The Cross is all about…Your Freedom so that God is glorified…Let’s be honest here..I know I need to be
(5) The Power of the Cross is to give you grace! WHY TURN BACK!! To turn back to sin is to turn away from grace. Sin is stepping out of the realm of grace, Like that umbrella I have talked about. The umbrella of grace keeps us safe from the pouring down of sin that surrounds us...
Sin removes us from that place of mercy and forgiveness and leaves us in a place of darkness, hopelessness and spiritual death. I’m not saying that you can lose your salvation…but the Cross is more than just a free ticket into heaven…it is life, freedom and joy here on earth with Christ…in our lives…not on the back burner while we party it up thinking we are free from the punishment of sin, just because we are Christians…
(7) To turn back to sin is to walk in the way which leads to death, rather than to life. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). To leave the path of righteousness and to turn back to the path of sin is to leave the path which leads to life and to return to the path which leads to death. If we accept the truth and the Power of the Cross and the Word of God, then I ask you one more time...
WHY TURN BACK?
The Power of the Cross Part 2
“Why do I keep sinning”
(1) You have been set free-why go back- We have the choice to sin…whereas before, we just did…sin was our master…now Christ is…so when we sin…we are choosing to reject the power of the cross and what Christ did for us! Returning to sin, rather than resisting sin, is like “A DOG [THAT] RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT” or a pig that returns to “wallowing in the mire”
Proverbs 26:11.
(2) Sin Suffocates and Imprisons you! WHY GO BACK! Sin is like using crack cocaine: it only takes one dose, and you are hooked by it. I’m sorry, I don’t care how strong you think you are…you CANNOT master sin, control sin, or even hide it! It will eventually master you!
Rom. 6:16 “All men are the slaves of sin or of righteousness”
(3) The Power of the Cross is life-giving…WHY GO BACK! Just like the Romans, we were once enslaved by sin, but that all changed when we came to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Our bondage to sin was broken in Christ.
Rom. 6:17 “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.”
(4) The Power of the Cross is the beginning of an obedience. Our choosing to follow Christ is an act of obedience. This is the tough part of becoming a Chrsitian with many people…becoming obedient to Christ and to His Word. Being a Christian is often times "sold" as this amazing thing...which indeed it is...but many people don't like this part...the obedient part. The turning away from who and what we have been (and been doing, thinking, etc...) and turning to GOD is so difficult and can be painful at times...but to begin to live a life committed to obeying God means a life full of freedom and joy and holy living!!
What happens when we turn back to sin…when we give into sin…
-We suffer
-Others suffer
-Our testimony of being a follower of Christ suffers
-God’s identity because our actions can suffer—meaning if we continue to choose to live a life a sin after professing a relationship with Jesus, yet you continue to live a life of being selfish, or being unforgiving, or using a abusive language to others…people will think to themselves… “I sure don’t want to be a Christian if that’s what their God is like”
-EVERYTHING SUFFERS!
SO AGAIN I ASK---WHY GO BACK! Is this sin that so easily entangles us (pride, pornography, cheating, lust, gossip, etc..)
Is it worth the “fix” you get from it? Really…when you consider what The Cross is all about…Your Freedom so that God is glorified…Let’s be honest here..I know I need to be
(5) The Power of the Cross is to give you grace! WHY TURN BACK!! To turn back to sin is to turn away from grace. Sin is stepping out of the realm of grace, Like that umbrella I have talked about. The umbrella of grace keeps us safe from the pouring down of sin that surrounds us...
Sin removes us from that place of mercy and forgiveness and leaves us in a place of darkness, hopelessness and spiritual death. I’m not saying that you can lose your salvation…but the Cross is more than just a free ticket into heaven…it is life, freedom and joy here on earth with Christ…in our lives…not on the back burner while we party it up thinking we are free from the punishment of sin, just because we are Christians…
(7) To turn back to sin is to walk in the way which leads to death, rather than to life. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). To leave the path of righteousness and to turn back to the path of sin is to leave the path which leads to life and to return to the path which leads to death. If we accept the truth and the Power of the Cross and the Word of God, then I ask you one more time...
WHY TURN BACK?
Monday, March 14, 2011
Love is a Many Spledored Thing
“Love is a many splendored thing”…so the song says…
“…It's the April rose that only grows in the early spring, Love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living…”
“There is only one happiness in life -- to love and to be loved.”
“Once you have learned to love, You will have learned to live.”
You know quotes from humans can be so great, they can really speak to us at times, encourage us, cause us to stop and think, we can at times relate…but I know that nothing is greater than hearing from the Word of God.
Did you know that there are 393 scriptures that mention, or contain, the word love in them. Obviously God finds this word to be very important. So important that He packaged it throughout His word starting with His amazing gift that He called good…all His creation—all the way through to the final Wedding Feast with Him in Heaven...with His promise of, “Yes, I am coming soon” Rev. 22:20
John 21:15-17
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.
Have you ever had someone, or you yourself ever felt so passionate about something that you keep repeating over and over again, just to make sure the person you are speaking with really gets what you are trying to say? Like your children? You keep telling your kids over and over and over what is best for them, and you get this...
"I know mom/dad look" from them...this is what I see happening in these verses above.
I hear in Christ’s heart a deep longing for Peter to really "get" Jesus question of love...yet in His voice I hear a deflating and saddening in His voice...in these verse’s as He speaks to Peter…
1.“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (said with great longing)
2."Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" (again…with subtle slowing)
3."Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" (saying it in a way that shows Peter just doesn’t get it)
Did you hear the intensity in Jesus heart yet the sadness in His voice? Did you hear the longing, the “Please Peter think about what I am asking you! Think about what you are saying! Think about Who you are responding too! Remember “I am the way the truth and the life, I am the Bread of Life, I am the Light of the world, I am the Door, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the resurrection and life…”
Now in our modern English, we may not hear what Jesus is really asking, but if we look at the passage in the original Greek, it does make a difference.
There are two different words translated as 'LOVE' in this passage. Listen closely
15 "Simon, son of John, do you agapao Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You."
16 "Simon, son of John, do you agapao Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You."
17 "Simon, son of John, do you phileo Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I phileo You."
If you look closely, there are two Greek Words used for the Word "Love".
Agapao - This is a very special and deep kind of love. It means to love dearly.
Phileo- This is a friendly kind of affection.
~In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance it states the difference between agapao and phileo is that agapao is more of a heart love and phileo is more of a head love.
Listen again closely. You will see:
15 Jesus asks Peter, "Do you LOVE me more than these?" Peter says, 'yeah I like you Lord.'
16 The second time, Jesus simply asks, "Do you LOVE me?" Notice that Jesus lessens the level of love. Sigh... Peter still only responds... 'yeah I like you Lord.'
17 Finally, Jesus asks, 'Peter...do you like me?' And Peter agrees, 'yeah I like you."
**Remember Peter has walked, talked, eaten, lived, seen, experienced SO MANY THINGS WITH JESUS AND YET his response is… “Yeah, I like you”
Today, what is your response to this question? Really, stop and think about it…
Jesus is standing in front of you, gazing into your eyes, you can feel His breath, you can see the love in His eyes, you can hear the tenderness in His voice…What is your response…would He have to ask you more than once to get the answer HE so longs to hear from all of His children… “I (agapao) love you (Abba) Daddy…Father” I LOVE YOU!
Here is what 1 John 3:1
“1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
LAVISHED! Do you hear that intensity again…HE LAVISHES ON US! That is why when I speak about my teens I never just say, I love them, but that I get to LOVE ON THEM…there is a difference…there is a sense of pouring out, emptying out of oneself for another’s sake…just as Christ Loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. Eph. 5:25 says…
These last couple of months I have been speaking to the teens about how they need to move from just a belief in God to a conviction. Researchers show that by the age of 7rs old, many children today have already come to a conclusion about God…7years old!! I took a survey at the beginning of this year asking questions like, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He rose from the dead, questions like do you believe that Jesus is the only way, do you believe that all religions have the same God…and many other Q’s. It was absolutely SHOCKING to me when I read the surveys….I would say 80% of the teens answered completely contrary to the Word of God…People they are not getting it…they do not Know this love...Why you many ask?
The world today has become so full of information, so many spiritual belief systems, and they have access to it. But it’s also because many people say they believe in God, but are not completely convinced that He is who He says He is, that nothing or no one could ever change their heart, soul, and mind because many adults today do not really KNOW HIM, many do not KNOW THIS LOVe! Some of you may think I am talking about “people out there” but I am talking about people in the Christian church around this nation who truly do not KNOW THIS PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING Phil.4:7
Many have heard Rom. 10:9
9 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Many believe that the “believe” part is just a professing it…then moving on with your life, business as usual. But Belief and Love must go beyond…just a “yeah I believe in Jesus or yeah I like Jesus” it must move to a “I am desperately in love with my Jesus, because I KNOW my Jesus because I have walked, talked, eaten, lived, seen, experienced SO MANY THINGS WITH JESUS, just like Peter had…
Let me close with our youth ministries mission verse for you today:
Eph. 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
“…It's the April rose that only grows in the early spring, Love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living…”
“There is only one happiness in life -- to love and to be loved.”
“Once you have learned to love, You will have learned to live.”
You know quotes from humans can be so great, they can really speak to us at times, encourage us, cause us to stop and think, we can at times relate…but I know that nothing is greater than hearing from the Word of God.
Did you know that there are 393 scriptures that mention, or contain, the word love in them. Obviously God finds this word to be very important. So important that He packaged it throughout His word starting with His amazing gift that He called good…all His creation—all the way through to the final Wedding Feast with Him in Heaven...with His promise of, “Yes, I am coming soon” Rev. 22:20
John 21:15-17
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.
Have you ever had someone, or you yourself ever felt so passionate about something that you keep repeating over and over again, just to make sure the person you are speaking with really gets what you are trying to say? Like your children? You keep telling your kids over and over and over what is best for them, and you get this...
"I know mom/dad look" from them...this is what I see happening in these verses above.
I hear in Christ’s heart a deep longing for Peter to really "get" Jesus question of love...yet in His voice I hear a deflating and saddening in His voice...in these verse’s as He speaks to Peter…
1.“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (said with great longing)
2."Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" (again…with subtle slowing)
3."Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" (saying it in a way that shows Peter just doesn’t get it)
Did you hear the intensity in Jesus heart yet the sadness in His voice? Did you hear the longing, the “Please Peter think about what I am asking you! Think about what you are saying! Think about Who you are responding too! Remember “I am the way the truth and the life, I am the Bread of Life, I am the Light of the world, I am the Door, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the resurrection and life…”
Now in our modern English, we may not hear what Jesus is really asking, but if we look at the passage in the original Greek, it does make a difference.
There are two different words translated as 'LOVE' in this passage. Listen closely
15 "Simon, son of John, do you agapao Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You."
16 "Simon, son of John, do you agapao Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You."
17 "Simon, son of John, do you phileo Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I phileo You."
If you look closely, there are two Greek Words used for the Word "Love".
Agapao - This is a very special and deep kind of love. It means to love dearly.
Phileo- This is a friendly kind of affection.
~In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance it states the difference between agapao and phileo is that agapao is more of a heart love and phileo is more of a head love.
Listen again closely. You will see:
15 Jesus asks Peter, "Do you LOVE me more than these?" Peter says, 'yeah I like you Lord.'
16 The second time, Jesus simply asks, "Do you LOVE me?" Notice that Jesus lessens the level of love. Sigh... Peter still only responds... 'yeah I like you Lord.'
17 Finally, Jesus asks, 'Peter...do you like me?' And Peter agrees, 'yeah I like you."
**Remember Peter has walked, talked, eaten, lived, seen, experienced SO MANY THINGS WITH JESUS AND YET his response is… “Yeah, I like you”
Today, what is your response to this question? Really, stop and think about it…
Jesus is standing in front of you, gazing into your eyes, you can feel His breath, you can see the love in His eyes, you can hear the tenderness in His voice…What is your response…would He have to ask you more than once to get the answer HE so longs to hear from all of His children… “I (agapao) love you (Abba) Daddy…Father” I LOVE YOU!
Here is what 1 John 3:1
“1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
LAVISHED! Do you hear that intensity again…HE LAVISHES ON US! That is why when I speak about my teens I never just say, I love them, but that I get to LOVE ON THEM…there is a difference…there is a sense of pouring out, emptying out of oneself for another’s sake…just as Christ Loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. Eph. 5:25 says…
These last couple of months I have been speaking to the teens about how they need to move from just a belief in God to a conviction. Researchers show that by the age of 7rs old, many children today have already come to a conclusion about God…7years old!! I took a survey at the beginning of this year asking questions like, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He rose from the dead, questions like do you believe that Jesus is the only way, do you believe that all religions have the same God…and many other Q’s. It was absolutely SHOCKING to me when I read the surveys….I would say 80% of the teens answered completely contrary to the Word of God…People they are not getting it…they do not Know this love...Why you many ask?
The world today has become so full of information, so many spiritual belief systems, and they have access to it. But it’s also because many people say they believe in God, but are not completely convinced that He is who He says He is, that nothing or no one could ever change their heart, soul, and mind because many adults today do not really KNOW HIM, many do not KNOW THIS LOVe! Some of you may think I am talking about “people out there” but I am talking about people in the Christian church around this nation who truly do not KNOW THIS PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING Phil.4:7
Many have heard Rom. 10:9
9 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Many believe that the “believe” part is just a professing it…then moving on with your life, business as usual. But Belief and Love must go beyond…just a “yeah I believe in Jesus or yeah I like Jesus” it must move to a “I am desperately in love with my Jesus, because I KNOW my Jesus because I have walked, talked, eaten, lived, seen, experienced SO MANY THINGS WITH JESUS, just like Peter had…
Let me close with our youth ministries mission verse for you today:
Eph. 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
My Walk Through Heaven
The following post is a lesson I did 2 weeks ago. It came from my flight back from Jamaica as I was listening to my Ipod and just reflecting on how beautiful God's creation is and wondering and pondering and asking the Lord, "oh how I would love to have seen what John did in Revelation or what Isaiah saw..." and as I listened to my "Ka" soundtrack from the Cirque Du Soleil...which has amazingly intense instrumental music along with powerful vocals of a "made up language"...I felt as though I was ushered into heaven...and this is what came to my mind's eye as I walked through heaven progressively with the music that was ushering me to the Throne Room of God...
**If you click on the Title of this post it will bring you to Grooveshark where the 4 songs I was listening to while this came have been posted for you, so that you will be able listen to the music that ushered me along as I read this to my teens. It will navigate you away from my blog so maybe open another window so you can have them both opened at the same time. (note) if you want to try to get the most out of this post, you must read and imagine...maybe read the post first, the read it again with the music so you can "feel" the progression of intesity of each moment...and read it as if it is you walking through heaven...what would you see as you read, feel, smell...**
SONG: O MAKUNDE
The first song begins with a destinct Pounding of a Drum...."…and your heart begins to beat… …a pounding so deep, deep within you…you have never felt “THIS” before…life rising, building up, pouring through, filling your entire body…everything in you, awakening to something far greater than you have ever felt before…
…and then! something deep inside you prompts you to slowly open your eyes and you behold… Majestic Beauty …Creatures of Radiant Strength stand before you… and you are saturated in absolute beauty
You are overtaken by complete awe…
…a sound so pure, a voice so full of love…an ocean of song pouring out around you coming from a host of these Majestic Beautiful Creatures…
…a song that is so familiar to your spirit, yet a language not known to you, yet so familiar…
…this Majestic Creature reaches and takes your hand and ushers you into a presence of life so beautiful that peace washes over you…
…It is so beautiful here, so bright, so clean, sparkling in pure radiance…radiance of a King…so many feelings to experience at one time…your mind trying to take in as much as it can at one time…all of your senses have awakened to the newness of life…colors are brighter, sounds purer, smells so wonderful! And everything…so peaceful…
(break in singing then single voice)…voices so pure so…
SONG: PAGEANT
…then celebration breaks forth!
…And we dance! We twirling, we spin in complete freedom! FREEDOM! Beautiful, Joyous FREEDOM over takes you! We are one…
…This celebration brings you down a path of beautiful flowers draping Majestic gates of a narrow pathway…Angels, people of long ago…a cloud of witnesses all celebrating…celebrating the King!! Flowers are tossed to and fro, laughing joyous laughing, singing, and more dancing! Oh the smell of freedom…the joy of complete abandonment!! No worries, no fears…just pure joy…Music of welcome…music of worship…music of love…pure radiant celebration!!!
…(Deep deep men's voices in a thunderous chorus of worship) And you make your way towards greater celebration…the crowds grow larger, the space is now filled with an eternal dwelling of all people, all races, all of God’s creative expressions poured out his people…
…as you draw closer it is so loud yet so drawing, so fulfilling, you want to look to see more… ... but…something is happening…there is a sense of something greater to come…what is it you wonder…(this pure females voice of echoing worhsip)
…all of the sudden you feel as though you should fall to your knees…and bow in complete surrendered worship! What is coming….what is coming…(girl ahhhhhhh) dare you look?
…and the music ceases...
SONG: STORM
…and the singing of joyous celebration slowly fades away…and it is quiet and still… … … …
(deep violins)…A thunderous shower of deep and solumn worship over takes the celebration…and a heaviness falls upon this place…and you look around and every living creature is now bowing… …
…bowing before a brilliant light…where peals of lightning continue to break forth…
And just as quickly as the singing of celebration ceases of one kind…another kind of solumn, aching, worship arises…
…you have entered a place of eternal worship…
…thundering worship of the 24 elders surrounding the Throne erupts…so intense you can barely breathe, so overwhelming that the threshold of the floor shakes…and your entire body trembles…the fear of the Lord has over taken you…you have now entered the holy of holies…
(again deep men's voices in a greater, louder worship)…your eyes are terrified as they behold 4 Living Creatures...SO…Beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time, covered with eyes, Giants of Strength…creatures you have heard about your whole life, you now stand before them…trembling…the elders continue to lay down crowns before the throne!
…(Explosion of music)…and the ocean before you…the peals of lightning resounding deep inside you as they cascade from the throne,
…you fall to the ground…unable to stand, unable to look any longer…your heart is pounding, your breathing shallow, your mind spinning in wonder of what is to come…
…(drums!! SHOUTING) …you are lying before the Great I Am... (more shouting) The Lamb of God…the Prince of Peace…The Kings of Kings and Lord of Lord…
(greater shouting!) Jesus Himself draws nearer…(more shouting…and fading…) dare you look?
SONG: DEEP
And everything washes away…(a stillness of tender music rises...as if you feel love approaching....ever so quietly...)
… you lie ever so still, filled with so many feelings…feelings of regret, feelings of remorse, feelings of “If only and I wish I would have’s”…
…but wait…what is that? feelings of joy? Of freedom? of love? Washing all that pain and hurt and scaring and regret away…
Oh…what is that??? This love that is washing over you…something so warm…a love so real…a Living Love, your heart is free…your mind is at rest and…soul set at ease… …
…a touch of a hand upon your head…and tears…oh the flowing tears you have of love streaming down your cheeks as they hit the feet of the One to whom you have longed for…the One you have waited a life to time to see, to touch… to hold…Oh, dare you look…dare you gaze upon such beauty…such love?
…slowly you lift your head… and a hand reaches in… and lifts your chin and draws you to Himself…and you see…you feel… you now know beauty…love completely awakens inside you…His smile washes throughout you…(as music fades...)and He takes you in His arms fully embracing you in His love… you are home…He is home…"
Oh that I could show you what my minds eye experienced..I will try to find the music to post..it will help some...even so...I pray it encouraged you to remember...Our God Reigns...
**If you click on the Title of this post it will bring you to Grooveshark where the 4 songs I was listening to while this came have been posted for you, so that you will be able listen to the music that ushered me along as I read this to my teens. It will navigate you away from my blog so maybe open another window so you can have them both opened at the same time. (note) if you want to try to get the most out of this post, you must read and imagine...maybe read the post first, the read it again with the music so you can "feel" the progression of intesity of each moment...and read it as if it is you walking through heaven...what would you see as you read, feel, smell...**
SONG: O MAKUNDE
The first song begins with a destinct Pounding of a Drum...."…and your heart begins to beat… …a pounding so deep, deep within you…you have never felt “THIS” before…life rising, building up, pouring through, filling your entire body…everything in you, awakening to something far greater than you have ever felt before…
…and then! something deep inside you prompts you to slowly open your eyes and you behold… Majestic Beauty …Creatures of Radiant Strength stand before you… and you are saturated in absolute beauty
You are overtaken by complete awe…
…a sound so pure, a voice so full of love…an ocean of song pouring out around you coming from a host of these Majestic Beautiful Creatures…
…a song that is so familiar to your spirit, yet a language not known to you, yet so familiar…
…this Majestic Creature reaches and takes your hand and ushers you into a presence of life so beautiful that peace washes over you…
…It is so beautiful here, so bright, so clean, sparkling in pure radiance…radiance of a King…so many feelings to experience at one time…your mind trying to take in as much as it can at one time…all of your senses have awakened to the newness of life…colors are brighter, sounds purer, smells so wonderful! And everything…so peaceful…
(break in singing then single voice)…voices so pure so…
SONG: PAGEANT
…then celebration breaks forth!
…And we dance! We twirling, we spin in complete freedom! FREEDOM! Beautiful, Joyous FREEDOM over takes you! We are one…
…This celebration brings you down a path of beautiful flowers draping Majestic gates of a narrow pathway…Angels, people of long ago…a cloud of witnesses all celebrating…celebrating the King!! Flowers are tossed to and fro, laughing joyous laughing, singing, and more dancing! Oh the smell of freedom…the joy of complete abandonment!! No worries, no fears…just pure joy…Music of welcome…music of worship…music of love…pure radiant celebration!!!
…(Deep deep men's voices in a thunderous chorus of worship) And you make your way towards greater celebration…the crowds grow larger, the space is now filled with an eternal dwelling of all people, all races, all of God’s creative expressions poured out his people…
…as you draw closer it is so loud yet so drawing, so fulfilling, you want to look to see more… ... but…something is happening…there is a sense of something greater to come…what is it you wonder…(this pure females voice of echoing worhsip)
…all of the sudden you feel as though you should fall to your knees…and bow in complete surrendered worship! What is coming….what is coming…(girl ahhhhhhh) dare you look?
…and the music ceases...
SONG: STORM
…and the singing of joyous celebration slowly fades away…and it is quiet and still… … … …
(deep violins)…A thunderous shower of deep and solumn worship over takes the celebration…and a heaviness falls upon this place…and you look around and every living creature is now bowing… …
…bowing before a brilliant light…where peals of lightning continue to break forth…
And just as quickly as the singing of celebration ceases of one kind…another kind of solumn, aching, worship arises…
…you have entered a place of eternal worship…
…thundering worship of the 24 elders surrounding the Throne erupts…so intense you can barely breathe, so overwhelming that the threshold of the floor shakes…and your entire body trembles…the fear of the Lord has over taken you…you have now entered the holy of holies…
(again deep men's voices in a greater, louder worship)…your eyes are terrified as they behold 4 Living Creatures...SO…Beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time, covered with eyes, Giants of Strength…creatures you have heard about your whole life, you now stand before them…trembling…the elders continue to lay down crowns before the throne!
…(Explosion of music)…and the ocean before you…the peals of lightning resounding deep inside you as they cascade from the throne,
…you fall to the ground…unable to stand, unable to look any longer…your heart is pounding, your breathing shallow, your mind spinning in wonder of what is to come…
…(drums!! SHOUTING) …you are lying before the Great I Am... (more shouting) The Lamb of God…the Prince of Peace…The Kings of Kings and Lord of Lord…
(greater shouting!) Jesus Himself draws nearer…(more shouting…and fading…) dare you look?
SONG: DEEP
And everything washes away…(a stillness of tender music rises...as if you feel love approaching....ever so quietly...)
… you lie ever so still, filled with so many feelings…feelings of regret, feelings of remorse, feelings of “If only and I wish I would have’s”…
…but wait…what is that? feelings of joy? Of freedom? of love? Washing all that pain and hurt and scaring and regret away…
Oh…what is that??? This love that is washing over you…something so warm…a love so real…a Living Love, your heart is free…your mind is at rest and…soul set at ease… …
…a touch of a hand upon your head…and tears…oh the flowing tears you have of love streaming down your cheeks as they hit the feet of the One to whom you have longed for…the One you have waited a life to time to see, to touch… to hold…Oh, dare you look…dare you gaze upon such beauty…such love?
…slowly you lift your head… and a hand reaches in… and lifts your chin and draws you to Himself…and you see…you feel… you now know beauty…love completely awakens inside you…His smile washes throughout you…(as music fades...)and He takes you in His arms fully embracing you in His love… you are home…He is home…"
Oh that I could show you what my minds eye experienced..I will try to find the music to post..it will help some...even so...I pray it encouraged you to remember...Our God Reigns...
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