Comparisons

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?

13 Who has understood the mind of the Lord,
or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?


15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.


18 To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?
19 As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.

20 A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.


21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.


25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.


27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:12-31

Verse 29 to 31 are often quoted in this majestic passage, but I posted more because it gives just a glimpse at the awesomeness of the ability and Power of the Lord.
It was once told to me that a good visual comparision would be to stand at the base of a real tall building like the Empire State Building- and look up.
God is bigger than this! Bigger than any problem, any difficult situation, no matter how seemingly impossible or how hopeless the place we may find ourselves in, He is bigger. Don't even try to mentally figure it out! His ways are so much higher than ours, His thoughts are not like our thoughts. We have assurance in Him, because the Word tells us so!

Transforming Not Conforming 283

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Moses, Daniel, Isaiah , Jeremiah, David, Samuel,
Deborah, Ezekiel, Gideon, Jesus, John the Baptizer, Paul, and others, too many to recount here-
the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12 is chock full of non-conformists.
As Christians, followers of Yeshua, we are not supposed to "blend in"-
we are supposed to stir things up.
We are not called to step to the cadence of the World, but instead as His sheep,
we are to incline our ears to Jesus' rhythm, His drumbeat; the rhythm of the Lion of Judah.
He is doing a new thing...making all things new.
His Holy Spirit is at work in us, transforming us, moment by moment, from one glory to another.
Today, beloved incline your heart, soul and mind to the Good Shepherd-be transformed!

Keep the Light Burning 289

"In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."
John 1:4-5


"Mommy, can you keep the light on when I go to sleep, so no monsters or boogy men can get me?"

Often times "keeping the light on" gives an added sense of security.
When the light is on, darkness is absent, because darkness cannot dwell in the presence of light.
This natural event is a reflection of a profound spiritual fact.
The Light has to stay on, otherwise darkness will creep in.
Darkness - evil- is the absolute opposite of Light.
So today remember to keep to Light on, burning in your heart,
and surrounding very aspect of your life.
In Him alone is Life, and that Life is the Light of us all.

Choices 287

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 3:16-18

John 3:16 is one of the most widely recognized scripture verses - in it is contained the key to salvation- belief (and confession) that Jesus is the Messiah, and that He paid the ultimate price for us.
What is rarely considered though, is the position that those who reject Jesus as Saviour and Messiah find themselves in - " but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." Condemned! The sentence pronounced by the Judge of the universe. Unbelievers sadly find out too late of their wrong choice when they close their eyes for the last time on earth and open them to utter and eternal torment and darkness, where there is "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth."
This is not a theological or philosophical debate, it is the most important decision one will ever make. Salvation - or condemnation?
Make sure that your salvation is assured, and share the truth with everyone you can, while you can!

Perspectives

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Cor.4:17-18

Have you ever seen aerial photographs of the Earth? Large objects look tiny when viewed this way. In the same way, when we view the troubles of daily living from a heavenly perspective, our problems become " light and momentary" - smaller, and if not inconsequential, at least greatly reduced. I find that it is a great and real comfort to me. Imagine being in a storm in a small boat, but knowing that Jesus is right there with us- the One who has the ability to calm every storm. As Christians we can look forward with anticipation and confidence of this "eternal glory".

Giving Thanks- recounting the Miracles

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!
Psalm 118:1

Today is Thanksgiving Day, as I drink my coffee, I am reminded of the bountiful goodness that surrounds me, and more miracles than I can count! I am thankful even that I have a hot delicious cup of coffee to drink, in a warm comfortable home, with cupboards that are well stocked, closets with plenty of clothing, on spacious property, in a safe neighborhood, in a free state and country where we can express our views openly without fear of reprisal. I am thankful for rich relationships, many friends, & wonderful family. I am thankful for the news we just received that we will be grand parents again in June!
I remember the history of our founding fathers, the faith they had, their convictions, their hardships, their losses, and the amazing deliverance and blessings as they forged forward with their eyes, hearts, and minds fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of their faith - and ours.
Life by necessity has ups and downs, trials and tribulations. The hard lessons are generally the lessons that are best remembered, and where we grow the most.
Be thankful everyday, do not despair, God is our ever present help in times of trouble!

His Love Endures Forever

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
 his love endures forever. 
 Let Israel say:
 “His love endures forever.” 
  Let the house of Aaron say:
 “His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say:
 “His love endures forever.” 
 In my anguish I cried to the Lord,
 and he answered by setting me free. 
 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
 What can man do to me? 
 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
 I will look in triumph on my enemies. 
 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
 than to trust in man. 
 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
 than to trust in princes. 
 
Psalm 118:1-9

Let us all proclaim, and give thanks: "HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER"
Whisper it, say it, declare it, shout it from the roof tops, the valleys, the hills & mountains, the highways and the byways: HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! The Scriptures read- That His love endures forever, not just for a little while , or a few centuries, or while we follow the letter of the Law, no - His love is everlasting ... Sometimes we get so busy with the hustle and bustle of life , that although we might remember academically what the Word says we don't stop the dwell on all that He is.

Ephesians 3:17-19, reads: so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Try and wrap your brain around that!

Let's take time to meditate on the awesomeness of what we have and all that He provides for us in Him. Give thanks, and say again, "HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER,"

Why Worry?

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12:22-31

I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
Psalm 37:25


I have been a follower of Jesus many years, and in those years there have been times where I wondered how my needs would be met, and then suddenly at 11:59:59, there it was! This has happened too many times to count. Not worrying is major part of our walk of faith, and worrying is doubting who God is and what He is capable of, and is a sin. Jesus said , "With God all things are possible". Since Godis the Creator of all things, micro to inter-galactic, and has shown Himself and His great, ever-enduring love for me, and for us all, today choose not to worry, no matter how dire the situation may seem, whether financial, physical, emotional, or otherwise. Perfect love casts out all fear, and with it, worries.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1

Jesus said it, and His Words and promises are much more than enough. Walk in His promises today.

Heart Problems 288

"What goes into a man's mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ”
“Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’”
Matt. 15:11,17-20

"The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?"
Jer. 17:9

One of the oldest philosophical discussions revolves around the concept of Original Sin,
and whether the heart of man is naturally good or evil.
Children from the earliest ages do not have to be taught disobedience- it comes naturally.
If we are honest with ourselves we must admit that we are full of darkness when left to ourselves. The word says that evil is bound up in the heart of children, in Jeremiah it reads that the heart is "deceitful above all things".
Paul said about himself regarding his unknown struggles against his sin nature
 that "he was wretched man"...
There is no triumph of the human spirit, without triumph in the Holy Spirit.
To declare otherwise is prideful and arrogant.
Pride goes before a fall.
By hiding the living and active Word in our hearts,
our deceitful sin nature can be overcome, performing supernatural heart surgery!

Deserted?

As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.
John 6:66

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”
27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
John18:25-27

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” 73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.” 74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.


Jesus had some pretty good friends! They walked with Him, heard His Words of life, saw His miracles. They claimed that they'd never forsake Him, as exclaimed by Peter. But when things turned from fair weather to stormy, and Jesus suffered His final days of agony on earth, His disciples had all fled, denying Him, to save themselves.
Since we do drink from Jesus' cup, we will find that people will disappoint us, hurt us by word and/or deed, and sometimes we may feel alone. But are we really? No- Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us, and He is not a man that He should lie.
When you feel alone, hurt, betrayed, remember we are not... The One who saved our should also carries us through life's most bitter and hurtful times.
Draw near today.

Hold Fast

4 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16

No matter what we go through, the fact remains: we have the ultimate advocate in the heavenlies! He sympathizes and stands with us in our times of weakness, and times of need. The Word says that when we are weak He is strong. Grace and mercy abound when we draw near the throne!

Edify Today

12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,

15 while it is said,
“Today if you hear His voice ,
Do not harden your hearts , as when they provoked Me .”
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:12-19

Each one of us has a responsibility to our spiritual siblings, to edify and encourage each other. It's important because in the spectrum of human emotion, our strengths and weaknesses wax and wane, but not at the same time for each of us- when one of us is weak, another is strong. The word here in v. 13 reads to "encourage one another day after day", day in and day out. We must be on our guard, conversely, not to spread discouragement, which can be contagious if we are not on guard against negativity, unbelief, and the ensuing darkness that may result. The children of Israel who were more than 20 years old that were eye witnesses to the pillar of Fire by night and pillar of cloud by day choose not to believe and obey and the Lord kept them in the desert, until they had all died off, their bones were scattered in the desert, never laying their eyes on the Promised Land.
So let's take care to never tolerate an unbelieving, evil heart. It simply has no place! God's handiwork is EVERYWHERE, and His promises are absolutely true, His Word goes out and never returns void, always accomplishing its purposes. Be a partaker, not a spectator, hold fast to these assurances to the very end- NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP.

Victim or Victor?

"My people are exiled for a lack of knowledge'
Is.5:13a

Once we are saved and our heavenly destination is secure, the work of satan to confound, rob, steal, kill, & destroy is not over. The devil wants to deceive the Church into not knowing who we are, stealing our inheritance. But the devil can only go and exercise authority in areas where we are ignorant! The Lord's plans for us are good, but not without storms and trials. At this writing I am weathering some difficult things. God never promised us a rose garden, and even if he did, roses have thorns. Some years ago scientists had experimented with enclosed environments- biosheres- where trees had been planted, free of any winds or the effects of outside forces. The trees would grow to a certain height and suddenly without explanation just fall over! Upon close examination it was discovered that the trees actually had a weak root system because without resistance that was caused by wind buffeting the trees back and forth, the trees did not put down deep and strong roots. When the first bit of imbalance/outside stress was placed on the tree it came crashing down.
So as I go through my various trials (light and momentary to be sure) I'll remember that God is working out these things for my good (Romans 8;28).
Today I will choose to be a Victor- not a victim- and not allow the devil any authority over my life.
Do likewise.

Grace or Idols

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."
Jonah 2:8

Children love toys. They are fun, amusing, and keep them busy, but in most cases are worthless. As adults we can develop affinities for things (objects, careers, hobbies, activities, people- things other than our Creator) that capture our attention, desire, imagination, and affections. God, our Heavenly Father, created us to worship him, but He only wants the kind of worship and adoration that we give freely, cheerfully, and lovingly. He gives us freedom to pursue relationship with Him, which grace flows from,  or cling to idols that in the end are worthless. These idols can only gather dust, rust, or decay. They can't save, heal, restore, forgive, renew, strengthen, council, embolden, or love us back.
Today meditate on the grace and goodness of the Lord, and keep a heavenly perspective.

Least or greatest

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them.
And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
Matt. 18:1-5

In this passage, Jesus is sharing another inside-out spiritual reality. It is not worldly knowledge, position, or power that places us in a position of prominence in heaven, it is humility- Being "poor in spirit"- not having worldly pride- and taking Jesus at His word.
I choose to take Him at His word, because I have learned that the sum total of all my striving, everything and anything that I would otherwise think that I have accomplished in this life is nothing. It is not I what have accomplished that matters, but what Jesus has already done at Calvary, and it is more than enough.

"I remember that You love me,
I remember that I love you;
This is who I am-this is my identity
(and it's enough for me)"

-Jon Thurlow and worship team that I heard this morning, IHOP-KC Prayer Room, Nov.15, 2010

Refuge

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:4-8

Where should we go when faced with trials? Should we worry and trevail when difficulties come at us? No! When we seek the Lord, He will answer us, He will not let us be put to shame. He is always right on time, always there, at 11:59:59! God is an ever-present help in times of trouble... When we trust in our Abba, not in our own strength (which is not very strong at all) and take refuge in the Lord, we find that He provides all the blessings and deliverance and sustenance we need.
Today call on Him who is more than able and take refuge in the Lord.

Fighting Off Unbelief 284

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
 John 14:5

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
 But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” 
 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
 John 20:25-28

Thomas had been with Jesus, and he was witness to all that the Saviour said and did, but yet he struggled with unbelief. Thomas was also known as "Didymus" meaning "twin" - perhaps twin hearts - in my spirit I see this as a euphemism for doublemindedness- the root of his struggles. Spiritual principles are the opposite of natural worldly principles. The world says, "Show me and then I'll believe, Jesus says," Believe and then I will show you".
When faced with difficulties in our lives, and seeming impossibilities, let us put our fingers into Jesus' side, stop doubting and trust the One who is sure and unshakeable.
Today cast aside all double-mindedness... Believe.

The Only Way

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.In 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.And 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.You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 
 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1-6 

We can trust God, not only in this life, but in the life to come! This blessed assurance can often elude us when trials and worries pop up. But-"DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED." These are the words of the Saviour Himself, and God is not a man that He should lie. Psalm 4:7 reads
"You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound."

Today, rejoice in Him, regardless of your position or circumstance, come to Him and lay everything at His feet, he will give rest to all who seek after Him and believe.

Erasing "Impossibilities"

For nothing is impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37

Luke 1:37 records the words of the archangel Gabriel himself. Gabriel is stating a fact: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. What an awesome realization! Our heavenly Dad who created all things and has control over every realm, from microscopic to interplanetary, who created time and space, and who loves and cares for us so exuberantly, does not recognize the concept of "impossibility". When I am feeling discouraged and overwhelmed, and can't see the "light at the end of the tunnel", I remind myself of the promises of our Great God! The Bible says that " God is not a man that He should lie"- If He said it, I will believe it!
Since we are called to be imitators of Jesus, and we have the words of Gabriel, and more, as reminders, let's erase "impossible" from our life paradigm as well.

"I belong to the "Great-God Party", and will have nothing to do with the "Little-God Party." Christ does not want nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible."
— C. T. Studd

Today we embrace the truth that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD, AMEN!

Forgiven Much 276

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.  When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Luke 7:36-50

In reading this passage I couldn't help but wonder, who among us has been forgiven little?
I cannot even begin to fathom the sheer enormity of all that my Messiah has not only forgiven me, but cleansed me from.
Corrie Ten Boom once said that God had thrown all her sins into the depths of the ocean and put up a sign that read, "NO FISHING ALLOWED".
Psalm 103:12 reads, " As far as the East is from the West, He has removed our transgressions from us."
Because we have been forgiven so vastly, it is clear that we should love others in the same way. Unless our lives are tempered by forgiveness intertwined with love everything else is less effective, less meaningful, to the point of being nothing (1 Cor. 13).
Today go forward with a grateful heart, fueled by love and forgiveness.

Death and Life

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Col.3:1-3

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6:3-7 

As believers and disciples of the Lord Jesus, we know that we can drink from His cup. As partakers and heirs, our former selves have been crucified, buried, and the resurrected lives we possess we are able to live, unshackled from bondage to sin. We are able to set our hearts and minds on things above because we have been transformed into spiritual beings since the natural man has died. In Hebrews the Scriptures read that "for the joy set before Him He endured the cross" . It is mind boggling to realize how God felt about making a way for us to be with Him, and the lengths He went through to make it happen.
The only thing left for us to do is receive it with a
willing heart and surrendered life.

Deliverance

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing.
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
For in my inner being I delight in God's law;b ut I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?      Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!
 Romans 7:18-25a

When I first read this passage, I was shocked to realize that even the Apostle Paul had sin issues, and had to deal with the struggles of the sin nature vs. the desire to follow Jesus, which are common to all humanity. Jesus has rescued us, delivered us from certain eternal death and damnation. He is the real super-hero, swooping down from His heavenly dwelling, pulling us from the quicksands of sin. Amazing Grace...how sweet the sound ...to save a wretch like me... Amazing is an understatement!
Today meditate on Calvary, the blood of Jesus that was shed for us at Golgotha...we will never truly know how much it cost to see our sin upon that cross. Rejoice & be grateful in the Deliverance that comes only through our Saviour, Yeshua haMashiach-Jesus Christ.

The Dirty Dozen 277

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,
and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."
Matthew 4:18-22

In the late 1960's there was a movie made called "The Dirty Dozen", where a band of ragtag criminals who had been sentenced to death were given an seemingly impossible mission to carry out. If they survived, their sentences would be commuted, and they would be redeemed, their files wiped clean of previous convictions.
Jesus assembled His own ""Dirty Dozen"- a bunch of uneducated simple guys who responded to the voice of the Redeemer. The Scriptures record that Jesus has only to say, "Come and follow me".
They didn't say, "Why?", "Who are you", "Where are we going", or "What about my business",etc.
The Word says that immediately they dropped other tasks and followed Him.
It doesn't take college degrees or seminary training to become a follower of Jesus, just a willing and prepared heart, and desire to draw near. Today cast off the stuff that hinders and follow Him.

Fingerprints 286

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth."
Psalm 139:4-5

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools."
Romans 1:20-22

Today scientists know that even a "simple "one celled organism such as an amoeba have over 300 chemical processes going on simultaneously within its cellular membranes!
And this is the simplest of living things. God's eternal handiwork,
His Divine Fingerprints surround us.Truly, men are without excuse.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made!
The Lord has created us in His image, this is both a great privilege and responsibility.
God our Father has amazing plans for each of us, His great desire is to be in covenant relationship with us, to have with each of us what He had with Adam in Eden.
In spite of our fallen nature and the effects of sin, we have the ability to enter in,
to meet with Him in the Kodesh haKodeshim, the Holy of Holies, our secret place, through our Mediator and Redeemer of our lives and souls- Jesus our Messiah.
If you have never been to the Secret Place, find a dark and lonely place and sit quietly before Him...seek after Him, run to Him, pour yourself out as an offering to Him,
surrender all that you are to Him.
Meet with Him today, and everyday ... do not be dissuaded or distracted! Once you have been on Mount Sinai with Him in the Shekinah Glory, in His radiance, you will not want to be anywhere else.

Capturing Thoughts 275

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, 
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, 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."
Phil4:6-8

A friend asked me, " How can I keep my thought life pure, and avoid negative or dangerous thoughts?" The mind is the battleground where many wars have been started - and ended.
God's Word is a lamp that illuminates our hearts and lives when utilized- no darkness can withstand its radiance. The Psalmist said, "I have hidden God's Word in my heart that I might not sin against you" Psalm 119:11
As we go about our daily lives, let's remember verse 8- dwell on these things.
The Lord told Moses, "See, I set before you a way of life, and a way of death, therefore choose life."

Staying on the Narrow Path

Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62

The Lord Jesus uses the imagery of the plow in the field with great reason! Great care and concentration was needed to insure that the rows would be absolutely straight; to look back would cause the plowman to veer off course, and possibly damaging other rows(paths).
The metaphor of the plow is our walk with the Lord, the rows are our lives/ witness. The Word tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith". Do not veer to the left or right... Remember that our own walk will affect others near us, either helping them to "walk straight" or causing them to veer off their God intended course. Today let your row be straight as you plow straight ahead!

Choosing the Better 279

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”"
Luke 10:38-42

I empathize with Mary's attitude, with her desire to sit at the feet of the Master. I would've been right there too; it's my constant desire to dwell in His Presence, to see Him face to face. I find that scurrying about doing things that may seem like Kingdom tasks actually keep me from entering into the Holy of Holies. I find peace and that connection with my Abba only when I surrender, cease from all striving, empty my mind of worldly thoughts, and climb into His lap.
Today cease from striving and choose the better way.

Unity: A Necessity

A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 133

Unity brings strength, peace, joy, gladness, trust, kindness, and love. Unity demands that all selfish desires be squelched, and was manifested in the early Acts church. There were no Baptists, Catholics, Protestants, Episcopalians; only followers in haDerech- the Way- as the church was known.
The time for division in the Lord's Army is over, the Times we are living in require unity if we are to walk in the fullness of all that the Lord has for each of us, and all of us - together. Today set aside differences, offenses, and all manner of things that cause divisiveness, and pursue unity.

Stooping Down to Conquer 278

As I worshipped the Lord this morning, the awesomeness of the relationship that exists between God the Father and we-His children-impacted me again. What a vastly inequitable exchange:
How and why does the Creator of all things in the universe, who has the earth as a footstool, want to be in fellowship with me, a speck of prodigal, baggage laden dust, flawed and fallen?
How can He love me so much that He provided His beloved and only Son to die an excrutiatingly painful death - so that I wouldn't have to, and I can be with Him forever?
Who among us could give up a child of our own as a ransom for others,
 especially those who hate and despise us?
I don't know the reason, but I take Him at His Word- the Bible says that we can love,
because He loved us first! For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son... Wow!
This question is definitely on my short list for when I see Him.
God stoops down to conquer, stepping out of space and eternity into the flash of time that is our lifespan and rescues ... I am in total awe today as I live, move, and have my being infused with Jesus-driven purpose.

More Than A Watchman 280

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, 
more than watchmen wait for the morning."
Psalm 130:1-6

Today I am grateful for His lovingkindness, His mercy, His forgiveness.
I fear God, as a son fears his loving father.
I know as I cry out to my Abba that He hears my voice,
That He sees the longing of my heart and soul
My desire to see Him face to face and dwell in His Presence,
where the essence of joy lives.
Help me so that the Light will shine through me,
That others will see these godly attributes in me.
Let others be provoked by love to jealousy,
Hungering and thirsting for the LORD's presence.