Dear Bill,

I recently bought a second-hand book on Amazon–Home Life by Alice Thomas Ellis. It’s a collection of essays that originally appeared in the British Spectator. I’m loving it. The weird thing is, I realized once I saw its cover that I’d bought it years ago, hated it, and given it away. Some things change. Well, no. In this case the “thing” hasn’t changed. I have!

This is a very neat way to introduce something fun. This is for you, Kym–or for your sister, the Beatles fan. (See Kym’s blog entry entitled: Pilgrim’s Progress.)

Are you ready?

I was in the studio audience when the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. 

Yes. Really. 

It was a historical moment and I was there.

Here are the pictures captured from YouTube to prove it. I’m the one with the white headband on the top left of the picture. My sister Pea is the cutie beside me and my cousin Jo is beside her. Have a look.

Yes.

And now, just to put the icing on the cake–the next week the Dave Clark Five (a group who’ve sunk into deep obscurity) appeared on the show and the people who designed the set used a photograph they’d taken of the Beatles audience for a backdrop. There I am with my chin in my hands looking dreamy.

For real enthusiasts, here are the YouTube links:

Beatles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYV185fQxLE

Dave Clark 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-GPiITJlmA

Lest you doubt it’s really me, here’s a photo taken around that time.

And here I am with my sweetie husband-to-be (Oh, boy–we were just kids!):

This is me today (many thanks to my sweetie photographer in residence):

Yes, as I said at the beginning–some things change. 

Me, for example.

Yup, I’ve changed, but it’s all good. I’m happier now for one thing. I have everything I could ever have wanted–things that when I was that young thing I had no idea about.  I took so much for granted then and for years after–but not now. Everyday I wake up thanking God. As my sweetie husband says to me these days–I pray we’re given many, many years to enjoy each other and our family now that we’re old enough and wise enough to know what we have. It’s called the fullness of life. 

After I’m dead and gone, however, my image will live on–as long as people love the Beatles. Autographs are available for a small fee.

Love!

Momma

What an interesting life I have.   I wish I started living it sooner.

Isn’t it true for so many people that just when they discover that life can be interesting, rewarding, and filled with moments of pure joy, they no longer have the energy to experience life to the fullest.

“How could there be any question of acquiring or possessing, when the one thing needful for a man is to become – to be at last, and to die in the fullness of his being. “
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Many years ago my wife and I had the opportunity to ride a bike built for two for 2500 miles across many states.  Some of the people we talked to wished that they had done some the bold when they were younger but now it was too late.

Don’t let life pass you by.   Don’t get so caught up in the doing that your forget to live life and experience all of what it has to offer.  Just grabbing a piece of the life experience  is better than watching it go by.

Start living today … start experiencing the fullness of life today.   If not today when?

Finding out who we are…

Isn’t this one of the BIGGER questions?

But how are we going to find out who we are?

Well, let me suggest to you that you could go down many roads trying to find out who you are.  Let me give you a pointer and a testimony.

For me, life has no meaning outside of Christ.

I mean, just looking at this objectively for a moment, how can the ‘created’ find meaning disconnected from the ‘Creator’?  It cannot do so.

Life radically and completely changes when we are connected to our Creator through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Our Heavenly Father always had a plan for your life.  Repent and commit your life to Jesus and you will not only find out who you are and ubundant, overflowing life but you will find that being in Christ IS your life.

Life is not all about you it is all about Him!

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [Matt 10:39]

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your  life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. [Col 3:3-4]

Zephaniah has three chapters mainly speaking about ‘the day of the Lord‘ when the Lord pours out His fierce anger and wrath on those who worship other gods, those that don’t seek Him, those that place their wealth in material things, the proud and arrogant and haughty, those that falsely represent Him, those that refuse to accept His correction, etc.

And then He says this in Zephaniah 3:17 to His people…

“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”

The Lord’s whole ‘mood’ swings (if you would allow me to crudely put it this way) from fierce anger and wrath to great love and tenderness and delight.

You see, here is the Lord’s great desire.  He wants to to be close to us and save us.  He wants to take great delight in us.  He wants to quiet us with His love  And He wants to rejoice over us with singing!  Say what?   He wants to rejoice over us with singing! This is His hearts desire!

The only thing that gets in the way of the Lord singing over us is US.

‘Even now,’ declares the LORD,
‘return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.’
Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.

Joel 2:12-13

Have you ever experienced or seen a security system where when you enter the right code it says “ACCESS GRANTED”.  Maybe I am getting a little old fashioned.  I mean, it used to be a code.  A few years back it was your fingerprint that gave you access.  Nowadays the latest thing is the eyeprint to give you access.

I want to share a verse and a revelation.  It comes from Ephesians 2:18…

For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit

So let’s make things clear.

We have acccess to whom? = We have ACCESS TO THE FATHER.  Who?  OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!

Through whom? = THROUGH HIM.  Who?  JESUS!   Jesus is the gate or the door!

What is the requirement (or the password)? = BY ONE SPIRIT.  Who?  THE HOLY SPIRIT!

There is one more thing.  We can have the correct password and we can have the door open but we have to walk through that door.

What is that walk?  FAITH!  Romans 5:1-2 says…

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access BY FAITH into this grace in which we now stand

We have ACCESS TO THE FATHER!  WOOOO HOOOO! We can come into the presence of the King!  I believe this is why Paul says in Ephesians 2:6…

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

But aren’t we still down here on earth?  Yes but can’t you see, through prayer and faith there is no longer any barrier or emnity between us and our Heavenly Father.  So, in reality, through prayer and faith we are IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING.  We are seated with Jesus IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING – communing with them!

Read the whole of Ephesians chapter 2.  We are no longer under the wrath of God.  Jesus is our peace.  Jesus has destroyed the barrier between us and God and us and our brothers and given us ACCESS TO THE FATHER.

Ephesians 2
2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in 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. 3 All 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. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. NIV

The Lord gave me a Word a few months ago.  It was this…

The only thing you are committed to is mediocrity and staying the same

h

I immediately thought of many people I could give this Word to (ho, ho), BUT… what about my life?

If the Spirit of God lives in me, if I am being changed from glory to glory, if my mind is being renewed, if I am being transformed into the image of Christ, shouldn’t there be evidence of change?

I mean, I am not really starting off at a point of perfection (understatement).  Far from it!  So, daily and weekly there should be measurable change and there should be measureable fruit.  I am reminded of a verse from Paul to the Corinthian church…

2 Cor 13:5
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? NIV

My change and my fruit should be measurable day by day and week by week.  This should give me a TESTIMONY of what the Lord is doing in me and through me.  Then, when I meet with other believers we can have true fellowship, TESTIFYING about the things that God is doing in us and through us and praising Him for it.

Here are some of the verses I was thinking of when writing this blog today…

Col 1:27
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NIV

2 Cor 3:18
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect  the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV

Rom 12:1-2
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual  act of worship. 2 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. NIV

Rom 8:29
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. NIV

Hi!

As you can see, the title of my blog is Enlightened Hope: Captured Thoughts about God and His Word.

Well, here are some thoughts in a different form.  You see, as I drive along, praying and worshipping the Lord, I am now capturing some of my God thoughts on audio (via my Pocket PC).

Here is another nugget, with all of the road noises as well.

Enjoy!  And God bless you!

The Joy of the Lord & The Slow Fade

Hi!

As you can see, the title of my blog is Enlightened Hope: Captured Thoughts about God and His Word.

Well, here are some thoughts in a different form.  You see, as I drive along, praying and worshipping the Lord, I am now capturing some of my God thoughts on audio (via my Pocket PC).

Here are a couple from this week, with all of the road noises as well.

Enjoy!  And God bless you!

Power & Joy & Salvation

Eternal Thinking and Prayer

In John 6:28 Jesus is asked a question…

“What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

This is a great question BUT, in the context of the passage, what was the heart behind the question?  What was the heart of these ‘Jesus chaser’s?  Was it a genuine seeking of God’s Kingdom come here on earth as it is in Heaven?  I feel the answer to this has much relevence for today’s Christian culture as well.

Before we look at the answer to this and also Jesus’ response let’s have a look at a similar situation in Acts.  This is where Simon the Sorcerer (or ex-sorcerer) sees what the apostles were doing and wanted to do the same.

Acts 8:18-23
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.“  NKJV

Wow,  Peter doesn’t mix his words here!  Simon wants to ‘work the works of God’ and will pay money for that priviledge.  Simon saw what the apostles were doing, he was focussed on the power of the Holy Spirit and he wanted that for himself.  Is this a bad desire?  NO, the desire in itself is not a bad desire BUT when it comes from a self centred desire to have the power instead of a God centred desire it is completely wrong.   Coming out of a life of sorcery, Simon saw the Holy Spirit as a power he could add to his ‘ministry’.  That is, the plans and purposes of the Kingdom of God came in a poor second to the kingdom of Simon. 

The Lord will not share his glory with another!

“I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. [Isa 42:8]

But hold on a minute, didn’t He give His glory to Jesus?  Answer: Jesus was God, God wasn’t sharing His glory with Jesus.  Jesus was God and God was Jesus!  He and His Father were one.

John 14:9-14
9 Jesus 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’? 10 Don’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. 11 Believe 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. 12 I 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. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

But hold on another minute, doesn’t God share His glory with us?  Isn’t He changing us from glory to glory?  Answer: As we become less, God becomes more, so it is God shining through us, not God sharing His glory with us.

John 17:20-23
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, Father, JUST AS YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU. MAY THEY ALSO BE IN US so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT INTO COMPLETE UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Getting back to the John 6 passage, these ‘Jesus chasers’ were focused on the ‘works of God’.  In other words, they were focused on the ‘Spiritual tricks’ Jesus was doing rather than on God Kingdom come.  They saw it and they wanted it.  Looking at the context (check it for yourself) maybe they were looking for their ‘miracle’ breakfast.

It any case, Jesus used the situation to give the Spiritually correct answer…

Jesus answered and said to them,

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Sounds easy doesn’t it – just BELIEVE!  Believe in miracles?  NO!  Believe in Jesus!

Let’s move down chapter 6:

John 6:53-69
53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, UNLESS YOU EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU. 54 WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD HAS ETERNAL LIFE, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 FOR MY FLESH IS REAL FOOD AND MY BLOOD IS REAL DRINK. 56 WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD REMAINS IN ME, AND I IN HIM. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so THE ONE WHO FEEDS ON ME WILL LIVE because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE; THE FLESH COUNTS FOR NOTHING. THE WORDS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” NIV

On the surface this seems a hard (and offensive) teaching but Jesus gets to the heart about what belief in Him really is.

To understand what Jesus is saying let’s go over to the woman at the well…

John 4:31-38
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

What was Jesus’ food?  Answer: To do the will of His Father and to do it now (not in 4 months time).  To live, breathe, eat the Kingdom of His Father.

What is our food?  Answer: to eat, drink, live and breathe Jesus.  To completely consume and be consumed by Jesus and therefore be Jesus and do His will (which is the Father’s will)

May the Spirit bring you understanding.

Blessings

Steve

I have a thought (or rather a question) this morning…

How often do we do nothing for Jesus?

How often do we do ‘nothing of eternal value’?

Well, I believe, that would be everytime we do not REMAIN IN Jesus.  Jesus said in John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man REMAINS IN ME and I in him, he will bear much fruit; APART from me you can do NOTHING”

And what does that NOTHING mean?  It means NOTHING!  It means we can do absolutely nothing of eternal significance apart from Jesus.  That is, all our ‘righteous acts’ are like filthy rags [Isaiah 64:6] to our Heavenly Father.  By ‘righteous acts’ I mean ’self righteous acts’ of our flesh that come out of our pride / our spiritual pride / our religious pride.

Further, Jesus gives us this warning in verse 6:

“If anyone DOES NOT REMAIN in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned”

And in verse 7 He gives us this promise:

“If you REMAIN in me and my WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”

Now there are some words that could appeal to our flesh!  “Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”.  Hmmm, I’ll have a new car and a new house and a new stereo.  SPEW!  What am I saying!  These are Spiritual Words for our spirits!  It is a conditional promise based on us REMAINING IN Jesus and HIS WORD REMAINING IN us.

Let’s skip over to the amazing prayer of Jesus’ in John chapter 17.  Note also that Jesus’ prayer was not only for His disciplines but it is also for US [John 17:20-23]:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. MAY THEY ALSO BE IN US so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT INTO COMPLETE UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

OUR GOAL: is to be ONE with Jesus and therefore ONE with the Father through Jesus.  Of course, this is enabled by the Spirit of Jesus living in our hearts.  Listen to verse 3:

“Now THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Your eternal life, my eternal life starts today.  Throughout all of history til today the choice that man has had has always remained the same:

Are we going to choose life or are we going to choose death?

From the tree in the Garden [Gen 2:16-17]

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

to Moses and the Israelites [Deut 30:19-20]

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

to Jesus’ words and prayer in John 17.

Today, if we are listening and hear His voice Jesus wants to separate us for the work of His eternal Kingdom [John 17:17 - "Sanctify  them by the truth; your word is truth"], do we choose to be ONE with Jesus, in the same way that Jesus is ONE with the Father?  Jesus prayed it for us!  This is available to all those who are called by His name.

…”I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my JOY within them.” [John 17:13]

“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be IN them.” [John 17:26]

May Jesus, and His joy, and His love, be IN you.

Blessing, Steve

Yes, you’re right.  If you open your heart you risk getting hurt.  But, what’s the alternative?  A life devoid of love and passion?  How alluring is that?  The illusion of safety may be appealing, but over-protection usually leads to isolation.  Is there a way to shield yourself and still be receptive?  Not that I know of.  However, if you pay attention you are more likely to see the warning lights. You know them.  The ones that signal danger ahead: proceed at your own risk. It’s easy to close your eyes when the first flickers appear, and even ignore blazing lights, but awareness can lead to protection, so listen to those gut feelings.

In the past, inertia, or blind optimism, may have motivated you to quiet those inner voices. Perhaps, you persevered until it was untenable.  At some point, you faced what you were trying to avoid and were thrust into a new reality, both frightening and exhilarating.  Now, even though you have been hurt, you feel compelled to be open, because the alternative is to live a diminished life.  I’m not suggesting rushing head-long into a relationship.  I am advising embracing life with enlightened open-heartedness tempered with self-protection and awareness.

If you let your passion have free reign it can feel like a freight train running over everything in its path.  That’s the time to remember to slow down. We all want what we want when we want it, and pausing, delaying gratification, is almost un-American.  We have been steeped in the idea that we have to immediately scratch every itch. If we are middle-aged, or older, it’s even easier to justify that orientation because time’s a wasting.  Carpe diem is the name of the game.  But, allowing a pause enables you to go forward with your eyes open.  Whether you choose instant gratification, or waiting, you know you have made your decision consciously.

If you’re female, once you have opened the door to your heart everything rushes in.  This is your biological destiny.  Women are all about containment.  You keep menstrual blood in for weeks every month, gestate a fetus nine months, manufacture milk until the baby is weaned, and last but not least, if heterosexual, you literally take a man in. Men, on the other hand, are all about expulsion, sexually.  Their very survival as a species depends on expelling sperm, while for women it is all about holding things in. Naturally, these biological imperatives effect our psyche big time.  Women are predisposed to hold on emotionally, and men to let go.  That’s a crucial difference, and it’s hard-wired.  You can be the most evolved person on the face of the earth, and these primal templates will govern your actions more than you might like to admit. 

So, if you’re a man reading this guarding your heart comes more naturally.  You don’t have to consciously protect yourself as much emotionally, because you’re predisposed to not let things in.  Of course, you can suffer loss, but it’s to a different degree.  You are made to let go, release, and move on.  Women are designed to take care of their brood until they can be fully fledged, and that inclines them to stay connected. Disconnection, even from a bad situation, is still wrenching for most women.  (See Phantom Marriage Syndrome.)

If you choose to live and love know the risks.  An open heart is is a wonderful thing and can bring great passion and joy, but sometimes, you will be burned.  You don’t have to be rejected to feel hurt, being the rejector is just as painful.  We end relationships for all sorts of reasons: fear of intimacy, fear of vulnerability, and fear of ultimately being hurt, are the big ones; but, sometimes, we simply outgrow a partner, or learn of a betrayal.  Not everyone is evolving in the same way or on the same schedule.  Some people actually devolve and go back to a more infantile state.  It really doesn’t matter what the reason is.  Even if it’s the best decision you could possibly make there will still be feelings of grief and loss.  

Be brave.  Open your heart.  Take risks.  One day you will drop the body, as they say in India. Until then, why not experience the fullness of life?   

Copyright Nicole S. Urdang

“You were never meant to go through life by the skin of your teeth but to flourish in the love and acceptance of Almighty God.” – Beth Moore

]]> http://teachingsfromthetrail.com/2009/06/04/the-fullness-of-life/ Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:16:40 +0000 Amy http://teachingsfromthetrail.com/2009/06/04/the-fullness-of-life/ http://enlightenedhope.com/2009/05/04/faith-and-love/ Sun, 03 May 2009 20:35:51 +0000 enlightenedhope http://enlightenedhope.com/2009/05/04/faith-and-love/

In the Christian life, is faith more important or is love more important?

In answer to this question you may quote “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”[1 Cor 13:13] and you would be correct, the greatest is love.  But the Bible also says  “without faith it is impossible to please God“ [Heb 11:6] so, it would seem, we cannot merely dismiss faith over love.  This would be foolish, because faith is basic and essential in the Christian ‘faith’.

So what is 1 Corinthian 13:13 meaning?  Let’s read a bit more of 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 1 to 3 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” So, love is more important than faith or am I still getting this wrong?  What type of faith is 1 Corithians 13 talking about?  Is 1 Corinthians 13 talking about some of the gifts of the Spirit?  That is, the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith.  I think so.  You see, there is the gift of great faith that the Lord implants in people from time to time and, to me, faith that moves mountains is great faith or the gift of faith.  Anyway, 1 Corinthians 13:13 isn’t excluding our faith (or our hope) but proclaiming that love is greater.

In Galations 5:6 the Bible says “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Hmmm, I think this is a key verse for me.  That is, our faith in the Lord is expressing itself through our love of the Lord.   Love, in our Christian life, is first and foremost and overrules all that we do, including our faith.  This makes sense when we remember the words of Jesus “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13: 34-35] and in Mark 12:30-31 Jesus says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”

So, our faith comes out of our love?  I think so.  I believe this is true of our hope as well (but that is another story).  So, the love of God fills our hearts, we respond with love back to our Lord and faith (expressing itself through our love) directs our path to those the Lord wants us to love and share the love of the Father.

May the Lord bless you today and always

Steve

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Thes 1:2-3]

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.[1 Thes 5:8]

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? [Jam 2:5]

Heb 12:28-29
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. (NKJV)

And what is the therefore there for? (I sound like Derrick Prince)  Let’s look at a couple of previous verses…

Heb 12:25-27
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. (NKJV)

We (mankind) are once more going to be shaken (and heaven also) and the things that can be shaken will be removed and the things that cannot be shaken will remain.

Praise the Lord we have a Kingdom that cannot be shaken if we hold fast to the Lord and we serve Him acceptably with reverent and godly fear.

And the stirred bit in the ‘Shaken not Stirred’ title pun is we won’t be stirred (or worried) because our complete trust and confidence are in the Lord and because we fear God more than we fear man or circumstances.

And if we don’t have complete trust and confidence are in the Lord and we don’t fear God more than we fear man or circumstances we will repent of our sinful, unbelieving heart and trust the Lord with our whole heart.

Praise His Holy Name, Amen

I am seeking for one who will wait and watch
For my beckoning hand, my eye
Who will work in my manner the work I give
And the work I give will not pass by

And ALL the joy that is brought to Me
When one such as this I can find
A man who will do ALL of My will
Who is set to study His Master’s mind

I am but a slave, I have no freedom of my own
I cannot choose the smallest thing, nor even my way
I am a slave kept to do the bidding of my Master
He calls me night and day

When I was a servant I could claim wages
Freedom sometimes anyway
But I was bought , blood was the price my Master paid for me
And I am now His slave and evermore will be

He takes me here, he takes me there, He tells me what to do
I just obey, that is all, and I trust Him too

Poem from K.P. Yohannan’s Message – The Fear of the Lord – Part 1

Relevent Verses:

Rom 6:22
But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (NKJV)

1 Peter 1:18-19
You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (NKJV)

John 3:8
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.“ (NKJV)

]]> http://enlightenedhope.com/2009/03/28/an-audience-of-one/ Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:38:52 +0000 enlightenedhope http://enlightenedhope.com/2009/03/28/an-audience-of-one/

How much of what I do (what we do) is for an Audience of One?

I think it is good and healthy to examine yourself and your motives daily.  That is, why do I do the things that I do?  Why do I say the things that I say?  Am I trying to score some points for myself (somehow) by building myself up (sometimes at someone elses expense).

Pride can dominate our motives (I know this within myself).  Seeking the recognition of people can dominate our motives (again, I know this within myself).

How much of our day is for an Audience of One?  How much is done purely for our Lord?

Now I’m not suggesting a works based salvation or doing stuff for God to earn your way into Heaven.  But what is simply done for God out of a response to a faith based relationship in our Heavenly Father and what is done for the ‘pride of self’ or the ‘recognition of man’.

What drives my heart and what drives your heart?

If I test my motives from time to time, I know my motives, sometimes, are impure and selfish and prideful.  So this is a healthy exercise.  Perhaps when you examine the motives of your heart you may find they are very skewed.  Repentence may be necessary.

I think from time to time, the Lord wants to give us this new heart but there are all these obstacles, all these crutches in my life, in our lives, that have not been broken.  Our motives are wrong.  We rely on ourselves.  Pride rather than humility dominates our lives.

There is a verse, just before the flood, that describes the heart condition of the majority of the people, I think about it from time to time…

Gen 6:5-6
5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (NIV)

Before we were born again the inclination of our hearts was evil.  Even if we don’t think that, God thinks that.  After we are truly born again, God gives us a new heart…

Ezek 36:25-27
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (NIV)

What does this mean – a new heart.  Are we perfect – no!  Are we never, ever going to do anything wrong – no!  It means God has given us His heart and the natural inclination of our hearts is no longer evil, the (super)natural inclination of our hearts is now good in the eyes of the Lord.

God does something the law, working externally, could never do and that is to change man from  the inside out, to give him (us) new hearts and a new Spirit.

So, are we grieving this new heart away?  Or, have we ever received this new heart?  How are the motives of our heart?  Are our motives pure or selfish?

Are we living for a Audience of One?

What is your drug of choice?

A Christian blog seems, kind of, not the place to be talking about such things – doesn’t it?  Let me put this another way, how do you medicate your soul?  What do you do to sooth the pain of your loneliness, rejection, disconnectedness, inadequacy, inner longing for love, anxiety, suffering?

It seems, especially younger people, try to go from one temporary high to the next.  Whether your drug or choice is illegal, or whether it is alcohol or sex, or continuous partying, or spending, or however else you get your hit, it is a focussing on yourself to make you feel better.

The Bible is very wise about such things.  First off, it says we all have a knowledge of God built into our hearts it’s just that some of us choose to ignore that knowledge because we are in rebellion against Him – God cramps our style.

Secondly, the Bible says that we will never truly be happy unless we die to ourselves.  That is, we take the focus off ourselves and we serve God and serve others.

Thirdly, God can give us what is missing in our lives.  This world cannot ever satisfy the inner longings of our beings.  Only God can make us whole.  Only God can fill us with an inexpressible joy and completeness in our souls.

The invitation is always there.  God is a very gracious God.  He does not force us to come to Him.  He has made a way for us to come to Him and that is through His son Jesus.  Jesus bore the wrath and judgement of God for our sins on the cross.  If you are willing, God can open your eyes, right now, to this truth.

Repent, turn away from your sins, accept Jesus into your heart, be born again, and start living for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Your soul will never be thirsty again.

My previous post was ‘10 Indictments against the Modern Church in America‘ – a sermon by Paul Washer.  It is a very important message for our time.  I think it is also important to understand where this fellow (Paul Washer) is coming from, what he is made up of, and what better way than a question and answer session where he answers ‘off the cuff’.  What better way to find out (a little) about what makes this man tick, what consumes his thinking, what opinions he has, what are his opinions based upon etc, etc.  Here is a question and answer session with Paul Washer, enjoy…