Personal Relationship

The True Meaning of Christmas

~ kathrynspen ~ Leave a comment

In the USA, as well as in some other countries around the world, we have the freedom to celebrate Christmas and other holidays in our homes pretty much as we choose to… But, because I’ve been hearing quite a bit of rhetoric lately about “the real meaning of Christmas”…I thought it good to share both some thoughts – and some facts on that subject…

First of all… In a standard dictionary, “Christmas” is composed of two words – “Christ” and “mas”… “Christ” being defined as “the anointed Messiah”… and “mas” refers to “a specified festival or celebration.”  The two words together – “Christmas”- obviously means “a CELEBRATION of Christ, the anointed Messiah.”… It has meant that since the first time Christmas was celebrated… And it still means that today.

So, why would people who do not even believe the gospel of Jesus Christ enjoy celebrating Christmas?… It’s really not that hard to understand… Most people like to give…because giving feels good!  It is good!  And who among us does not like to be on the receiving end of that giving?… We all do!  Giving is good and receiving is fun!… Maybe that is why in Luke chapter 2, the angelic host proclaimed “Tidings of great joy to all people”.. Peace on earth and good will toward men”- as they announced the birth of the Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

God gave us this Savior for a reason…. He loved..so He gave.. He gave His only begotten Son – Jesus Christ- to be the “mediator between God and men” (I Timothy 2:5).  God so loved that He made a way for man to be reconciled to right relationship with Him.  God gave this gift of love to all men.. but to those who receive this gift of God – Jesus Christ the Anointed One/Savior/Messiah, there is a very special joy as we celebrate Christmas!  For truly knowing Jesus has never been a disappointment to anyone… He is the ultimate gift – the one that truly “keeps on giving”….

He came to give you a new birth in Him (John 3:1-8) – and life eternal!.. And God made it simple… You look to Jesus and ask for this new life in Him… It is the gift of God to you.”

The “bottom line” is this:  We can all celebrate Christmas the way that we choose to – but,  NOTHING.. can change the true meaning of “Christmas.”

A Confession of the Faithfulness of God

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I thank You, Father, that I am never alone…Jesus is always with me.

He will never leave me – and all of my life, He will never forsake me!

He will never forsake me… Because like God’s Word, Jesus is faithful and true…  To the end of all things, He is faithful and true!

Therefore I will not be afraid…

Though a mountain rises before me to stand in the way- I will not be afraid!..

I will not be afraid nor uncertain.. about the outcome of anything I face….

Though a storm may blow long and hard… I thank You Father God.. that You are with me and for me!…  So then, who – or what – can possibly succeed against me?

Even when failure appears eminent… as the enemy’s attacks are relentless….

But as I hold in my heart.. and in my mouth, the very sure Words of God – and with them do oppose every accusation and operation of the devil against me.. I am not uncertain of the outcome of anything which I face…

For God is with me and for me..whom shall I fear or of whom shall I be afraid? As I give thanks to God.. which always causes me to triumph in Christ Jesus!

For it is He who holds my hand.. saying.. “Fear not – for I am with you.. Do not be dismayed or discouraged, for I AM your God.  I will strengthen you – Yes, I WILL help you!  I WILL uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.!” (Isaiah 41:10)….

SO.. as for me…I WILL praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God.  I WILL delight myself also in His Word upon which He has caused me to hope….

And in my hope, I shall not be disappointed… For what He has promised, He is able also to perform!   And I am confident that every word He has spoken, He WILL  bring to pass.. as I keep my eyes on Him and His word in my mouth!

And if I stumble and get off track, His right hand will lift me up again…. He will lift me up again and help me get back on track… because He is there when I call… I KNOW He never leaves me…nor will He ever forsake me…  Therefore I WILL call on Him forever.. Jesus the faithful One!

For if God has said I win..then I win..as long as I walk the storms of life out with Him!

And even as Jesus’ victory was – not apparent – to many, on the day they laid Him in the tomb … Even so are many of the victories which we wait for in Him!

For God is faithful.. and many are the blessings of those who trust in.. AND.. wait on Him!

Note:  After I published this post, a friend called me “to make sure I was okay”!  She feared that I was in a real storm that she didn’t know about…  So I decided that it would be good and helpful for me to come back to this post and explain that “Yes, I’ve been through many storms of life, but I know whom I have come to trust and this post is simply something that the Lord put into my spirit – to encourage anyone that is going through some storm in their life – that they can indeed trust Jesus.   He has become so dear to me and truly He is my Help.. and my Counsellor through any time of uncertainty – as He wants to be .. and will be.. to any and all who call upon Him.

 

 

 

 

 

The Resurrected Life

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Put the past behind you!…..  Turn loose and step into that fresh new day.

No man can stop you.. This is “God ordained!”….

The resurrected life… “fresh”… with no mistakes..

New – walking a different way!

Lay down the pride – this having to answer/explain – thus to “fix” everything.

It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong.. or if you’re right.. Let it all go!  Let it go –  and thus turn loose of living to defend your life… And trust God to be your defense!

“Be still and let Me “be” God in your life” He says…”And you will see that is the way to show (whoever needs to know)… “what is what” and Who I Am”.. “Isn’t that what your life in Me is really all about?”

So lay down the pride – even this pride that will not rest until you get everything just right… And THAT is beyond your power both to see how – and to do!

So, let go!  and enter into that place of rest which I have prepared for you.  It starts when you decide to “seek first the Kingdom of God – setting your focus and your efforts on Him – Who has already “fixed” everything for you!!

Oh the peace that awaits you in that place – the abundance of joy and grace…  Walking in His righteousness… Knowing you have none of your own….

Time to rise up, look ahead, and leave the things of death behind you.. to walk in life anew – even the resurrected life He has called you to…

Understand that the past cannot go with you .. and there is no time and no place in Him to “vindicate self.”  Self must be denied to walk in this resurrected life…

You must lay it all down – this “demand” to be justified… For when God is your defense, there is nothing to prove… Oh, the freedom in that – just to rest in Him… humble yourself under His mighty hand – and thus receive grace to conquer and reign.. over all the inequities of this life!

And because You’re wonderful and good, Lord… I can lay down shame where the enemy has accused me.. And even in the place where I have failed to walk altogether uprightly… when I turn to You, Your righteousness vindicates me!  This is the place where all things become new again – the place of the fresh start – the walk without pride.

The key is to look at Jesus… Keep your eye, your focus on Him/His life – and so walk in the standing with the Father Jesus gave you… Walk with Him – could anything be better?  There you’ll find true vindication – as His glory surrounds you!

The “price” of all of this….?   Set your focus on Him – and don’t look back!   (Why would you want to – when you can be done with what is behind you!) Your walk, your direction – HE is your life… There’s nothing to prove or to clear up – not when you are done with all of that!!  Just step out and walk after Him… His righteousness is your “justification”..great joy and peace the reward

….. of the resurrected life.

 

 

 

 

 

Part 2 – Spirit or Soul?…Why You Need to Know the Difference

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“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature”.. (II Corinthians 5:17)….

We had a new dimension added to our life when we received Jesus – even life in the spirit.  We who were dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1-6) have been made alive in our spirit man.. alive from the death that came into man’s spirit in the garden (Genesis 3) when Adam turned from God to serve another master.

But now we’ve been born again – made new in Christ Jesus… It’s a new dimension that we have the capacity and the need.. to learn to walk in…. We have the need to LEARN about the things of the spirit because it is new for us when we receive Jesus… We’re born of the Spirit of God – but we still live in a flesh and blood body that has been ruled by our soul in conjunction with our five physical senses… But now we have the capacity in our born again spirit to get to know God and the things of His Kingdom.  We now have the capacity to learn to “be led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14).  It is a new walk for us .. in the Spirit to spirit relationship which God the Father designed our born again spirit to have with His Spirit/aka the Holy Spirit…We can’t do it without Him! 

Because… I Corinthians 2:14… states unequivocally that “the natural man understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God.. for they are foolishness unto him..neither can he (the natural man) know those things.. because they are spiritually discerned.” (natural = psuchikos – the Greek word for SOUL).

When we try to understand spiritual things and the Kingdom of God with our mind/reason/intellect (all of which belong to the soul of a man) – we will not succeed – for  as Jesus so very clearly explains to us in John 3:3-6.. “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can neither see nor enter the Kingdom of God… Because.. that which is born of the flesh IS FLESH!… and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  You MUST be born again!”

Indeed many of you reading this post have been born again/aka “born of the Spirit”.. But you do not understand what happened to you and you are still trying to figure it all out with your mind and reasoning (which is of the soul).  I understand that because for the first ten years after I received Jesus as my Savior.. I struggled with that as well.  I struggled to understand more about this new relationship and I longed to hear the voice of God to answer my questions and to give me direction when I had an important decision to make.  Once in a while I did hear.. and that made me hungry to hear and to know more….

I knew that something incredible and supernatural had happened to me but I didn’t know what it was .. beyond the fact of knowing that God was truly there and that He is wonderful…. But as long as we are trying to understand spiritual things with mental abilities – (i.e. our mind, intellect and reasoning factors) – we won’t grow in Him as He intended.. For God is a Spirit…(John 4:23, 24) and He seeks a Spirit to spirit relationship with you and me.. Because as Isaiah 55:8 & 9 tells us.. “His thoughts are not our thoughts – and His ways are not our ways – but as the Heavens are higher than the earth .. even so are His ways and thoughts higher than our ways and thoughts”…. But He gave us a way to get to know Him and His ways…

God gave us His Word to tell us about Himself.. and the history of man’s relationship with Him.  God’s Word is not a common book.. nor is it a fairy tale….  I can affirm that BECAUSE I KNOW the interaction that I (and many others) have with Him through His Word and by His Spirit…

But because I also know the struggle a person can have if they do not understand the spiritual rebirth that took place in them when they received Jesus into their life.. I desire deeply to share with anyone who is hungry enough to listen! …  because I’ve come far enough in Him in the last 38 years that I don’t even think twice about what to do when I have a problem or a big decision to make… I RUN TO HIM!!  I ask for His help/His input…. and with joy I can tell you that He never fails me… I KNOW He hears and will answer my prayers – even as He has always purposed to do for anyone who truly turns to Him.

But He leads us and speaks to us by His Spirit…to our spirit…. He gave us a hearing ear in our born again spirit.. and He also gave us a “witness” of the truth (and of error) in our spirit man.  Your spirit man was made to feed on the Word of God (I Peter 2:2)… and to be led by the Spirit of God (aka the Holy Spirit/the Comforter/the Spirit of Truth – John 14 – verses 16,17 & 26)…

You and I were made to be taught and led by His Spirit (Romans 8:14)… and that is the only way we are going to understand the promises of His Word and the provision that He has made for us…. How very much He wants to help us even now….

And that my friends – is the biggest reason I can think of to understand the difference between your soul and your spirit!… Because your spirit (not your soul) “is the candle of the Lord.”

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When you have the time – I urge you to read the first part of this post about the difference in a person’s soul and their spirit… See February 29 post under “Recent Posts” on the right side of my home page.

“Spirit” and “Soul” – Are We Talking About the Same Thing?..

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I used to think that the “spirit and soul” of a person was one and the same… but are they truly the same thing?  I Thessalonians 5:23 informs us that we are “spirit, soul, and body” – three parts to our being…. and in line with that.. we see in Hebrews 4:12 that the soul and the spirit are two different parts of our being – and – can be separated to distinguish between the two…

The spirit and the soul of a man are indeed two separate parts….For the soul of a man is “home to his mind or intellect,  plus his will and his emotions….. The spirit is the part of a person in which the spiritual rebirth takes place when he or she chooses to receive Jesus as their Savior… In John 3:1-8 Jesus attempts to explain being “born again”.. telling us in verses 5 -7 ..that.. “except a man be born of water and the spirit – he or she cannot enter into the Kingdom of God… (Because) “that which is born of the flesh is flesh.. and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit… Therefore I say unto you … you must be born again.”

(This spiritual rebirth is necessary for man to be in right relationship with God again – because when Adam partook of the forbidden tree in the Garden, he did not die physically but spiritually.  You may read in more detail about this in Romans 5:12-21).

My purpose in writing this is not to “split hairs” – but to share what helped me tremendously once I saw and understood..that.. indeed there is a difference between the soul and the spirit… As I mentioned earlier,  I Thessalonians 5:23 informs us that – as an individual – you and I are spirit, soul, and body… That’s three different “parts” to our being… The “body” we can see and comprehend.. But many people wrestle with understanding the difference between the “soul” and the “spirit” of a man….

What IS the difference between the spirit and the soul?….

  • With my body… I contact the natural/physical realm.
  • With my spirit… I contact the spiritual realm….  John 4:24 tells us that “God is a Spirit”… and that “true worshippers will worship Him “in spirit and in truth”… He seeks those to worship Him.. who have been born of the Spirit/aka born again (or “saved” as some prefer to say).. Being Himself.. a Spirit .. God seeks this Spirit to spirit relationship..
  • With my soul… I contact the emotional and intellectual realm – and relate to them in conjunction with my 5 physical senses… i.e. what I see, hear, feel, smell, and can touch.
When we do not understand the difference in our soul and our spirit – we will try to figure God out through our mind/intellect and what we are “feeling”/our emotions…  And thus we have a much more difficult time understanding His Word… and often wonder why we don’t hear Him speaking to us – as John 10 tells us that we will…. “My sheep hear My voice.. and they follow Me because they know My voice”.. verses 3 & 4…. But it is with our spirit (not the soul/mind) that we “hear” His voice…

As Proverbs 20:27 tells us.. “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord”… and in I Corinthians 2:9-14… we see clearly this Spirit to spirit relationship which God designed to use to reveal things to us by His Spirit…. It is necessary that our spirit first be born again as Jesus said in John 3:1-8 ….  because as verse 14 in I Corinthians 2.. says.. “The natural man  (referring to our mind/soul) – receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.. for those things are foolishness unto him… neither can he (the natural man) know them because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED”…

Though we “walk in the flesh”… we began our relationship with Him in the spirit (Galatians 3:2,3)… It is a Spirit to spirit relationship… And because God designed it that way.. you and I should not ignore those verses in His word that speak of spiritual things….

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More to come in Part 2 about distinguishing the soul from the spirit of man.

 

 

Does Faith Come in Different Shapes and Sizes??

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We all have problems that come in different shapes and sizes…. But none of them are too big for God to handle.  For the born again person who has gotten to know God reasonably well – and has began to have a pretty good understanding of the Kingdom of God  (that receiving Jesus brought us into) ….. You already knew that – i.e. That nothing is too hard for God!… But the real issue for most Christians about this – is.. How do I get God to “fix MY problem?” 

First off – The day you ask Jesus to come into your life – you have put yourself on the starting line of a truly incredible journey…. One that I’ve been on for 38 years and have NEVER regretted starting.. I’m in this for the long haul and I find myself always waiting for something  to be answered – even while I am still rejoicing over the last prayer God answered.. and the last miracle that I saw at His hand… There’s nothing boring about it.  As you press in to know Him more and more – there is an ongoing freshness in the relationship… For the longer you know Him, the more reason you will see to be in awe of WHO He IS – and HOW HE IS.   Jesus, my Lord and Savior – You are incredible!

What I am saying to you is that there is enough going on in your life at all times to keep you challenged,  glad, and hoping – all at the same time – as you walk through problems the way He directs you to, receive wonderful unexpected “suddenly” answers to prayers – AND WAIT – for things close to your heart that  “feel like” they’ll never change!…. All going on in your life at the same time!   And that – all because we’re still human and still have to deal with what we see, hear, feel, taste etc. – which things always stand to oppose walking by faith.

But God gave us the remedy for that… He gave us His Word – from which faith comes.. He gave us His wonderful presence to refresh us as we seek Him… He gave us authority over things that the enemy uses to oppose us.. and He gave us the gift of each other when we need someone “with flesh on” to stand with us.

Knowing Jesus is wonderful – but that alone doesn’t keep some storms from coming.  Yet we have His promise that “I will never leave you.”… and that He will supply all our needs …. And the reality of His presence and of His promises will continue to grow bigger and bigger within you – as you get started following after Him to know Him….And as you go – with your eyes on Him – you will find it easier and easier to trust…. And trust is a good nesting place for faith to root itself into your life and start to grow …. Faith to deal with any size and shape of problem…. “Because nothing is too hard for God” and “All things are possible to him that believeth.“…

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So speak always in line with God’s word and according to the promise that He has given you concerning the problem you face…. because His word does not return to Him void … and though the problem may seem to grow into a mountain .. it will change..  It will change before God’s word does!

Psalm 16:8,9  “I have set the Lord always before me (I have His promises – and I’m beginning to see that He IS BIGGER than my problems)… Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved…. therefore my heart is glad.. my tongue rejoices.. and my flesh also rests in hope.”   Glory be to God- Jesus, thank You.!  Knowing You sparks faith within me … faith big enough to deal with any size of problem!

 

 

 

God’s Divine Supply… Exercising Faith to Receive

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When the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:24-34) – touched the hem of Jesus’ garment – virtue (miraculous healing power) went out of Him and into her… Jesus had not sought her out to pray for her – neither had she requested that He pray for her…. Rather it happened because she believed (and voiced what she believed)… that if she could only touch His clothes, she would be healed….  And thus it happened that when she touched His clothes – healing virtue went out of Him and healed her.  Her faith “drew out” the healing virtue that was/is resident in Him.  We know this is so because Jesus turned to her and said “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.”….

Even so – your faith and my faith – draws on and receives from God’s divine supply of grace and provision sufficient to fill every need..  The divine supply for all our needs is already there….He made this provision for us because of.. and according to.. what Jesus paid for and did for us in God’s redemption plan for man…. And Hebrews 4:15,16 tells us that He can indeed be touched with the feeling of our infirmities….That means that He WANTS to help us and to supply our needs!

Our part is FAITH…. And as Jesus said to His disciples.. we only need “faith the size of a mustard seed” in order to receive from God.. or to do the things that He asks us to do…  You might ask  “How can I get this little bit of faith that I need to receive from God?” 

Faith is the gift of God to us… It comes as we get to know Him and trust Him – through His Word and taking time aside from other things to spend with Him (as you would with any person that you want to get to know.)   It’s for all those who choose to receive Jesus.. and exercise faith to believe….

The real answer to all of this .. is found in your continued fellowship with God …. For as you get to know Him, the things of His Spirit and of His Kingdom – begin to get into you and affect all that you think and do.  And with each answered prayer, you will find that trusting Him becomes more and more the “natural” thing for you….

God’s divine supply of healing virtue in Jesus – was available for the woman with the issue of blood…. And that same divine supply is there for you… It’s held in trust for all those who choose to receive Him – and exercise faith to believe.

The Perfume of His Presence II

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We all need personal fellowship, Lord Jesus, with You….

Only that fellowship can make our hope and strength for each day new….

As the freshness of the early morning – before the turning of the hand or mind to do…

Like the one in the old hymn who comes to the garden alone – Lord Jesus, seeking You..

That one comes “while the dew is still on the roses”….

And although those roses have long since faded –

The sweet presence of the Son of God still lingers… waiting for the one who seeks Him..

The perfume from His presence reserved for those who draw aside to such a meeting…..

The very remembrance of which – serves as a confident respite from the hustle and bustle of the world we live in today…..

As we are mindful – of WHO HE IS – and the sweet fellowship and communion we’ve had apart with Him…still there with us… permeating all that we face with His wonderful peace.

This kind of fellowship is to us as Jesus said in Luke 10:41 & 42 of Mary…. “this one has chosen that good part – which shall not be taken away from her.”

For the perfume of His presence can still linger –

And the words that you heard Him say are a gift to take with you…..

As “duty” calls – and you have need to depart from that dear place.

And it is the same for those who choose the stillness of the night….. lighting down from the cares of the day to meet Him ….

The “time” is just a matter of choosing to draw aside into that secret place….. Oh, Jesus.. I’m so ready for this time away – an hour – or even a few quiet moments to visit again with You…

For by His Spirit, God calls… He beckons to each one of His children to lighten down and find rest in Him from all the busyness and cares of the day…

And then refreshed and aware that He made us to live here in this world for a certain span of days – we take leave from that place of sweet respite He gave us here….

It’s not a dream I can assure…. It’s not a “myth or fairy tale”… It IS the one thing I know of that sounds too good to be true – but indeed is REAL…It is “the product” of God’s love for you….

Jesus, You ARE.. all the wonderful fragrance of this life anew…..the gift of God given us to live for and draw aside to….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Capacity of the Born Again Spirit to Know God

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News Flash…. You and I can not “MAKE” God do anything….But the “good news” is…. that because He loves you and me – He made a way for us to come to Him..and to connect with Him – if we choose to….

In John 3, we see a man who DID choose to…. Indeed, Nicodemus did want to know….He wanted to know so badly – that he risked losing his standing as a ruler among the religious crowd of his day – by coming to Jesus to inquire “Who” Jesus was –  and about the connection Jesus had with God….. (To be honest with you, there are many people today that ought to take a little bit of a risk – in order to inquire “Who Jesus Is” and about His connection to God….!)  It’s worth everything in the world to know the real answer to that…

But then – as it would be now – Jesus wasted no time in answering Nicodemus’s questions about the Kingdom of God and who He was….He began by letting Nicodemus (as well as you and me) – know that the natural man cannot understand the Kingdom of God…. “You must be born again,”  Jesus explained…” Except a man be born again, he cannot see/have knowledge of the Kingdom of God.”  (John 3:3)

When Jesus told Nicodemus “You must be born again” – Jesus was speaking of a SPIRITUAL BIRTH…. And until you and I can understand that, we will continue to equate “religion” in it’s various forms with “knowing God” – but yet not understanding God’s Kingdom or being born again into the family of God…..i.e. Being born of the Spirit – as Jesus told Nicodemus in the discourse between the two there in John 3:1-16 …. And as surely as Nicodemus had trouble seeing (v9-12) just what it was that Jesus was trying to tell him – so it always is with the natural mind of man… there is not in him the “capacity” to understand the things of the Kingdom of God –  because they are “spiritually discerned”…

The natural man neither sees or knows the things of the spirit….Those things are actually foolishness unto him…..Indeed,  the things of God knoweth no man  (I Corinthians 2:11-14)- But the moment we receive Jesus as our Savior, we are born again – a spiritual rebirth into the Kingdom of God…. And from that moment, we have the “capacity” to see and be taught the things of the Kingdom of God – and to truly  get to know who He is and what He has done for us to bring us into right relationship with Him……

That- in a nutshell- is what happens to us when we get born again….But that’s just the beginning…..We have our birth/ our beginning in the Kingdom of God in the spirit…. But as the Apostle Paul asked of and explained to the Christians in Galatians 3:3….”Having begun in the spirit, do you now think that you can fulfill your place and walk in the things of God by the flesh”?… The answer to that is obviously “no”…. But the born again spirit of a man is .. READY.. is WILLING… and even PREDISPOSED  to follow after God to know Him.  Indeed, that born again spirit cries after God the Father to know Him….. But as long as you’re still living in your “earth suit” – you WILL have choices to make.  Your born again spirit was designed by God to feed on the things of God – His Word, time apart from other things to worship God and taste His presence so that you can grow strong in the spirit.

The born again spirit  (YOUR born again spirit!) – has an amazing CAPACITY  to fellowship with and grow in knowing God – and in understanding the things of the spirit….

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  FYI  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Continue reading →

Bread For Life: The Standing Jesus Bought for Me

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I received Jesus as my Savior January 15, 1978… . It is – without question – “my favorite birthday”!  How come?….

Cause I was born again…into a family…. I became a son/a daughter of the Living God. (Scripture tells me that the instant I received Jesus – a miracle happened in me….. I was “born of the spirit” – by the Spirit of Almighty God (John 3:1-8)…. Who transferred me out of the kingdom of darkness over into the kingdom of His own dear Son (Colossians 1:12-14)… Who redeemed us with the price of His own blood….

I was born again into a family — And in this family I have a standing – with our Father God….. the standing that Jesus bought for me…. (A standing that belongs not just to me – but to everyone who has believed and the sacrifice of Jesus received.)….. A standing that belongs to every son and daughter!  I am  “a child of God.” .. That is why January 15 is not only my favorite birthday,  but a very very special day of the year to me -in every sense of the word…

I am a child of God – and in that place as His child,  He positioned me to receive – ALL His benefits and blessings – (Psalm 103:2-4)…..That is the standing that Jesus bought for me… But it requires that we love Him and learn to  “walk in the truth” (III John 1:2-4)….. A journey that is both very exciting – and very challenging!… .

But now … Seeing His heart – I CAN believe!.. all the love and the other good things Jesus bought for me….  And in every dark hour – the sweetness of His voice quiets all the noise of doubts and fear… and when I hear Him say “Peace be still” it calms my storm as my heart it does fill…. For His peace (John 14:27) is part of my heritage – in the standing with My Father – that Jesus bought for me.

Daily Bread – Growing in the Fellowship of the Spirit

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“As the deer panteth after the water brooks.. so my soul longeth after You, oh God”  (Psalm 42:1)…..

It is fellowship with each one of us that God desires … And He has planted that same desire for fellowship with Him in our hearts as well……As the heart of God the Father longs for this fellowship, so you and I have need of it….. For it is this very fellowship that helps us keep growing and becoming strong – and sensitive to the things of the spirit…..

Our growing in fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ – is indeed comparable to that in the natural of an adoring mother or father as they see their child growing into the place where it can have greater fellowship with them….. In the beginning, the relationship was pretty well one-sided – with the babe (and with you and I in our relationship with God) -needing all this personal attention…. And even though there was delight in giving us that needed attention – how much deeper the bond and the satisfaction between us as we grow to the place where there are things that can now be shared that were once beyond our understanding…… And the great delight then – to our Father –  when we come to Him just because we want the fellowship that binds us in that “forever relationship.”

So, just as it is necessary to grow up in the natural in order to have more understanding and deeper relationships….. Even so, God the Father desires to see us grow up in the things of the Spirit… For that IS the “forever relationship”

Daily Bread – God’s Supply of Forgiveness

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To the world, God the Father says “Come”….. I loved you so much that I gave Jesus Christ, My Son – that whoever believeth on Him should not die in their sin, but have everlasting life….. So, come! You can know My forgiveness and love….. Be reconciled to Me through the One – who gave Himself as a sacrifice for all who would come…..

…… And for the believer, this supply of forgiveness continues into every day of the rest of our lives…. for as He tells us in  I John 1:9  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins – and – to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Glory be to God….. He IS incredibly good!

I believe I John 1:9  means that the supply of God’s forgiveness is so complete that you and I don’t ever have to wonder – if He will forgive me “this time“- because the promise is clear….. And if you’ve ever tasted that forgiveness when you’ve really “missed it” and you know it… there’s just nothing that can compare – to that feeling of release from the weight of all guilt – and the peace that comes with that release.

God’s supply of forgiveness is “free for the asking”….. So, ask and receive all that you need of it….. because that is the “door” back into fellowship with Him when you and I have “missed it.”

Daily Bread…. The Love That Casts Out Fear

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With a “deliberate hurl” – the original Greek of John 4:18 says – that “the love of God casts out fear.”…. And we are further informed in II Timothy 1:7 – that “God has not given us the spirit of fear!”

…. Obviously, God the Father does not want fear to have a place in our lives….. A main reason for that being that fear is an opposing force to faith .. It actually works to “neutralize” faith for a particular situation in the believer’s life.  In other words – I could have strong faith in one area, but be over into fear in another – and thus find it hard to receive from God in that particular area…..

But God has the solution for that … He wants us to come to know Him more and more – to the point that we “know and believe the love He has for us”…. because as we do, the love of God that we find in knowing Jesus – will progressively drive out the fear we are in that He can’t (or won’t) help us in some area of our life…..

Indeed, He has promised you and me that – “I will never leave you or forsake you!”…. So we need not fear that we are ever alone with our problem or in our time of need. Even if we were in the wrong – as long as we turn our face to Him asking for help – He will be there for us….. helping us to get turned around….. And the love that He has for us will drive out the fear that we can never get it right again…..Because that incredible love that casts out fear is being perfected in us as we keep turning to Him.….

Daily Bread…… As Ambassadors for Christ

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Now you and I as believers are ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5:18-20). We are His representatives/His agents – urging all men – to be reconciled to God.

We are ambassadors for Christ – and the things which we have seen and heard of Him – we share with you that you also may have that same fellowship with Him ….. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ…. which brings great joy to our lives…

As ambassadors, we make known these things to others that their joy also may be full by knowing Jesus Christ and tasting His presence in their lives…… Thus we urge all in Christ’s stead…… Receive Jesus as Savior today – receive Him and thereby be reconciled to God!…….

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son – that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish – but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

I’ll finish this little post with the part we seldom quote – the very next verse –“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  (John 3:17)…..  This part is “the rest of the story/good news” – which all of us truly need to hear….. and as ambassadors we certainly should more often share!

Personal Worship …. Touching God’s Heart and Tasting His Presence

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The following is a Prophetic Word Received Jan13,2013

We are coming into – are already in the beginnings of miraculous restorations  Such” miracles” will soon be commonplace in the Body of Christ.

(How shall this be?)…..  Men and  women, even children – yielding themselves to worship God.  Worship of a “purer” vein than most have tasted in our churches.  This worship will fill the homes and  the lives – the personal lives – of those who love Him.  He is our God , and we will  give the honor due Him.  We will  love, worship and adore Him.

Our God will have a people who deeply worship Him ….. (Did not Jesus say to the religious leaders who asked Him to rebuke *the multitude who began to worship Jesus as He made His way into Jerusalem  (Luke 19:29-40) ” I tell you that if *these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out!”)    Yes, our God will  have a people who deeply worship Him – out of hearts set upon Him.  We’re talking about “first love” – the deepest affection of our heart belonging (where it belongs) –  to Him!  Our God reigns – first in our hearts who say we love Him – then in the world;  for He is soon to rule and reign on the earth which He made.   We are in that dispensation of time when we will see all things gathered back into His hands.  (ICorinthians 15:22-28  & Ephesians 1:10)

He is our God, and we will worship Him.  In true worship, all things are possible!…. and through us – by the mighty power of the Spirit of God working in us –  the world will  see Him!   He only is the King of Glory – and He will  be Lord and God and King in this world – for the kingdoms of this world are soon to be the kingdoms of our God!

Jesus, You are worthy of all glory and honor and praise – You are our God, and we worship You.  The kingdoms of this world – the earth and all things in it – are soon to be the kingdoms of our God!    (End of the prophetic word) – and into a short teaching on…..

…. Personal Worship…. When we take the time to worship the Lord, we touch His heart and we taste His presence.

God “dwells in the light” – and we also begin to be surrounded with that same light – even when our circumstances look dark – as we surrender our time, our heart and our mind to focus on Him – on who He is, what His Word says – and the incredible things He has done and does still do.   In fact He wants us to learn to “walk” in the light with Him – so that He is not hard to find when our circumstances try to dictate things of darkness to us.   (I John 1:3-7  tells us that we can “walk in the light” and stay in fellowship with Him)

The Psalmist said ” I have set  the Lord always before me – because He is at my right hand – I shall not be moved …..  therefore my heart is glad,  my tongue rejoices,  and my flesh also – shall rest in hope.” (Psalm 16:7)  Spending time with Him causes the flesh side of our being to rest – and experience “hope.”…. Also, the words “I have set” indicate that this is something you and I are to do.  God has given us the “tools” we need to work with – but it is up to us to make the choice  to learn how to use them!

How about choosing to become one of those worshipers that God seeks for?!

(John 4:23,24  “The hour cometh and now is – when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth – for the Father seeks such to worship Him.  God is a Spirit;  and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”)

You and I are triune beings – spirit, soul and body – just as it tells us  in I Thessalonians ..5:23.  We are to give some attention to the development of each one of the three – but God made the spirit to dominate the other two. (The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord – which He illuminates as we set our hearts and give some time aside with Him – Proverbs 20:27 & Psalms 18:28).    If you and I give ourselves to use the “tools” God gives us to feed and develop our spirit – it will be the one that dominates in our life as God intended…..  And we are seeing from this and recent posts on this blog that PERSONAL WORSHIP is one of the main gifts/tools  that He put in the born again spirit of man to help us connect with Him and develop a healthy strong spirit within us.

There is more than one way to spend personal time in worship …  For some music is special – Psalms 150.   Others may love to dance before the Lord in some of their alone time with Him –  Psalm 149:3;  Psalm 150:4. ….. And   Psalm 100:1,2   invites us to “come before Him with singing – ditto with Ephesians 5:18,19 and Colossians 3:16 ! … while Psalm 46 calls us into a “stillness” as does the 23rd Psalm as we meditate on “who He is and what He has done and will do.”   Psalms 63:5  and  103:1-6 invite us to bless His name and be joyful as we think about (and always remember!) all His  benefits – and the blessings of just knowing Him.!….  Speaking and celebrating His Word – acknowledging and giving thanks for all that He is to us – and for His promises that are always “yes and amen” to those who believe that His Word is true.   (Philippians 2:16 and II Corinthians 1:20)

……Whatever you do….. learn to worship – you’ll “touch God’s heart” and taste His presence.  You can’t do better than that …. because … “in His presence is fullness of joy”!

THE HEART OF OUR CREATOR

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This is a special writing to me because I so see God the Father’s heart in this …. and I ask you to remember as you finish reading it – that even as Jesus gave the invitation to any who would hear “Come (to Me)whosoever will”  – the invitation still stands.

THE HEART OF OUR CREATOR

As I gave my Heavenly Father an hour just to “be with Him” and worship -almost immediately – I began to sense and to understand that He wants  to touch and to fellowship  with every single person in the world!  And that no one – NOT ANYONE – can stand in another person’s place with God!

I felt His love for,  and desire to fellowship with the multitudes of people around the world who do not know Him …. so many who do not know He is their Creator and Savior.  Yet there is a place with Him  for each one of them – a place that no other person can ever fill!

God our Creator so desires that fellowship with each one of us that He is “jealous” over just one hour …. so much so that He would say to those who do know Him as Savior – “Could you not take just one hour of your day and spend that time with Me?”  (Because) there will never again be an opportunity  like we have now in this time to CHOOSE  to fellowship with Him.

…… And to each one of the multitude of people that give their lives to so many other things – and live their lives with so many “unanswered ” needs – would He not say  (out of a heart of love) to each of them –  “How oft would I have gathered you “as a hen gathers her chicks and holds them close under her wings …. but you would not turn to Me so that I could take you there.”

I also understood this – that even as no one can ever stand in our place with God – even so,  neither can you or I ever give that fellowship that belongs to Him to someone or something else. But it is, and will remain an “unanswered” and “unsatisfied”  empty place in our life –  that we both live and die with – without Him.

THE ONLY STABLE THING

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Oh Father, God in Heaven – to move forward with You is always “the thing to do” …. We cannot consider the right of our own reasoning alone to lead us – but steadfastly move in the direction that You give us.  For things have a way of changing … with danger all around us,  and those who were once simply our “competitors” have become – without true reason – our enemies!

Who would have thought that the outlook of “right” and “good” could change so quickly? … and take on such “different colors”?  (All the while Your righteous judgements  NEVER change – and will endure forever!! – and that in spite of what any one decides to do here…..  )  Oh, Father, for us who have seen the right paths You gave us to walk in – maligned and shaken as many are leaving those paths to walk in what has become “politically correct and socially acceptable” …. (But You love us all still – that is the wonder!  And You’re calling to  each of us – if we would – to “get still” and know just WHO YOU ARE ….- and to taste that incredible LOVE that defines  YOU and caused  You – to give Yourself for the world!)

There is the path on the left – and the path farther over, on the right …..  But lest we forget …. there is also the path in the center  – the one You gave us to embrace and walk – the path illuminated by Your light …. that path being steady and sure!  There grace abounds and Your love is our comfort and makes us secure … and in the end it will  “win out”!  And surely, for those who walk on it, this path grows brighter as we approach that “perfect day”… and surely it “tastes better” than any other way – for Your presence is there  ( and nothing in this world can buy such a priceless treasure!)!

….  And whilst the world around us is being shaken, You are our Rock and never change!  So that as things in the world look a little shaky or uncertain – we can do as the Psalmist did do – and press in to You…… acknowledging that “while I may be a little  afraid, I CAN,  I WILL –  trust in You!  Because in life, You are the ONLY thing – Lord Jesus – that does not change!!

“Jesus Christ, the same – yesterday, today and forever”  Hebrews 13:8   He does not change. In this day and hour that we live in, He IS …  the only stable thing! Jesus I am so so glad to know You!  And very very glad I am to know – that any one who reads this – only have to ask in order to know You too!!

“COME TO ME”

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GOD’S CALL TO HIS PEOPLE ….

Come to Me.  Do not be afraid – I am “with you and for you.”  Do  not let fear or discouragement stop you.  I am  your God.

Come – and worship Me.  I will meet you.  You can be strong to rise up against fear – and the things that come in the door that “fear” opens.  My authority is in you to rise up over those things the enemy has planted to stop you.  Your fight is in the spirit realm – and that is where I operate to affect the natural realm…. So, come to Me!  You will find the strength that you need as you worship Me.

I love you!  Do not let people or pain from the past hinder you and rob you from returning to worship Me.  I love you.  I love you – and I am stronger than any of those things.

Come to Me!   I will meet you – and you will know the peace and confidence I have to give to you.  There is a refreshing that comes to those who choose  to draw aside  to worship Me.  In My presence, you will find the answer to things that stop you from walking strongly with Me.

COME!   You “chase” other things – CHASE ME!   You’ll find Me waiting to touch you.

Come to Me and know how much  I LOVE YOU.